The Chair's Challenge

The Chairs’ Challenge: A Transformative Drive or Mere Window Dressing?

Speakers

Jenny Brown

Chair, Longhurst Group

Having initially been an Audit director specialising in not for profit for 20 years (starting as a graduate trainee) Jenny is now a governance and EDI specialist working both as a governance consultant and as a learning and development facilitator focussing on EDI and behaviours. She is passionate about bringing these two worlds together to create better organisations who can have a greater impact on more people. Jenny has worked on and with boards for many years and is Chair at Longhurst Group and former Audit and risk committee chair. She also sits on the Board of a number of other organisations outside housing. She is a qualified coach and coach supervisor and works with many different types of people and organisation internationally, on a wide range of leadership topics.

Victor da Cunha

Group Chief Executive, Curo Group

Vic joined the organisation as Chief Executive in 2011. His initial focus was on integrating three housing associations into one organisation with a clear customer service ethos. From these foundations, Curo was formed as a re-energised, social purpose-driven housing association and housebuilder. Today Curo has grown the number of homes in management by around 2,000, it has trebled its turnover, increased resident engagement and satisfaction and has around 2,100 homes in its development pipeline. It is also an Investors In People ‘Gold’ employer, has been ranked in the Best Companies Top 25 housing associations to work for, and has won many awards for the services, new homes and regeneration activities it undertakes. Vic is Chair of Local Space Housing Association, which provides high-quality temporary housing for homeless families in East London and chairs the National Housing Federation’s National Diversity, Equalities & Inclusion Group. He also sits of the NHF’s Race In Housing Group.

David Hunter

Chair, Mount Green Housing Association

David has worked in the Housing sector throughout his career and has experiences ranging across private sector housing, local authority homelessness allocations, housing associations and ‘for-profit’ registered providers. He is an accredited chartered surveyor, a member of the Royal Society of Chartered Surveyors (RICS), a member of the Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH) and experienced non-executive director alongside his main role as Director of Housing at Clarion Housing Group. Having been appointed Chair of Mount Green Housing Association in September 2020, he has led the establishment of Mount Green’s current resident committee and further enhanced the roles and expectations of resident board members whilst championing an improved focus on ED&I in the organisation. David is keen to ensure that Housing Association Boards reflect the communities our organisations serve, and put residents’ interests at the heart of the decisions Boards make.

Karl George

Partner, RSM

Karl George MBE is a thought leader and internationally established consultant in governance. Karl is a visiting professor and has a honorary doctorate, is an established author and conference speaker. He is a Partner and head of Governance at the leading professional services firm RSM. Creator of The tgf Governance Code, The RACE Equality Code and the Effective Board Member Programmes. He works with boards and senior executives in the private, public and voluntary sectors and has over twenty five years’ combined experience in accountancy, business and strategic development. Karl a qualified accountant and Fellow of the global international body for governance practitioners CGI: The Chartered Governance Institute. He has developed a unique governance framework and quality mark that was endorsed by the late Sir Adrian Cadbury. Karl’s latest book Governance 3.0 provides an international perspective on modern governance and amongst his other books, The Effective Board Member talks about whatever every board member should know.

Date: 06 February 2024

Time: 10:00AM – 12:00PM

Venue: Central London

If you would like to register your interest to attend the roundtable please click the link below.