Jo Barrett
Operations Director, Thrive Homes

Jo has over 30 years’ experience in the housing sector covering all aspects of the business. Her extensive housing and property knowledge has been crucial in driving Thrive forward and transforming the business to achieve its vision for growth.

Responsible for the management of around 5,000 homes, Jo’s role puts her at the heart of frontline services including asset management and customer experience.

Jo is a member of the National Housing Federation Quality of Existing Homes Group (QEHG) with a focus on Strategic Asset Management, Safety and Compliance and Quality of Homes.

Paul Norman
Director of Asset Strategy, Clarion

Paul has over 30 years’ experience in asset management / property service in both the public and private sector. Paul has responsibility for asset strategy, stock transfers, disposals and acquisitions along with regeneration, sustainability, innovation and decarbonisation of Clarion existing portfolio. Paul’s vision for Clarion is “a plan for every home” whereby every customer has full transparency of projected investment and interventions in their home.

Rose Bean
Director of Assets and Sustainability, Abri

With more than 20 years of experience in housing, Rose leads Abri’s strategic priorities across asset management, sustainability, regeneration, and building safety, overseeing 58,000 homes and assets. She has driven major improvements in energy efficiency, piloted renewable technologies, and leads Abri’s regeneration programmes, including Abri’s flagship regeneration scheme in Windsor. A strong advocate for climate action, Rose has led Abri’s net zero strategy and played a key role in establishing the Greener Futures Partnership (GFP), securing significant funding for large-scale retrofit programmes. A forward-thinking leader, she continuously explores new approaches to improving homes and communities for the future.

Brian Golton
Property Delivery Director, Anchor Hanover Group

Dan Gray
Executive Director, Property, Aspire Housing

Julie Evans
Chief Property Officer, Curo Group

Julie was appointed Executive Director of Property Services in 2019, having previously held a number of directorships with Curo since joining in 2006 when the business was called Somer Housing Group. Julie’s prior roles within the Group have included Director of Tenancy Services, Director of Customer Services, Director of Neighbourhood Services and, most recently, Director of Asset Management.

Julie is a career housing professional with over 30 years’ experience in both English and Welsh housing sectors, starting her career as a trainee housing manager in 1988. She brings a proven track record of success in operational, strategic and transformational leadership roles in addition to seven years’ experience of strategic direction-setting and change implementation as a non-executive director of a Bristol community housing provider, United Communities. She currently acts as a governor on the board of Bath College.

Tony Tench
Deputy Chief Executive, Housing 21

Emma Richman
Director of Operations, Peaks & Plains Housing Trust

Emma is an award winning housing professional with a career in housing that spans over 27 years, she is currently the Director of Operations at Peaks and Plains Housing Trust and is also an Independent Non Exec at First Choice Homes Oldham. Emma is a qualified Architect and Building Surveyor and is currently a Trustee of the Pankhurst Centre in Manchester.

Emma is a previous Chair of the North West Branch of Women in Property and has been on their committee for the last 10 years. She also won Woman of the Year at the 2018 Woman in Housing Awards.

Thomas Fountain
Director of Asset Knowledge and Insight, Places For People Group

Ian Jaynson
Executive Director of Asset Management, The Guinness Partnership

Steve Ellard
Executive Director of Property, Ongo Homes

Steve joined Ongo Homes in July 2024 as Director of Property. He has overall responsibility for the following areas: repairs and maintenance, empty homes, planned work and improvements, neighbourhood services, compliance, and developments. Coming from Director of Assets and Sustainability at Yorkshire Housing, Steve brings a wealth of knowledge in the sector, specialising in strategic planning, investment and environmental sustainability.

Paul Moat
Chief Executive, Nottingham Community Housing Association