The board currently comprises the Group Chairman, six other non-executive directors and five executive directors.
Executive Directors
David Cowans
Group Chief Executive
David has extensive experience of housing, urban regeneration, mixed-tenure and mixed use development, property management, marketing and financial management, and leading strategic change in large and small organisations.
David Cowans
Andy Winstanley
Group Finance Director
Andy was appointed Group Finance Director in August 2017, having previously operated as the Group’s Financial Controller since joining Places for People in 2010. Andy qualified as an Accountant at Ernst and Young where he spent nine years in its North-West assurance practice.
Andy Winstanley
Debi Marriott-Lavery
Group Executive Director - Affordable Housing
Debi has been in her role as Group Executive Director of Affordable Housing at Places for People since July 2019 and has been with Places for People since 2015. Prior to housing, Debi spent a decade in health and social care as a qualified healthcare professional.
Debi Marriott-Lavery
Tim Weightman
Group Executive Director, Assets and Investments
Tim joined Places for People in 1997 and has over 20 years’ experience of development and investment in relation to the residential asset classes, including PRS, retirement rentals and student housing, and is responsible for the Group’s other investment properties, and its approach to asset performance and strategic asset management.
Tim Weightman
Scott Black
Group Executive Director - Development
Scott is a Chartered Architect with 25 years’ experience in the development industry and with a passion for design and the creation of sustainable new communities which are inclusive for all. He has performed several roles in his career leading up to a group position as Director of New Business at Crest Nicholson PLC.
Scott Black
Group Company Secretary
Chris Martin
Group Company Secretary and Legal Services Director
Chris is a solicitor with over 30 years’ experience of legal practice and joined Places for People in 2008. Previously, he worked in private practice for 10 years, in a City law firm and as a partner in a US legal practice, and then in general counsel roles in UK and international businesses in a number of different industry sectors.
Chris Martin
Non-executive directors
The non-executive directors act independently of management which ensures the highest standards of accountability and transparency are upheld throughout the organisation.
Richard Gregory OBE
Group Chairman
Richard has held the roles of chair, senior independent director and non-executive director across a range of private and public sectors. Currently Richard is also Chair of the specialist lender Together Personal Finance Ltd. Former roles include Senior Advisor to Virgin Money PLC, Senior Independent Director and Risk Committee Chair of the Clydesdale and Yorkshire Banking Group (CYBG PLC) and Chair of the Yorkshire Bank Pension Trust.
Richard Gregory OBE
Graham Kitchen
Most recently, Graham was Global Head of Equities at Janus Henderson Investors. Prior to joining Janus Henderson in 2005 as Head of UK Equities, Graham was with Threadneedle Investments, and he spent 13 years at INVESCO Asset Management as a UK Fund Manager and Co-Head of Investment.
Graham Kitchen
Nigel Hopkins
Nigel is a non-executive director of MHS Homes Limited and Chairman of Instructus, a skills charity. He is also an associate with Concerto Consulting providing advisory services to registered providers of social housing. Previously, he had a wide-ranging international career, living and working in the UK, Europe and the USA.
Nigel Hopkins
Graham Waddell
Senior Independent Director
Graham’s executive career was with Nationwide Building Society, during which he held a number of Senior Executive positions. He was also the Managing Director of a Nationwide subsidiary company, which was a large private landlord and property owning vehicle. He was Chair of Council of Mortgage Lenders in Scotland and is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Bankers.
Graham Waddell
Regina Finn
Regina is Chair of the Low Carbon Contracts Company and the Electricity Settlement Company, which play a critical role in the delivery of the UK’s clean, sustainable, affordable energy goals. She is also a Director of Lucerna Partners, a consultancy specialising in public policy, economic regulation and competition and consumer policy and a non-executive Director of Motor Fuel Group, the largest independent forecourt operator in the UK.
Regina Finn
Angela Daniel
Angela currently works for a global insurance company and heads up the Firm’s Finance team within the Europe Asset Management division. Prior to joining, she worked as the EMEA Controller for Custody & Securities Lending (WSS) in JP Morgan Chase and before that worked as a Client Financial Management Specialist (Oil & Gas sector) in Accenture.
Angela Daniel
Lynette Lackey
Lynette is a Chartered Accountant with over 25 years’ experience in real estate finance, corporate reporting and financial management. Lynette is also a Director of Warehouse REIT plc and a member of the Council of London Chamber of Commerce
Lynette Lackey