Board Member, Beyond Housing

Neemar Search undertook a targeted executive search across the UK housing sector, focusing on senior property leaders responsible for strategic asset management, building safety, compliance, sustainability and large-scale investment programmes. 

Drawing upon our extensive network of Chief Property Officers, Executive Directors and Asset leaders, we identified candidates with recent experience of leading organisations through regulatory change, implementing building safety frameworks and overseeing significant capital investment programmes. Rather than limiting the search to existing Non-Executive Directors, we deliberately targeted high-performing executive leaders who could transfer their operational expertise into a governance environment. 

Alongside our targeted search, we undertook comprehensive market mapping across housing associations, national developers and adjacent regulated sectors to identify leaders with the right blend of strategic property expertise and governance capability. Every candidate was evaluated not only on technical competence, but also on their ability to influence at Board level, navigate complex stakeholder environments and support organisations through transformation. 

Each candidate was assessed against strategic leadership, governance capability, regulatory understanding, customer focus and cultural alignment. Particular emphasis was placed on experience of leading complex property portfolios, driving organisational improvement and influencing Board-level decision making. Throughout the campaign, Neemar Search worked closely with Beyond Housing's Chair and Governance Team, providing market insight and ensuring the final shortlist complemented the existing strengths of the Board whilst supporting the delivery of the organisation's long-term strategy. 

Beyond Housing appointed Wayne Cole, one of the housing sector's most respected property leaders, bringing more than two decades of executive experience across asset management, compliance, building safety and strategic investment. 

At the time of appointment, Wayne was Chief Compliance & Sustainability Officer at Magenta Living, before subsequently becoming Chief Property & Investment Officer, taking responsibility for planned and responsive maintenance, strategic asset management, sustainability, health and safety, building safety, service quality and safeguarding across the organisation. Prior to this, he served as Group Director of Property Safety & Compliance and Group Director of Compliance at Places for People, where he led strategic compliance across more than 78,000 owned homes, 120,000 managed properties, leisure facilities and construction businesses, overseeing governance, assurance and safety across one of the UK's largest housing groups. 

His earlier leadership roles with Home Group and Portakabin further strengthened his expertise in health and safety, operational governance and regulatory compliance, whilst his appointment as Chair of the Liverpool City Region Housing Associations Asset Group reflects the high regard in which he is held across the sector.