Board Member, Experience, Hightown Housing Association

With a G1 governance grading, V2 viability grading and ambitious plans to continue expanding its housing portfolio, the Board wanted to complement its existing strengths with an individual who had significant Board and Executive experience within the housing sector. The successful candidate needed to bring recent regulatory inspection experience, a deep understanding of customer-focused governance and the credibility to provide balanced challenge and support across a broad range of strategic issues.  

Equally important was appointing someone who embodied Hightown's values-led culture. The Board sought an individual with high emotional intelligence, strong stakeholder management skills and a collaborative leadership style, capable of contributing to succession planning, supporting the Executive Team and strengthening governance as the organisation prepared for future Consumer Standards regulation.  

The successful appointment was Ashley Hook, one of the housing sector's most experienced executive and Non-Executive leaders, bringing more than 25 years of Board-level leadership across housing, regeneration and local government. 

Most recently Chief Executive of mhs homes, Ashley led an organisation managing over 10,000 homes, overseeing significant organisational growth, development and financial resilience. During his tenure, the organisation secured G1, V1 and C1 regulatory gradings, delivered more than £300 million of capital market funding, established a successful registered provider subsidiary and significantly expanded its development programme.