BROADLAND HOUSING ASSOCIATION ANNOUNCES JENNY WATSON CBE AS ITS NEW CHAIR

Broadland Housing Association has appointed Jenny Watson CBE as its new chair.

Ms Watson has a formidable CV, including periods as chair of The Electoral Commission and The Equal Opportunities Commission, and as a non-executive director of The Financial Ombudsman Service. 

She currently chairs the homeless charity The House of St Barnabas and is a trustee of Norfolk Community Foundation.  She was appointed a Commander of the British Empire (CBE) in 2017.

Welcoming her to the post, Broadland Housing chief executive Michael Newey said, “We are very fortunate indeed to announce Jenny as our new chair.  She has huge experience in a wide range of roles relating to social value and public policy, as well as building complex stakeholder relationships and leading organisations through significant change.

“Her work in the public, private and charitable sectors has involved strategic leadership, culture change, governance and risk, diversity and inclusion, and a focus on meeting the needs of vulnerable customers.

“At a time when all housing associations are facing unprecedented challenges in meeting housing need, Jenny brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the role, and we are delighted to welcome her to the Board and to the role of chair.”

Ms Watson steps into the role vacated by Chris Ewbank, who has retired from the Broadland Housing Board after six years in the role.  She said, “I am really pleased to be joining Broadland’s board at such a critical time for the housing sector.

“I look forward to meeting and learning from our existing tenants to provide the best service that we can to those in our homes, and to working with our partners across Norfolk and North Suffolk, to tackle homelessness and meet the demand for new housing – particularly affordable housing - that we know exists.”