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We create places people are proud to call home
Our Housing Plus Group Finance Limited Board members are listed below – please click on their image to view their profile.
Simon Whitfield
Chair Simon Whitfield
Simon is a highly experienced banker with more than 30 years in the financial services industry across organisations including NatWest Bank, Castle Trust, Morgan Stanley and BayernLB. He has also worked in residential development finance for more than 10 years, providing him with a valuable insight into the issues affecting construction on new housing developments.
Simon believes that success comes from the people an organisation employs and if those people are properly empowered, given the skills and resources they need, then organisations can flourish and customers will receive better services.
Simon has also chaired various credit and risk committees, advised HM Treasury and successfully restructured the divisions of banks.
Simon Whitfield joined the Group in December 2022.
Wayne Gethings
Board Member Wayne Gethings
Wayne Gethings, Group Chief Executive of Housing Plus Group has three decades of influential leadership spanning both public and private sector housing, and is widely respected as a Senior Executive, Non-Executive, and Chair on both national and regional stages.
An active advocate for innovation in housing, Wayne contributes to shaping the sector as a board member of the West Midlands Housing Association Partnership and a committee member for the National Housing Federation’s regional committee.
He also chairs the National Housing Federation’s Housing, Asset Management, Maintenance, and Regeneration Group (HAMMAR), amplifying the sector’s voice across the UK. Wayne shares insights on housing innovation through platforms like the CIH, National Housing Federation, and other leading organisations.
Alan Yates OBE
Board Member Alan Yates OBE
Alan has extensive senior management experience in the affordable housing sector with a focus on development and regeneration. His original background was in the construction industry, before joining the affordable housing sector and taking on a lead role in the development of new homes. As an experienced Executive Director and Deputy Chief Executive, he developed an excellent knowledge of managing a housing association in a regulated environment and developed skills in PR and communications and change management.
Alan is passionate about building great homes and communities. He believes you can only achieve this if you have a well-run organisation with clear objectives, coupled with the talent, resources, energy and enthusiasm to meet those objectives.
Alan has served on the boards of Redditch Co-operative Homes, a regional NHS Trust and other not-for-profit organisations. He was also a tenant for several years and therefore knows what it is like to be a customer and how to work with a landlord to improve their services. In 2019, he was awarded an OBE for his services to housing.
Alan Yates joined the Group in April 2021.
Suzanne Forster
Board Member Suzanne Forster
Suzanne Forster joined the Group as Chief Financial Officer following her tenure at Excolo Housing Consultancy. She brings extensive executive experience from senior roles across both large housing associations and private sector organisations. Suzanne leads the Group’s strategic and operational functions in Finance, Treasury, Audit, Risk & Assurance, Legal & Governance, and Procurement. Her appointment reflects the Group’s commitment to strong financial stewardship and robust governance as it continues to grow and invest in its future.
Suzanne is the Group’s Company Secretary.
