ccha is overseen by a Board that monitors how we deliver services to residents, sets our strategic direction and establishes plans to achieve our key objectives. The Board provides systems of control and a framework of delegation to the Leadership Team and staff. As a provider of social housing, we are regulated by the Regulator of Social Housing.
ccha complies with the National Housing Federations Code of Governance 2020.
View Board and Committee Member’s term of office and register of interest details.
Board Members
Heather Thomas is a housing professional with 20 years’ experience at a senior level in housing associations. Heather is currently the CEO of a small specialist housing association based in North West London and an executive committee member of the g320 group of smaller housing associations.
Heather is a corporate member of the Chartered Institute of Housing and has a Masters in Organisational Behaviour. Often described as a supportive and encouraging leader, Heather has a keen interest in being involved in organisations that make a difference to communities.
As a Croydon resident, Heather has followed the development of ccha over the years and joined the Board in 2017. Heather was appointed as the Chair of ccha’s Board in September 2019. With experience of managing diverse housing tenures in different organisations, Heather brings considerable experience and knowledge of the housing association sector to her role as Chair.
Graduating in 1991 with a degree in Civil Engineering, Tracy worked with Wimpey Environmental in the Energy and Building technology team who undertook several energy efficiency research projects for clients such as the Building Research Establishment. She then moved to Stanger Science and Environment as a Construction Material Consultant.
In 2001, Tracy made the transition into social housing as a Responsive Repair’s Surveyor, gaining a post graduate diploma in surveying along the way and has never looked back. She has been with ccha since 2008, starting as the Head of Property Services, moving on to the role of Director of Operations and lastly, Chief Executive in 2011. In social housing, she feels that she has found her purpose she takes pride in delivering a great service to residents and is committed to creating an environment of continuous improvement.
As well as being the Chief Executive, Tracy sits as a member of ccha’s Board and was appointed in 2017. In 2022, Tracy Joined the Board of ccha’s subsidiary, ccha Developments Limited.
Neil Perrins is a Chartered Management Accountant (FCMA, CIMA) having qualified during his early career at Transport for London. He is currently Finance Director at Barking Riverside, a Joint Venture between the Mayor of London and L&Q, building a new community of over 10,000 homes on the River Thames. Before that he was Director of Resources at Golding Homes, a Housing Association in Kent managing around 8,000 properties.
Neil was appointed in 2018 and sits on ccha’s Board and Chairs ccha’s Audit and Risk Committee.
Mark Collins is a Chartered Engineer (CEng) and holds a Bachelor’s degree in Engineering. He is currently a senior business transformation lead at British Telecom where he’s held a variety of operational, technology, and transformation roles following several years in management consulting.
Mark was the chair of governors for 3 years at The Lea Primary School and Nursery in Hertfordshire where he stood down in 2019. He has also been a trustee at Vision Housing Consultancy.
Mark sits on ccha’s Board, ccha’s Audit and Risk Committee and is the Chair of the Remuneration and Nomination Committee. He was appointed in 2020.
Nathan Gravesande has had an extensive career in the housing sector, working at Director and Board level in some of the largest organisations. He is currently Director of Regeneration and Development at Riverside Housing Association in London. He holds a BSc Hons Social Psychology and a Post Graduate Diploma in Management Studies.
Nathan was appointed in 2020 and sits on ccha’s Board and its Development & Assets Committee.
Julian Chun is an influential strategic leader with extensive experience in social housing and asset management at executive level. He is currently the Executive Director of Homes at Richmond Housing Partnership.
He holds a BSc(Hons) Building Surveying and is a Charter Member of the Chartered Institute of Housing (CIHCM), and is an Incorporate Member at the Chartered Institute of Building (ICIOB).
Julian was appointed to the Board in 2021 and is also a member of ccha’s Audit and Risk Committee and Development Committee.
Jim has over 35 years of social housing experience in a career that started with being an involved resident of a London-based housing association. His career includes senior roles in resident engagement and involvement, customer service, service improvement and business assurance. Along with volunteering as a primary school governor, Jim is a freelance social housing consultant and trainer, specialising in resident engagement, scrutiny and influence and customer service.
As a member of the Chartered Institute of Housing, Jim was given an MBE for services to social housing in HM the Queen’s 2011 Birthday honours.
Jim was appointed to the Board in July 2023.
Independent Committee Members
Felicity Gentle is a Sales & Marketing professional with over 15 years’ experience within the property sector. In her role as Director of Sales & Marketing at Optivo, Felicity managed annual sales programmes worth £35million.
Felicity has vast experience in regulatory requirements and legislation relation to property sales, as well as undertaking regulatory audits successfully without any impact on governance or viability.
Felicity’s ability to build excellent relationships underpins her strength in stakeholder engagement. Felicity has a wealth of experience in site market assessments from pre purchase right through construction – appraising the likely success of sites, site optimisation and value engineering.
Felicity is an Independent Committee Member of ccha’s Development & Assets Committee and appointed in 2020.
Christopher Newman started his career working in the asset management team at a housing association in Sussex. He now works at Savills Affordable Housing Consultancy where he advises housing associations, local authorities and investors on the sale of tenanted portfolios and other growth initiatives.
His experience will help him review and guide ccha’s growth over the coming years, ensuring residents are delivered the services they deserve.
Christopher was appointed to the Development & Assets Committee in August 2023.
Pamela has a background in architecture and the built environment, transferring the skills and knowledge of this to work as a Policy Advisor at the Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government. Since then, she has built up her skills in regulatory policy across social housing and transferring this to the aerospace sector.
Pamela also has experience as a Trustee and Committee Member across the arts and theatre sector, all of which will be useful in shaping ccha’s growth.
Pamela is an Independent Committee Member and was appointed to the Renumeration & Nominations Committee in July 2023.