Board

Howard Cresswell (Chair)

“I am currently Chair of People, Governance and Remuneration Committee as well as Board member at Optivo. I have 32 years experience working in social housing as an executive, interim chief executive, consultant, and non-executive director. I also had a long career at Circle 33/Circle Anglia becoming Deputy Group Chief Executive and I have a professional background in Governance, People Management and Development. I currently live in Suffolk”

Mark Webster (Vice Chair)

“I joined the Board as a co-opted member in May 2018, having worked in the housing association sector since 1990. For 10 years I was a board member of a South Midlands housing group, serving as group chair for the last five years. My professional career was with a major financial institution where I specialised in financing housing associations. I have a keen interest in affordable rural housing issues, sport and the natural environment.”

Adam Colby

“I am an independent management consultant specialising in business transformation. I’ve worked with a range of different organisations including local and national housing associations. My first independent piece of work was with Havebury in 2013 which introduced me to the organisation and housing. It’s a fantastic organisation with good, clear social values at its heart. It’s great to be able to support them in the capacity of a non-executive director on their Tenant Experience and People, Remuneration and Nominations Committees.”

Kym Hudson

“I have an impressive track record of outstanding performance at senior levels in risk, transformational change, customer service and operations management over more than 30 years in the financial services industry. I led the Customer Proposition Integration Programme when NatWest and RBS merged in 2001. More recently, I was one of a very small cadre of female executives to lead the regulatory interface during a high profile industry payments systems failure. I hold an Operations Management MBA from Warwick University, am qualified in AML/STF and am an MSP practitioner in Programme Management. I am also a seasoned conference speaker, am media trained and have appeared on TV discussing the life and challenges of senior women in banking.

“Since leaving full-time City life, I have worked as an executive coach and mentor, become a business consultant, started working with a financial services recruitment company, been a non-executive director for a FinTech start-up and am now excited to be working with Havebury. Away from work, I am married to Martin and have a daughter, Ciara.”

Sara Garnham

“I bring experience from Executive and Non-Executive positions in public, private and third-sector organisations across various sectors including construction, housing, the tech sector, education, care and the arts.

I am also actively involved in the local community in Cambridge.

I first got involved in housing as a charity Board member in the 1980s in Cambridge, leading the charity through an ambitious development programme. In 2006, I joined Hill Partnership as business development director, and I have continued my commitment to the social housing sector with various Housing Association Board roles.

I am also currently Chair of the Board at Hundred Houses Society in Cambridge.”

Claire Davis

“I have 30 years experience in the social and affordable housing sector gained in both the UK and Australia. A Chartered Accountant, my senior management roles included Finance Director and Director of Corporate Services delivering a range of services including Finance, HR, IT and Risk Management.

I now combine my work as an Executive Coach with my non-executive director roles.

I am a Non-Executive Director at BlueCHP Ltd, Sydney Australia, as well as a Member of the Group Audit & Risk Committee of Ocean Housing Group, Cornwall, UK and Non-Executive Director of Ocean’s wholly owned subsidiary called Gilbert & Goode Ltd, Cornwall.”

Alicia Mortlock

“I started life in a council property as did many of my contemporaries. For many of our parents, it was a stepping stone towards becoming homeowners as well as a safety net for those needing extra support. I am excited at the prospect of working with a forward-looking housing association to improve the lives of residents as well as extending the opportunities for people in Suffolk to become homeowners if they so wish.

I bring to the role, academic study in social policy and societal changes as well as a former career in community development work with a special interest in rural deprivation. In my spare time, I like to knit, crochet and sew; in the past, I was a professional knitter for some of the best-known designers in the UK and formerly had my own small business selling at craft markets.”

Deb Thomas

“I am excited to be joining the Board at Havebury and am looking forward to sharing my experiences in the housing and construction sectors to positively impact the lives of tenants.

I am a structural engineer by training and worked for Arup for over 25 years designing buildings including offices, museums, schools, and housing.

I have worked for Central & Cecil Housing Trust (C&C) since December 2016. I was Executive Director for Property and Development from August 2018, with responsibility for development, asset management, repairs, and property compliance.

Following C&C’s merger with the Aster Group, in January 2022, my focus has moved back to development.

Outside work I am a trustee of CTU Collective and Camden Highline, both Camden based charities. I moved to Cambridge in 2020 and am the Group Scout Leader at the 1st Trumpington Scout Group.”