Meet the board

Piers brings a wealth of experience as both a Chair and a Non-Executive Director in several charitable and not-for-profit organisations, including Croydon College, BRE Group, NHS Blood and Transplant and in the housing sector through The Hyde Group and currently Halesworth Ltd.

Chief Executive - West Kent. Appointed to the role in November 2019, Tracy was formerly (Since 2010) Group Director of Transformation and Business Services at Hyde Housing Association. Tracy is responsible for the overall running of West Kent and its subsidiaries.

Lisa has spent her career working with government and public sector bodies, firstly as an auditor and management consultant with PriceWaterhouseCoopers before holding senior roles in the health service, most recently Executive Director of (Integrated Care) System Development and Assurance for the Kent and Medway Clinical Commissioning Group / Integrated Care System.

Angela is a tenant board member and sits on the Communities and Housing Committee, and is a trustee of West Kent Extra Limited. She was on the tenant scrutiny panel for West Kent. She is an ex-councillor for Sevenoaks District Council and is an active member for 38Degrees. She has volunteered as an adviser at the Swanley Citizens Advice Bureau and volunteered for the British Red Cross. She studied hotel catering and industrial management and worked in the hospitality industry for 15 years. Angela is an active campaigner for human rights worldwide.

Alex has had a career for more than 25 years in law, banking and investments. He recently left his executive career to pursue a non-executive, portfolio career and now sits on the boards of several companies and non-profit organisations. In his last executive role, Alex was a Senior Advisor to the CEO and Senior Managing Director at an international infrastructure investor, where he held leadership roles in project finance, new markets, strategy, partnerships, Latin America and Europe. He covered a range of sectors within the infrastructure and energy areas including real estate development, affordable and social housing, and retirement living.

Abdool has a broad understanding of the Housing Sector gained from roles in local authorities, the Audit Commission and Swale Borough Council as CEO. He also had previous non-executive director roles with Folio (a Nottinghill Genesis subsidiary), Solace, Tower Hamlets ALMO. He’s currently at the National Audit Office with a portfolio that covers DLUHC, DHSC and DfE, leading on both financial audit and value for money reviews and their People programme. Abdool is also a strategic adviser to the Wales Centre for Public Policy.

Akin is a board member with a development interest and sits on the Investment and Finance Committee. Akin is a chartered surveyor by background, currently leading for the NHS on the £200m built environment and technical aspects of the St Pancras Development Project. He has over 24 years’ experience of delivering major regeneration and housing development programmes across the UK, working with Homes England and Housing and sector leading Housing Associations. He is currently a non-executive director for First Wave Housing.

Kevin is a board member with a IT/digital interest and sits on the Investment and Finance Committee. Kevin is seasoned IT Director and CIO with experience of organisations from privately-held, to non-profit and the public sector, leading and driving digital change and ensuring the IT strategy enables the strategic ambitions. Currently partner with the advisory firm, Gartner and before that IT Director, Clarion Group. He is currently deputy chair and trustee for the West Kent based charity Domestic Abuse Volunteer Support Services.

Ben is a tenant board member and sits on the Remuneration and Appointments and Communities and Housing Committee. Ben is an Ordained Minister, affiliated to the Elim Foursquare Gospel Alliance, and is Senior Minister at The Elim Church in Swanley and Lead Chaplin at Ellenor Hospice, Gravesend. He is also involved in a number of community projects which include ‘Who Let the Dads Out’, which supports fathers and their children and gives dads a chance to connect with other dads, and Area Co-ordinator for Christian Vision for Men; a national men’s ministry. Ben sits on the Faith Panel at Radio Kent from time-to-time. He is a Trustee of Swanley and District Foodbank and he pioneered the budding U-Grow Seed-to-Plate Food project which teaches members of the community to grow, harvest and cook their food.

Dr Jo Simpson is the Chair of the Communities and Housing Committee. She is a trustee of West Kent Extra Limited. Jo is the managing director of Jo Simpson Research (JSR), a research consultancy specialising in property and development research. Jo works for a range of clients including; Moat Housing, Clarion, Orbit Homes, The Aster Group, Countryside Properties, City & Country, Crest Nicholson, Trenport Investments, Hollamby Estates PLC and Crawley Borough Council. Before founding JSR, Jo was head of group strategic research for Countryside Properties and a director for a Kent based market research company. Jo also regularly teaches masterclasses in research methods at Anglia Ruskin University for the MSc/PhD students.

Megan is a tenant board member and sits on the Communities and Housing Committee and is a Trustee of West Kent Extra Limited. Having grown up and lived in a West Kent property all of her life, Megan brings a valuable insight into the Board and the opportunity to input and have a part in helping to shape West Kent’s future. Megan is an actor and was able to benefit from West Kent’s Rising Star Bursary which paid for her drama lessons which led to her gaining a drama scholarship to attend Sevenoaks School. Megan is now keen to encourage others into the performing arts sector. Having taken part in one of the photography courses provided by West Kent, Megan is eager to spread awareness of the amazing community projects available. Megan is also a founding member of She Wolves Theatre Company, a professional company of young actors and producers seeking to subvert classical female narratives through current, cutting-edge theatre. They donate all the money from their programs to the ‘My Body Back' programme, a charity that supports women after sexual assault.