We're pleased to share the details of our new Board Member appointments.
These appointments took effect after the recent September Annual General Meeting. The appointments were made following interviews with the Board, West Kent colleagues and involved residents.
Ian Joynson, Chief Executive of West Kent says: "We are excited to welcome Iain and Louisa to West Kent. Their experience, energy and commitment to making a positive difference will be a real asset, and I look forward to working with them as we shape the future of the organisation together."
Iain Walters has been appointed as a new Resident Board Member with a resident voice and customer experience interest.
A West Kent resident for more than a decade, Iain has already played an active role in resident involvement, scrutiny and service improvement. This has included resident panels, policy reviews, website testing, resident inspections and communications groups, helping ensure resident voices influence decision making across the organisation.
Iain said: "I've always believed that resident influence only means something if it can make a difference. Residents bring knowledge and experience that no report, set of figures, trend or statistic can fully capture. Their experiences should help shape the decisions that affect our homes and communities. That belief is one of the reasons I'm proud to be joining the Board and excited about the opportunity to contribute in a new way. I hope my appointment encourages other residents to get involved, speak up and share their experiences. Your experience matters. Your voice matters. By speaking up, you will make a difference."
Louisa Hogarty has been appointed as a Board Member with a people, culture and organisational design interest.
Louisa is an experienced executive and non-executive leader with more than 20 years' experience across people, culture, sustainability, communications, digital transformation and organisational change. She if Chief People Officer at Noble Foods, where she serves on the executive board and leads the organisation's Health and Safety, People and Culture, IT and Digital Transformation, Sustainability and Impact, and Communications functions. Alongside her executive role, Louisa is a Non-Executive Director and Trustee at Friends of the Elderly, where she chairs the Service Delivery Committee, overseeing care quality and resident experience. Louisa brings extensive experience in leadership, governance, culture, organisational transformation and customer-focused services, helping to support West Kent's commitment to delivering excellent services for residents.
Louisa said: "What drew me to West Kent was a real connection with its values. West Kent doesn't just provide homes, it makes a lasting difference to its communities. That belief in the wider impact an organisation can have is at the heart of everything I strive for, and I'm delighted to join the Board and help that impact continue to grow."
We look forward to working with both Iain and Louisa as we continue to improve services, invest in homes and support successful communities across Kent.
Thank you, Ben
As we welcome our new Board Members, we'd also like to thank Ben Cooper, our outgoing Resident Board Member, for his service and contribution to West Kent during his time on the Board.
Ben played an important role in helping guide the organisation, and we'd like to thank him for his commitment, insight and support. We wish him the very best for the future.