Need an Expert?
CHC spokespeople are experts in the field of housing and can speak on a wide range of issues.
Group Chief Executive: Nick Bennett.
Nick Bennett was appointed Chief Executive of Community Housing Cymru, the national membership body for not for profit housing providers in the summer of 2006. In 2010 Nick became Chief executive of the CHC group when CHC formed a group structure with Care & Repair Cymru, the national body that ensures older people have homes that are safe, secure and appropriate to their needs and CREW – the Centre for Regeneration Excellence Wales, an organisation that has been set up to promote integrated regeneration throughout Wales. The Group structure was formed to strengthen the organisations’ collective voice and to ensure collaboration to deliver more across housing, care and regeneration.
Nick has been a founding executive director of both an economic development consultancy and public affairs agency. Between 2000 and 2002 he was Cabinet Special Adviser to the Deputy First Minister in the Welsh Assembly Government where he supported a number of portfolios including economic development, rural affairs and culture and the Welsh Language.
Born in St Asaph and brought up on Anglesey, he was educated at Aberystwyth University where he gained a degree in political science and an MBA. He recently attended the JFK Executive Education programme “Innovations in Governance” at Harvard University. Between 1995 and 1999 he worked at the Wales European Centre in Brussels where he lobbied for Welsh interests including the structural funds and minority language policy.
He is a member of the Welsh Language Board and of Glas Cymru and represents the social housing sector on the Housing Strategy Board and the Regulatory Board. Nick is also the UK representative for Housing Europe, the European liaison committee for social housing, which promotes the right to a decent home for all. He has previously been a member of the All Wales Convention, the Efficiency and Innovation Board and on the OFCOM Advisory Panel for Wales.
A fluent Welsh speaker, he is married with three children.
Director of Policy and Regeneration: Sioned Hughes.
Sioned Hughes is the Director of Policy and Social Enterprise for the Community Housing Cymru Group.
Sioned joined CHC in 2002 as a development officer working with stock transfer organisations and was later appointed Development Manager before taking the role of Assistant Chief Executive in 2008. Sioned has previously worked at the Wales Council for Voluntary Action (WCVA) and Newport City Council where she joined the planning department having attained an MSc in City and regional planning in 1994. Sioned kept in touch with planning by being the Director of Planning Aid Wales until 2006. Sioned is originally from Rhuthun in North Wales, and has settled in Cardiff with Mark and their two children, Gwen and Cian.
Director of Central Services: Phillipa Knowles.
Phillipa is Director of Central Services for the Community Housing Cymru Group, where she has worked since 1999. Phillipa is a member of both the Chartered Institute of Marketing and the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development.
She was educated at Plymouth University where she gained a degree in Business Studies and a post graduate diploma in Marketing at Swansea Institute. Phillipa has represented Wales and Great Britain at judo and has completed the London marathon three times.
Head of Policy and Research: Amanda Oliver.
Amanda is Head of Policy and Research for the Community Housing Cymru Group. She has worked in housing for over 9 years and has responsibility for the development, management and implementation of CHC policy, research and information services. Amanda is also a board member of Tai Pawb, and is a qualified member of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development.
We can also put you in touch with housing professionals from within our membership, who work to improved communities and increase the supply of affordable housing on a daily basis.
