Innovation. Collaboration. Insights.

It’s what we’ve always done.

As the charity of the social housing sector, these are the core values that have driven the transformation and development of housing providers for over 60 years.

We believe the provision of housing is about more than just bricks and mortar – it’s about enhancing peoples’ lives.

By partnering with organisations across the housing sector, we drive value for residents and communities through insight-led products and services which encourage innovation and foster collaboration.

Innovation in housing: it’s what we continue to do

Social value

In 2014, we created the UK Social Value Bank, in partnership with Simetrica-Jacobs. Social value isn't just intrinsic to social housing, it's central to who we are.

Data-driven

Since 2018, we've created five iterations of the UK Housing Data Standards, in partnership with OSCRE, to the social housing sector can leverage the power of big data.

Communities

In 2018, we established the Centre for Excellence in Community Investment. Since then, over 250 organisations have joined our networks.

Our people

Meet our Executive team

Andrew van Doorn OBE

Chief Executive


Andrew is the Chief Executive of HACT. HACT partners with organisations across the housing sector to drive value for residents and communities through insight-led products and services which encourage innovation and foster collaboration. HACT helps them measure their social value, better understand the communities they serve, broker collaborations with the NHS, and connect with like-minded organisations.

Andrew has worked for HACT for 20 years and in housing, homelessness, supported housing, community development and wider social policy and practice for over 30 years. He is a Non-Executive Director at Hertfordshire Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust. Andrew was awarded an OBE in the King’s New Year Honours List 2023 for services to housing.

@AndrewvanDoorn
@HACThousing

Jacqui Bateson

Managing Director


Jacqui joined HACT in 2020. She works with clients both within and beyond the housing sector. Before joining HACT, she completed her Masters in Business Administration specialising in corporate finance, strategic marketing and business innovation and change. Jacqui has worked in the financial services sector in a wide range of roles and within the housing sector as a non-executive director for over 15 years.

Matthew Grenier

Business Development Director


Matthew joined HACT in 2021, although he has worked on and off for them since 2006. Before joining HACT he had run his own company, managing all strategic partnerships and the delivery of a range of communications and marketing services, working closely with senior leaders, trustees and staff to build brands that deliver business objectives, on time and on budget. He has written and edited numerous research reports, articles and blogs, as well as co-authored a book on Chinese communism.

Our Board

Gavin Cansfield

Chair

Gavin has been chief executive of settle group since 2015. He has over 30 years experience working in housing, developing and delivering support services for homeless people, general needs housing, specialist housing for older people and inner city regeneration. He has worked for Tower Hamlets Homes, Hanover, Southern Housing Group and what is now Midland Heart. Gavin has a strong commitment to housing, its ability to transform people’s lives and provide a platform from which people can achieve their potential.

Kalwant Grewal

Treasurer

Kalwant is Financial Controller and Head of Business, Finance & Performance, Estates & Facilities at the West London NHS Trust, one of the largest NHS Trusts in England. Before that he worked at Age Concern and Circle International Ltd. As well as numerous strategic Board level roles at the West London NHS Trust, he also holds a number of NED roles, including at the Ealing Law Centre.

Mary Gibbons


Mary joined CHP as Chief Executive in August 2018 from Hundred Houses Society, a housing association in Cambridge where she served as Chief Executive. Prior to this, Mary held senior positions including Housing Director and Executive Director of Strategy and Support at Swan Housing Association.

Rachel Honey-Jones


Rachel is Head of Community Regeneration at Newydd HA. Outside of the day job she is also Board Member at Merthyr Valley Homes – Wales’ first tenant and employee mutual – a CIH Cymru Housing Futures Panel Member and was a Finalist in 24 Housing’s Young Leaders 2015.

Michelle Levi


Michelle has worked in social value for over 18 years, at a strategic and project level. She is currently Social Value Lead for Jacobs, global providers of technical and professional services, and is responsible for managing Jacobs’ approach to social value across Europe identifying opportunities for Jacobs to create social impact and drive engagement across the region. Prior to joining Jacobs,  she worked for construction company, Laing O’Rourke, leading a team delivering social value and engagement on complex private and public sector projects.

Jules Bickers


Jules is the Director of Property at Metropolitan Thames Valley Housing, where he leads the teams providing maintenance, complex repairs, estate services and void-management for MTVH's 57,000 homes across London, East Anglia and the East Midlands. Before joining MTVH, he led the national housing consultancy team at Capita GL Hearn and has over 20 years housing sector experience across large and small registered providers, local authorities, sub-regional groups, private developers and voluntary organisations and hostels.

Shaun Holdcroft


Shaun has worked in the social housing sector over eighteen years. In the past eight years’ he has experience of working at board level with the boards of three subsidiary HAs of the Hyde Group and more recently as part of the Executive team at Settle and in his current role as Operations Director at Legal and General Affordable Homes. Shaun has a track record of creating strong performing teams with a focus on customer experience and the role of technology in the sector.

Andrew Cowan


Andrew is a partner and Head of Social Housing at Devonshires, solicitors where he leads the banking and governance team advising social housing providers across England, Wales and Northern Ireland. His work in the sector spans over 30 years. He has also worked on social housing projects in Australia, India, Ireland, Scotland and South Africa, understanding different policy environments and opportunities.

Nigel Wilson


Nigel has vast board room experience having held a number of roles across various boards and committees, including Chair of JV North, a consortium of 12 housing associations in the North West of England, and most recently as Chair of Homes for the North.

Having spent his entire career working in the social housing sector, it’s no surprise that Nigel has a deep social purpose. He is passionate about social investment, community involvement, building new affordable housing and developing his people. But ultimately he’s passionate about making a positive difference to people’s lives.

Caroline Pillay


Caroline Pillay is a Senior Partner at Airey Miller Partnership and Chair of the Airey Miller’s Councils’ Councils Building Homes Forum, Caroline is also a Non-Executive Director of Social and Sustainable Capital and an ambassador for Women in Social Housing.

A seasoned built environment professional Caroline specialises in supporting public sector providers as a client-side advisor in the planning and delivery of Council re-development programmes. Caroline has advised on numerous housing projects including Housing PFI and major estate regeneration schemes. With a background in social care Caroline has been able to combine her diverse academic qualifications and experience across the broad spectrum of housing including specialist sector.

Prior to joining Airey Miller Caroline was for over 10 years director of her own Ltd company CAP Regeneration consultants providing client-side support for the delivery of major projects with councils. More recently as a partner within Airey Miller Partnership which established in 2015 as a subsidiary Airey Miller Ltd to provide the combined skills of strategic, commercial and technical services specifically targeted to support Local authority development programmes and activity.

Caroline is extremely passionate about improving social housing, placemaking and regeneration and the positive impact this brings for improving lives, transforming spaces, enhancing existing communities and creating new ones. An established speaker and chair Caroline supports the sector as a contributor at various housing industry conferences and events.

In her spare time Caroline mentors aspiring housing young professionals as an informal mentor

Michelle Dawson


Michelle has worked in housing since 2007 at a number of nationally-recognised organisations contributing to the positive regeneration and social impact within local communities. At Hammerson, Michelle was Community Investment Manager where she developed and led the company’s community strategy across the UK. At Battersea Power Station Development Company Michelle conceptualised & established a Community Interest Company to deliver programmes linked to the regeneration of the iconic power station. In these roles Michelle played a leading role in strategy, vision and regeneration.

With wide-ranging experience, Michelle has worked on projects for communities across the country, from Aberdeen to London. Michelle’s professional career illustrates her passion for communities across the UK.

Her work has focused heavily on community empowerment and regeneration, with an end goal of ensuring communities are actively involved in local development. Michelle joined Abri, one of the south’s largest housing providers, in 2020 and holds the position of director of housing and communities.

Join our team

We’re always looking for people who are committed to helping make a real difference to people and communities. Does that sound like you?

See our latest vacancies