Board directors

Jane is a board member of VIVID, chair of a housing association, M&G Shared Ownership Limited, and interim chair of Surrey Choices.

Jane works with a number of arts organisations and those providing services to young people and refugees. She is the independent chair of Sunderland Culture, reflecting her upbringing in the North East of England.

Professor Mark Simpson is Pro Vice-Chancellor (Learning and Teaching) at Teesside University.

Mark has a PhD in Criminology and BA (Hons) in Politics and has published on youth crime, drug use and policing.

Mark is a Principal Fellow of the Higher Education Academy and a Fellow of the Royal Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufacturers and Commerce.

Richard is the managing director of Buckley Burnett, a development consultancy and project management company.

Richard started his career at Ward Hadaway. He became a regional director and ran the development side of Tees Valley Regeneration before setting up Buckley Burnett.

Rob has worked in HR for over 30 years. He was vice president of HR for the Seagram Spirits and Wine Group for 15 years, Global HRD of Smith and Nephew plc and Group HRD of Maxxium Worldwide BV.

He is currently a partner within the Mercer Consulting Group. Rob has an MSc in Politics from London University, an MBA from IMC, and Chartered membership of the CIPD.

Annette is a former director of Aviva plc. During that time, she led the Human Resources and Operations (Customer Services) functions in the UK and overseas.

Annette has an LLB Law Degree and a particular interest in all aspects of employment law.

Anthony has worked in housing for 35 years for several local authorities and housing associations.

He's held executive positions leading both development and operational teams.

Andrew has a background in consulting and mergers & acquisitions. He owns and manages a number of his business interests and investments.

He previously worked for the publisher Penguin Random House as finance & commercial director for their distribution business and spent over ten years at Sage Group PLC.

Andrew holds an MEng in Chemical Engineering from Cambridge University.

Chris is the global head of facilities management at Citi, the American multinational investment bank and financial services corporation.

A chartered surveyor (MRICS) with a degree in quantity surveying, a postgraduate degree in real estate and property management, and an MBA from the University of Durham, Chris is also a member of the Institute of Workplace and Facilities Management. 

During his career, he has led corporate real estate teams in both retail and banking with the remit for acquisitions, fit-outs, facilities and disposals. 

A Teessider by birth, Bob spent over 30 years in local media. He was previously managing director of Trinity Mirror North East, publishers of the Gazette in Middlesbrough and the Chronicle, Journal and Sunday Sun in Newcastle.

Bob works with several organisations as Chair, Vice Chair and non-executive director.

Katy is employed by First Choice Homes as their head of transformation and is a researcher and analyst. For the past eight years, her career has focused on research in the social housing sector, working directly with more than 60 registered social housing providers across the UK, supporting them to continually improve and enhance the services offered to tenants and residents. Having been born, raised, and lives there now with her family, in Norton, Katy is a proud advocate of the local area and its heritage and is ambitious for its future

Salma has lots of experience in the health and care systems and leading organisational innovation and change. She works in the NHS, where she is an executive lead for strategy, change, communications and inequalities.

Salma is passionate about public services. She is interested in how they address inequalities and enable everyone to live a safe, connected, meaningful and healthy life.

Matt joined Thirteen from Home Group, where he was executive director of operations.

Having lived and worked in the North East for nearly 30 years, the former teacher and chartered accountant has held several executive and senior roles. He brings exceptional knowledge of the sector and a wealth of experience from social housing and the private sector.