Tim Johnston, Board Chair
Tim is a graduate economist, Chartered Accountant and experienced leader across a range of sectors.
After a first career with KPMG, Tim founded and now Chairs a successful specialist economic development and financial advisory business, AMION Consulting. He also holds senior leadership positions as a non-executive director and trustee, including in property and the charitable sector. Until recently he was also a non-executive director and a Senior Independent Director in the NHS.
Tim is a non-executive Chairman of specialist public sector-focused joint venture developer, Langtree Property Partners Ltd (LPP). Tim also Chairs The Big Trust, a charity helping disadvantaged people build new skills and find new jobs, and supporting children from disadvantaged areas explore future career opportunities.
Until late 2022, he was a Non-Executive Director and Senior Independent Director of Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, where he Chaired the New Hospital Committee. The new Royal hospital opened successfully in late 2022 after the extensive remedial work necessary after Carillion’s demise in 2018.
He is also Vice Chairman (honorary) of Lancashire County Cricket Club and Honorary Fellow of Liverpool John Moores University.
Bronwen Rapley, Chief Executive
Since 2016, Bronwen has spearheaded the creation of Onward Homes from five separate housing associations, building a united organisation committed to the customers and communities it serves across the North West.
Under Bronwen’s leadership, Onward has brought together five separate housing providers to create a resilient and united organisation with an ambitious business plan. Looking to the future, her priority for Onward is to work with customers to build thriving communities, supported by the security of good quality, green homes and places.
Bronwen has worked in housing and regeneration for 30 years, initially as a solicitor and then by delivering a number of large regeneration projects in the North West. Prior to joining Onward, Bronwen led the investigation and enforcement team at the Regulator of Social Housing.
Rachel Barber, Non-executive Director
Rachel is a non-executive director (lay member for Public and Patient Involvement) for Walsall CCG and holds a number of non-executive director and advisor roles within the housing and police sectors.
She has held senior executive positions within the water sector with a service delivery focus, achieving successful transformation, linking strategic direction to insight , improving services, achieving high customer satisfaction and continuous improvement across a diverse base.
Dena Burgher, Non-executive Director
Dena has enjoyed over 25 years in strategic business development at FTSE 250 Construction companies and public sector organisations operating in the residential housing sector. She is currently an Independent Interim Director for Revision Property Solutions Ltd.
Dena has held senior Director roles with Vistry Partnerships, Kier Living and Lovell Partnerships, and is a Non-Executive Director at Storm Housing Group in the Midlands.
Dena joined the Onward Board in November 2020 and sits on the Development Committee.
Wyn Dignan, Senior Independent Director
Having served in a range of NHS organisations as Chair or Non-Executive Director for in excess of 20 years, Wyn brings extensive health and change experience from across North West public service networks.
She has additional experience from a former commercial career in banking and finance.
Mike Gerrard, Executive Director of Finance
Mike joined the organisation from The Barnet Group, a housing and care group in North London, where he was the Group Director of Resources.
Prior to this, he began his career as an auditor for Arthur Andersen and gained experience with AstraZeneca and PwC Consulting before moving into housing with the Riverside Group as a Project Director in 2003.
Since then he has worked as Finance Director at Willow Park Housing Trust and undertaken senior finance and project roles with a range of housing providers.
Diana Hampson
A chartered surveyor, Diana Hampson has been Director of Estates and Facilities at The University of Manchester since 1997. In this role, Diana has delivered an ambitious capital build programme that has seen the creation of new facilities worth over £1billion. Diana manages an estate across 711 acres of land and is leading on the University’s Estates Masterplan to create a world-class facility for staff and students.
Dr Kate Jones, Non-executive Director
Dr Kate Jones is the Chief Information Officer for Cadent and is focused on delivering a sustainable gas supply to the communities that Cadent serve. Kate has held various operational and IT roles in Cadent and spent the first 15 years of her career running global Professional Services functions for Telecoms and Software Development companies.
Kate holds an MBA and a Doctorate and started her academic career as a Geographer with a passion for statistics, sustainable development and understanding how the world works. She is also a member of the West Midlands CBI regional council and the British Computer Society.
Kieran Keane, Non-executive Director
Kieran has over 30 years’ experience in senior roles across finance, audit risk and operations. A qualified accountant (FCCA), Kieran has had roles with Anglian Water Plc, twenty years in various management and leadership roles with the Places for People Group, most recently as Group Executive Director’ Operations and then Corporate Services.
In 2017, Kieran joined Lancaster City Council and become Chief Executive in 2019 and has led on several regeneration projects, steering the Council through the challenges of Covid along with leading for the Council on the project to being an “Eden of the North” to Morecambe Bay. Kieran retired from this post in March 2022.
Tina Kokkinos, Non-executive Director
Tina is an experienced Board Member and Chief Operating Officer (COO)/Senior Business Manager. She started her career in commerce before moving to financial services. Her experience includes various roles at JPM, HSBC and Coca-Cola and most recently COO at a FX FinTech start-up.
Since 2011, Tina has successfully used her COO skills as a Non-Executive Director and Advisory Committee member in various roles. She has had a long-standing tenure at Comic Relief. Her current roles include NED and Chair of Finance Committee at British Rowing (National Governing Body), Vice Chair of Comic Relief’s Audit & Risk Committee and Vice Chair and Senior Independent Director for The Dame Kelly Holmes Trust.
As a CIMA qualified accountant, she is commercially driven with a reputation as a change agent, business collaborator and strategic advisor to optimise business performance and deliver transformational change.
Sandy Livingstone, Executive Director of Property
Sandy joined Onward in November 2017, having acted as the interim Executive Director of Property for over a year.
Sandy is a Chartered Surveyor with extensive experience in all aspects of the housing sector, having previously been a Director in Savills’ Housing Consultancy division. He also brings a wide range of experience in property management, from the higher education, transport, healthcare, and commercial development sectors.
Matt Saye, Executive Director of Operations
Matt joined Onward in September 2020, having worked in housing for over 20 years, with extensive experience of managing homes and providing services in communities. He brings a range of specialist knowledge having managing all types of property and developed numerous services.
As Executive Director Operations Matt is responsible for ensuring Onward works for its customers and plays its part in bringing benefits to the communities it operates in. He works with a committed team that provides customer and residential services along with community and financial support to our customers.
Karl Tupling, Non-executive Director
Karl has enjoyed 40 years in housing and regeneration. A fellow of the Chartered Institute of Housing, Karl has held senior roles in local government becoming Director of Housing in Sheffield in 2005, where he led on neighbourhood regeneration and the investment and delivery strategy for achieving the Decent Homes standard in 64,000 homes.
From 2010, as Executive Director with the Homes and Communities Agency, Karl led regional teams to deliver projects and programmes across the north and midlands. He retired from Homes England in March 2023 as Director of Market Places and Partners when he led a national team to develop investment opportunities in challenging markets across the country and with a particular responsibility for levelling up places. With experience and a passion for delivering complex projects and programmes, Karl will continue his active involvement in delivering large urban regeneration projects through leadership and support roles.