Our board of directors

Marie Li Mow Ching, chair

Marie is the chair of the Selwood Housing board, taking up the position in December 2024. Marie has held a variety of non-executive roles within the housing sector, including board member, vice chair and chair positions. This experience has resulted in her contributions bringing value-added strategic insight, knowledge and experience of what good governance looks like.

Marie’s career prior to non-executive roles was working in government, across several departments. This provides her with knowledge across a range of sectors to inform strategic and financial planning, understanding of corporate performance and risk management.

Stella Shepherd, vice chair

Stella is a business studies graduate with 20 years of industry experience, which includes a background in accounts for distribution, law and property companies, and experience in purchase-to-payment process improvement.

Stella currently works as a bookkeeper for a local accountant and is a Selwood Housing shared ownership customer.

David Hobdey

David has broad experience gained from senior leadership roles (executive and non-executive) in both the commercial and not-for-profit sectors.  He was CEO of St John’s Foundation in Bath, one of the UK’s oldest charities, until July 2024, which followed experience as a finance director in the NHS.  David is a chartered accountant and, earlier in his career, specialised in corporate finance.

David is passionate about helping reduce stark inequalities in our local communities and he serves as a trustee of other local charities including Southside Family Project in Bath.

Hannah Jones

Hannah Jones is currently chair of a local pre-school, but prior to this gained 8 years of experience within a fast-growing customer service-based environment.

Hannah is extremely customer-focused and at all times ensures she provides outstanding customer service and thinks outside of the box in improving ways to come up with ideas to help the business and our customers.

Maureen Robinson

Maureen has a wealth of experience within the public and not for profit sectors, most recently working as an independent advocate, supporting people to uphold their rights. She also has a longstanding record as a non-executive director for housing associations across the south and west. She brings a passion for forging opportunities for everyone to be able to access to a healthy, good quality home.

She is delighted to have been asked to join the board of Selwood Housing, and is looking forward to getting to know the team and using her experience within the community.

Sam Whatley

Sam is a qualified accountant with 25 years of professional experience in business consultancy. He has worked with a number of central government clients to de-risk and deliver change programmes, typically technology-focused.

Alongside this he has served on boards of charities in Bristol and Bath, all very different and with their own sets of challenges; but sharing a common theme of giving a voice to those who might get overlooked. He lives in Bath.

Cllr Philip Whitehead

Philip has a wide range of experience in both the public and private sectors. He has been a Wiltshire Councillor since 2014, holding various Cabinet positions before being elected leader of the Council in 2019.

Philip brings with him experience of holding non-executive positions, which include board member at SWLEP (Swindon and Wiltshire Local Enterprise Partnership) and chair of Swindon and Wiltshire Health and Wellbeing Board.

Richard Yates

Richard is a Selwood Housing shared ownership customer living on our new Edmund Park development in Frome. He has 30 years of customer service experience working in medium to large companies in commercial and higher education sectors. He most recently worked as the service manager for Citizens Advice in Bath.

He has a passion for all things customer and will be working to ensure customers voices are always heard and considered in his new role on our board of directors.

Paul Bryan

Paul started his career in retail sales and has worked in the health care sector before moving into social housing.

He is a fellow of the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants and Association of Accounting Technicians. Also qualified in coaching, mentoring and strategic management.

Paul progressed his career from accounts assistant to chief financial officer and deputy chief executive officer for a large housing association group.

He then became managing director of construction business providing contracting services to the public and private sectors.

Paul has been both an executive and non-executive director member of boards whilst also being a trustee for local charities.

Currently he is deputy chief executive officer for a medium sized housing association.

Paul’s experience covers organisational strategy, business growth, governance and risk, customer experience, corporate finance, safety and well-being.