Richard Hill takes over as board chair

Barnsbury Housing Association has appointed Richard Hill, chief executive of bpha, as its new board chair.

Chief executive Susan French said: ‘We’re extremely pleased that Richard has agreed to chair our board. We know he values small housing providers like BHA but he also brings to this role experience of running much larger organisations – and he know Islington inside out.’

Richard Hill said: ‘I’ve always been a big admirer of Barnsbury Housing Association. It provides a great local service to residents in Islington and, over the years, has been innovative while also staying deeply rooted in the local community.

‘I’ve lived and worked in Islington for much of the last 20 years and it’s a great privilege to be invited to join the board as chair.’

Before joining bpha, a large housing association operating across the Oxford to Cambridge arc, Richard was head of One Housing. His social housing career has spanned two decades, including senior roles at the Homes & Communities Agency and the Housing Corporation.

Richard succeeds as chair Sean McLaughlin, who stood down in September after serving the maximum six years recommended by the National Housing Federation code of governance.

Barnsbury Housing Association is the smallest non-specialist housing association operating solely within the borders of the inner London borough of Islington. We were set up in 1967 and own and manage 300 homes for social rent.