The Board

The NHQB Board is made up of a wide range of individuals who each bring a wealth of expertise to support the NHQB in achieving its aims of championing quality new homes and better consumer outcomes.

Executive members

Members of the NHQB Executive Committee.



Chief Executive,
New Homes Quality Board

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Chair Independent

Rob has a strong track record in an ambassadorial role, with experience in engaging with commercial industry, coupled with credibility in operating at the most senior levels of government.  With a technical background and an exceptionally strong track record, in an executive capacity, of engaging with industry to deliver high profile and high value infrastructure projects and customer service. He is also a non-Exec Director of London Luton Airport Ltd and was previously Senior Independent Director, Network Rail Board, founding Chair of the East West Railway Company and MD of Chiltern Railways.



Senior Independent Director

Douglas Cochrane has led the work to develop a new Code for improved customer redress since (2017).  A regular contributor and advisor on housing matters and housing policy, including relating to Scottish Government and the UK Government housing policy formation over many years. Douglas has chaired the Scottish Mortgage Committee of the Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML), and subsequently for UK Finance. In 2003 Douglas was instrumental in delivering the CML Initiative which focused the role of new home warranty providers in inspecting the quality of homes. Douglas was the architect of the CML Disclosure of Incentives Form (CML DIF), now known as the UK Finance Disclosure Form which is used across the mortgage industry to create transparency in new build purchase transactions. Douglas was deputy chair of the Construction Licensing Executive, a Scottish charity that was established to improve consumer redress in the repairs and maintenance sector.

Douglas Cochrane retired from Lloyds Banking Group (LBG) in July 2020, following a 41-year career during which he held a number of senior positions. Latterly, Douglas was Head of Housing Development where he was responsible for the Banks retail relationships with the house building and affordable housing sectors. In addition to his work at NHQB, Douglas is Non-Executive Director of Rezide (which is committed to values based provision of affordable family homes).



Founding Director (Independent) & Chair of Remuneration Committee, UK Finance

Jackie has nearly 25 years of experience in the financial services industry gained from working at UK Finance, mortgage lending firms and the Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML). She has a portfolio of non-executive and advisory roles including as Chair of the Bank of England’s Residential Property Forum. Most recently she was a part time senior adviser to UK Finance and was Director of Mortgages at UK Finance between 2018 and 2020.  In her earlier career Jackie worked for two different mortgage lenders in senior compliance roles and was Head of Policy at the Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML) for 10 years, working through the last financial crisis and delivering on a number of key initiatives related to mortgage regulation and supporting customers in financial difficulty.  She was also Deputy Manager for property and household at Association of British Insurers (ABI), having spent her early career working in a variety of police and criminal policy roles at the Home Office. In June 2010, Jackie was awarded an OBE for services to the financial services industry in the Queen’s birthday honours list.



Gillian Cooper

Founding Director (Independent) and Chair of the Consumer Advisory Committee, Citizens Advice

Gillian Cooper is the Director of Energy at Citizens Advice. Since 2018, she has led the organisation’s role as statutory energy advocate for consumers and small businesses, including expanding its remit to heat networks. She also directs the organisation’s strategy for energy advice, ensuring its services are able to meet people’s changing needs. Gillian has two decades of experience representing consumers in roles across various organisations.



Independent Director & Chair of the Audit & Risk Committee

Naomi Connell is an experienced Audit Committee Chair. A group CFO with a broad business leadership role, including governance, finance, people and technology, she is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants, and has extensive international, audit, risk management, M&A, financial and commercial business management experience with leading organisations in both private and public sectors. These include engineering and construction, transport, energy, infrastructure, trading, technology, manufacturing, big four accountancy and services. In 2019, she was named by the Financial Times and Inclusive Boards as one of the top 100 women in engineering.



Independent Director

Paul was the Deputy Chief Executive & Corporate Director Place and Economy at a District Council until he took early retirement in 2021, having previously been at the City of London Corporation and has worked in the housing sector for most of his career.    Paul has significant experience of managing Council homes within Metropolitan, Town and Rural areas and until his retirement from local government led the complex renewal process for the most deprived community in England.  He has managed most Council services during his career and overseen large and complex outsourced services, construction as well as repairs and maintenance contracts. Paul oversaw the procurement process to appoint the New Homes Ombudsman prior to being appointed to the NHQ Board.  In 2022 he was appointed as the Chief Executive of the Association of Retained Council Housing but stepped back to a Policy Advisory role in mid-2025.  Paul chairs the Performance and Assurance Committee of NHQB.

Paul is a Chartered Member of the Institute of Housing and a Fellow of the Housing & Finance Institute.



Independent Director

Joanne Prowse has a 30-year career operating at strategic and Board level. She has extensive experience in strategy execution, governance, risk and financial management, consumer advocacy, complex operations, IT system delivery, stakeholder management and organisational change.  Sector experience includes regulatory, consumer, telecoms, digital, media and entertainment, public, and not for profit.

In her executive roles, most recently Joanne was the Chief Executive and Executive Board member at the Phone-Paid Services Authority.  Prior to this, she was Managing Director for Membership and Operations at the Performing Right Society (PRS for Music) with previous appointments of Executive Director for Membership and Communications Director.

As a non-executive, Joanne was a Board member of the Charity Commission for England and Wales for five years until December 2024 where she was Chair of the Remuneration Committee and member of the Audit, Risk and Assurance Committee. She is currently an Independent Non-Executive Director of The One Touch Switching Company (TOTSCo), where she chairs the Remuneration Committee and is a member of the Audit and Risk Committee.  Joanne is a classically trained violinist and is a Trustee of Chorleywood Music and a Director of Chorleywood Music Productions Ltd.



Founding Director (Builder Representative Director),
Taylor Wimpey

Jennie was appointed CEO of Taylor Wimpey on 26 April 2022 and has full day to day responsibility for delivering the Company’s strategy in a profitable, safe and environmentally responsible manner. Before becoming Chief Executive, Jennie had been Group Operations Director since 2018. Jennie joined Taylor Wimpey from Redrow plc in 2014 as UK Planning Director, becoming UK Land Director in 2015. Jennie’s previous roles include Managing Director of Harrow Estates Plc and strategic land oversight at Westbury plc.

Jennie is a Member of the Board of the Home Builders Federation, a Non Executive Director of New Homes Quality Board Limited and a Member of the Construction Skills Mission Board. Jennie was also previously a Non Executive Director of the Peabody Trust.



Building Representative Director,
Hopkins Homes

Duncan Jackson is a renowned leader within the house building sector, boasting over 17 years of extensive experience in senior executive roles.  Duncan previously held Managing Director roles at Cala, Persimmon Homes and Taylor Wimpey before joining Hopkins Homes in 2023.  With a robust background in land acquisition and a proven track record in strategic growth, he is ideally placed to steer the future direction of Hopkins Homes. 

Duncan is an advocate of sustainable new communities and putting the customer first, second and third.  At Hopkins Homes, Duncan is integrating sustainability into all aspects of the business, committing fully to ESG (Environmental Social Governance) to find new ways to build more sustainably.



Developer Representative Non-Executive Director, Cameron Homes

Ian has worked for family-owned housebuilders for over 35 years, so he understands the challenges faced by SME builders. He was the founder and managing director of Cameron Homes, a Midlands-based business with a sound reputation for quality. Ian is a strong advocate for improving quality standards and the customer journey in buying and owning a new home.

In addition to building quality homes, Ian believes that the customer experience when buying a new home should be positive. While the process is important, people make the real difference.



Industry representative Non-Executive Director

Paul Turner joined NHBC as Chief Executive Officer and member of the Board on 1 September 2025.  He has significant experience in the insurance and financial services sector.  He began his professional career in 1994 as an Underwriter at Mercantile & General before moving to Swiss Re.  Over two decades at Swiss Re, Paul held various senior roles in underwriting, marketing, business relations and regional leadership, including Chief Underwriting Officer, Asia Pacific and Head of Life & Health, Southeast Asia.

In 2014, Paul joined Just Group plc.  He held several executive positions, including Gorup Director of Business Development, Managing Director of Lending, International and Development, and most recently Managing Director of Retail where he played a key role in the company’s strategic and commercial growth.



Chair
Shared Ownership Code

Ann worked in the social housing sector for over 35 years. Until June 2018 she was CEO of Sovereign, a top 10 housing association, where she led the growth of the business from 11,000-56,000.

Ann has significant experience in residential property development and management. Until October 2025 she was Chair of the Shared Ownership Council and she currently holds NED positions at Simply Affordable Homes and with housebuilder Hill Group. Recent board positions also include Chair of the Barnwood Trust, Senior Independent Director of the Jersey Development Company, and Director of MOR Homes PLC.

Homes England and the Home Builders Federation provide non-voting observatory board members for the NHQB.



Non voting Board Member
Homes England

Alison Crofton is the Chief Property Officer for Homes England. She leads the development team on planning, enabling, disposals and acquisitions to facilitate development.

 Alison drives forward the agency’s ambitions of enabling homes in the right place for the right people pushing for high quality housing and communities for people to live. Alison has over 20 years’ experience delivering major housing and mixed-use developments within both private and public sector organisations.



Non voting Board Member
Home Builders Federation

Steve Turner is Director of Communications for the Home Builders Federation (HBF). Steve qualified as a Civil Engineer before moving into journalism and then communications.

Steve has led on HBF’s work with regards to putting a New Homes Ombudsman Service (NHOS) in place since 2016.