Who leads Origin

Executive leadership

Chief Executive – Karen Wilson, BA (Hons), FCIH

Karen Wilson has been Chief Executive of Origin Housing since November 2004. Karen has extensive experience in Housing, gained from over 25 years in the industry. She started her career with Sheffield City Council and her first senior role was with London Borough of Greenwich as an Area Manager. Karen then moved into the housing association sector, spending 10 years with Metropolitan Housing Trust, firstly as Regional Director and then as the Director of Planning and Operations. Prior to joining Origin she worked for  English Churches Housing Group as their Operations Director.

Karen works with an executive team that includes:

• Manpreet Dillon - Director of Housing Services:

  Manpreet has worked within the social housing sector for 18 years in a variety of roles. He was previously the Managing Director of Kensington Housing Trust, part of the Catalyst Housing Group and prior to this worked for the Audit Commission and the Housing Corporation. Manpreet has also worked for a number of other London based housing associations and has recently been providing consultancy and interim management support.

• Cathy McCarthy - Director of People Services:

  Cathy worked previously as the Elderly Services Manager at PCHA with earlier posts in housing advice with CHAS and London of Islington. She was appointed Director of Care & Support in July 2003 following roles of Community Care Manager and Deputy Director with SPH Housing.

• Gareth Jones - Director of Development: 

  Gareth has 25 years experience in housing development work. He joined Origin as Development Director in early 2006 from Genesis Housing Association, where he held the post of Assistant Director of Development.

• Chris Trebilcock - Director of Finance & ICS:
  Chris qualified as a chartered accountant with Binder Hamlyn and remained in public practice until 1992 when he joined British Rail where he was involved in the privatization of its rail freight business.  He remained within the rail freight industry as financial controller of EWS until 2004. A period as financial controller with Plan International was followed by a post as Group Business Support Director for Hanover Housing Association prior to joining Origin in November 2007.

The Company Secretary for Origin Housing is Caroline Waterer.

The board

Origin is led by a board of individuals who have a breadth of experience relevant to running an effective housing business. This includes residents and people committed to the affordable housing sector. The names and brief biographies are set out below.

Chair – Colin Sherriff

Colin has almost forty years’ experience in housing and is now working as a freelance coach and consultant, providing support and advice to Chief Executives and Boards of housing associations and voluntary organisations. He has been Chief Executive of Cordale HA, Somer Housing Group, Raglan HA, Parkside Housing Group and Windsor Housing. He is currently a Director of Corporate Health and has in the past been a local councillor in Haringey and a member of the Executive of the National Housing Federation.  

Vice Chair - Alison Lowton

Alison is a solicitor and worked in London local government for many years, including 8 years as Director of Law and Administration for LB of Camden. After leaving Camden she undertook investigations and interim management roles and is now Head of Governance and Legal for the General Social Care Council, the social work regulator.

Other Origin Housing board members:

• Dayna Byfield: Dayna has 10 years’ experience working within the Corporate and SME business field.  Along with being the principal of a Further Education Legal College she works a freelance coach, mentor and business consultant; she is a successful entrepreneur, investing in and helping build individuals, businesses and organisations.  She has been a committee member of a charity and works on a voluntary basis mentoring young people, vulnerable adults, and those who have aspirations but lack the support network to fulfil their potential.  Dayna also has also worked in education, the legal field and Human Resource management.
• Philip Dawson: Phillip is a Director of Fraser Brown MacKenna Architects, an award winning practice which designs new homes for housing associations and developers. Phillip lives in Enfield. He is a Community Governor at Walker Primary School, a member of his local Parish Council and a trustee and secretary of two charities including Enfield Talking Newspaper for the Blind. He was previously a board member of SPH Housing.
• Michael Dear: Michael is presently the head of IT for Collegiate Management Services - a leading PI insurer, with more than 18 years' experience in computing. He was also a resident shared owner and leaseholder with Origin, something he is keen to continue to promote to others.
• Paulette Rose: Paulette has experience as a legal executive and is a qualified teacher of English to Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL).   Paulette also mentors young people in the Further Education sector and is passionate about making education accessible and achievable to all.  Having undertaken various training programmes, she supports students with disabilities including visual and hearing impairment, mental health issues and learning differences.  She has been involved in various panels and meetings as a tenant of Origin.  She joined the board in 2007.
• Suzanne Davies: Suzanne is a Chartered Accountant who has worked in the corporate finance sector for 19 years where she acted as a financial advisor raising private equity and banking finance. She now runs her own property management business and has several non-executive roles in charitable organisations, including the London Early Years Foundation, where she holds chairing roles on finance and audit committees.

• Jolyon Griffiths: Jolyon is a Chartered Accountant (FCA) and a fellow of the Institute of Directors with 18 years of experience in the financial services sector. He has extensive experience as a Chief Finance Officer and 12 years of experience in investment banking, covering a wide range of products including equities, corporate finance and fund management. Jolyon currently has a portfolio of part-time and consultancy roles.

• Karen Wilson: Karen is the Chief Executive of Origin Housing.