Meet our Board

Our skilled and experienced Board provides the leadership, strategic direction and scrutiny to enable Sovereign to achieve its social purpose, while growing sustainably.

To provide insight and challenge, the Board is supported by a committee structure with Board members and independent specialists, covering Audit and Risk, Remuneration, Treasury, Major Projects and Investment. 

As part of its commitment to best practice, the Board has adopted the National Housing Federation’s Code of Governance and Excellence in Standards of Conduct Code. 

While the Board is responsible for the effective governance of the business, day to day management is delegated to the Executive Board  members. 

Paul Massara
Chair

Appointed as a board member and Chair 2020

A former CEO of RWE Npower, with extensive experience in the energy industry at Board level. An experienced non-executive and executive director, Paul is an active member on the executive committee of both RWE and Centrica/Direct Energy and a non-executive director of Electron.

Angela Williams 
Remuneration and Nominations Committee (Chair) 

Appointed as a Board member and Committee Chair in 2017

An experienced executive and nonexecutive who has worked across FTSE30, US (incl. NASDAQ) and French listed companies. 

Angela’s expertise includes strategy design and delivery, global transformation, leading and creating customer focused businesses and teams as well as culture development and change management. Other skills include mergers, due diligence, restructuring, reward and pensions, leadership and talent development, employment law, business turnarounds, digital transformation, growth delivery and corporate responsibility.

Barbara Anderson
Audit and Risk Committee (Chair), Treasury Committee

Appointed as a Board member in 2014 and Committee Chair in 2016

Barbara is an experienced Chair and NED with a background in Corporate Finance and Growth Strategy. She has worked across Private (including listed), Public and Third sectors in several markets including Finance, Technology, Property and Retail. She holds a portfolio of Board roles including NED and Chair or RemCo for the British Business Bank, SID and Chair of ARC for SmartDCC Ltd and NED for BSV2 VCT.

Originally trained as an architect, Barbara has particular interests in property technology and data, place-making and sustainability.

Claire O’Shaughnessy
Audit and Risk Committee member

Appointed as a Board member in 2016

Claire helped set up the Homes and Communities Agency before leading many of its major land, regeneration and investment programmes from 2008 to 2014. 

Claire brings experience from the Defence Infrastructure Organisation and Deloitte Real Estate as a director in real estate consulting. 

Claire was a Board member of Spectrum Housing Group Limited from 2015.   

Jane Wynne 
Major Projects Committee member 

Appointed as a Board member in 2019

Jane is a senior executive with more than two decades of property asset management and business experience in driving organisational improvement for leading owners, investment managers, operators and advisors.

Jennifer Dykes
Resident Board member Remuneration Committee member

Appointed as a Board member in 2016

Former NHS manager Jenny has been a social housing resident for over 40 years. Her focus is on ensuring Sovereign remains a strong organisation, committed to maintaining high standards of service and providing housing for those in need.

Lee Bambridge
Treasury Committee (Chair) 

Appointed as a Board member in 2013 and Committee Chair in 2016

Chief Risk Officer at Newbury Building Society, Lee is a chartered accountant and corporate treasurer. He previously worked in the aerospace industry.

Mark Washer

Appointed as CEO and a Board member in 2018

Mark, a highly skilled executive and non-executive with 25 years in the housing sector, joined Sovereign from Clarion in 2018. He is a chartered accountant, having qualified with Deloitte. 

Mark is also a former Board member and vice chair of the National Housing Federation and has been involved with a number of national charities, including the Citizens Advice.

Pamela Leonce
Resident and Board Partnership member 

Appointed as a Board member in 2021

Pamela is an experienced housing professional with over 30 years’ experience in the sector. She has extensive governance and leadership experience having been executive director across housing, health, social care, and in the criminal justice sector. She is CEO of Stowhill Consultancy, Chair of Inquilab Housing Association and an Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Advisor to an international executive search firm. 

Pamela is passionate about good governance and the impact it has on creating sustainable and diverse organisations.

Stuart Laird  
Vice Chair Major Projects Committee Chair 

Appointed as a Board member and Vice Chair in 2016

Stuart is a senior executive with a proven track record in facilities management and outsourcing markets, with expertise in leading on property acquisitions and disposals.

Tracey Barnes 
Investment Committee (Chair), Treasury Committee 

Appointed as CFO and a Board member in 2019

Tracey, a PwC-trained chartered accountant, has an impressive 30-year career, here and abroad, most recently holding senior finance positions at Diageo, the international beer and spirits giant. 

Tracey has a strong background in commercial finance, and is an experienced CFO, committed to developing successful teams as well as being passionate about equality