Westway Housing Association is run by a Board of Management. The Board currently consists of 9 members elected by our shareholders of which two Board members are tenant representatives.
The Board meets quarterly to consider our overall strategy and future development. It oversees the allocation of our financial resources, and approves our acquisitions and disposals, major investments, annual budgets, treasury policy, risk management strategy and senior executive appointments. It also provides high-level performance monitoring via a balanced scorecard report.
Our Board Members
DAVE BAPTISTE – CHAIR
Dave was Head of Housing Development for the London Borough of Ealing since 2008 and has over 35years experience working in social housing which includes being a founder member and chair of previous housing associations. He has a good understanding of financial and policy framework for investment housing and regeneration by local authorities, regulated partners and the private sector. He is committed to the housing sector through his professional career and voluntary activities. Dave joined the Board in September 2022.
Somayeh Tosi
Vice Chair
Somayeh Tosi is a business leader, and Legal Assistant with a long-standing background in Health and Social Care. Somayeh supports the organisation by contributing critical knowledge and experience across social housing and health and social care within both the public and private sectors. She has a proven track record of providing solutions through strategic analysis, understanding challenges, and providing consultancy on an array of issues, supporting managers, senior leaders, and home care agencies across functions including compliance, legislation, and CQC inspection. She is dedicated to developing processes within the social sector to deliver improved social care outcomes while operating in often complex stakeholder environments.
Debra Redhead-Allen
Treasurer
Debra Redhead-Allen is an MBA graduate, an Associate member of the Association of Corporate Treasurers and a Fellow of the Chartered Association of Certified Accountants, with over 20 years of experience in the private and public sector. She is currently the capital accountant at the Greater London Authority and is responsible for the financial management of their strategic capital projects. For more than 10 years, Debra worked in the housing sector in a range of organisations including local councils and executive non-departmental public bodies. Debra joined the Board in September 2016.
Samuel Aligbe
Samuel Aligbe is a senior development and regeneration professional with significant tenures of service in the housing association , private consultancy and local authority sectors.
Most recently he has been responsible for supporting local authorities as they journey back into house building space leading the initiation and delivery of their large scale housing led regeneration programmes delivered directly or through wholly owned subsidiaries and is a specialist in unlocking complex opportunities , risk management and project / programme turnaround.
As a practitioner with a keen interest in African economic development he is also a Director of Trans global Consulting and Investment Ltd ( registered in Nigeria) which is a vehicle for providing advisory and investment services in West and East Africa in the areas of economic development , housing and urban development.
Educated at the Universities of London , Reading and Cambridge Samuel is a Chartered Surveyor and an Economist by training.
Most recently he has been responsible for supporting local authorities as they journey back into house building space leading the initiation and delivery of their large scale housing led regeneration programmes delivered directly or through wholly owned subsidiaries and is a specialist in unlocking complex opportunities , risk management and project / programme turnaround.
As a practitioner with a keen interest in African economic development he is also a Director of Trans global Consulting and Investment Ltd ( registered in Nigeria) which is a vehicle for providing advisory and investment services in West and East Africa in the areas of economic development , housing and urban development.
Educated at the Universities of London , Reading and Cambridge Samuel is a Chartered Surveyor and an Economist by training.
DARREN ALEXANDER
Darren Alexander is an Assistant Director of Housing Demand, for Havering Council since 2019 and has over 15 years’ experience in Local Authority specifically within the Housing and Homelessness Service and Strategy and Housing Development. Working in local authority has aided his personal and professional career development spanning over 15 years from a temporary accommodation administration officer on an agency contract to a permanent assistant director. Darren joined the Board in November 2021.
Leroy McKenzie
Tenant Representative
Leroy McKenzie is a freelance counsellor and Chair of the Tenants’ Committee. He joined the Board in 2017.
BIANCA WHITE-WILLIAMS
Tenant Representative
Bianca is a tenant of Westway HA and is a member of the Tenants’ Committee. Bianca joined the Board in February 2023.