Kieran Timmins – Chair
Kieran has been a Board member in the Housing Sector for over 20 years, and is a passionate advocate for the ability of the sector to support neighbourhoods and transform lives. He previously sat on Plus Dane’s Board during the transition to CDS Homes into Plus, and eventually Plus Dane. He also sat on the Merseyside Housing Market Renewal Board and is a current Board member with specialist provider Alpha homes on the Wirral. He was also formerly on the Board of West Cheshire Clinical Commissioning group.
In his executive career, Kieran was most recently Group Finance Director at the Prima Group and was Deputy Chief Executive at Merseyside Fire and Rescue Authority for many years. He currently works providing consultancy services within the fire and housing sectors.
Pam Smith – Deputy Chair
Pam has a wealth of experience in social care and health at an executive level, and has had a number of roles as a non executive in health and housing. Her most recent role was with Cheshire CCG which focussed on resident engagement, involvement and experience.
Pam is passionate about addressing inequalities and ensuring homes and residents are safe, healthy and well, and puts tenant involvement and harnessing the skills of local people and volunteers at the centre of developing services.
Pam is our Board member responsible for complaints.
Yvonne Davies
Yvonne is a former Housing Association MD and former Head of Housing & Economic Development at the Audit Commission. She is now a Consultant and trainer in tenant engagement, equalities and governance.
She is an experienced business professional with significant experience in housing, charities and inspection. Yvonne works with HACT/CFPS on projects relevant to transparency, accountability and business transformation, and with HDN on projects on equalities, including facilitating their Board Mentoring programme.
Wes Baker
Wes is currently Director of Strategic Analytics, Economics and Population Health Management for Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust. He is the lead for some ground-breaking projects in north Liverpool, which are national pilots for promoting independence for older and vulnerable residents through digital innovation, and improving service provision for families with complex issues, many of whom live in the Cobalt areas.
He is passionate about Cobalt’s communities and the need to make a positive impact in addressing the impact of the pandemic, debt, crime and violence on health outcomes. Wes recognises Cobalt’s strong community focus and wants to use his networks and role to support Cobalt to transform our communities.
Mark Patchitt
Mark Patchitt currently works as Director of Development for GreenSquareAccord Housing Association and has thirty years’ experience in the social housing sector, operating at Director level for the past twenty. He previously worked for the Riverside Group Ltd between 1997 and 2019 leading on a range of regeneration and development programmes. He is also a Member of the National Housing Federation’s Great Homes Group, influencing policy on Development.
Liam Knowles
Liam is currently Director of Finance and Operations for the Leading Learners Multi Academy Trust and is a fellow of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants and member of the Chartered Management Institute.
Prior to moving to the education sector, Liam worked across a variety of finance functions for national and regional housing providers based in the North West for eleven years. Liam has specialist knowledge of large development and asset projects, budgetary control and risk management.
Liam is passionate about improving the opportunities and aspirations for residents of North Liverpool, he grew up in neighbouring Kirkby and maintaining strong ties to the area.
Helen Ward
Helen is the Director of Housing Transformation for Anchor, a leading provider of housing for later living. Helen has previously been a leader of strategic workforce transformation and culture change across the housing sector as well as local government and the private sector.
Her experience includes time as a Group People Director (where she gained her FCPID qualification) as well as a number of years leading change at the Regulator of Social Housing. Helen began her career as a psychologist, working in the NHS and criminal justice system and is passionate about understanding people and delivering effective change. Helen is a committed to driving change in terms of equality, diversity and inclusion and improving outcomes for both residents and colleagues.
Zoe Carmichael
Zoe is Director of Asset Management at Alpha Living, an award winning older person housing association based on the Wirral. She has spent the majority of her 22 year housing career working in asset management and is passionate about ensuring safe, attractive and well maintained homes for residents.
In the last four years at Alpha, Zoe has gained valuable experience of new build and development, fire safety and building safety projects. She chairs the North West Community Housing Association Decarbonation management group.
James Anderson
James is the Chief Information Officer (CTO) of Accent Housing, joining the organisation in June 2024. James has spent a career in the public and third sectors, most recently as the Group IT Director of The Guinness Partnership. Prior to this, he spent a couple of years with the Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission (CMEC).
The first 17 years of James’ career were spent in the British Army, serving with the Royal Corps of Signals and Queens Gurkha Signals in various corners of the globe mostly on operations providing communications, computing and headquarters support, notably in Hong Kong, Northern Ireland, Germany, Bosnia, Kosovo, United Kingdom, Kuwait and USA.
Jennifer Fisher: Trainee Board Member
Jennifer is Organisational Development Officer at Merseyside Police. She previously worked in marketing and communications in the recruitment sector, specialising in housing and construction recruitment. Jennifer holds qualifications in Change Management, Marketing and a degree in English Literature.
Jennifer is keen to use her skills and interest in people, culture, comms and operational management to better understand and impact Cobalt’s staff and the communities they serve.
Kalumba Musambachime: Trainee Board Member
Kal is Head of Sales and Build to Rent at Sovereign Network Group. He joined Network Homes (now part of Sovereign Network Group) in 2017 and is responsible for Sales and Marketing, Staircasing and Resales, and the operational management of the Build to Rent and London Living Rent portfolios. His role sits within the Investment and Development directorate. Kal is a qualified chartered surveyor (MRICS) and holds undergraduate and post-graduate qualifications in both Real Estate and Business studies. He spent the early part of his career in the private rental sector, gaining valuable operational and investment management experience through previous roles at various organisations including Grainger Plc.
Kal is passionate about the part new build development has to play in helping to plug the national housing gap and is keen on adding value through his development, sales and operational management experience.