L&Q's Group Board

Find out who sits on our Group Board, what the Board is responsible for and how Board members are appointed.

What our Group Board does

Our Group Board oversees how L&Q is run and sets our overall strategic direction.

The Board is responsible for:

approving our strategy
driving us to perform well
overseeing risk and governance
holding senior leaders to account

How Board members are chosen

We appoint Board members through a recruitment process that considers the skills, knowledge and experience the Board needs.

We regularly review the Board's effectiveness and the performance of individual Board members.

Meet our Group Board

Dr Louise Brooke-Smith OBE

Chair of Asset and Development Committee

Maria Da Cunha

Deputy Chair of L&Q Group and Chair of Remuneration and Nominations Committee

Ed Farnsworth, Executive Group Director, Finance

Selena Hall

Deputy Chair of Resident Experience Committee

Nigel Hopkins

Chair of Audit and Risk Committee and Senior Independent Director

Jocelyn McConnachie

Group Board member

Liam Coleman, Chair of L&Q Group

Appointed to the Group Board in June 2024.

Liam became Chair of our Group Board in 2025.

Liam has more than 30 years' experience in financial services and is also the Chair of Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Interim Chair of the Financial Ombudsman Service and a non-executive director at VIVID Housing.

Dr Louise Brooke-Smith OBE, Chair of Asset and Development Committee

Appointed to the Group Board in October 2020.

Louise is a chartered surveyor and chartered town planner with more than 35 years of experience in development and strategic planning across the UK and internationally.

A former partner at Arcadis, she specialises in advising public and private sector organisations on development strategy.

Louise was the first female global president of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors and was awarded an OBE in 2019 for services to the built environment, diversity and inclusion.

Cassie Clifford, Chair of Resident Experience Committee

Appointed to the Group Board in August 2026.

Cassie is Director of Digital Change at a global media organisation, specialising in transformation, digital operations and strategic change.

Cassie brings extensive experience in complex reorganisation, data-led process design and programme management.

Cassie also chairs L&Q's Resident Experience Committee.

Maria Da Cunha, Deputy Chair of L&Q Group and Chair of Remuneration and Nominations Committee

Appointed to the Group Board in May 2021.

Maria is a former senior executive at British Airways, where she spent 18 years in leadership roles across legal, people, risk and compliance.

Maria has extensive experience in corporate governance, organisational transformation, employee engagement and regulated industries.

Maria is also a non-executive director of International Distribution Services plc and Irwin Mitchell Holdings LLP.

Ed Farnsworth, Executive Group Director, Finance

Appointed to the Group Board in January 2025.

Ed joined us as a graduate trainee in 2005 and was appointed Executive Group Director, Finance in January 2025.

Ed is a qualified accountant and has played a central role in developing a financial strategy that supports major investment in the safety, quality and sustainability of residents' homes.

Ed is also co-chair of Barking Riverside Limited, a board member and Chair of the Audit and Risk Committee at North London Muslim Housing Association, and Chair of the National Housing SORP (Statement of Recommended Practice) Working Party for the sector.

Fiona Fletcher-Smith, Group Chief Executive

Appointed to the Group Board in January 2021.

Fiona has been our Group Chief Executive since September 2020 and has almost 30 years' experience in housing, development, regeneration and public policy.

Fiona has led our £5.1 billion development programme, including major projects such as Barking Riverside, and oversaw our expansion beyond South East England.

Fiona was also Chair of Trustees at Centre for London for six years, helping the capital’s think tank meet its charitable objectives.

Selena Hall, Deputy Chair of Resident Experience Committee

Appointed to the Group Board in August 2026.

Selena has more than 17 years' experience within housing, property, repairs, maintenance, and customer experience.

Throughout her career, Selena has held senior operational and management roles across asset management, repairs, damp and mould, disrepair, compliance, contractors and service improvement.

Selena is a qualified surveyor and is currently working as a Regional Asset and Repairs Manager.

Nigel Hopkins, Chair of Audit and Risk Committee and Senior Independent Director

Appointed to the Group Board in August 2022.

Nigel is a non-executive director at MHS Homes, Herts Urgent Care Social Finance fund for End-of-Life Care, Symmetry Housing and NPH Consult Ltd.

Nigel has extensive experience in organisational transformation in both the private and public sectors, most recently in businesses delivering social impact through housing, skills, jobs, senior living and care.

Raj Kumar, Group Board member

Appointed to the Group Board in May 2021.

Raj has more than 30 years' experience in social housing, including leadership roles in local government and housing consultancy.

Raj has supported resident scrutiny and engagement across the sector for many years and continues to advise housing organisations across the UK.

As L&Q's Member Responsible for Complaints, he provides Board oversight of complaints and helps ensure we maintain a positive complaint handling culture.

Jocelyn McConnachie, Group Board member

Appointed to the Group Board in January 2026.

Jocelyn has extensive experience in governance, customer engagement and strategic transformation.

Jocelyn currently serves as a non-executive director at Abri Group, where she chairs the People and Culture Committee and sits on the Audit and Risk Committee.

Last updated: September 2026