Executive Management team
Day to day the strategic direction of Torus and its operational activities is run by an experienced and talented Executive Management Team.
Torus Board
The Torus Group Board was appointed in May 2018 and took up their roles on January 1st 2019.
Landlord Operations Committee (LOC)
Comprising of a number of tenant volunteers, working alongside the Board, focusing on customer services and performance.
Steve Coffey, Group CEO
A passionate advocate for high-quality affordable housing in the North West, Steve is responsible for Torus’ overall strategic direction, performance and development.
Before joining Torus, he led LMH from the 2008 stock transfer and spearheaded the creation of a strong, diversified and award-winning housing group with a distinct social purpose during his 10 years as LMH Group Chief Executive. Steve has held a number of senior executive positions within the North West Social Housing sector in a career spanning over 20 years.
Cath Murray-Howard, Chief Operating Officer
With a passion for delivering high quality operational services and improving the living environments of people, Cath will oversee Torus’ Commercial Contracting (HMS), Assets, Housing and Torus Foundation.
Cath has a strong track record of leadership, operational delivery, transformation and cultural development. Before joining Torus, Cath held numerous high-profile positions including Chief Operating Officer at Mersten Group, Director of Strategy and Business Development at The Disabilities Trust and Deputy CEO at Community Integrated Care, a charity focused on older people and people with learning disabilities.
Peter Fieldsend, Chief Financial Officer
Peter oversees Torus’ financial core with a focus on Business Assurance, Finance, Organisational Development, ICT & Transformation and Developments operations.
Previously Executive Director (Resources) at LMH since 2008, he works to ensure the group has the right resources, approach and values to deliver consistent service excellence across all business areas. Peter is a qualified Chartered Management Accountant with significant Finance Director experience across a range of private sector businesses.
Torus Board
Torus needs the highest calibre of leadership, vision and energy to realise its aspirations. The Torus Group Board was appointed in May 2018 and took up their roles on January 1st 2019.
Mike Emmerich, Chair
As Chair of the Board, Mike oversees and ensures high standards of governance, and provides appropriate levels of challenge and support to the Executive Team.
Mike is an entrepreneur. He combines senior leadership experience across the public and private sectors with his extensive strategy and economics knowledge. He has applied this to start ups in the private, public, academic, and not-for-profit sectors for over twenty years. He is also an experienced national-level Non-Executive Director in the education, health, heritage, real estate, and culture sectors.
As the Founding Director of Metro Dynamics, a specialised consultancy for local authorities, Mike plays a significant role on many major projects including the devolution deals in the West Midlands and North East which give more local responsibility for housing and infrastructure. He has also spent significant time working with local authorities and combined authorities within the Liverpool and Greater Manchester City Regions.
Duncan Craig, Board member
A Professional Mechanical / Electrical Engineer, Duncan retired from Westinghouse Electric Company in 2012 after 35 years in the nuclear industry.
Roles at Vice President level included global process re-engineering and manufacturing operations improvement. He previously worked for BNFL (British Nuclear Fuels) and was Site Director of the Springfields nuclear facility in Lancashire. Duncan is a Trustee Director of Lancashire Wildlife Trust and a Business Mentor with the Brathay Trust / University of Cumbria Aspiring Leaders Programme (ALP).
Christine Fallon, Board member
Christine has worked in Housing for over 30 years, starting out in Developments at a number of large London-based affordable housing providers and later specialising in retirement housing for sale and rent at Housing 21.
After a period of time at the HCA, she set up Affordable Homes Consultancy, which provides specialist development consultancy services to affordable housing providers, local authorities and housing developers. Christine also advises local authorities on developing new homes for rent and sale.
Andrew Gray, Board member
Andrew has 30 years’ experience in the Social Housing sector, working as a consultant to housing organisations across England, Scotland and Wales.
A former Director of RDHS, Managing Director of Consult CIH and President of the Chartered Institute of Housing, he became Managing Director of the North West consultancy Hillcroft Partners in 2009 and Business Development Manager of Fusion21 in April 2017. Andrew specialises in customer insight and has significant experience within housing association boards and committees.
Robert Hepworth MBE, Board member
A retired Chartered Surveyor (FRICS), Bob was an Executive Director at St Helens Council between 1989 and 2014 where he led the strategy that regenerated large areas of the Borough, including the Building Schools for the Future programme.
He is experienced in complex HR and Financial management, having been responsible for a multi-million pound budget for over 25 years. Bob has also been actively involved in four Merseyside Regional Development Programmes, which have helped to transform Liverpool City Region.
Gordon Hood, Board member
Gordon has over 35 years’ experience in planning, urban regeneration, economic development, housing, public sector funding and project management, working in central and local government and in the private sector.
A planner by training, he developed strategic planning policy for Merseyside with the Department of the Environment and was Director of Development at Central Manchester Development Corporation. Gordon established the Regeneration Consultancy Department at King Sturge LLP (now Jones Lang LaSalle) and ran his own regeneration consultancy before retiring in 2012.
Sarah Jane Saunders, Board member
Sarah Jane has 20 years’ experience in Social Housing, having begun her career as a Graduate Housing Management trainee with Wirral Council, before moving to Regenda Homes, One Vision Housing and a Housing Association in the Republic of Ireland.
She has wide ranging expertise in Housing Management and Regeneration, having worked in roles ranging from Housing Officer, Project Manager and latterly Operational Director – Customers & Neighbourhoods. Sarah Jane has a Postgraduate Diploma in Housing Management and is a member of the Chartered Institute of Housing.
Steve Coffey, Board Member
A passionate advocate for high-quality affordable housing in the North West, Steve is responsible for Torus’ overall strategic direction, performance and development.
Before joining Torus, he led LMH from the 2008 stock transfer and spearheaded the creation of a strong, diversified and award-winning housing group with a distinct social purpose during his 10 years as LMH Group Chief Executive. Steve has held a number of senior executive positions within the North West Social Housing sector in a career spanning over 20 years.
Cath Murray-Howard, Board Member
With a passion for delivering high quality operational services and improving the living environments of people, Cath will oversee Torus’ Commercial Contracting (HMS), Assets, Housing and Torus Foundation.
Cath has a strong track record of leadership, operational delivery, transformation and cultural development. Before joining Torus, Cath held numerous high-profile positions including Chief Operating Officer at Mersten Group, Director of Strategy and Business Development at The Disabilities Trust and Deputy CEO at Community Integrated Care, a charity focused on older people and people with learning disabilities.
Peter Fieldsend, Board Member
Peter oversees Torus’ financial core with a focus on Business Assurance, Finance, Organisational Development, ICT & Transformation and Developments operations.
Previously Executive Director (Resources) at LMH since 2008, he works to ensure the group has the right resources, approach and values to deliver consistent service excellence across all business areas. Peter is a qualified Chartered Management Accountant with significant Finance Director experience across a range of private sector businesses.
Waqas Butt, Board Member
Waqas Butt is a KPMG-trained Fellow (FCA) of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW). He attained a first-class Masters in Business Administration (MBA) with a distinction from Warwick Business School. Waqas has held senior executive positions leading finance and commercial teams across several multinational private and public consumer-facing businesses. He was awarded the Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply (CIPS) “step change” improvement award for transforming the Co-op Group's indirect procurement supply chain.
Lisa Greenhalgh, Board Member
Lisa is a qualified management accountant who has worked in industry for 30 years within large corporate and SME businesses in both the UK and Northern Europe and more recently spent 15 years running a regional loan and equity investment fund.
Currently working with a number of clients as portfolio Finance Director/Non-executive Director supporting both international and local SME businesses.
Lisa is also a member of the credit committee of Innovate UK Loans Limited, is a mentor on the Help to Grow Scheme and is due to retire from Edge Hill University after 10 years as Vice Chair of Governors, Chair of Audit, Chair of Remuneration and a member of the Nominations committees.
Landlord Operations Committee (LOC)
The Landlord Operations Committee (LOC) comprises of a number of tenant volunteers, working alongside the Torus Board, focusing on customer service standards and performance.
Andrew Gray, Chair
Andrew has 30 years’ experience in the Social Housing sector, working as a consultant to housing organisations across England, Scotland and Wales.
A former Director of RDHS, Managing Director of Consult CIH and President of the Chartered Institute of Housing, he became Managing Director of the North West consultancy Hillcroft Partners in 2009 and Business Development Manager of Fusion21 in April 2017. Andrew specialises in customer insight and has significant experience within housing association boards and committees.
Teri Wilson, LOC Member
Teri’s has over 25 years’ experience in IT and Social Care. With LMH she has been on the Board, an active member of the scrutiny panel, a committee member on the Social Landlords Operations Committee. With her first-hand knowledge, enthusiasm and input, Teri wants to contribute to making a positive difference to communities and housing.
Pam Woodward, LOC Member
Pam’s working life was in retail and with the public. She is still involved with her local community centre. She has been actively involved for over 10 years with Helena and Torus with the Scrutiny Panel, Community Consultative Forum and Community Fund Panel.
Pam believes that tenants voice is important and wants to ensure Torus is doing what is in its tenants’ best interests.
Sharon Shaw, LOC Member
Sharon’s background includes working in management and within business environments. She has also served as a school governor for several years. She strongly believes in decent homes, fair rent, and tenants right to a good standard of living. It is very important to her that tenants have a voice.
Sharon brings her experience to positively contribute and support shaping the policies that affect tenants and making sure that services are tenant-led and customer-focused.
Sarah Jane Saunders, LOC Member
Sarah Jane has 20 years’ experience in Social Housing, having begun her career as a Graduate Housing Management trainee with Wirral Council, before moving to Regenda Homes, One Vision Housing and a Housing Association in the Republic of Ireland.
She has wide ranging expertise in Housing Management and Regeneration, having worked in roles ranging from Housing Officer, Project Manager and latterly Operational Director – Customers & Neighbourhoods. Sarah Jane has a Postgraduate Diploma in Housing Management and is a member of the Chartered Institute of Housing.
Robert Hepworth, LOC Member
A retired Chartered Surveyor (FRICS), Bob was an Executive Director at St Helens Council between 1989 and 2014 where he led the strategy that regenerated large areas of the Borough, including the Building Schools for the Future programme.
He is experienced in complex HR and Financial management, having been responsible for a multi-million pound budget for over 25 years. Bob has also been actively involved in four Merseyside Regional Development Programmes, which have helped to transform Liverpool City Region.
Cath Murray-Howard, LOC Member
With a passion for delivering high quality operational services and improving the living environments of people, Cath will oversee Torus’ Commercial Contracting (HMS), Assets, Housing and Torus Foundation.
Cath has a strong track record of leadership, operational delivery, transformation and cultural development. Before joining Torus, Cath held numerous high-profile positions including Chief Operating Officer at Mersten Group, Director of Strategy and Business Development at The Disabilities Trust and Deputy CEO at Community Integrated Care, a charity focused on older people and people with learning disabilities.
James Heneghan, LOC Member
My current role on the Torus Landlord Operations Committee (LOC), includes working alongside the service leads and directors to oversee operational matters with a focus on local customer service standards and wide-ranging performance matters. We consider and act on recommendations from customer scrutiny, focussing on quality outcomes.
As a Diversity and Inclusion Panel member, I work with the group to receive reports on how Torus provides services which meet the diverse needs of tenants, review, and challenge how these services are responding to diverse needs making recommendations for improvement. We have recently reviewed the Torus website and provided recommendation on including Reach Deck. I am also working with the group to look at ways to improve entry to communal areas and ramp and mobility issues as well as reviewing how we can assist tenants with mental health, impairment and neuro learning difficulties and any other subjects and policies of concern excluding any and all tenants from a proper quality of life and tenancy.
My role with the Community Investment Panel, which is part of Torus’ charitable arm, known as the Torus Foundation, is to review application eligibility and authorise the funding that meet the set criteria. This can be either fully, partially, or a need further information before a decision can be made.
Before becoming a LOC member, I was a part of the Torus Scrutiny Panel where I contributed to reviewing, scrutinising, and reporting on Torus’ performance.
David Higgins, LOC Member
David worked in the Quarry Industry for forty three years. Starting at the bottom and finishing as a Operations Manager. He joined Tenant Voice and have been involved with the Scrutiny and Grant Panels before joining LOC.
Cllr Sharon Connor, LOC Member
Information to follow.
Cllr Richard McCauley, LOC Member
Information to follow.