Dr Roy Williams
Group Chief Executive Officer
Dr Roy Williams holds a Doctorate in Business Administration and an MBA from the University of Chester’s prestigious Business School. Additionally, he is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Housing.
Since The Sovini Group’s inception, Roy has proudly been the organisations Chief Executive Officer and the catalyst for the Group’s impressive turnover, environmental, social and governance initiatives and, ultimately, in creating affordable homes and thriving communities.
Since 2015, he has been a Chair at Elevate Education Business Partnership, highlighting his passion for our mission of creating opportunities and changing lives. As well as being a CEO, Roy has four children and enjoys the occasional round of golf. You may also spot Roy supporting his local football team.
Tracey Liggett
Group Chief Finance Officer
Tracey is responsible for the financial growth and development of The Sovini Group. As Chief Finance Officer, she provides strategic financial leadership and expert guidance on all financial matters, including management accounting, reporting, auditing, tax and developing financial controls.
A highly accomplished finance professional, Tracey is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Chartered Accountants (ACCA) and holds an MBA in Leadership. Tracey is passionate about blending her housing expertise with strong commercial acumen to deliver on the Group’s ambitious five-year commercial growth plan.
Beyond her professional achievements, Tracey seeks to create a better future for the communities we proudly serve. In 2024, she took part in the Cycle India Challenge, the adventure of a lifetime that raised vital funds to secure the future of Zoe’s Place Baby Hospice. In her free time, she loves spending time with her family.
Ian Fazakerley
Group Chief Operating Officer
Ian brought his talents to One Vision Housing in 2010, where he became Director of Customers and Neighbourhoods, before securing his current position as Chief Operating Officer.
He is responsible for the smooth-running of the Group’s operations, ensuring continued sustainability and growth. He provides leadership, management and vision to ensure that the business has the right people, operational controls and administrative and reporting procedures in place.
Holding an MBA in Leadership, he is passionate about service improvement through the implementation of company strategy, ensuring that daily operations line up with the Group’s strategic objectives.
In his free time, Ian loves to spend time with his grandchildren and is an avid Liverpool FC supporter.
Kerry Beirne
Group Chief People and Communications Officer
Kerry leads our award-winning People and Learning, Marketing and Communications and Executive Governance teams. Driven by a commitment to fostering a positive workplace culture, Kerry empowers employees through continuous development, championing a culture of excellence.
Holding a Masters in Personnel and Development, and a Level 7 Executive Coaching qualification, Kerry is an ambassador for the Group’s vision of ‘A Better Future’ and mission of ‘Creating Opportunities and Changing Lives.’
Under Kerry’s leadership, the Group has proudly achieved numerous prestigious accolades, including Investors in People Platinum status, Best Flexible Working Initiative at the CIPD awards and ‘Best Approach to Diversity and Inclusion’ at the Northern Housing Awards. The Group was also awarded ‘Best Purpose-Driven People Community’ at the Investors in People 2024 awards, reflecting our commitment to our employees.
Beyond the workplace, Kerry enjoys spending time with her young family and dog. She’s passionate about travel and exploring diverse cultures and experiences, and is always on the look out for her next destination!
Anita Spencer
Group Chief Business Officer
Anita is Group Chief Business Officer, overseeing our diverse portfolio of commercial companies: Sovini Trade Supplies, Sovini Property Services, Sovini Construction, Sovini Waste Solutions, Teal Scaffold and Amianto Services. In addition, she is responsible for overseeing Group Procurement, Value Creation and Business Development.
Since joining the Group in 2010, Anita has been instrumental in shaping the Group’s structure, playing a key role in the establishment of new businesses and successful acquisitions. Her unwavering commitment to driving quality, innovation and profitability across all Group operations is a cornerstone of the Group’s sustained success. Anita strongly believes that collaboration and culture are essential for creating a sustainable competitive advantage.
In 2022, Anita further enhanced her professional credentials by completing an MBA at Liverpool John Moores University. A passionate advocate for women in construction, she was recognised as one of the Top 100 Most Influential Women in Construction in 2023, and is dedicated to highlighting the numerous rewarding career opportunities available to women within the industry.
David Cater
Group Director of Technology and Performance Improvement
After completing a Business Management and Finance degree, Dave joined the Group in 2002.
Developing his experience through a multitude of IT roles, he is now responsible for IT Operations for all entities within the Group, and was instrumental in the organisation’s digital transformation. He utilises innovative solutions to drive the business forward, both internally for colleagues and externally for our customers.
Dave is a dedicated father to two children and a four-legged friend, and can often be found at Anfield supporting his beloved Liverpool FC.
James Judkins
Group Operations Director of Audit and Financial Management
Having joined The Sovini Group in 2013 as a Technical Accountant, James has continued to develop personally and professionally in multiple roles, culminating in his recent appointment as Group Operations Director for Audit and Financial Management.
As a Fellow Charted Accountant (FCA), James leads on the statutory financial reporting for the Group and is the key finance lead for income generation and performance within the not-for-profit companies. He is responsible for delivering a wide array of financial services across the Group, including Rent and Service Charge setting, budgeting, performance management, VAT tax, payroll and financial management.
James is a family man who prides himself on being able to balance work with personal life. James’ long-term goal is to enlighten the Executive team on the joys of supporting Newcastle United, though he has low expectations of any such success.
Jenny Cureton
Group Operations Director of Treasury and Financial Planning
Jenny joined The Sovini Group in 2015 as Head of Treasury. Since then, she has consistently grown and developed her skills, before assuming the role of Group Operations Director for Treasury and Financial Planning.
A Fellow Chartered Management Accountant (FCMA, ACMA, CGMA), Jenny is a strategic leader, responsible for the Group’s long-term financial planning. She oversees key areas, including risk management, assurance, treasury management, commercial finance and development accounting services.
With a passion for driving high performance and ensuring regulatory compliance, Jenny motivates her team to achieve exceptional results, contributing to the Group’s long-term success.
Ammi Williams
Group Director of Value Creation
Ammi is a highly accomplished individual with a proven ability to balance academic pursuits along with her career. In 2019, she proudly achieved a Bachelors degree with the Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply (MCIPS), before progressing to a Master of Business Administration (MBA) in 2021.
As Director of Value Creation, Ammi leads both the Procurement and Legal teams. Her focus is on maximising value creation, delivery and sustainability across the Group, whilst effectively mitigating risks and capitalising on opportunities. Her responsibilities include legal team management, Social and Commercial Procurement, management of the Supply Chain and Fleet, and achieving optimal Value for Money.
Ammi is a driven leader, empowering her teams to deliver exceptional results, which significantly contributes to the achievement of the Group’s strategic goals. As a new mum, she enjoys spending her spare time with her family and friends.
Ian Mitchell
Managing Director of Housing
Ian is the Managing Director of Housing and is responsible for the effective management of our housing teams. He achieves this by leading on delivering exceptional customer service to customers, and ensuring high-quality maintenance of our properties is achieved at all times.
With a strong background in Policy and Strategy, Ian implements strategies to meet internal and external performance expectations. He is currently enrolled on the Doctorate of Business Administration (DBA) at the University of Central Lancashire, following successful completion of his Master of Business Administration (MBA) and Executive Leadership.
The lifelong Liverpool FC fan and dedicated father, brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the role as he drives the success of our Registered Providers of Social Housing.
Paula Robinson
Director of Housing and Customer Services
After graduating from the University of Manchester with a degree in Social Science, Paula began her career at St Helens Council. Throughout her career, she has progressed through a number of officer, team leader and management roles.
She is a member of the Chartered Institute of Housing, with a mission of creating a future where everyone has a safe, quality place to call home. In her role as Director of Housing and Customer Services for One Vision Housing, Paula is responsible for the Independent Living, Customer Access, Leasehold and Commercial and Neighbourhood Services.
When she’s not driving our housing services towards a better future, you’ll find her spending quality time with her friends and family or horse-riding!
Phil Hutchinson
Director of Assets and Compliance
Phil oversees asset management, property compliance and Group Health and Safety.
Within his role, he is responsible for the strategic management, operation, maintenance and financial aspects of One Vision Housing’s 13,000+ homes, including repairs, maintenance, investment and property compliance. Phil oversees an annual delivery programme of approximately £35M, and also leads the Group’s Health and Safety team, ensuring the wellbeing of 800+ employees.
A strong advocate for customer-centric service delivery, he actively participates in local and national industry forums, including the LCR Asset Management Group, HQN, NHF and other compliance bodies.
Phil has consistently demonstrated a commitment to excellence in health, safety and compliance. Under his leadership, the Group has achieved numerous accolades, including ten consecutive RoSPA Gold awards. He is a passionate, results-oriented leader, motivating his teams to achieve high-performance targets whilst adhering to the highest regulatory standards, driving business success.
Bill Lacey
Director of Development
In his role as Development Director, Bill has led our new build development programme since 2021.
His expansive experience includes previous roles in Housing Management, Regeneration and Development and Sales. He is currently Chair of the Board at Calico Homes, based in Burnley.
Bill is passionate about social housing and the difference it can make to people’s lives. Having begun his career in Sefton, he is delighted his career has come full circle with an opportunity to contribute to the community he grew up in.
He enjoys spending time with his family, including the five grandchildren, and his dog. You can otherwise find him supporting Liverpool FC and pottering around on his narrow boat.
Dave Brown
Director of Pine Court Housing Association
As Director of Pine Court Housing Association, Dave manages the Housing Services Team and is responsible for all operations. Additionally, he is responsible for the development of strategies for the provision of effective and co-ordinated services to our customers.
With an impressive career in the housing sector, he has held several non-executive director roles in black-led organisations and community projects. He is passionate about working to promote cultural cohesion, with an ultimate goal of creating a better future for ethnic minority communities.
His commitment to anti-racism and inclusion is further evidenced by his appointment as trustee for Mandela8. His role will support the charity to leave a lasting legacy of Nelson Mandela’s outstanding achievements across our communities by addressing inequality and championing change.
Alan Evans
Director of Operations at Sovini Trade Supplies and Sovini Waste Solutions
Alan has been instrumental in the growth of Sovini Trade Supplies since 2018, positioning the commercial company at the forefront of the industry through strategic development plans that ensure excellence.
His responsibilities include setting strategic goals to maximise productivity and improve efficiency, collaboration with senior managers to develop long-term operational plans and analysis of current processes and performance to ensure continuous improvement.
When he is not furthering the development of the builders’ merchant, Alan is an avid supporter of Everton FC.
Mike Dale
Director of Operations at Sovini Property Services and Teal Scaffold
The now Director of Operations for Sovini Property Services and Teal Scaffold joined the Group in 2022.
He brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to the role, following many years working in numerous roles within the repairs and maintenance industry, from quantity surveying to contract management.
Mike is instrumental in building upon partnerships and collaboration, to deliver social value to our customers and communities through the provision of affordable, quality and sustainable homes.
As a father of two, Mike enjoys travelling with his family, exploring cultures and destinations.
