Our leadership team
Our Executive Team
Mark Gifford - Chief Executive
Our Chief Executive, Mark Gifford, has many successful years of senior leadership experience in both the public and private sector and demonstrates an unwavering commitment to serving society and customer-focused services.
His extensive experience includes being CEO of the National Citizen Service – a royal charter body offering programmes for young people to help them build confidence, life skills and stronger communities.
Before that he spent 23 years with the John Lewis Partnership in a variety of senior leadership roles, including leading all the Waitrose supermarkets.
Mark is also a non-executive director of Manchester University Foundation Hospital Trust and a School Academy Director. This role had given him insight into the direct link between good quality housing, academic outcomes and stronger communities.
Andy Ewart - Executive Director of Corporate Services
Our Executive Director of Corporate Services, Andy Ewart, is a qualified chartered accountant with an MBA from Manchester Business School who began his career in the financial services sector before progressing to senior roles within the higher education and not-for-profit sectors.
Andy has worked for FCHO since 2019 and holds strategic responsibility for our financial viability and is the Deputy CEO. Andy leads FCHO’s colleagues and resources associated with Finance, ICT, Governance, Risk and Assurance, People and Culture, Marketing and Communications and Transformation, ensuring the organisation is on a firm financial and compliant footing.
Steve Agger - Executive Director of Homes
Our Executive Director of Homes, Steve Agger, leads on the care and maintenance of our existing homes, and the development of much-needed new properties in the Oldham borough.
Steve brings a significant amount of experience in the management of homes and their condition, having spent his career working in the public and private sectors, including roles in local government and consultancy.
He is passionate about the quality of our housing maintenance services and the standard of new-build homes, and putting FCHO customers at the centre of what we do.
Our Directors
Juliet Craven
Director of Governance, Risk and Assurance
Our Director of Governance, Risk and Assurance, Juliet Craven, has over 35 years’ experience in the housing sector, including working for various housing associations for the last 18 year...
Our Director of Governance, Risk and Assurance, Juliet Craven, has over 35 years’ experience in the housing sector, including working for various housing associations for the last 18 years.
Juliet is responsible for overseeing FCHO’s Legal Services and Assurance teams. Her background includes corporate and Board governance, risk, internal audit as well as reputation and quality assurance.
She is FCHO’s Company Secretary, supporting the Board and overseeing compliance with the Regulator of Social Housing’s expectations.
Maria Cook
Director of Finance
Our Director of Finance, Maria Cook, has been with FCHO since 2011 and has most recently been our Head of Finance. Maria provides financial leadership, continuity and consistency for the...
Our Director of Finance, Maria Cook, has been with FCHO since 2011 and has most recently been our Head of Finance.
Maria provides financial leadership, continuity and consistency for the business as we keep on delivering our Big Plan priorities.