Meet the Board

Martin Warhurst, Chair

Martin was elected as the Chair of Salix Homes Limited Board in September 2024, having originally being appointed as Chair of the Audit & Risk Committee in September 2023.

He has over 23 years of experience within the social housing sector, with a particular passion for accessible, lifetime homes in inclusive communities.

Previously, Martin was Executive Director of Resources at Wakefield District Housing Association, Chief Executive of Martin House Children’s Hospice and an Executive Director at Isos Housing Group (now Karbon Homes)

He is a Chartered Accountant and has worked within the social housing audit teams at KPMG and RSM Robson Rhodes, who later merged with Grant Thornton.

• Salix Homes Limited Board Member
• Chair of Audit & Risk Committee

Aisling McCourt, Vice Chair

Aisling became Vice-Chair of the Board in November 2021, having joined the board in April 2020. She is an experienced housing policy and research professional, having worked across a number of local authorities and in academia over the last ten years.

Aisling currently works at the Greater Manchester Combined Authority where she provides policy analysis and advice on strategic housing issues to the Mayor of Greater Manchester. She has worked on key issues facing the social housing sector, and was awarded an Honorary Fellowship at The University of Salford in 2016.

In addition to being the Vice Chair, Aisling is also a valued member of the Assets & Sustainability Committee.

• Salix Homes Limited Board
• Growth & Development Committee Member
• Salix Homes Developments Limited Board

Mark Beyer

Mark has a degree in Geographical Sciences, various recognised Portfolio, Programme, Project qualifications, and is a Member of the Institute of Management Services.

He was a project and programme manager in the financial and retail sectors before joining Asda Walmart in 2012 as Head of IT Portfolio Office and Global Processes. From 2015 Mark was a key member of Co-op’s Strategy and Transformation team managing and assuring transformational change programmes across the Co-op family of businesses. He has also trained to become an accredited internal coach and mentor.He now works as an independent Transformation Change Consultant and has his own Coaching and Mentoring business that he runs alongside his Non-Executive Director role at Salix Homes.

Mark joined the Board in April 2020, Chairs the Remuneration and Governance Committee and is the Sustainability Champion for the Board.

Philip Johnson

Philip is a Chartered Building Surveyor and has worked in social housing for over 35 years, across different property portfolio disciplines – repairs and maintenance, planned investment, compliance, sustainability, regeneration, and development.

Philip holds a Building Engineering degree from Brunel University and is a co-author of the CIH report Responsive Repairs: Right First Time. He set up his own Asset Management company in 2012 and has undertaken a series of high-level governance investigations and compliance reviews, together with project managing a number of organisations out of regulatory supervision.

• Salix Homes Limited Board Member
• Chair of Assets & Sustainability Committee

Jason Ridley

Jason is an Australian Chartered Accountant and Chartered Governance Professional with over 20 years of Social Housing board experience and a commitment to the profoundly important work of the sector for tenants and the wider community. Jason joined the Salix Homes Board in September 2024.

Prior to joining the Social Housing sector as an executive in 2011, Jason had a varied private sector career with wide ranging roles within the accounting profession, pharmaceutical and food distribution sectors in Australia, Asia, North America, and Europe. He is currently Director of Finance and IT at Leeds Federated Housing Association.

Jason joined the Board in September 2024 and is the Chair of the Audit & Risk Committee.

Charlotte Haines, Customer Committee Chair

Charlotte is the Chair of the Customer Committee and was appointed as a full Board member in September 2023. She’s a busy working mother of three with a husband who works in emergency services. Charlotte was born and lives in Salford and has regularly volunteered for Salix Homes over the years.

Living in one of Salix Homes’ smaller developments, she is keen to be a voice for the customers in her area. Charlotte says:

“I’ve always had an interest in volunteer work. When the opportunity arose to apply to be on the new Customer Committee I jumped at the chance. I’m excited to be a contact for the area I live in and to watch the direct impact the positive changes we make have in the community.”

Paul Martin

Paul Martin OBE is Chief Executive of LGBT Foundation – a national charity delivering advice, support and information services to lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans communities. With a history dating back to 1975, they campaign for a fair and equal society where all LGBT people can achieve their full potential.

Paul has been actively involved in the LGBT community for over 30 years. He is a member of the Greater Manchester Mayor’s LGBT Advisory Group, Chair of The National LGB&T Partnership, and a member of the National LGBT Ministerial Advisory Panel – ensuring the Government meets its commitment to improving lives as set out in the landmark LGBT Action Plan.

Paul was awarded an OBE in 2011. He is happily married to his husband Pete and lives in Chorlton, Manchester.

In addition to the Board, Paul also sits on the Remuneration & Governance Committee.

Ahmed Abdulmalek

Ahmed is a customer service manager at another Manchester-based housing association. Having worked in several roles including IT, and complaints, Ahmed has always had an interest in the more strategic element of housing. He previously held manager roles at Hugo Boss and Mango as well as working voluntarily as a football, cricket coach and tennis assistant.

Having been part of the Raising Roofs course, he shadowed the Board at Irwell Valley for a year before joining Salix Homes Board in September 2021, and is also a parent governor at his children’s school where he holds the role of Chair of the Finance Committee.

In addition to the Board, Ahmed sits on the Assets & Sustainability Committee and is co-opted onto the Customer Committee. He is also the Member Responsible for Complaints.

Monika Liskiewicz

Monika is a qualified Chartered Accountant (FCA) with over 16 years of experience working in finance in a variety of roles in highly regulated and customer-centric environments. Monika has provided assurance services and accounting advice to a range of organisations in both the public and private sectors, developing key skills in leadership, building relationships, and technical agility.

She is passionate about the housing sector and the role it plays in a wider society, which led her to work with a number of housing associations in her professional life, first as a financial advisor and subsequently as a Head of Financial Performance and Reporting at Incommunities Limited and now as a Director of Financial Resources at Accent Group.

Monika is also Vice-Chair of the Housing SORP Working Party, which oversees the development of the Housing SORP.

Monika joined Salix Homes Board in April 2024 and also sits on the Audit & Risk Committee.

Julie Guildford Smith

Julie Guildford Smith (PGDip CIH) is a highly accomplished housing leader with more than 30 years’ experience in the public sector and over two decades specialising in housing, homelessness and place-based transformation.

Julie is currently Group Chief Executive of the Honeycomb Group, where she leads the strategic direction, operational performance and regulatory compliance of the organisation and its subsidiaries, including a registered provider of affordable housing, specialist homelessness accommodation, domestic abuse services and community support services. She holds a Postgraduate Professional Diploma in Housing from De Montfort University and is a Corporate Member of the Chartered Institute of Housing.

Les Warren, Committee Member

Les has worked in the housing sector for over 20 years, and his experience covers local government housing, housing associations and the private sector. During his career, Les has led on delivery and change in various housing organisations.

In recent years, Les has focused his energy on supported living – a crucial part of social housing that supports adults to live independently in their own homes. He is an Executive Director of a North West based housing association and has held similar roles in other organisations.

Les has accumulated substantial commercial and property know-how to help develop much-needed new homes and drive growth. He is a qualified Chartered Accountant and holds an MBA from the University of Cape Town.