MTVH hires chief exec from Nottingham Council

Metropolitan Thames Valley Housing Association has appointed Melbourne Barrett as chief executive. Barrett joins from Nottingham City Council, where he has been chief executive since September 2020. His appointment follows MTVH’s former chief executive Geeta Nanda resigning after 16 years. She will leave the landlord in autumn.  Prior to his role at Nottingham, Barrett was chief executive of Basingstoke & Deane Borough Council, held executive director roles at London Borough of Hammersmith & Fulham and Oxford City Council, and senior roles at Lewisham Council and the London Development Agency. MTVH chair Althea Efunshile said: “In Mel we believe we have found someone with exceptional capability and character to build on what we have achieved so far at MTVH, and lead us to the next phase of our development. “He has decades of experience of leadership at scale, and has achieved this across a range of the services that we manage. Throughout his career he has put people, place, homes and regeneration at the heart of his work and has demonstrated an entrepreneurial approach combined with social purpose. “This career-long experience of working in partnership with government, private enterprise, commissioning bodies, regulators and voluntary organisations to deliver better outcomes for residents and customers aligns with our vision to provide decent homes and the chance to live well.” Barrett added: “I am delighted to be joining MTVH at this pivotal time where there is a consensus across the country that more affordable homes are needed and that good consumer standards with high levels of effective tenant and customer engagement are a must.”