Meet the Executive Committee
Pete Goddard
Chair
Pete joined Solo as Chair in March 2023 and comes with 25 years’ experience in social housing as a lawyer and as a non-executive.
In 2021 he retired as a Partner at Birkett's solicitors, where he had led the Social Housing Team for over 15 years.
He has previously been a Board Member and Committee Chair of both Hereward and Sanctuary Housing Associations and has also been Chair of Norwich City Council’s Housing Improvement Board.
In the past he has also been a shadow board member of a prospective LSVT housing Association and is currently a member of the Norwich Diocese Church Buildings Commission.
Mark Walsh - MBA, DipPc
Mark has over 25 years in Software delivery for Blue Chip global clients in Financial Services, Communications, Media, Telecoms and Resources.
With years in technology and having worked with a variety of platforms and methodologies, Mark has delivered a variety of products and projects.
Having completed his MBA with Level 7 Dip in Consultancy, he is both current and accredited in Management Practices and Business Consultancy processes and models, delivering for household names including Barclays, UBS, MS Amlin, Vodafone, BT, Cisco, Royal Bank of Scotland and many more.
April Archer
April is currently employed as an Individual Dispute Resolution Conciliation Officer for the Arbitration Conciliation Advice Service (ACAS).
April holds an Honours Degree in Social Policy and Criminology and significant experience of the social housing sector, having previously worked for over ten years in a front-line housing support role for Flagship Housing Group.
David Sice
David has 35 years’ experience of working in the affordable housing sector; working for Councils, Housing Associations, Housing Charities, Alms Houses and with a particular interest in single person housing need.
David retired as Chief executive of an Essex housing association in 2017 and is currently a freelance consultant, assisting small charities with governance after many years’ experience of being a Trustee or Governor of national (RNLI) or regional/ Charities (CAB).
He is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Housing and an assessor for the National Apprentice for working in housing.
Sarah Fish
Company Secretary
Sarah qualified as a Solicitor in 2014 and currently works at a regional firm within their Social Housing Team.
Sarah has experience in advising Housing Associations in respect of acquiring property, regulatory requirements and analysing and charging their portfolios.
Philip Ellick
Philip acted as a broker at Mullens & Co and later for Rowe & Pitman, before acting as a dealer at the London Stock Exchange.
Returning to Rowe & Pitman, he became a dealing partner before moving to S. G. Warburg & Co and UBS as Managing Director (equity capital market division).
Philip then joined Fox-Pitt Kelton in 2003 and later served as an Advisory Board Member for Macquarie Group Limited after the takeover by Macquarie in 2009.
Retiring from Macquarie Group in 2011, he is currently a non-executive director of DRENL Ltd (a waste to energy company).
Tracey Dowse
Tracey has worked in housing for many years in a variety of roles, both in local government and housing associations, including working as a Homelessness Prevention Officer for Solo several years ago. She has experience of all aspects of tenancy management, including rent arrears, anti-social behaviour, lettings, homelessness and benefits.
For over 10 years she has managed teams responsible for the tenancy management of large numbers of properties. Her current role is Head of Wellbeing and Partnerships for Saffron Housing Trust, responsible for the management of the supported and specialist accommodation.
Tracey is Chartered Institute of Housing qualified and is the Domestic Abuse and Adult Safeguarding lead for Saffron.
Martyn Sandford
Treasurer
Martyn is a fully qualified accountant with over 35 years of post-qualification experience that has included extensive involvement in introducing new computer and internal reporting and control systems, management accounting, financial accounting, tax, treasury and commercial support for decision making. He has worked closely with HR, payroll, legal and property departments.
He also has had active involvement in major financial transactions (debt negotiation and M&A activity) and in business reorganisations.
He has worked at senior level (including Director) at Plc’s and large companies including 16 years at Anglian Home Improvements. He is currently working on interim assignments and as Pension Fund Trustee.
