Though I began my professional life as an architect, since 1974 I have been working in housing, mainly on policy, new initiatives, finance and information systems.
Between 1988 and 2007 I worked for Genesis Housing Group, putting together a succession of global financial models, stock transfer models, systems for appraising and monitoring development projects and processes to manage rent setting and rent budgeting. I also undertook a great deal of ad-hoc analysis on issues such as financial capacity, rent affordability, maintenance expenditure and asset management.
Over this time I developed my skill-base, gaining experience principally with Excel and Access (including VBA) and Cognos Analyst, but also Word, PowerPoint, SQL and HTML. I have a particular interest in integrating systems - either by getting spreadsheets and databases to work together or using tools such as Cognos.
In 2002 I gained an MSc in economics at the University of London (Birkbeck College) This was in pursuit of my broader policy interests, which include the economic challenge of climate change and regional economics.
I am based in London and Horsham, West Sussex.