Executive Leadership Team

Interim Housing Ombudsman

Andrea Keenoy

Andrea was appointed as Interim Housing Ombudsman from 1 August 2026.

Andrea joined the Housing Ombudsman Service in September 2015 as the Director of Finance and Corporate Performance. She was Interim Housing Ombudsman for a short time and was then appointed as Chief Operating Officer.

She is a qualified Chartered Accountant with over 20 years’ experience.  She previously worked for the National Audit Office (NAO) where she held roles overseeing the audits of a wide range of government departments and their arm’s-length bodies.  She was also part of the technical support team, leading on a range of interventions aimed at improving governance, and was seconded to the House of Commons Scrutiny Unit.

Outside of work, Andrea is an Independent Commissioner the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman and an Associate Governor at a maintained primary school, attending its Finance and Resources Committee. She is also a review team member of the International Ombudsman Institute’s peer review panel.

Interim Chief Operating Officer

Ben Taylor

Ben was appointed as Interim Chief Operating Officer from 1 August 2026.

Ben joined the Housing Ombudsman Service in September 2025 as the Director of Finance, Procurement and Digital. Ben is a Chartered Accountant with over 25 years’ experience in a variety of organisations. Ben joins from the social housing sector where he was Finance Director at a large housing association.

Ben started his career in public sector audit with the Audit Commission before moving on to social housing regulation and then housing finance consultancy work with the Chartered Institute of Housing. He has extensive experience of financial accounting, business planning, driving financial performance through business partnering and transforming teams through embracing technology to improve ways of working.

Director of Corporate Services and Change

Birgit Lenton

Birgit joined the Housing Ombudsman’s Executive Leadership Team in February 2025 with over 20 years experience in business transformation, change management, and leadership. She has a strong focus on culture, customer, people, and organisational development and continuous improvement.

Her roles saw her working for the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) for 12 years in a number of senior UK national roles and a 4-year stint as a Director of Corporate Services and Culture for a UK-based housing association. More recently, she worked for Eleco plc, a global software provider to the construction industry, as their Transformation Director and Imperial College London.

Working in corporate, operational and change roles in a number of countries, industries and sectors and leading large, multi-site and mobile customer-facing teams, Birgit brings a rounded transformation skill set to The Housing Ombudsman Executive Team. She continues updating her skills as a member of the Association for Project Management (MAPM), a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (FCIPD) and by engaging with thought leaders in her network.

Director of Corporate Services and Finance

Mark Day

Mark’s career began in NHS finance, and he’s since worked across public services, business, and charities in roles spanning finance, operations, and corporate services.

Mark spent 10 years at Community Health Partnerships, progressing from Chief Financial Officer to Chief Operating Officer and Deputy Chief Executive. Most recently, Mark was Director of Corporate Services and Company Secretary at the Money Advice Trust, a national debt-advice charity.

Director of Customer Service

Steven Darling

Steven joins us with extensive experience leading and improving major public services across the UK. Most recently, he has led Customer Strategy and Experience at the Student Loans Company, where he has overseen services used by millions of customers and driven improvements through insight-led design and service optimisation.

Prior to this, Steven spent his career at HM Revenue & Customs in a range of senior operations, policy and transformation roles. His work included designing services for customers requiring additional support, strengthening the use of customer insight in policy development, and leading the implementation of the Scottish and Welsh rates of income tax.

Throughout his career, Steven has built a strong track record of improving customer experiences, delivering service transformation and using insight to drive meaningful change in complex public sector organisations.

Director of Development

Paul Johnson

Paul joins us with more than 20 years’ leadership experience across regulatory bodies in the healthcare and security sectors. Most recently, he completed an interim assignment at the General Pharmaceutical Council, having previously spent 13 years at the Nursing and Midwifery Council and 9 years at the Security Industry Authority.

Throughout his career, Paul has led quality improvement, change management and policy development teams, and overseen large-scale operational services including registration, regulatory investigations and tribunal functions. He has a strong track record of bringing together stakeholder and colleague perspectives to drive business improvement in complex, high-volume environments.

Outside of work, Paul volunteers as a lay Council member at the General Teaching Council for Scotland.

Director of Dispute Support and Resolution

Justin Crittall

Justin joined the Housing Ombudsman Service in August 2023 as the Director of Dispute Support and Resolution. Justin brings over 15 years’ experience of working in social housing with 8 years’ experience working in a variety of both operational and strategic senior management positions. These roles have included overseeing large front line customer facing teams, leading complaint management functions and the delivery of transformational programmes.  

Justin holds a degree in Psychology and is a member of the Charted Institute of People Development. Outside of work Justin has held positions as an Advisory Board member within a local council and a Trustee for a local food charity.   

Temporary Director – PRS Design and Implementation

Kevin Williamson