A life in 15 questions Jenny Neville Group Executive Director at ForHousing
1. Tell us about your career and how you ended up in your current role My career is completely random! I started work as soon as I turned 16 at McDonalds. I became a manager at 17 which was a great experience, although I probably worked a bit too hard as I remember falling asleep at school. I then went to work at Asda at 18 and did a bit of everything. I then landed a summer internship at a law firm in my second year at university. They offered me a job after I graduated as a marketing executive. During my time there I worked with an interim finance director that was overseeing a merger with another law firm. He was a nonexecutive director for a heating and property maintenance business, and he introduced me to the Managing Director and owner. I joined this company and took a business development role, helping to grow it significantly over a five-year period before turning my hands to delivery. I became a director at 27. I went on to help sell the firm to a blue chip business. I then went to work for a civil engineering contractor, running their internal operations, before having a short period of selfemployment whilst I had babies! This led to me working for a social housing consultancy, providing support and advice to registered providers. This was how I came across ForHousing, and I became part of the leadership team in September 2019.
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HOUSING QUALITY MAGAZINE MAY 2022
2. Describe yourself in three words Passionate, enthusiastic, advocate 3. Favourite place on earth? Home (in the shower or in my PJs!). 4. What would you change about yourself? I’m proud of who I am: my accent, my upbringing, my values. However, I do have a tendency to want to demonstrate value for money and this can sometimes translate into an unhealthy work ethic. This is something I’m aware of and working on. I really value the great support I get from my colleagues with this. 5. Describe your home A happy and safe 1970s renovation! Shared with my two children, James and Eleanor, my husband, Paul (“Nev”), and our dog, Bryn. 6. What makes you angry? Intolerance, disrespect, aggression and violence. 7. Most treasured possession My family’s health. I can live without all physical possessions. 8. Best piece of advice you’ve ever been given? Be true to you and believe you can!
9. If you won £1m on the Lottery, what would you spend it on? I’d love to set up a social investment fund supporting and advising community start-ups with their business ideas and providing access to business mentoring and support from non-executive directors. 10. Biggest achievement? People. I’m so proud of the achievements of others who I’ve supported or mentored. 11. Biggest regret? Hmm that’s a tough one. I don’t believe in regrets. I’ve made loads of mistakes, but I’ve learned from all of them. 12. Most overused phrase? ‘Deep dive’? Or ‘cut to the chase’ (although no-one ever does!). 13. Recommend a book The Little Book of Winning by Humphrey Walters. It’s a pocket book and relates sporting success to business success which I’m a huge advocate of. 14. The best piece of television in the last 12 months? Strictly Come Dancing – what a final! What a showcase of diversity and inclusion. I was really proud that the final included a gay man, a black woman and a deaf woman. 15. Tell us a secret about yourself People may not know that photos of my wedding were once used by the Church of England to promote church weddings!
