Our Board Members
David Done OBE - Chair of Board
David Done OBE became the Chair of the Gateway Board in May 2023 and has been working in the housing industry for 38 years. His career began with homeless charities in London and Bristol. Later, he held senior-level positions in five local authorities. David also served as the Group CEO of RHP, a renowned housing association located in West London, and has received numerous awards for his contribution to the industry.
Bala Mahendran - Interim Chair
Bala Mahendran was appointed as Vice Chair of the Gateway Board and Chair of GAP in October 2020. He has been working in Local Government since 1986 and has held various positions, including Chief Executive of Basildon Borough Council and Chair of the Essex Chief Executive Association and the Basildon Community Safety Partnership. Additionally, he served as the Deputy Chair of Prospects College of Advanced Technology (PROCAT). Bala is passionate about housing, regeneration, and achieving sustainable and inclusive economic growth.
Kirsty McHugh - Interim Chair GAP
Kirsty McHugh became a member of Gateway's Board in October 2017. She serves as both a Board member and a member of the GAP Committee. Kirsty is currently the Chief Executive of The Mayor's Fund for London. Prior to this, she held the position of Chief Executive at the Employment Related Services Association (ERSA). Her expertise spans across multiple sectors, including employment, education, regeneration, housing, welfare reform, disability, and social issues.
Sultana Begum - Resident Board Member
Sultana Begum, a Gateway tenant and teacher for Greenwich Council, became a Board member in Jan 2017 after serving as a member of the Scrutiny Panel.
Mark Miles Lea - Chair RAC
Mark Miles Lea became a member of Gateway's Board in November 2018. He has worked in the housing association industry for over 25 years, most recently as Executive Director for Development and Sales at Optivo. Mark specialises in developing new homes and has been in charge of various new build and refurbishment schemes that offer affordable housing to thousands of tenants and homeowners.
Frances Austin - Resident Board Member and RAC committee
Frances Austin joined Gateway’s Board in December 2019. Frances has been an active member of the Repairs and Maintenance Leaseholder panel and has over 20 years of experience in delivering community nutrition intervention programmes. She is a recipient of the Tower Hamlets STAR Award for Community Resident Engagement.
Nigel Wiles - Board Member
Nigel Wiles joined Gateway’s Board in October 2020. Nigel is a Chartered Building Surveyor and has worked in the housing sector since 1984. Most recently, he was Director of Asset Management and Maintenance Strategy at L&Q Housing Trust. He specialises in asset management and building safety and is passionate about delivering great maintenance services for residents.
Andrew Bond - Board Member
Andrew Bond joined Gateway’s Board in August 2021. Andrew has held NED roles at various social housing organisations, including most recently Tower Hamlets Homes and Toynbee Housing Association. He is an FCA member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of England and Wales (ICAEW) and has been involved in working parties on issues including leasehold service charge accounting. He is a partner in Evelyn Partners and the Chairman of the registered auditor CLA Evelyn Partners Limited.
Mark Hannam - Board Member
Mark Hannam joined Gateway’s Board in August 2021. He previously worked as an Investment Manager at the Bank of England, Citibank, and Barclays. He is an Honorary Professor at the Yunus Centre at Glasgow Caledonian University and has held several non-executive posts, including Chair of the Board at Fair Finance and Deputy Chair of the Board at the University of East London.
Amarjit Bains - Board Member
Amarjit Bains joined Gateway’s Board in August 2021. Amarjit has held leadership roles for over a decade, specialising in delivering strategy, operations, and transformation. She has managed central government contracts and led social housing and private sector teams, including as Programme Director for homelessness support and prevention contracts across London. She is a board member at grassroots and mainstream organisations and an active member of Women in Social Housing (WISH).