A preferred candidate for the post of chair of the Regulator of Social Housing (RSH) has been announced by the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, Michael Gove.

Bernadette Conroy is an experienced chair and non-executive director (NED) operating across a number of sectors, including financial services regulation, where she is a NED for the Financial Conduct Authority, and housing, where she is Chair of Network Homes.

She is also the Independent Chair of the Buildings and Estates Committee of Cambridge University with responsibility for the development and maintenance of the University’s estate and its capital build programme, and a NED for Milton Keynes Development Partnerships.

Prior to taking on a non-executive portfolio, Conroy held a number of executive roles in financial services, latterly as Global Head of Strategy and Planning for HSBC Corporate, Investment Banking and Markets.

She has an MA in Mathematics from Cambridge University and an MBA from INSEAD. In 2020, Conroy received the Sunday Times Not for Profit Non-Executive Director of the Year award.

Pre-appointment scrutiny by the select committee will follow at its sitting on 21 March. Following this, the committee will publish their recommendations, which the government will consider before deciding whether to finalise the appointment.