Our Executive Team

The Executive Team leads our workforce. Each executive director is responsible for an area of the business.

Louise Bassett, Chief Executive Officer

As the Chief Executive Officer for Gentoo Group, Louise has over 20 years’ experience in the private sector, in consumer and healthcare organisations. She joined Gentoo Group in October 2015 to support the group’s transformation project.

Before joining Gentoo, Louise spent many years working across Europe on mergers and acquisitions, business transformation and talent management. She held a series of senior HR leadership roles, including HR Director UK, Ireland and Europe Manufacturing Division and Merger Integration Lead Performance and Talent Management at Merck.

Louise, therefore, brings with her extensive knowledge, including HR consulting, business and HR transformation, talent management, change management, merger and acquisitions, organisation development, employee engagement, employee relations, compensation, and benefits and staffing.

Passionate about business and performance improvement and customer service, Louise believes in maximising the potential of people to be the best they can be.

She is also a chartered member of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development.

Peter Lenehan, Executive Director of Finance

Peter joined Gentoo in February 2019 and brings decades of experience from the private and housing sectors.

He began his career as a chartered accountant with KPMG in Newcastle where he worked with large North East companies such as Nissan and in sectors including heavy building materials, shared services and property.

In 2007, Peter began working in the housing sector with a divisional finance director role at Home Group. He then worked with North Star Housing Group where he got involved in all aspects of finance, including business planning and treasury management.

Peter joined Coast & Country Housing as Corporate Services Director in 2015. During his time there, he helped the organisation manage the impact of social housing rent reductions and oversaw the organisation’s merger with Yorkshire Coast Homes to become Beyond Housing.

Peter is driven by a strong sense of social purpose and believes housing associations can have a real impact on the lives and communities in which they operate.

Susie Thompson, Executive Director of Housing

Susie joined Gentoo in July 2014 and has over 30 years’ experience in social housing.

She began her career in Glasgow with Scottish Special Housing Association which later became Scottish Homes, the Regulator for Social Housing in Scotland at the time. Susie worked on the front line in some of the most disadvantaged communities before moving to the North East of England and working in the housing team for Sunderland City Council.

In 2001, Susie was the Director of Housing for Erimus Housing in Middlesbrough, a large scale voluntary transfer organisation. Following a merger with Tees Valley Housing Association, Susie became the Group Director of Operations for Fabrick Housing Group in 2008.

Passionate about delivering excellent services within communities, Susie works hard to ensure fairness and equity for all tenants while working with external partners to maximise the impact Gentoo can have within their communities.

Susie believes everyone should have the right to peaceful enjoyment of their home and believes housing associations play a vital role in tackling domestic abuse and anti-social behaviour within the neighbourhoods.

She is a board member for the Domestic Abuse Housing Alliance, of which Gentoo is a founding member, and chair of the safeguarding rapid review meetings for Together for Children.

 

 

Stephen Flounders, Executive Director Regulatory and Business Services

Stephen joined our Executive team in 2023 in the newly created role of Executive Director Regulatory & Business Services. Prior to this, Stephen was part of the Senior Leadership Team at Gentoo as Director of Risk and Assurance.

Before joining Gentoo in 2019 as Head of Health and Safety, Stephen worked as a Health and Safety professional for over 15 years, and worked for KPMG, EY and other large organisations.

Stephen has always had strong ties to the North East from growing up in Hartlepool, to studying at the University of Sunderland and the city has always been close to his heart. He is passionate about working for an organisation who has an impact on the city, and wants all customers and colleagues to be at the forefront of decision making at Gentoo.

Stephen played a big role in launching the Corporate Strategy in 2023 and is committed to making sure it is delivered throughout the organisation.

Stephen is a member of the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health.

Susan Fulton, Executive Director of People, Culture and Engagement

Susan joined our Executive team in the newly created role of Executive Director of People, Culture and Engagement. Prior to joining Gentoo, Susan worked at Home Group for 15 years.

Susan provides strategic direction and leadership for the Group’s People, Customer Voice and Marketing, Brand and Communications teams

Susan will influence strategic decisions, making sure colleagues and customers are at the heart of everything they do.

Susan is also Trustee at Smartworks Charity.