Meet the BHL Directors

• Vicki Allen
• Dick Persson
• Shirley Liew
• Gary Spreckley
• Gary Milligan
• John Kell
• Helen Wood
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Vicki Allen BBus MBA DFP GAICD

Chairman

Director since 2007
Chair 2009
Skill Area: Human Resources
Member HR Committee

Vicki is an experienced senior executive in the financial services and property industries, including significant roles with The Trust Company, MLC and Lend Lease. Ms Allen was formerly Chairman of The Trust Company (Superannuation) Limited and executive director of The Trust Company (RE Services) Limited. She was formerly a member of the Executive Committee of Property Funds Association of Australia.

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Dick Persson AM BA FAIM FAPI.

Director since 2009
Skill Area: Housing policy, Planning and Local Government; Capital Works procurement, Management and Government Administration; Mediation
Member HR Committee

Dick is Chairman of the Sydney Harbour Foreshore Authority and the Special Adviser on Local Government to the NSW Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal [IPART].

He is an experienced senior public servant having held Director General positions in Queensland and NSW [1989 and 2003] including Qld Department of Housing, Local Government and Planning, Qld Department of Health, and the NSW Department of Public Works and Services.

Dick was Director of the 1997-98 National Housing Policy Review for the Federal Government, and completed a six year term as Administrator of Warringah and Port Macquarie-Hastings Councils.

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Shirley Liew BBus MBA Grad Dip Appl Finance. FCPA, FTIA, MIIA, GAICD.

Director since 2009
Chair of Finance Audit and Risk Committee
Skill Area: Financial and Risk Management
Chair: Finance Audit and Risk Sub-Committee

Shirley has over 22 years' experience in financial management, audit, governance, risk and corporate finance, advising in a number of sectors such as financial services industry (FSI) manufacturing, infrastructure, construction and not for profits, particularly in aged care.

Shirley is a director with Protiviti, leads the FSI advisory, Internal, audit risk and business advisory practice. Shirley has also been a lead partner/director for Business Risks and advisory services at a major Chartered Accountancy firm for over 5 years. Prior to which Shirley has over 14 years with one of the world's leading accounting firms providing financial audits, corporate advisory, financial and business advisory to clients ranging from multi nationals and publicly listed to small medium enterprises and emerging companies.

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Gary Spreckley, BCom (Legal) BAcc Post Grad Dip Taxation. Full accreditation in Australian Taxation and Corporations Law.

Director since 2009
Skill Area: Finance and Accounting
Member Finance Audit and Risk Sub-Committee

Gary Spreckley is a qualified chartered account with over 20 years in finance at a senior level. Currently the Chief Financial Officer of the General Pants Group, he has extensive work experience in both private and public companies in Australia and South Africa, with a particular focus in corporate finance and retail.

Gary has previously worked as a senior manager in corporate finance for Investec Bank in Australia and South Africa. Gary was instrumental in the merger of BHL and ESRHA.

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Gary Milligan, BSc BEng (Electrical) (Hons 1), Grad. Cert. Human Resource Development, MIVMA.

Director since 2007
Re-elected 2010
Chair Asset and Procurement Committee
Skill Area: Asset Management

Gary is a professional engineer with over 35 years' experience in procurement and asset management of government buildings including schools, technical colleges, hospitals, courts, correctional centres, police stations, housing and other public buildings. He has contributed to all aspects of procurement and asset management processes, covering policy development, investigation, design and documentation, construction and maintenance management and project and policy review.

Previously, Gary has served as a Director of several housing service organisations: The Station, Resamen and Marrickville Area Community Housing. In 2007, he completed the AICD Company Directors course. Gary is member of the Institute of Value Management, Australia. He retired from the public sector in 2006.

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John Kell, BA LLB MEnvStud MAICD,

Director of BHL since 2009; of ESRHA from 2005 to 2009
Skill Area: Law

John is a partner at Hunt & Hunt specialising in corporate and commercial law. In that capacity, he acts for a broad range of private and public sector clients.

John has been involved in community organisations for many years. Prior to the BHL Board, he was a director and later Chairperson of Eastern Suburbs Rental Housing Association Limited (ESRHA). He was instrumental in the merger between ESRHA and Bridge.

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Helen Wood, BSc (Hons) Psychology, MRICS MAHI.

Director since 2002
Re-elected in 2005, 2010
Skill Area: Social housing from the perspective of a provider; Property Development
Member: Asset and Procurement Subcommittee

Helen is a chartered surveyor who has 25 years' experience as a property professional specialising in social, affordable and aged housing in the UK and NSW. She was CEO of a charitable Housing Association in Central London for 9 years working in a framework which used substantial private sector borrowings to acquire and develop housing. Helen has considerable experience in partnerships between the not for profit sector and the private sector.

Since coming to Australia in 1998 she has carried out housing and development consultancy and other advisory work. Most recently she has worked in the aged care sector developing aged care and seniors housing options. She is currently Manager - Development and Innovation for UnitingCare Ageing NSW/ACT.

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