THFC announces internal appointments and new group treasurer as Fenella Edge retires

Mr Poobalasingam has also started a new role as funding and marketing director. He joined THFC in June 2021 as its first head of relationship management and business development after almost 14 years at HSBC, including five years as head of social housing.

Meanwhile, Mr Stokes has served as THFC’s credit and risk director since 2012 and remains in this role. Prior to THFC he served at Santander UK Corporate & Commercial for more than two years.

The board appointments and Mr Stevenson’s promotion follow Ms Edge stepping down from both the board of directors and as THFC’s group treasurer.

In keeping with the funding aggregator’s succession plans, Mr Poobalasingam replaces Ms Edge’s board capacity while Mr Stevenson takes over her organisational duties as group treasurer.

Ms Edge announced her retirement after spending more than 20 years at THFC in which the aggregator said she helped lead it through “significant change and growth”.

Her accomplishments include fostering a relationship with the European Investment Bank, resulting in around £2.5bn of long-term funding, as well as issuing more than £4.8bn of bonds in the sterling capital markets.

Ms Edge also managed the delivery of over £3.2bn of long-term funding through the Affordable Housing Guarantee Scheme.

Piers Williamson, chief executive of THFC, said: “It is with mixed feelings that I say goodbye to Fenella after working together so successfully for 20 years.

“Together, we have put in place a very strong business model – the most successful debt aggregator in the market, and it is time to take that model to the next level. 

“This model reflects both our whole team expertise, the very long-term trusted relationships we have with our clients, and their changing needs in the years to come. Arun, David and Will each share our vision, passion and skill to carry the business forward.”

Ms Edge said: “It has been an absolute privilege to be involved with the social housing sector through THFC for so many years.

“We are so rooted in the sector and our values run parallel with those of our customers. We are so much more than just a provider of finance to our RP customers – we are a cheerleader, a supporter, a partner and an advocate.”

In March, THFC unveiled a new £2bn finance vehicle to issue sustainable-labelled funding for housing associations.

Update: at 1.46pm, 03.03.23 

The story was updated to add in detail of Will Stevenson’s previous role as deputy treasurer and relationship manager, and to correct a twitter shareline which had incorrectly referred to this as credit and risk analyst.