Housing Forum appoints placemaking expert Alex Notay as chief executive

The Housing Forum has appointed placemaking and regeneration expert Alex Notay as its new chief executive.

The membership body, which represents 120 member organisations from across the whole of the housing sector, has announced Notay will succeed long-term boss Shelagh Grant, who stands down at the end of the year.

Notay is a strategic consultant who has extensive experience in placemaking, regeneration, ESG and build-to-rent, having worked for more than two decades across a range of private sector, government and membership organisations.

Last year, she took over the chair of the Radix Big Tent Housing Commission from Dame Kate Barker, leading the report ‘Beyond the PermaCrisis – delivering 1,000 homes per day.’

For more than six years she worked at Thriving Investments, formerly Places for People Capital, first as build-to-rent fund director and then as placemaking and investment director.

Notay has also held positions at the Urban Land Institute and in the civil service. She has served as a commissioner on the government’s Geospatial Commission, co-chaired the Creative Land Trust and been on the board of Igloo Regeneration.

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The Housing Forum’s members include councils, housing associations, housebuilders, construction companies and architects.

Stephen Teagle, chair of The Housing Forum said: “Alex has an exceptional energy, insight and capability for strategic thinking, having honed her skills across an impressive breadth of experience from civil service, membership organisations and property investment.”

Notay said: “I’m honoured to take on the role of CEO, building on Shelagh’s legacy of leadership and dedication. The UK housing sector stands at a critical juncture—facing complex challenges but also unprecedented opportunities for innovation, collaboration, and evolution.”