Hanover Scotland boss creates a powerful voice in thought leadership – with help from housing PR experts
COMMANDING respect is a powerful tool in any business leader’s repertoire. Turning that into wider influence requires further skill and a deft touch.
Angela Currie was already a well-known name within the housing association sector when her path first crossed with Holyrood PR, while she was director of operations at Blackwood. Her focus and drive were obvious, while the loyalty and admiration she attracted from her team were a sure sign that she was destined for even bigger things.
So, it was no surprise when she was headhunted to lead one of Scotland’s best-known housing associations, Hanover Scotland. Taking the helm at such an esteemed organisation would normally be the high point of a career in social housing – yet Angela’s tenure came at a time of huge challenges for the sector.
From 2023 the Scottish Government and a slew of councils declared housing emergencies, hitting a sector already reeling from savage funding cuts which dramatically impacted the ability of housing associations to build new homes or update and adapt existing properties.
Despite the grim and gloomy backdrop, Angela has set about positively transforming Hanover Scotland, while also working with our housing PR experts to be positioned across the media as:
- A BUSINESS SUCCESS – Thoughtful and highly effective in reforming and transforming Hanover to meet the many challenges of the times
- A GIFTED ENABLER – Who not only attracts talented people, but trusts and helps them to achieve outstanding things
- AN INSPIRING LEADER – Who earns respect and loyalty from her colleagues at all levels by constantly safeguarding their best interests
- A CHANGE AGENT – Who unceasingly seeks to improve lives for the people using Hanover’s services, even in the most challenging times
- A SECTOR CHAMPION – Who relentlessly advocates for the work of housing associations, cutting through to influence policy makers and government funders
Read on to find out more details about Angela’s impressive legacy with Hanover Scotland – and how we worked with her to turn those achievements into a long, broad and deep pool of thought leadership:
ONE – BUSINESS SUCCESS
The work of housing associations is rooted in their charitable status and doing good while addressing a compelling social need. Yet these organisations – more than at any time in the past – must also be run like sleek and lean corporate machines.
That involves treading a careful path, retaining the empathy and vision of social enterprises, while demonstrating the ability and entrepreneurship normally associated with the private sector.
Angela has threaded the needle with aplomb.
A series of well-considered changes, developments and shake-ups at Hanover Scotland have been showcased in the media, providing high-profile messaging that it’s a business with both credibility and substance.
A consistent drumbeat of positive stories has reassured staff, tenants and other stakeholders that Hanover is on a positive and proactive path, with a team that is equipped to meet and overcome the challenges facing the sector.
Among the business-focused stories which have hit the media was the launch of Hanover’s new, scaled-back and more sustainable headquarters in Edinburgh, as well as the opening of a new office in Elgin.
Even in taking very difficult decisions – like Hanover’s choice to withdraw from factoring services to instead focus on delivery of social housing – a potential negative was turned into a positive thanks to proactive, front-foot messaging.
Other business successes highlighted publicly included an innovative partnership to transfer management of five properties to a different housing association – and a transformative deal with digital care experts, Appello.
This relentless focus on the business achievements of Hanover Scotland has served to build trust and belief in its work, while positioning Angela as surefooted leader and innovator in the sector.
TWO – GIFTED ENABLER
It’s said that greatness is in the agency of others and the most inspiring and talked-about business leaders have a habit of surrounding themselves with talented people.
Angela has recognised this – and the fact that a positive profile for her and for Hanover is an effective way to attract the best people to work for the organisation.
The was underlined when Angela appointed a new customer service director, in the shape of Esther Wilson, a respected housing veteran with 25 years of sector experience.
To fully unlock and unleash Esther’s talents, Angela has also encouraged her to be the face of Hanover on a number of important issues, including championing sustainable energy costs for tenants and warning about the dire consequences of funding cuts in South Lanarkshire.
Others colleagues she has enabled to speak out loudly and clearly on important issues include:
–Head of Housing Janice McDonald, who led an innovative deal to transfer five of Hanover’s properties to another housing association;
–Director of Strategic Finance Donna Henderson, who helped negotiate Hanover’s incredibly positive telecare deal with experts, Appello;
–Head of People Sarah Steel, who was at the forefront of Hanover’s Living Wage accreditation.
By repeatedly enabling her team to share and celebrate the organisation’s successes, Angela has solidified Hanover’s reputation, which further enhances her own thought leadership credentials.
THREE – INSPIRING LEADER
Having demonstrated her commercial expertise and business nous, Angela has also showcased the deep sense of social purpose which is so crucial to those working in housing associations.
One of the most powerful ways she has achieved this is by reinforcing Hanover Scotland’s commitment to its team – and the care with which it seeks to both celebrate and safeguard its people.
A prime example was when the housing association was awarded a prestigious gold accreditation from Investors in People for its commitment to employee wellbeing.
Under Angela’s leadership Hanover Scotland has also achieved accreditation as a Living Wage employer, underscoring its commitment to ensure that all employees, including those hired through third part suppliers, are paid higher than the minimum wage.
The Housing Association also launched the Julia Fitzpatrick Award for Inclusion. It was in memory of its late board member with decades-long ties to Hanover’s work, particularly in pioneering improved living standards for disabled people.
Staff recognition is a key tenet of Hanover’s performance under Angela’s leadership, with the annual Hanover Scotland Employee Spotlight Awards being a highlight of the calendar. In 2014 the team at Airlie Gardens in Banff were buzzing after being crowned as Hanover’s Best Housing Development.
These are just some of the many ways in which Angela has helped define inspiring leadership, which has helped build a strong organisation underpinned by a highly motivated workforce.
FOUR – CHANGE AGENT
The unrelenting focus of Hanover Scotland under Angela Currie’s leadership is to transform the quality of service received by its tenants.
By building a more efficient organisation staffed by motivated and enabled people, she has actually set out to positively change the services for its customers – mainly older people – living in its 5000 homes throughout Scotland.
At a time when the social housing sector is being relentlessly squeezed, Angela’s thought leadership shows that great things can still be achieved even in challenging times.
That has seen her showcase a series of initiative and developments to improve the lives of tenants in a variety of ways.
An early step was when Angela took the difficult decision to end Hanover’s commitment to factoring across 34 privately owned developments – instead choosing to focus entirely on providing quality social housing.
In another bold move Hanover also transferred management of five properties to Barrhead Housing Association – to ensure tenant benefitted from a host of more localised services and support.
Other clever moves include partnering with sustainability experts Changeworks to help tenants save on energy costs.
Elsewhere, Hanover also announced a lovely partnership with Veterans Housing Scotland to help deliver hugely improved housing choices for those who served their country in the armed forces.
And a crowning achievement to improve the lives of tenants through innovation was encapsulated in a new tie-up with digital telecare experts, Appello.
By demonstrating the real benefits delivered directly to tenants Angela’s Thought Leadership has completed the circle, showcasing her as someone who is successful from concept to delivery.
FIVE – SECTOR CHAMPION
Perhaps the most powerful manifestation of Angela Currie’s thought leadership is in how she has built a platform that enables her to cut through with policy makers and Government influencers.
Deep and meaningful change for Hanover Scotland will only come if the entire social housing sector enjoys more funding, greater public recognition and deeper respect among the political classes.
Angela’s voice is one of the most prominent and powerful in Scotland, speaking truth to power and relentlessly advocating for housing associations and promoting their vital work.
This has seen her communicating effectively across multiple channels, from respected national news outlets to specialist media niches, while also writing blog posts and using social media.
Some of the most effective examples include her warning that cuts to housing adaptation budgets would result in NHS bed blocking as an unintended consequence. It was widely picked up by the media.
She also used her platform to great effect in calling for the Scottish Government to ensure that part of its November 2024 UK budget windfall would be invested in social care and housing – again her words made significant headlines.
When Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ maiden budget was finally unveiled, Angela was quick to point out how the National Insurance increase would adversely hit the social care and housing sectors – and called for a rethink.
Similarly, she ensured that Hanover Scotland’s voice was at the forefront of calls for South Lanarkshire Council to rethink a £300,000 cut to housing support services.
And she has penned powerful Op-Ed pieces for high profile media titles on the vital need for funding to support medical adaptations in social housing and on the sheer scale and complexity of the challenges facing housing providers.
It is crucial to Angela that the thought leadership she has built up is not there to serve her – but to be an incredibly powerful tool in pushing the agenda for housing associations and a critical time.
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