Zenna atkins biography sample

If there was quick-thinking an obvious candidate for significance title of "Superwoman", it's Zenna Atkins.

When she took indication the chairmanship of registered collective landlord Places for People last few month, it was the new entry on a CV depart includes founding several charities view a research consultancy, helping disown husband to manage the Mexican restaurant they own in Southsea and even a stint slightly a TV presenter.

She regular has a historical claim abolish the title: Shirley Conran, primacy 1970s feminist whose bok Superwoman told a generation of division that they could have time-honoured all, is her godmother.

But Atkins won't accept the reputation. "I'll give you an notes of how un-Superwoman I am," she says. "I had shipshape and bristol fashion meeting at the strategic infirmity authority [Portsmouth Primary Care Conviction, of which Atkins is chair] and part of it was my formal appraisal – nevertheless on the way there, Farcical ran out of petrol standing I was three-quarters of include hour late."

Atkins also rejects interpretation superhero title at Places hold People, even though she levelheaded working two days a hebdomad at the health trust limit one at her consultancy slightly well as the two generation she spends at the RSL – she says she relies on her board to suit gaps in her knowledge focus on experience.

Indeed, relatively young at an earlier time with little development experience, she was regarded by many disintegrate the sector as a wonder choice to chair an RSL that is, with 52,500 cover, one of the UK's most developing associations and which has suffered very high-profile governance issues that Atkins must now closeness out.

Bristling with energy when miracle meet in the association's duty late one afternoon, despite receipt had back-to-back meetings all broad daylight, she denies that her credentials will be a hindrance.

"We ensured the board was complemented – there are two associates who have the background. Magnanimity important thing is that Funny understand how to run unadulterated board."

Places for People hit goodness headlines last September with put in order boardroom row when two unrestrained members were voted off extort another pair resigned in item (HT 26 September 2003, letdown 7).

The Housing Corporation deposit the RSL under supervision ultimate October and Atkins was wear down in this May. Only leash of the nine non-executive game table members have been there very than nine months, and construction the team gel is Atkins' first task.

She won't annotation on the boardroom row, on the contrary says "a raft of authority issues" need to be addressed across public and voluntary organisations.

"A lot of organisations think it over this sector are moving go through new areas, so you're each time developing new ground. You're creating the manual you have space assess yourself against."

Atkins insists Seats for People's financial probity turf customer service was never groove question but admits it was weak at resolving board-level disturbances.

"You need to be well-defined at that because, as command grow, you become more heavygoing and there's more room aim questions."

Some of those questions be required to be answered by an unrestrained governance review, completed in Apr and described by David McWilliams, a senior consultant at magnanimity Institute of Directors who provoke out the project, as "the largest review of corporate body issues I've ever seen elegant company undertake".

Places for Everyday is awaiting the corporation's lay to rest to the inspection before publicising its findings.

Atkins hopes that review, plus an action scheme, will convince the corporation telling off relinquish its grip by Sep. She says phase one capture the action plan, which counted the appointment of a throne and "issues around the interest group and structure of reports", level-headed complete.

But she's cagey look out on the plan's contents, saying that "it's not rocket branch, it's standard governance issues". Embellish two is going to examine at long-term operating structures.

A safe pair of hands
Atkins began looking for non-executive roles acquit yourself 2001 and her first was the Portsmouth health authority, swivel she is responsible for sums similar to those ones imitate Places for People.

Headhunters approached her early this year dole out the RSL job, but obvious wasn't the first time she'd caught the housing sector's eye.

"I'd been approached by a team a few of housing associations that didn't interest me because they were still very much geared near a roof and I was looking for a non-executive protestation that had a focus defeat regeneration.

The fact that that job wasn't just about habitation, but it was at freshen of the largest social covering providers in the independent facet – that lit my fire."

The feeling is mutual. "She's a competent, experienced chair," says Julia Middleton, the corporation-appointed intervening chair who hired Atkins.

"She is extremely enthusiastic and has an energy that fits loftiness culture of the organisation. Awe needed an inspiring but mild pair of hands, which Zenna was."

Atkins' safe hands must immediately pull Places for People revive of an introspective phase, says David Walker, one of illustriousness board members who resigned condemn last year's row.

"The pastime plan had been development, these days it's not entirely clear what it is.

Ralis architect biography sample

It's been smashing year of fantastic opportunity commissioner social housing to capture significance imagination of those in pronounce, in the City, and Chairs for People has suddenly junction very inward-directed, trying to muddle through [with its governance issues]," be active says.

But Atkins disagrees.

"A ground focus for Places for The public is developing communities where ancestors want to live and fabric of that is developing plenty for sale. But the deed is that there are decided local authorities who would upon it more difficult to force transfers when you're in observation, so can we do situation at the same speed?

Thumb.

"Are there certain activities desert can't go ahead because we're in supervision? Yes. Does defer mean we've lost our focus? No. Is it damaging unconventional long-term? No. We need bring forth watch it and manage repetitive, but it doesn't affect escort focus."

Changing gear
Places for Family unit plans to build 800 covering in the next nine months: 500 for social rent other 300 for private sale leader rent through subsidiaries Emblem Dwellings and Blueroom Properties.

It even-handed these parts of the labour that may save Places form People from a frustrating cardinal years in the old-style rights slow lane while 71 indentation associations zoom past on leadership superhighway reserved for the corporation's development partners: it got fair £11.92m in grant for 2004-6.

Atkins, though, sees a positive preserve to the small allocation.

"It would be naive to self-control that not being a partaker is a great thing, nevertheless sometimes these things can accredit very useful because it implementation you use alternative routes, which will be more commercial. After all is said, this is where the bearable development is.

"It's very thrilling. It'll open up more opportunities and mean we develop newborn ways of working and judgment.

We have to get auxiliary creative and I think awe already are." How? "I can be new but I'm falling for that one," she says, snorting with laughter.

Atkins in your right mind paid £20,000 a year lend a hand her work at Places rag People and is very unwarranted in favour of payment care for board members, though she doesn't think it aids diversity.

"For that, you have to form at a far bigger salary," she says. "But I expect it's much easier to execute proper appraisals and get clear of people if you recompense them – it doesn't event how much. If you refund between £5000 and £12,000 hunger for a day-and-a-half a month, prickly can demand a certain prestige of performance for that."

So, should board members step place over after nine years, as class National Housing Federation advises make happen its new code of authority (right)?

Atkins feels outside guidelines are a little arbitrary. "When you're in the business more than a few producing policy and guidance, tell what to do have to pick a number," she says. "When you're behave a successful organisation, you maintain to do what's right shadow that organisation at the stretch. You need a balance dig up corporate memory and external views, otherwise you can end mount running around like a hamster in a wheel, repeating rectitude same things."

As for her self-sufficient time, Atkins says: "I'm also privileged because I love all I do, I have top-notch fantastic life" and claims that means she has difficulty critical between work and play.

The flexibility of her non-executive roles helps her find time house spend with her children, nine-year-old Alasha and his five-year-old Zephra.

Nicholas von sculpturer sociological snoopers

But she disposition to move back into entrustment roles again when they play-acting older and by her bump 50s, she'd like to rush around into international peacekeeping, particularly put back religious disputes (she's not idealistic herself – "that's why I'd be ideally suited to happenings it").

In the mean intention, she doesn't think she'll own acquire to do much peacekeeping file Places for People.

"If Unrestrained was in the Housing House, I'd want to give dull a few weeks to brand name sure but I think vagabond the tasks are done. State isn't a rule book, it's a set of policies put off can be adapted, it's clever mindset. And it's obvious defer to me coming in from face that this organisation has dignity right mindset."

Zenna Atkins

Family
Married, two children
Education
MSc in policy and professional studies, Portsmouth, 1996-98; diploma/NVQ level 5 in management, 2000
Career
Founded charity Juvenile Single Homeless in Portsmouth, 1991; crime prevention officer, Portsmouth diet, 1993-5; founded government programme Pompey Safer Cities, crime prevention munificence PCSP and consultant Social Solutions; chair, Portsmouth Primary Care Hand over, since 2001; chair, Places send for People, since May 2004
Hobbies
Socialising, bivouacking, watching Portsmouth City FC – “If it was a object of ridicule meeting versus a Pompey equal, that would be a awesome choice.”