Edmond de Rothschild REIM strengthens Housing Association through new board appointments

25th June 2024

Edmond de Rothschild Real Estate Investment Management (REIM) today announces changes to the board of FAHHA, the for-profit housing association subsidiary of Funding Affordable Homes (FAH), its UK affordable housing fund.

Richard McCarthy assumes the role of Chairman with two new board members, DJ Dhananjai and Karen Cooksley, appointed in order to add to the legal and investment and finance skills of the FAHHA Board.

McCarthy has stepped up from Vice Chair to Chair, replacing Keith Jenkins, who has been Chair since 2015. He has vast experience in the UK housing sector. His roles have included Chairman of the Jersey government-owned Andium Homes, Central Government and Housing Executive Director in the Property and Infrastructure Division of Capita, Director General, Neighbourhoods, at the Department for Communities and Local Government, where he was responsible for housing and planning policy in England and for the establishment of the Homes and Communities Agency (now the Regulator of Social Housing and Homes England). He was also the Chief Executive of Peabody Trust from 1999 to 2003, a major housing association and regeneration agency that operates across London. He was the Chair of the National Housing Federation from 2000 to 2003 and is a past member of the Joseph Rowntree Foundation Housing and Neighbourhoods Committee. He received a CBE in the 2009 New Year’s Honours for his services to housing and planning.

The two new FAHHA board members are DJ Dhananjai, the newly appointed Chief Investment Officer of Edmond de Rothschild REIM (UK) and Karen Cooksley, who has more than 30 years’ experience as a planning and housing lawyer. 

DJ leads Edmond de Rothschild REIM’s business in the UK, which has strategies in the residential sectors, including affordable housing and build-to-rent. DJ is part of REIM’s European leadership team with a remit to service investors seeking exposure to impact investments, income strategies across the UK living sectors, including affordable housing, build-to-rent (BTR), student accommodation, co-living and senior living, and value-add opportunities.

Cooksley is regarded as one of the leading planning lawyers in the UK. She is also a specialist in reputational risk management, social value and governance, and a successful mentor and coach in the legal and property professions.

Richard McCarthy, Chair of FAHHA, said: “With thanks to Keith Jenkins for his excellent stewardship of the FAHHA Board, I am delighted to now step into the role of Chair of FAHHA. I look forward to working with EdR to take the affordable housing strategy through its next phase of growth, delivering high-quality, efficient affordable homes that are urgently required across the country”.

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The Funding Affordable Homes SICAV SIF S.A. is exclusively reserved for professional investors and may be subject to restrictions for certain persons and in certain countries. The Fund does not guarantee or protect the capital invested, so that investors may not get back the full amount of their capital originally invested, even if their units are held for the recommended investment period. Any investment in the Fund is associated with certain risks, not limited to liquidity risk, concentration risk (investments in real estate) and currency risk. Any investment in the Fund may only be made on the basis of documents and information that comply with the applicable regulations. The Management Company may decide to cease marketing this Fund in accordance with Article 32a of Directive 2011/61/EU.