Date published: 11 October 2022
Darren’s remit will see him lead the organisation’s innovation and people capability, with responsibility for technology and data, corporate communications, people and transformation, as well as playing a key role on the Stonewater Executive Team.
Having originally trained as a clinical psychologist in Canada, Darren moved into the realm of IT, developing a unique insight into the relationships between technology, people and innovation. He has worked in both the public and private sectors, including energy, transport and the built environment, and says he’s inspired by the challenge his new role offers:
“I’m delighted to have joined Stonewater. The opportunity to make a positive difference to people’s lives was a key motivating factor for me, combining my expertise in understanding people and the power of technology to do that.”
Darren believes that harnessing data driven insight to shape services for customers, of today and tomorrow, will enable Stonewater to truly drive innovation in the housing sector.
Darren says: “The pandemic showed us how important online services are to society and that trend will only continue. The big goal for Stonewater is to expand its digital capability, allowing customers to access everything they need simply, quickly and all in one place. It’s what people expect - whether it’s finding a home, paying rent, booking a repair or seeking specialist support, our service needs to be responsive, personal and seamless.
Currently most of our customers engage via our [in-house] customer service centre. If we enhance the digital experience to be more attractive for them, it will free up their time as well as resources for us to concentrate on new ‘smart home’ development and complex cases,” explained Darren.
“Data has a huge part to play in driving solutions, both for customers living in their homes and for us as a business in managing them. Through insight we can plan predictive maintenance, maximise energy efficiency, design flexible space and develop features which enable people to live sustainably, comfortably and securely. For example, technology is already available which helps figure out when a boiler might break down, how everyday habits effect energy use and, increasingly, allows us to identify patterns which drive us towards a far more proactive approach as a business.
“Stonewater has already invested heavily in digital transformation and was an early adopter of hybrid working for colleagues, achieving a two-star ‘outstanding engagement’ rating from Best Companies and ranking 6th in the Top 25 Housing Associations to work for. Our digital capability means we can recruit the best people, wherever they are, who share our vision of everyone having a place to call home."
Nicholas Harris, Chief Executive at Stonewater, said: “Darren brings with him a wealth of experience along with a fresh perspective which will be key in driving our customer experience and enhancing our internal capability to make sure we’re truly fit for the future.”
Darren joins Stonewater following the decision by David Blower to step down as Director of Corporate Services at the end of this year. The creation of the new role of Chief Information and Transformation Officer has been part of a process of re-imagining the best way to maximise the growing importance of technology and data to customer service delivery at Stonewater.