About Us
Director Biographies
Martin Edge
Chairman VHMC
I am a professional civil engineer, retired since 2015. I’ve enjoyed a lifetime of managing construction projects. Prior to retirement I was a commercial director at AECOM where I concentrated on improving project performance for the benefit of the shareholders.
Jaz Parmar
Director VHMC
I purchased my property at Winterthur Way back in 2004. I have lived in it mostly, and rented it out when the need has arisen, and this is just one of the things I love about our flats and what has made our estate so appealing to so many people.
Stewart Smart
Director VHMC
I started my career as a Scientific Officer at what was the Royal Aircraft Establishment in Farnborough, and progressed into software design and implementation. Science and engineering design are precise studies and I gained qualifications in quality management and audit.
Oliver Kirkham
Director VHMC
I purchased an apartment at Winterthur Way in 2007 and have been an Owner-Occupier Leaseholder since this date. I consider my strength is in managing people to deliver objectives accurately and to plan.
Kate Dean
Director VHMC
Kate has over 30 years of experience in the commercial property sector including asset management, investment and development. She runs her own consultancy advising local authorities on property development and delivery.
Parveen Kapoor
Director VHMC
I am a professional risk management leader in Finance and Insurance sectors. I believe that every organisation should have a risk framework embedded in its operational plan that serves to safeguard its equity holders and clients. VHMC is no exception.
Mark Allen
Director VHMC
Mark runs a long-established family business in Reading servicing motor vehicles. He is a practical person who knows that a business only runs efficiently if the customers are satisfied and the staff are able to deliver. He applies this approach to Winterthur Way.
Martin Edge
Chairman VHMC
I’ve been a leaseholder at Winterthur Way since 2004. By 2013 I had become so frustrated with the failures of the VHMC board of directors that I determined to effect change from the inside. As Chairman from 2014 to 2019 I drew on my experience to address our weaknesses in procurement procedures, cost forecasting and improving efficiency in service delivery. My co-directors and I share common values: to maintain the estate in good order, to preserve the leaseholders’ asset value and to keep Winterthur Way a safe and pleasant place to live. In doing this we constantly look for economies and savings in expenditure.
As Chair, VHMC, working with Chaneys, delivered significant improvements to the infrastructure and environment at Winterthur Way, all of which was driven by what leaseholders had reported or requested at general meetings:
- Better and more economical lighting to the estate, the MSCP and in the blocks
- Safer environment in the MSCP, under-crofts and bin-stores by means of barriers
- Safer access and egress via the steps to Churchill Way
- Better landscaping
- Additional visitor parking
We regularised the registration procedure for approval to let and we introduced individual water meters to enable direct billing to the occupant. We created an Estate Rules book and put in place procedures to enforce it.
We established a long-term maintenance plan for the whole estate to enable a reserve to be built up which is fair and equitable to every leaseholder. We extended the site office to provide an adequate and safe working environment for our managing agent and visiting service providers.
I don’t take credit for all of this but I am proud to have been part of the team who achieved it. I handed over the chair in 2019 and the core of the team of directors is still in place. There is much work still to do. I remain active in overseeing cost control and the single most important issue today: the recladding project.
Jaz Parmar
Director VHMC
I purchased my property at Winterthur Way back in 2004. I have lived in it mostly, and rented it out when the need has arisen, and this is just one of the things I love about our flats and what has made our estate so appealing to so many people.
I currently work as an Assistant to the Chief Executive at a UK charity, with previous experience at telecoms companies, including large blue chip companies in other sectors throughout my career; Shire Pharmaceuticals, BBC Worldwide, Christies Auction House…
I am an approachable and sensitive individual, which combined with my professional demeanor, allows me to forge strong relationships at all levels of an organisation. In both my current and previous roles, it is routine for me to actively participate in decision making forums, deal with commercially sensitive information and to ensure that processes necessary to protect the integrity of decision making are strictly adhered to.
I have been serving as a volunteer Director on the VHMC board since 2013 and have seen a lot of changes, not only across the estate but also across the Board. There have been some tough decisions and meetings, but I always try to keep in mind why I am doing this!! Also, being a female, and Indian, I feel I am able to represent the minority and try to voice what I hear leaseholders living on site want. I believe all leaseholders have a voice and should be heard. I like to help and I aim to keep helping our estate to be a great place to live and own.
Stewart Smart
Director VHMC
I started my career as a Scientific Officer at what was the Royal Aircraft Establishment in Farnborough, followed by many years in software design, implementation and consultancy for a software company, including time as Quality Manager for its Defence Division. I was also an internationally Registered Lead Auditor for an Accredited international Quality Management Systems Certification company. I ended my career as Quality Manager and OFCOM Billing Accuracy Program Manager for Vodafone UK, followed by time as an independent Billing Accuracy consultant to Vodafone, helping them to achieve further OFCOM Approval for billing accuracy.
My wife and I bought an apartment on Winterthur Way in 2015 and I joined the VHMC Board as a Director in 2016, with a view to helping ensure that budgets are set correctly and that expenditure is in keeping with maintaining the estate to an acceptable level without incurring excessive costs to Leaseholders. I am also passionate about ethical standards of behaviour and business practice.
Oliver Kirkham
Director VHMC
I purchased an apartment at Winterthur Way in 2007 and have been an owner-occupier Leaseholder since this date.
I am a long-haul Cabin Crew Manager based at Heathrow Airport, managing a large team of cabin crew on the A380 and B787 aircrafts, operating routes to Asia and Australia. My role requires customer service, safety related and human resource duties.
At the start of 2021 I took the opportunity to join the VHMC Board and offer my perspective as an owner occupier to ensure that Winterthur Way estate remains an attractive place to live. I have proactively assisted the Board with their efforts, for the goodwill of all leaseholders, to maintain the estate and will contribute to future projects at Winterthur Way.
Kate Dean
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