Five minutes with Ulfat Hussain, Arawak Walton’s new Chief Executive

Following on from our recent announcement of Ulfat Hussain as our new Chief Executive, we thought now was a good time to sit down with Ulfat and to find out a little bit more about him, both professionally and personally.

So, Ulfat, tell us a little more about yourself and what do you like doing in your spare time when you aren’t working?

Well, I’m a father of three beautiful daughters, so to be honest most of my spare time Is spent with my family. I always tell this story to a lot of my colleagues but when I first started my management career, I ended up in a role which required a lot of travelling and nights away.  

One year I was on holiday, spending some quality time with my young daughters and it dawned on me how much I didn’t know about them and how much time I’d missed growing up.  That was the trigger for me to rethink my priorities and to find a role that gave me a better work/life balance. When I’m not with my family, I also enjoy walking, reading and exploring the outdoors, I find it helps to clear my head!

What is your greatest achievement so far in life (both professionally or personally)?

Good question – there have been many milestones in my professional life which I am really proud of.  But I suppose the one that stands out the most is my time at Nashayman Housing, part of Home Group.  

It was during a period where the notion of parallel lives was being discussed between different ethnic communities and multi-culturalism was being questioned.  So, it became a mission of mine to try to create truly ethnically diverse communities in neighbourhoods where people from BAME communities perhaps didn’t feel as welcome as they should. We set about developing several projects to make this happen – with great success. 

I’d also say the time I spent at the start of my career as a Trainee Housing Officer has been very formative. If you’d told me when I was a taxi driver that my career would take this route, I would never have believed you. I have been blessed to have worked with some wonderful people who have not just been my colleagues, but friends, mentors and pillars of support.

Over your many years in housing, you’ve gathered a wealth of housing experience. If you could share one piece of advice, what would it be?

I think it has to be to never underestimate the resilience, strength and innovation in our social housing sector.  In times of adversity, we have always risen to tackle those challenges together and long may this continue. As social businesses, we need to appreciate the importance of understanding and serving our communities. Empathy and listening to our residents is hugely important but so often forgotten. To be able to create housing solutions that go beyond just brick and mortar, we need to understand every one of our customers and their individual needs.

So in the initial press release about your appointment, you said that your first priority in October will be to get out and about into the community, what other priorities do you see as being important?

I want to ensure that we continue to provide the best possible service to our customers, and to make sure their homes are well maintained and safe.  Making sure that our customers’ voices are heard loud and clear at every level will be important in achieving this.  But just as important will be the importance of fostering a positive workplace culture, encouraging diversity, and developing talent within the organisation. The two go hand in hand.

Arawak Walton has a strong heritage rooted in Manchester’s African Caribbean communities. How do you envisage building on that heritage?

Arawak Walton’s heritage has shaped the organisation’s values and mission and as the new CEO the baton has been passed to me to ensure that we remain true to this purpose.  

I want to ensure we build on this heritage through partnership working, providing culturally sensitive services and initiatives which support the African Caribbean community in new  and innovative ways.  The needs of our communities are changing, and we have to make sure we change and adapt our services to meet them.  I have a total commitment to inclusivity and will ensure Arawak Walton continues to serve its diverse communities with respect and understanding.

Ulfat Hussain becomes Arawak Walton’s new Chief Executive in October 2024.