The Residential Property Forum (RPF), a Bank of England convened, industry-led group, has named Jackie Bennett OBE as its new chairperson.

Bennett, who has more than 20 years of experience in the mortgage industry across residential and buy to let, currently serves as a senior adviser for UK Finance, specialising in personal finance. 

Prior to that, she worked as a director and lead executive for the UK Finance Mortgage Product and Service board. 

In addition, she currently serves as a non-executive director on the New Homes Quality Board (NHQB) and OnLadder, the chair of NHQB RemCo and trustee of the FairLife Charity. 

Bennett takes on the role from outgoing chair Andrew Baddeley-Chappell, who is also the chief executive of the National Custom and Self Build Association.

The Bank of England started its search for a new chair at the start of 2022.

Members of the forum include representatives from house builders, investors, landlords, intermediaries, housing market experts and commentators, estate agents and financial institutions.

Set up in 2010, the forum works alongside the Commercial Property Forum. Both forums inform the work of the Financial Policy Committee to maintain financial stability in the UK. 

RPF executive director of financial stability strategy and risk Sarah Breeden says Bennett is “an excellent addition to the forum”.

Breeden comments: “Her leadership and wide network of contacts to draw on will ensure that the group continues to provide excellent insight, analysis and debate on some of the key issues arising from the residential property sector.”

“I also want to thank the outgoing chair, Baddeley-Chappell, for his many years of commitment and for his skill in curating such valuable discussions,” she adds.