Speakers

Paula Steel is the Director of Transformation at Southern Housing, where she is leading the organisation’s Transformation Programme 2025 - 2028. Following the successful integration of systems and data during the merger of Southern Housing Group and Optivo in 2023 - 2025, the organisation is now pivoting to transform services and ways of working for the organisation,  utilising a user-centric approach based on Service Design and Test & Learn ways of working. Her leadership and vision through the merger were recognised when she won Inside Housing’s Inspirational Lead of the Year Award in 2025. With a proven track record of delivering complex programmes, Paula is passionate about creating sustainable, user-focused solutions for the housing sector.