When Christopher Timmins first stepped into the housing sector at 18, he didn’t set out to build a career, let alone lead one of the most people-focused partnership housing organisations in the region. But over the years, what started as a chance entry evolved into something far more meaningful: a deep, personal commitment to building communities and delivering homes with real purpose.
Building From the Ground Up
Chris’s journey through the housing sector reads like a masterclass in authentic leadership. Starting from the very beginning, he’s held every major role you want a leader holding: Commercial Director, Area Director, and Managing Director running multiple business units.
Perhaps, however, his most impressive achievements (so far) include launching a new housing division in the East Midlands from a complete standing start whilst transforming an established business in the West. Both of which evolved into thriving organisations that exemplify what genuine partnership housing can achieve.
These weren’t just about hitting targets or expanding territories. Chris built something more valuable: deep, lasting relationships across the Midlands. Working with local authorities, registered providers, councils, and developers, he’s gained the kind of area knowledge that only comes from decades of genuine engagement with communities and truly listening to their needs.
This combined skillset, experience, and enthusiasm make him the best man for the job in leading the SH Partnerships team to support individuals, families, and communities across the Midlands and beyond.
Learning Through Experience
What sets Chris apart isn’t perfection, but his refreshing honesty about the journey. He’s the first to acknowledge that mistakes have been made along the way (of course), but rather than hiding from them, he’s treated each one as a valuable experience that’s shaped his approach to both leadership and partnership housing.
This commitment to transparency runs through everything Chris does. Whether he’s working with housing associations on complex regeneration schemes or collaborating with local authorities on strategic developments, his approach is grounded in genuine honesty about what’s possible, what’s challenging, and how to navigate both successfully.
The SH Partnerships Vision
Now, as Managing Director of SH Partnerships, Chris is channelling decades of experience into something truly special.
Because this isn’t just another housing company, it’s the embodiment of everything he’s learned about what works in partnership housing and what communities actually need.
This philosophy perfectly captures what makes SH Partnerships different. With Chris at the helm, the company combines robust expertise needed for complex, multi-partner regeneration schemes with the personal touch that ensures every voice is heard and every community need is understood.
A Legacy of Impact
What drives Chris isn’t just professional success. It’s the knowledge that the work SH Partnerships does creates lasting legacies. The homes they deliver, the communities they help regenerate, and the partnerships they forge will benefit people for generations to come.
This is partnership housing as it should be: expert-led but community-focused, ambitious but grounded, professional but deeply human.
We’re ready to be the region’s leading catalyst for sustainable, need-generated development. And every single project will carry the mark of someone who genuinely cares about getting it right.
In His Own Words…
“I fell into this industry by accident,” Chris reflects with the kind of honest directness that defines his approach to leadership. “But once I was here, I discovered something incredibly fulfilling and deeply rewarding. Every day brings new opportunities to do the right thing and treat people well.
“When you’ve been in this sector as long as I have, you see the real impact of what we do. It’s so much more than building homes. It’s about creating places where communities can thrive, where families can build their futures, and where genuine partnerships unlock opportunities that might never have otherwise existed.
“It truly is a privilege to be able to work in harmony with communities across the Midlands – understanding the local landscape, the challenges they face, and what success actually looks like for the individuals who’ll call these places home.
“And I’m proud to do things differently. I pride myself on being honest – because if we’re going to build lasting partnerships, they must be built on trust and dependability. Which often means being completely candid about challenges as well as opportunities.
“At SH Partnerships, we’re proud to be big enough to deliver with real strength and efficiency. But we’re absolutely determined to stay small enough to remain approachable and to genuinely care about every project and community we serve.”
