Our Staff
Craig Stirrat - Grampian Group CEO
Craig was promoted to the post of Grampian Group CEO in April 2022 following a robust recruitment process. His appointment comes at in important time for the Group Group as it works to launch 'The Grampian Deal', a customer first initiative being developed in partnership with tenants to deliver great service, great results and great value for money.
Craig is responsible for the overall strategic leadership and business direction of the Association and its objectives. He joined Grampian Housing Association in June 2014 as director of business development before being appointed to the new post of Chief Operating Officer in 2018.
Craig is committed to support and enable colleagues to continually improve frontline services providing the best tenant and customer service experience and ensuring all homes are affordable and sustainable.
Craig’s housing career commenced as a student intern with Fountainbridge Housing Association in 1983, before attaining the position of trainee Housing Manager, followed by a position of Housing Manager with the former Kirkcaldy District Council. Craig then moved to Aberdeen City Council in 1989 as Housing Manager and over the next 21 years progressed up the ranks to become the Head of Housing & Adult services, a position he held for 4 years. Craig joined the Built Environment Scotland in 2010 as their national director before moving to Fife Housing Association as Director of Housing in 2012.
He is currently a Board member of HouseMark Scotland and is a former Chair of the Chartered Institute of Housing. Craig also recently served as a Board member of Aberdeen Foyer, the Scottish Federation of Housing Associations and Muirhouse Housing Association..
Craig is a joint Honours Graduate in Sociology & Social Anthropology from the University of Stirling and holds a Postgraduate Diploma in Housing Studies from the University of Glasgow. He also holds a MSc in Total Quality Management & Business Studies from Sheffield Hallam University. Craig is a proud Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Housing.
T: 01224 202900 | E: craig.stirrat@grampianhousing.co.uk
Malcolm McNeil - Depute Chief Executive
Malcolm has been with the Association since 2000 initially as a Housing Manager, then as Director of Corporate Services and Director of Strategic Services before taking up his present role in 2022. He is a resourceful, hard-working and dedicated senior leader with outstanding experience leading people, change and organisations with particular expertise in public and third sector governance and people management and development. He has a proven ability to develop and implement effective new systems, strategies and procedures and able to work well both independently and as part of a productive team, demonstrating the motivation and multi-tasking abilities required to meet demanding deadlines while maintaining the highest of standards. Articulate, proactive, resilient and values driven he combines a professional and confident approach with excellent interpersonal skills and can communicate concisely at all levels.
His current brief covers a range of functions including IT, Human Resources, finance compliance and internal audit as well as governance. Malcolm represents the Association on the Board of tsiMoray and before that was a long serving member of the Aberdeen Foyer Board. Malcolm is an Honours Graduate in Humanities from the University of Greenwich and holds a postgraduate Diploma in Personnel Administration from The Robert Gordon University and a Diploma in Housing Studies. He is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Housing and a Member of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD).
When not at work Malcolm enjoys heritage transport including as a volunteer with several heritage railways. If he is not traveling on old trains or buses, enjoying a good comedy does it for him.
T: 01224 202900 | E: malcolm.mcneil@grampianhousing.co.uk
Alexander Carle - Director of Asset Management
Alexander joined the Association in the summer of 2012 as a Senior Technical Officer having held a similar role and 12 years’ experience with a local authority.
A joiner to trade Alexander also served as a Retained Firefighter for 31 years where his interest in Risk Assessments and community safety developed.
In his current role he is responsible for maintaining the Association's housing stock, ensuring it complies or exceeds UK and Scottish Governments targets on energy efficiency, the drive towards decarbonisation and resident safety by leading on the development and installation of energy saving technologies and compliance requirements through various professional bodies shaping current and future legislation.
Alexander is committed to tackling fuel poverty and actually lives in an eco house which he designed and built in 2013/14 to prove to himself that homes can be designed that require very little energy to heat and he is taking this actual “lived in” experience to work as he looks to improve Grampian's housing stock to lower utility costs and improve the health and wellbeing of our residents.
When not working Alexander enjoys a game of golf or traveling round Scotland in his converted VW camper with his wife Carol and Olly, the Pomeranian.
T: 01224 202900 | E: Alexander.Carle@grampianhousing.co.uk
Carol Reid - Director of Customer Services
Carol joined Grampian Housing Association in March 2001 and was appointed to her current role in 2023.
She holds responsibility for delivering key objectives and priorities across frontline operational services including: customer experience services, housing management and lettings, tenancy sustainment, sales and factoring.
Carol strives to create an empowered culture and energised self-managing workforce committed to enabling successful agile working and the delivery of a tremendous customer experience for tenants and service users.
Carol’s housing career began in 1992 as a Housing Assistant with Langstane Housing Association where she spent time working in both mainstream housing as well as working with the homeless in one of Langstane’s hostels. After a short stint as Housing Officer with Langstane, Carol came to Grampian Housing in 2001 to take up post as a Housing Revenue Officer. Over time, she was promoted to Senior Housing Officer, Housing Manager and the now retitled post of Housing Operations Lead.
Carol is a Chartered Member of the Chartered Institute of Housing having completed the CIH Level 5 Diploma in Housing. She is committed to continuous learning and development and recently completed the NCFE Level 2 Certificate in Awareness of Mental Health Issues. Carol is also currently undertaking the Level 5 Certificate in Coaching and Mentoring with the Institute of Leadership and Management.
Carol is a home visit volunteer with Home Start Aberdeen and enjoys building relationships with the families she supports, helping them through challenging times and making a different to their lives.
When not working or volunteering, Carol enjoys creative pastimes such as jewellery making and upcycling furniture.
T: 01224 202900 | E: carol.reid@grampianhousing.co.uk
Chris Mathieson - People Experience Lead
Since joining Grampian in 2004, the ‘golden thread’ for Chris has been our customer and frontline services, working to develop our tenancy sustainment services, SMART and ASSIST, the Customer Response Unit and our customer engagement activities.
Chris is a resilient, committed and motivated leader, with a passion for innovation, making a difference and working collectively to enhance stakeholder experience to effect positive change.
In his current role, Chris has operational responsibility for HR, Health & Safety and Procurement. He has worked to deliver the Association’s Procurement Framework; a new People Strategy 2022-25; a new colleague Performance Conversation Framework and Wellbeing initiatives.
Chris recently achieved the ILM Level 5 in Coaching & Mentoring and holds SVQ Level 4 qualifications in Health & Social Care and Leadership and Management of Care Services. Chris is a graduate of University of Aberdeen and holds a MA in Politics & History. He is about to embark on a CIPD HR Level 5.
Chris believes the commitment to our people, their wellbeing, and their continued workplace learning and development truly makes Grampian a great place to work.
T: 01224 202900 | E: chris.mathieson@grampianhousing.co.uk
Linda Clarke - Director of Finance
Linda has been working for Grampian Housing Association since 2012 in various senior finance roles starting out as Project Accountant with the renewables team, then as Finance Manager managing the team, preparing management accounts and implementing new IT finance systems to deliver improvements and efficiencies. In her current role, she oversees the operations of the finance function and is responsible for the annual audit and annual budget. Linda has been a member of the Leadership Team since 2018 and contributes to the direction of the Association through the provision of high quality financial support and provides operational and strategic financial guidance.
Linda is a qualified Accountant (FCCA) and started out in a chartered accountancy firm. She has also worked in the manufacturing and telecommunications sectors. Linda brings a broad wealth of experience both from the commercial sector as well as over ten years’ experience in the housing sector. This diverse background helps to support the commercial aspects of the Grampian Group.
Linda enjoys working in this sector and is committed to the charitable purpose of social housing and tenant values are at the heart of her role.
T: 01224 202900 | E: linda.clarke@grampianhousing.co.uk
Information Systems Manager
The postholder has responsbility to lead, manage, design, develop and maintain the IS infrastructure and estate ensuring that the Grampian Group and its clients derive best value from investment in technology.
T: 01224 202900
Sandra MacIntyre - Governance & Communications Manager
Sandra is Governance & Communications Manager at Grampian Housing Association with responsibility for media relations, creating proactive communications campaigns and managing corporate social media platforms.
Sandra joined the Association in 1997 as Assistant to the Chief Executive and after qualifying in communications was promoted to Executive Services & Communications Co-ordinator and latterly Communications Lead. Prior to this she worked for five years with local charity, Voluntary Service Aberdeen in the publicity and fundraising team.
Sandra’s greatest strengths are her creativity and writing skills. She thrives on challenges, particularly those that expand the Association’s reach to maximise engagement with customers and other stakeholders. Her most recent project was the marketing of a new development targeted at NHS key workers.
Sandra is a member of the Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR) and sits on the RGU School of Creative and Cultural Business (CCB) Industry Advisory Group. She is past co-convenor of the Aberdeen & Grampian Communications Group and past Chair of the Disabled Persons Housing Service (DPHS) Aberdeen. She has also undertaken volunteer work for a local Rwanda support group, co-ordinating a fundraising appeal.
Sandra has a BA (Hons) Degree in Public Administration from Robert Gordon University and CAM Advanced Diploma in Communication Studies.
In her spare time Sandra studies Modern Greek through the Aberdeen Scottish Hellenic Society.
T: 01224 202900 | E: sandra.macIntyre@grampianhousing.co.uk
