Carolyn Viney takes top job at SHP

Former Grocon chief executive Carolyn Viney has been appointed head of Super Housing Partnerships.

The high-profile Viney - who was most recently an executive director at Vicinity Centres - said she was excited to lead the team at SHP that provides institutional investors with access to equity investment in a pipeline of build-to-rent housing projects, with a focus on social and affordable housing.

"The SHP platform seeks to bring together investor capital with quality, affordable housing and the groups best placed to deliver it," she said.

"Housing affordability is a critical issue in Australia, and at SHP we see an opportunity to deliver returns for investment partners in impact-led housing solutions which benefit their members and the community as a whole".

The incoming chief said by aggregating capital from institutional investors into its housing strategies, SHP will make a significant difference in the supply of quality, sustainable, affordable housing in Australia.

"A meaningful contribution to the solution of housing affordability requires an at-scale, replicable and reliable model and the establishment of the SHP platform seeks to address all of these challenges" she added.

SHP launched last November supported by HESTA which has committed $240 million towards a pipeline of Victorian build-to-rent projects.

HESTA chief executive Debby Blakey said they are pioneering an affordable housing investment model that can help generate stable, long-term returns for members by innovative investment to address the housing crisis.

Viney started her career as a lawyer, initially joining Grocon as corporate counsel before moving to Minter Ellison, back to Grocon and most recently Vicinity Centres.

As chief development officer there, she oversaw Vicinity's mixed-use strategy, complementing its existing retail landholdings with commercial offices, hotels, residential apartments and health use.

Viney serves on several boards, including The Big Issue, its associated entity Homes for Homes and as an advisory board member for Women's Property Initiatives.