VODG Housing Network Meeting | March 2026

John Mackintosh

Independent Consultant, GreenGoals Consulting

John Mackintosh is the Founder of GreenGoals, established in 2022 to help organisations navigate the complexities of the climate agenda. Drawing on extensive experience across the private sector and both central and local government, John recognised the increasing challenges decision makers face in responding to the climate crisis. GreenGoals was created to bring together his understanding of national and local environmental policy with his deep expertise in performance management, enabling clearer insights and more effective action.

John’s career has centred on using evidence to inform policy, guide decisions, and improve organisational performance. He spent five years at the former Department of Energy and Climate Change, where he led the UK’s greenhouse gas emissions reporting—overseeing data management, the publication of UK National Statistics, and the submission of reports to meet domestic and international obligations. His work also contributed to the development of the UK’s carbon budgets.

Prior to this, John worked at the Strategic Rail Authority, including five years leading the analysis of rail performance for the Department for Transport. In that role, he developed tools and processes to monitor and report operational performance, helping drive improvements across the rail network. More recently, he has supported the Surrey Environment Partnership in its efforts to meet local recycling targets.

John’s background offers a unique combination of environmental reporting expertise, performance management experience, and knowledge of the public, private, and third sectors—providing a strong foundation for helping organisations make informed and impactful decisions on climate and sustainability.

: https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-mackintosh-32b276

Liz Newell

Partner, MHA

Liz joined MHA as a Partner in January 2020. Liz has a wide ranging portfolio of clients and enjoys advising on a variety of matters affecting businesses. 

She is a fully qualified accountant with over 20 years of experience and an impressive range of specialisms extending from property to technology sectors. She supports businesses that operate on a local, national and international scale, including working with overseas companies to establish subsidiaries here in the UK. As well as working with commercial clients, she is a member of the Not for Profit team and works with many charitable organisations.

Liz also holds several positions within the Milton Keynes community. She is a Director of Biztech Technology Forum. She is also a member of the MK Business Council and she provides financial guidance to the board of Destination MK. In 2015, Liz received the inaugural Women Leaders MK Award for Professional Services.

: https://www.mha.co.uk/about-us/meet-the-team/liz-newell