Martin Hurst was a senior civil servant for 20 years, mainly on the environment, with specific roles including as senior advisor on housing and environment in Number 10, shadow CEO during the creation of Natural England, and commercial, estates and major projects director in Defra.

Martin has been on housing association boards for the last 17 years, with past roles as Vice Chair of Wandle HA, and Group Chair of Treasury at BPHA and Radian. He is currently chair of Shepherds Bush Housing Group and Zetetick Housing.

Outside of housing Martin has a long track record on environment and sustainability, particularly in the utility sector, and was an advisor to the last UK climate change risk assessment. He is a Visiting Professor on infrastructure and sustainability appraisal at UCL and chairs the Southern regional flood and coastal committee and the southern water independent environment panel.