Lunt brings extensive and varied experience to this new role having started his career in the chemical industry in Scandinavia with Forchem Oy before moving into the health & safety sector covering the UK construction, manufacturing, and facilities management sectors at Arco.

He spent three years running his own sales training consultancy during which time he supported firms in the facilities management and air filtration industries.

He has also worked in the specialised hostile environment gas detection business as sales and marketing director for Analox, which supplied projects for the International Space Station, NATO submarines and the deep-sea diving industry.

During this time, he gained valuable trade association experience as an active member of the International Marine Contractors Association (IMCA). That gave him a useful insight into the workings of industry committees and technical groups which he expects will prove valuable in his new position at BESA.

“My role is to help the membership team add as much value to as many companies in the building engineering sector as possible,” he said. “BESA offers a remarkable breadth of benefits, and we want our members to take advantage of everything they can, including getting involved in our working groups and committees which can affect real change across the sector.

“The industry is facing a period of considerable change particularly with the new scrutiny on working practices prompted by the Building Safety Act and serious challenges like skill shortages and the need to accelerate the decarbonisation of buildings.

“All of which reinforces the importance of the collective voice and momentum that trade organisations like BESA can provide, so I know I am joining this historic and influential body at an exciting and critical time,” said Lunt.

BESA’s director of membership Rebecca Fox added that the creation of this position was a key element of the Association’s new progressive strategy and required the recruitment of someone with considerable business and technical experience.

“We are delighted to have been able to attract someone of Simon’s calibre and talent to this crucial role,” said Fox. “We know he brings something new to our team and will get the best out of those working around him for the benefit of our members.

“He will help to drive a central element of our strategy which is to ensure members fully understand the suite of benefits we can provide and how our services can support them to both survive and thrive through this challenging time for our industry.”