Suneeta Johal takes up the leadership of the Construction Equipment Association (CEA) on 4th October when Rob Oliver retires.
Rob Oliver has been chief executive of the CEA since its formation in 2001. Before that he ran its predecessor organisation, the Federation of Manufacturers of Construction Equipment and Cranes (FMCEC), in the days when mobile and crawler cranes were still made in the UK. Under his leadership, and working always in tandem his wife Joanna, the CEA has grown from a dwindling group of British machinery manufacturers to around 150 members comprising overseas manufacturers as well as suppliers of component, accessories and related services.
“The original plan was that I should step down a year or so ago” Rob Oliver said, “but Covid-19 struck and I agreed to stay a little longer. Now the time seems right to step aside and let Suneeta bring a fresh, and younger, approach to what is undoubtedly a great job to have. I am pleased that on my watch we were able to grow our membership and international activities and create the Plantworx construction exhibition. More recently, my idea of introducing an emissions compliance verification option to the CESAR scheme is proving to be a winner.”
The new CEA chief, Suneeta Johal, joins the CEA from the Association of Independent Professionals & the Self-Employed (IPSE), where she was director of commercial development. She has worked there since 2012.
Suneeta Johal has a degree in criminology and specialises in research, having worked for the National Centre for Social Research and Maritz Research.
Chair of the CEA’s executive board, Paul Ross, said: “The appointment of Suneeta as chief executive is a significant move and I feel that her experience and capabilities will be key assets in strengthening and developing the CEA for the future. It is important that the association continues to truly reflect the wishes of all its members and one of her key actions will be to reflect this as part of the ongoing strategy.”
Caterpillar UK’s Sam Mottram, chair of the CEA’s management council, said: “While we’ll all be sad to see Rob depart we are grateful that he has brought that same diligence in the search for his replacement... We have been impressed by her energy to take the CEA into a new era with her strong background in association leadership and research.”
Suneeta Johal said: “I hope that my skills and experience can bring a fresh approach to develop the future strategy of the CEA. I am looking forward to building on the successes that Rob has achieved to take the CEA from strength to strength.”
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