Sudden departure for CEA chief

Suneeta Johal has left the Construction Equipment Association (CEA) after less than two and half years with the organisation.

No reason was given for her departure. The search for a replacement has begun.

Suneeta Johal joined the manufacturers’ association from the Association of Independent Professionals & the Self-Employed (IPSE) in October 2021 on the retirement of the long-serving Rob Oliver, who had been with the CEA since its formation in 2001. Before that he ran its predecessor organisation, the Federation of Manufacturers of Construction Equipment and Cranes (FMCEC), working for both organisations in tandem with his wife Joanna in an export promotions role.

In a statement today, the CEA said: “Amid the rapid pace of technological advancements, the drive towards net zero, and the economic fluctuations, the CEA acknowledges that change is inevitable and familiar territory for its members. Although the unknown may seem daunting, the organisation also sees transformation as an avenue for new opportunities.”

The announcement of the CEO’s departure was accompanied by news of two new recruits to the association: Viki Bell as the business development & partnerships manager and Beth Abbott as marketing & member engagement manager.

The vacancy at the  Construction Equipment Association means that the two biggest trade associations in the UK construction machinery sector are both looking for new leaders. Construction Plant-hire Association (CPA) chief executive Stu McInroy made an equally sudden departure last December.  Applications for the post of chief executive of the CPA, which represents plant hire companies, close this week at 5pm Thursday 28th March 2024. [See here for details.]

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