B&ES chief Rod Pettigrew resigns

UK: Rod Pettigrew has resigned his position as chief executive of B&ES after just 18 months in the role.

Appointed in July 2013, following the resignation of Blane Judd, Rod Pettigrew (right) had been a popular choice having served the contractors’ association for over 20 years, five of them as deputy chief executive.

Mr Pettigrew, a lawyer by training, has over 20 years’ experience with the building services trade association, including serving as deputy chief executive for four years. A qualified lawyer, he joined the then HVCA in 1990, rising to become head of the association’s commercial and legal department in 1994.

No reason has been given for the resignation but president Andy Sneyd explained that the departure was an entirely amicable one. He also took the opportunity to thank Mr Pettigrew for the valuable contribution he had made during a quarter-of-a-century with the Association. “My fellow officers, members of council and the staff of the Association all join me in wishing Rod the very best of good fortune in pursuing his future career,” said Mr Sneyd.

And he added that interim arrangements were already in place that would ensure that B&ES continued to operate effectively – and to serve the interests of its members – while the search for a new chief executive was undertaken.

These arrangements include the formation of a strategic and operational board, under the chairmanship of the president and comprising the officers, finance committee chairman John Miller, finance director Ray Barraclough and Bruce Kirton, chief executive of Welplan, the Association’s principal commercial subsidiary.

“At the top of the new board’s agenda will be key issues surrounding membership and marketing, the development of the Association’s own skills base and the future of vocational education and training across building engineering services,” said the president.