World News

Industry news and insights from Europe and around the World

UK News

Latest news and developments in the United Kingdom

Products

Keep up-to-date with the latest new products and technology

Features

General articles, applications and industry analysis

Claire Curran elected BESA president

UK: Claire Curran, managing director of building services specialists Linaker, has been elected president of the Building Engineering Services Association (BESA) for 2023/24.

Curran has almost 25 years’ experience in the building services industry having previously worked for GSH, ISS, Kier, and Wates.

She has a business and marketing degree, financial qualifications, and an MBA, and says her experience of “hanging around plant rooms for far too long” has also stood her in good stead.

Curran is a former winner of the British Institute of Facilities Management (BIFM) Excellence in a Major Project Award and was also on the shortlist for construction Leader of the Year. She is said to be a strong believer in training and empowering young engineers and has ambitious plans to expand Linaker’s apprenticeship programme.

In her speech to this year’s BESA AGM, she thanked members for showing faith in her and giving her the opportunity to give something back to an industry “that has given me so much”.

She said her presidential year would be marked by considerable change with an acceleration in the adoption of digital systems and a deepening of the impact of new safety legislation.

Curran’s election is an example of the increasing diversity in the industry, and follows on from the recent elevation of B-DACS MD Diane Drummond to chair of BESA Scotland.

Latest News

13th October 2026

Security firm warns on refrigeration asset security

USA: Following Sunday night’s cyberattack on French supermarkets, security company Claroty has warned food retailers that they should not assume that their refrigeration controllers are isolated and secure.
12th October 2026

Danfoss moves to mitigate cyberattack

FRANCE: Danfoss has said it is in close contact with supermarket customers in France affected by a cyberattack on Sunday night on its refrigeration controllers.
12th October 2026

Bitzer debuts screw compressor for data centre cooling

GERMANY: Bitzer is to launch a new screw compressor specifically developed for data centre cooling at the Chillventa exhibition, which begins tomorrow.
12th October 2026

Call for action on incorrect heat pump insulation

UK: Industry groups are backing calls for a crackdown on incorrectly specified and installed thermal insulation on heat pumps.
12th October 2026

French supermarkets hit by massive cyberattack

FRANCE: Cyberattackers are reported to have taken control of the refrigeration systems in hundreds of supermarkets in France, changing temperature settings and defrosting produce.
11th October 2026

Carrier cooler protects building workers

JAPAN: Construction workers building Tokyo’s Torch Tower, Japan’s tallest building, are being kept cool thanks to a temporary cooling system jointly developed by Carrier Japan.