David Frise appointed BESA CEO

UK: David Frise has been appointed as the new chief executive officer of the Building Engineering Services Association (BESA).

For the past seven years David Frise has been combining the roles of head of sustainability at BESA with that of chief executive of the construction fit-out body FIS.

Frise takes over as CEO of BESA with immediate effect, but will also continue in his role at the FIS for a short period to help manage the transition to his successor. He replaces Paul McLaughlin who stepped down from the role at BESA last year following a cycling accident and has since been appointed business development and engagement director at the Rail Safety and Standards Board.

A former nuclear submariner, David Frise left the Royal Navy in 1988 to move into building engineering services contracting.

A familiar face at the association’s headquarters, he spent four years as a board member of Summitskills, three years as a non-executive director of the Construction Products Association and a further four years as chair of the BIM group at the Joint Specialist Engineering Contractors & National Specialist Contractor Council.

He is a frequent speaker on a range of industry topics including energy efficiency, system integration, government policy and the performance gap in buildings.

Commenting on his appointment, BESA president Tim Hopkinson said: “He is a well-known and respected industry figure, who brings enormous experience to the role. He also brings vital continuity, as an existing senior member of staff and former md of a member company, along with a fresh perspective thanks to his time leading the FIS.

“It was clear from the start that David was the charismatic leader we had been looking for. He is the right man to represent our Association at all levels and to build on its heritage and profile,” Hopkinson added.