One of the world’s leading health and safety charities has announced the appointment of a new chief executive to lead its work to reduce deaths, injuries and illness in the workplace.
Alex Botha has been given the top job at the British Safety Council, taking over at the beginning of July from Julie Nerney who joined in July 2009 to devise and deliver a comprehensive change management and business development programme.
Alex is already well acquainted with the organisation’s important work in the UK and overseas as he has been its finance director and an executive board member for the past 16 months.
Announcing the appointment, Lynda Armstrong, British Safety Council chair of trustees, said:
“Alex has been chosen following a robust interview process involving some first-class candidates from the private and third sectors.
“He impressed us with his firm grasp of current issues and ideas for future direction, including our commitment to strengthen our work both in the UK and internationally with our 8,000 corporate members and focus on our key priorities, sectors and territories as laid down in our five year strategy.
“His strong background in our key sectors and strategic themes was, for the trustees and me, a winning combination which we were delighted to acknowledge with this key appointment.
“I would also like to pay tribute to Julie who has been an outstanding chief executive, using her considerable business and entrepreneurial skills to build a strong business base and a hugely effective business model which puts our members at the heart of all we do.
“The next stage of our continued development, especially around our public benefit and campaigning work, is key to our determination to prevent deaths, injuries and illness in the workplace and I am confident that Alex will make a significant contribution to our vision.”
Alex said:
“I am delighted to have been offered this wonderful opportunity to head up an organisation dedicated to worker wellbeing at a time of considerable change in health and safety regulation and enforcement with a major government review underway and significant budget cuts for local and national regulators.
“The British Safety Council is a membership organisation and I am looking forward to forging stronger and more effective links with our members, being a leading advocate of their views and concerns, working with them to utilise their considerable knowledge and expertise to promote sensible safety and best practice.
”I am also looking forward to working with my British Safety Council colleagues who have shown tremendous commitment to raising standards of workplace safety both in the UK and internationally.”
Julie Nerney, who is returning to her portfolio of non-executive and advisory roles, said:
“I’m delighted with the appointment of Alex Botha who I believe will add real value to the role and oversee successful delivery of our five year strategy, further extending our reach as a charity which is committed to raising standards and saving lives.”