On 13th September 2023, a large group of BEAMA employees, manufacturing members, industry leaders, and close friends convened in London to celebrate 25 years of service from Dr Howard Porter. The event also included tributes, following his recent departure from his CEO role. Within the formal speeches, it was made clear that Dr Porter has made a significant impact on not only the organisation, but also the sector he has represented since 1998; taking on the role of CEO in 2010.
BEAMA President, Keith Ritchie of Titon Holdings Plc, outlined how Howard’s expertise in Environmental Science and Low Energy Housing has defined his tenure at BEAMA “…with the focus on Net Zero and the electrification of building, transport and heat. He was certainly ahead of his time in taking such a strong interest in these topics and this shows now in the leadership that BEAMA demonstrates in Net Zero, culminating in the report published in September 2022 on delivering the supply chain for a Net Zero electricity system by 2035.”
Long time BEAMA colleague and recently appointed Strategy Director, Kelly Butler, offered a more personal tribute to Dr Porter, speaking on behalf of himself and the BEAMA team “Howard clearly has a passion and vision for sustainability, including energy efficient homes and smart energy systems. As a colleague, he has taken a great interest in us as people and how we ticked. That is probably why we have had such great teams over the years, because we complement each other well and he knows how to play to our strengths.”
Shifting emphasis on to Porter’s wider influence and character Butler said “Howard has also accomplished much away from the workplace. He has provided support to friends going through hard times and he devotes as much passion and attention to this and his family as he does his work. He has tremendous balance and, I believe, impressive judgement.”
With Dr Porter stepping down, BEAMA recently announced the appointment of Yselkla Farmer as the new CEO along with a new Management team, representing both continuity in long service and new members. The new BEAMA Management Team includes:
- Yselkla Farmer, Chief Executive Officer
- Andrew Willman, Chief Operating Officer
- Kelly Butler Strategy Director
- Nick Hayler, Director of Member Services
- Raj Vagdia, Technical Director
Speaking of the future, BEAMA President Keith Ritchie stated “The new CEO and the team are ideally placed in leading the UK electrotechnical sector as we transition to Net Zero and move at pace towards the introduction of a full digital electricity system in the UK.”
