Graham Watts OBE [left] Neil Gibbins [right]

Key appointments at Building Safety Competence Foundation

The Building Safety Competence Foundation (BSCF) has recently announced significant appointments within its leadership.

Graham Watts OBE, with a longstanding career in the construction industry, has been appointed as the new Chair of BSCF.

Alongside him, Neil Gibbins joins the Board of Directors, bringing extensive experience in fire safety.

Graham Watts’ background and vision

Graham Watts, currently serving as the Chief Executive of the Construction Industry Council (CIC), brings over three decades of experience to his new role as Chair of the BSCF.

Recognised for his contributions to the construction industry with an OBE in 2008, Watts has been an influential figure in building safety initiatives, especially in the aftermath of the Grenfell Tower tragedy.

“I am delighted to take up this appointment as chair of the BSCF, which directly follows on from my previous work in enhancing competences related to building safety as chair of the CSG for the past five years,” said Watts.

He expressed his commitment to advancing workforce competence across the industry.

Neil Gibbins’ role and contributions

Neil Gibbins, appointed as an independent non-executive director to the BSCF board, is recognised for his contribution to fire safety, particularly through his work with CROSS-UK and the CSG’s fire engineers group.

His involvement in expanding CROSS to include fire safety and his chairmanship of the BSCF building control scheme committee underline his expertise and commitment to the cause.

“Graham and Neil’s impressive CVs speak for themselves.

Both already understand the critical importance that BSCF plays in helping building control professionals on their competence validation journey, which means that they can hit the ground running,” stated Lorna Stimpson, Executive Director of BSCF.

IFSJ Comment

The extensive experience and previous contributions of Watts and Gibbins in the aftermath of the Grenfell Tower tragedy set a solid foundation for leading the BSCF towards its goals of raising safety competences.

Such leadership transitions are pivotal for the continuous improvement of safety standards, ensuring that the construction and fire safety sectors are aligned with the latest regulations and best practices.

The industry, by fostering a culture of competence and safety, not only adheres to regulatory expectations but also contributes to the overall resilience and integrity of built environments.