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The British Coatings Federation has elected its first female president
In its 111-year history, the British Coatings Federation hasn’t had a female president, until now. The Federation has appointed Sharon Harte of Dacrylate Paints as its new president at its 2023 Annual Conference.
Succeeding Guy Williams who has been president for the past two years, Harte is the first female president of the BCF, or its predecessor organisations, in its 111-year history.
Reflecting back over the last ten years for the BCF, Williams says: “Looking back, I take immense pride in the achievements of BCF in recent years. Starting with the new HQ in Coventry, we’ve seen the Federation strengthen significantly, and has twice been named Trade Association of the Year.
“Financially we are on a very sound footing now and Corporate Governance is exemplary, ratified with the Trade Association’s Good Governance Award in February this year, with high engagement at Board Level and a clear strategy for the years ahead.”
Harte adds to Williams’ comments by thanking him for his “fantastic leadership” throughout his presidency which she describes as one of the most turbulent periods in the industry’s history.
“Looking forward, the BCF, like many others, will face significant challenges ahead,” she says, adding: “However, the BCF is continuing to punch above its weight on key issues such as UK REACH, Net Zero, and changes to packaging and building regulations.”
As well as handing over the presidency to Harte, the Annual Conference addressed a number of key sector issues from the UK political and economic outlook to the road to Net Zero.
On this topic, the conference heard from the National Centre for Atmospheric Science on the scientific basis of the causes of climate change, as well as Green Alliance who provided insights from recent analysis on the UK chemicals industry.
The event also raised over £2,000 for charity partner Community Heartbeat Trust, which has installed over 750 defibrillators in red phone boxes around the UK, with paint provided by BCF members.
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