ASFP appoints Chief Operations Officer

The Association for Specialist Fire Protection (ASFP) is to appoint Niall Rowan as its new Chief Operations Officer. The appointment, which results from the impending retirement of Wilf Butcher as outgoing Chief Executive Officer, forms part of a planned reorganisation of the Association’s structure which will take effect from 1 January 2017.

The revised structure, agreed following a meeting of the ASFP management council which oversees the running of the association, will see several ASFP officers taking on new responsibilities:

• Niall Rowan moves from Technical Officer to Chief Operations Officer to oversee the day to day management of the ASFP undertaking much of the role of the outgoing Chief Executive Officer. Niall will also retain overall responsibility for technical policy and strategy
• Anna Hayes will have an enhanced role based around her current position of Publicity Officer, but taking on increased responsibilities including developing and implementing a marketing and communications strategy
• Tony Corcoran, the current Membership Officer, will now also provide enhanced member-focused support, including members’ forums, an increase in CPD programmes and increased communication with the membership as a whole
• Wilf Butcher takes on the new role of Training Development Officer, responsible for providing a training strategy and framework which will stretch from initial awareness training to an academic qualification in passive fire protection.
• David O’Reilly will continue as Operations Officer of ASFP Ireland

The Association will be recruiting a new part time Technical Officer to take on the majority of Niall Rowan’s existing work load, including running the ASFP’s Technical Committee and task groups and being responsible for all the Association’s technical publications. For further details of the Technical Officer position click here.

Speaking of his appointment Niall Rowan declared: “I am honoured to take on the new role of Chief Operations Officer. Interest in the ASFP and its work has never been so high and I intend to build on this momentum to cement its position as the pre-eminent trade association in the passive fire protection area.

“I would like to thank Wilf for the tremendous job he has done in bringing the Association to where we are today and look forward to working with him in the further development of the ASFP’s training activities.”

Retiring CEO Wilf Butcher stated: “Niall and I have worked closely together for a number of years and I am delighted that he is now taking on the role of COO.  I wish Niall and the rest of the team every success for the future and look forward to seeing the Association grow from strength to strength in the years to come.”

Published September 2016