Ruth Devine MBE takes the helm as ECA’s 112th President

Ruth Devine MBE has been appointed the 112th President of the Electrical Contractors’ Association (ECA), becoming only the second woman to hold the post in the body’s 124‑year history after Diane Johnson’s 2010‑11 tenure.

A director of Milton Keynes‑based contractor SJD Associates for the past 18 years, Devine is widely recognised for championing apprenticeships and for pressing the industry to embrace higher standards of competence and inclusivity. Her appointment follows more than a decade of high‑profile advocacy across the electrotechnical and wider construction sectors.

Alongside running SJD Associates, Devine chairs the ECA Skills Committee, sits as employer chair of The Electrotechnical Skills Partnership (TESP), and is a founding member of both the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education Construction Route Panel and the Building Safety Regulator’s Industry Competence Committee. She also supports the Construction Leadership Council on skills policy and is a regular attendee at the Government’s Construction Skills Delivery Group. In the 2023 New Year Honours she received an MBE for services to further education and apprenticeships.

Commenting on her appointment, Ruth noted, “It’s an honour to take on the role of ECA President at such a critical time for our industry. As we face the triple challenges of increasing demand for electrification, improving and demonstrating competence for better building safety and closing the skills gap, there has never been a more important moment to unite behind a vision of excellence, opportunity, and innovation. I look forward to working closely with our members, association staff, and stakeholders to champion the future of our sector.”

Steve Bratt, Group CEO at ECA, added, “Ruth has been instrumental in both the electrical and construction industries, driving home the importance of employing apprentices to meet the demand for having the skilled workforce to take the UK to net zero carbon emissions and beyond. She recognises the importance of having the talent pipeline in place now to secure a sustainable future.

“Having Ruth at the helm as President of ECA will further strengthen this drive to reach our common goal of future proofing the UK for the next generation of electrical contractors.”

The latest ECA Council meeting also confirmed Jeremy Parkin, Director of Powerlink Electrical Services in South Wales, as Vice President. Glenn Grant steps up to Senior Vice President, while outgoing President Stuart Smith becomes Immediate Past President.