The European Federation of Engineering Consultancy Associations (EFCA) has elected Inés Ferguson as its new president at its 2023 general assembly meeting held on 1 June 2023 in Rome.

EFCA, which has a very strong relationship with FIDIC, has member associations in 28 countries and is the sole European federation representing the business interests of professional engineering consultancy and related services, a sector that employs more than one million staff in Europe.

Ferguson, who is director of business development at TYPSA, will serve a three-year term from 2023-2026, succeeds Benoît Clocheret, CEO of Artelia, whose successful term of office saw him guide the organisation and its members through some challenging times, including the Covid pandemic and the conflict in Ukraine.

With a wealth of significant experience, Ferguson brings a robust background to her new position, having previously served as the chair of the EFCA European External Action Committee for several years. Her extensive knowledge and expertise position her well to lead the federation towards new achievements and advancements.

Ferguson is particularly committed to fostering and strengthening partnerships with the multilateral development banks, FIDIC, its regions and other relevant organisations, envisioning a future of collaboration for mutual benefit and the overall advancement of the engineering industry.

Speaking following her election, Ferguson emphasised the critical moment EFCA finds itself in, being actively involved in shaping EU policies that drive the green and digital transitions, as well as providing assistance for the reconstruction of Ukraine: “Europe is leading an ambitious green and digital transformation and has a major role in rebuilding Ukraine, which is critical for our future. EFCA will make sure that consulting engineers are part of the solutions to these great challenges,” she said.

Ferguson's appointment is a significant one, as she is the first female president of EFCA highlighting her commitment to diversity and inclusion within the organisation. Her leadership will undoubtedly serve as an inspiration to aspiring professionals in the field. It is also worth noting that both EFCA and FIDIC will both have women as presidents when Catherine Karakatsanis takes over as FIDIC president in September.

Commenting on Ferguson’s election as president, FIDIC CEO Dr Nelson Ogunshakin said: “FIDIC extends its warmest congratulations to Inés Ferguson on her election as EFCA president and we are looking forward to working with her and to building on the already close relationship we enjoy with EFCA under her leadership.

“I am especially looking forward to welcoming Inés to FIDIC’s Global Infrastructure Conference in Singapore in September, which is set to be a significant international gathering for our industry. I also want to pay tribute to EFCA’s outgoing president Benoît Clocheret for his remarkable work and dedication to EFCA and indeed the cause of engineering consultancy on a global scale and it’s very good to see that EFCA will be retaining Benoît’s experience as a past president going forward.”