Anna Shephard named BESA president for 2026/27

# What happened

Anna Shephard has been named president of the Building Engineering Services Association (BESA) for 2026/27. She is currently operations director at OSM Ventilation, part of the NG Bailey group.

# Why it matters

Shephard brings nearly two decades of experience across construction and building engineering. Her election signals BESA's focus on promoting the workforce and the sector's contribution to the built environment. During her year in office she intends to make careers in building engineering more visible and appealing to younger people and to reinforce pride among practitioners.

# Background you need

Shephard previously served as director of operations and finance at E&S Heating and Ventilation. That company was bought by NG Bailey and rebranded OSM Ventilation. The move into the presidency follows a career that combines manufacturing and operational leadership within ductwork and ventilation businesses.

# What Shephard will focus on

Her presidential priorities are concrete and personnel-focused:

• Attracting and inspiring the next generation to consider building engineering as a career. She intends to position the sector as a viable, rewarding path.
• Driving greater pride in building engineering services among those who design, install, and maintain building systems.
• Demonstrating how the sector contributes to creating better buildings, making the link between technical trades and building outcomes clearer to clients and the public.

# Wider leadership lineup at BESA

• Nick Mead, president-elect, technical director of MEICA Systems and Engineering at Laing O'Rourke.
• Paul Eagle, vice president, technical director engineering at Dalkia UK.

A photograph accompanying the announcement shows the group with immediate past president Peter Curtis alongside Shephard, Mead and Eagle.

# What this means for industry stakeholders

Employers: Expect BESA activity during the year to highlight recruitment and training pathways, and campaigns that aim to make trades and technical roles more attractive to young people.

Educators and trainers: Opportunities may arise to partner with BESA initiatives that showcase career routes in building engineering and ventilation systems.

Clients and specifiers: Messaging will likely stress the value of skilled building engineering services in achieving better-performing buildings, which could influence procurement priorities.

# Bottom line