CEME Management strengthened as centre’s growth continues

CEME, the nationally unique centre for learning and skills development based in Rainham, has announced two senior appointments to support the organisation’s ambitious growth plans. Matthew Farrant (right) and Chris Allen join as Facilities Director and IT Services Director respectively, and bring a wealth of experience and expertise to CEME’s operations.

Matthew and Chris joined the executive team at CEME in September 2007 bringing a diverse range of managerial skills developed in their careers in facility management, IT and client services across a number of industry sectors.

Matthew’s career has seen him in senior positions responsible for Pan-European sales and marketing. He started his career in the City and moved into property services and facility management, applying his experience to develop client services within facility management. He has brought a sharp commercial edge to business, demonstrating best practice and service excellence.

“I am delighted to be taking up a position in such a fantastic and innovative facility that offers so much for the community. CEME is an outstanding organization that provides unique training opportunities to deliver engineering and manufacturing excellence”, Matthew commented.

Chris Allen is a technical line and project manager with extensive experience gained from over twenty years working with Information Technology in all sizes of business across most major industrial and financial sectors.

Most recently, Chris worked as Client Services Manager for RSM Moffat, an IT consultancy and outsourced IT services provider, predominantly to the City of London hedge fund sector. Throughout his career, he has been involved in support, consultancy and IT department management.

Referring to the new role at CEME, Chris says, “Taking up this exciting opportunity at CEME provides a fresh challenge – there is a lot of scope to apply my experience and knowledge to move the systems, already at a very high standard, up to the next level. We will be ready for future growth, needed to play our part in the Thames Regeneration project”.

By providing educational, training and business development opportunities, CEME is a beacon for the future development and prosperity of individuals and organisations with an interest in the manufacturing, engineering and technology sector. CEME is committed to the future regeneration of the local area by inspiring and sharing leading edge, best practice knowledge and skills application.

Chief Executive of CEME, Bill Williams, welcomed the appointments: “We’re delighted to add two individuals of the calibre of Matthew and Chris to the management team. They bring broad experience with them and are dedicated and capable managers who will lead our service provision to our many stakeholders as we take the next step in CEME’s development.”

CEME Ltd, a not for profit company, was formed as a partnership between Ford Motor Company, London Development Agency, Barking and Havering Further Education Colleges and the Heart of Thames Gateway. The £50 million campus opened in September 2003. CEME is growing again and is today the largest regeneration project of its type in Europe.