Meet the management Series

Introducing the people behind the CEA – here we talk to the chair of the CEA Management Council, Sam Mottram, who for his day job, is the Aftermarket & Attachments Growth Manager in the Building Construction Products Division of Caterpillar (UK) Ltd.

My involvement with the Construction Equipment Association’s (CEA) Management Council began after a colleague approached me about an opportunity available to replace him as Caterpillar’s representative. He thought it would be a good experience for me and he was right! It has been a great way to engage with the UK industry while continuing my global role with Caterpillar. The UK construction equipment industry has provided me with opportunities in the UK and overseas, new skills, role models and a host of unforgettable experiences. It is rewarding to be in a position now to be able to give back to the organization and help others realize the same benefits. I began my career with Caterpillar in 2001 as a design engineer working on our telehandler products, which we manufactured in our Desford facility at the time. From there, I went on to serve in various commercial roles overseas before coming back to the UK in 2010. In my current role with Caterpillar, I am the global Aftermarket & Attachments Manager for our Building and Construction Products Division.

My CEA role has evolved since first joining and today I Chair the CEA Management Council. The Management Council is the guiding voice to the CEA Executive Board, representing the membership. We guide the Executive Board on what members would like the association to focus on and execute in order to uphold the CEA’s mission to represent the construction equipment industry in the UK. The Management Council is made up of twelve CEA members who represent a cross section of

the total membership. From large multi-national Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) to Small and Medium Entreprise (SME) suppliers, we work to ensure a strong cross section is represented. If any CEA members are interested in getting involved with the Management Council, we would love to have you! You can contact me directly. We are always looking for new members.

The continued challenges brought on by the COVID-19 global pandemic and the changes related to Brexit are still top-of-mind for our members and we’ve worked hard to ensure that our membership stays well informed on those subjects. As announced on 1st September, I am delighted to have Suneeta Johal joining the organization as Chief Executive, replacing Rob Oliver. Suneeta’s background in association management and leadership will serve the CEA well and we are all excited to see what she can bring to the organization. I would also like to use this opportunity to thank Rob for his tremendous contributions over his 20 years with the CEA. He led with vigour, good humour and a passion and he will be missed! As we look forward, we’ve got a great opportunity to reflect on our direction as an association to ensure our path forward continues to serve our membership needs as well as the UK construction equipment industry. I would love to hear from the membership on how they think the association can continue to help and grow our industry so please look me up on LinkedIn or the CEA webpage to get in touch and share your ideas!