The BAFE Group has announced a restructure. A new operating model brings BAFE Holdings, the BAFE Fire Safety Register and FireQual into a more integrated Group structure, with a shared service delivery model. David Barnes has been appointed BAFE Technical Manager, with responsibility for the operation, monitoring and ongoing performance of BAFE schemes.
At FireQual, Gillian Lees has been appointed Qualifications Development and Assessment Manager. She’s leading the development and assessment of qualifications, supported by Maria Annakin as Qualifications and Assessment Officer, with responsibility for ongoing delivery and administration. The Group is recruiting for a Group Service Delivery Manager and Group Finance Manager.
The restructure follows a series of changes to the leadership of the BAFE Group over recent years. Lewis Ramsay joined the executive leadership as Chief Operating Officer in 2025, while the Board oversight has seen the appointments of Jim Fitzpatrick as Chair of BAFE Holdings, Howard Passey as Chair of BAFE Ltd and Douglas Barnett as Chair of FireQual.
Dr Justin Maltby-Smith, Group CEO of BAFE Holdings, pictured, said: “We have been working towards this new operating model for some time and its completion gives us the foundations we need to take the Group forward. The life safety sector is entering a period of significant change, with evolving regulatory requirements and growing expectations around competence and assurance. The new structure puts BAFE and FireQual in a great position to anticipate those changes and work with our partners and the wider sector to influence how they develop, rather than simply responding as they happen.
“It gives us an opportunity to build on these relationships, collaborate more closely with other industry bodies and play a greater role in championing competence, independent third-party certification and assessment across the UK.”
BAFE adds that it’s preparing to relaunch several schemes after reviewing, while FireQual is developing new qualifications aligned with the latest British Standards.
Dr Maltby-Smith added: “The work undertaken across the Group over the last few years has given us a strong foundation, but our ambitions go beyond the day-to-day operation of schemes and qualifications. We want to use our expertise and influence to support higher standards across life safety and help make independently demonstrated competence an increasingly normal and expected part of how the sector operates.”
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