EEF, the manufacturers’ organisation, has appointed Caroline Gumble to the new position of Chief Operating Officer where she will be responsible for building its blossoming Business Services Division.

The move comes at a critical time, with businesses emerging from recession and looking for expert support as they start to ramp up growth again. Caroline’s division provides advice, consultancy and training across all business areas, including HR and employment law, health and safety, environment, productivity improvement, apprenticeship and skills training, learning and development and information and research.

Businesses face significant challenges in these areas – it recently emerged that British companies could be hit with a multi-billion pound bill over backdated holiday pay following EU rulings. At the same time, manufacturers in particular face a recruitment ‘crunch’, with almost a million replacement workers needed by 2020, but the quality and quantity of graduates failing to match up to industry needs.

Caroline’s priority will be to ensure that EEF’s Business Services Division continues to build the advice, support and skills solutions needed by businesses to overcome such challenges to their development and growth.

Caroline joined EEF in 2003 and has held a number of key leadership roles, latterly as Executive Director. Previously she had held a number of senior positions in industry, including Lucas Diesel Systems and Ransomes, part of Textron Inc, where she was the International HR Director.

Caroline Gumble, Chief Operating Officer at EEF, says: "EEF already has an excellent reputation in business services, but my role will be to ramp up the support we can offer all businesses, regardless of sector or size.

“Companies are at the economic sharp end, driving growth, jobs and wealth. Too often important but complicated issues, such as HR and recruitment law, health and safety and up-skilling employees, can be seen as a distraction – especially for companies fighting hard to emerge from recession. But if left untended they can hinder a firm’s ability to flourish.

“Our role at EEF is to help businesses tackle these issues. We provide the expertise so that companies can get on with their ‘day job’, safe in the knowledge that they are protected, compliant and unlikely to come unstuck in the future. I am committed to ensuring that we continue to serve our member and client needs – improving our offering and demonstrating integrity, expertise and professionalism in everything we do."

Terry Scuoler, CEO of EEF, says: “I am delighted to appoint Caroline to this role. She will bring a wealth of hands-on industry experience and energy and will take our Business Services Division to the next level. Her appointment is the next stage of EEF’s journey as we further invest in, deepen and broaden the support we are able to offer manufacturers and British business as a whole.”