Changing of the guard at FAC

David Barnes, OBE is to step down as chief executive officer of the Farnborough Aerospace Consortium (FAC), it has been announced.

After nearly 16 years in the role he is leaving the trade association in a robust position. Barnes brought a vast amount of experience to the consortium after a long and varied career in the RAF and in business.

Graham Chisnall, chairman of FAC, said: “I have known David for many of his FAC years. I’d like to pay my own personal thanks to his leadership and broader contribution on national committees and other forums during this time.

“As FAC adapts to a post-Covid aerospace sector he has decided to take advantage of the opportunity for change and will retire from FAC at the end of December.”

Barnes stated: “It has been a great pleasure to serve on of the longest established aerospace and defence trade body in the UK. I am proud of the work we have done, the businesses we’ve helped, the improvements we’ve assisted in bringing about in the aerospace and defence sectors and the legacy I leave behind. Having worked with Alan for several years I know the FAC is in good hands.”

Fisher added: “David is quite an act to follow and he has left behind an association that is highly regarded and respected around the world. The UK is a world leader in aerospace and post-Covid the task is to help the sector and businesses in its supply chain to recover and get back to where they were.”

Fisher is widely known throughout the aerospace sector, having held senior positions with a number of Tier 1 companies including Ultra Electronics and Raytheon Technologies. He has sat on the board of MEP as well as being international sales director at the ADS Group. He has also been an aerospace sector specialist with the Department for International Trade (DIT), providing expert international investment and trade advice. Furthermore he has supported the aerospace team of BEIS.

The FAC’s events are also returning with its annual conference set for November 25.

www.fac.org.uk