Fire risk assessment and fire safety consulting specialist MAF Associates has made three key appointments designed to strengthen its head office and technical teams as the business prepares for the year ahead. Demand for its services is expected to grow as enforcement of the Fire Safety Act 2021 begins, PAS 9980 is unveiled and the Building Safety Bill passes into law.

The organisation’s front line team has been boosted with the hiring of Mark Wells (pictured) as façade project manager and Ben Mason in the role of fire risk assessment manager, while Trudy Pickard joins the team at MAF Associates’ Leicestershire head office as client services co-ordinator.

“Whereas 2021 was a relatively quiet year as we waited for legislation to be passed and guidance to be published, we can expect 2022 to be a busy one, which is why we wanted to ensure that we had the right people in place to meet expected demand,” explained Mike Fox, founder and managing director of MAF Associates. “With new legislation coming into force and rapidly evolving Government policy on the issue of defective cladding, our surveying and fire risk assessment teams are going to be very busy. On that basis, it was vital for us to hire individuals with the appropriate skills and experience.”

Fox went on to state: “One thing that has become clear since Grenfell Tower is that the UK doesn’t have enough professionals to meet the demand for all of the inspections and surveys required, and notably so when it comes to external inspections and cladding. We take great pride in being one of the few companies that can offer a full range of internal and external fire risk assessments. Our new recruits will further enhance that capability.”

Industry veteran

One of those new recruits, Mark Wells is an industry veteran with broad experience and a range of skills that will prove extremely valuable to MAF Associates and its clients.

Wells commented: “After working in the Middle East for a decade, and subsequently on projects as diverse as the Abu Dhabi F1 Circuit and the Walkie Talkie in the City of London, I’ve found my skills to be in unprecedented demand over the last five years. I’m pleased to be joining the MAF Associates team. There’s a clear mission to support bringing all UK buildings up to the proper fire safety standards, while also offering the training and support to bring more people into the industry.”

In addition, Wells informed Fire Safety Matters: “One thing that MAF Associates also clearly understands is that a remote team of surveyors, assessors and consultants is only as good as the support team behind it, which means that the people in the office who process reports, listen to project briefs and deliver responses are every bit as important as the personnel out on the road.”

Building inspection and investigations

MAF Associates was launched in 2010, initially focusing on the provision of expert witness services for insurers and construction companies. Before founding the business, Mike Fox had worked for three decades in the construction sector, including posts with roofing, cladding and building products-centred companies.

Since 2015, Fox has built the company into one of the UK’s leading building inspection and investigation businesses, with a multi-skilled team providing detailed reporting and analysis for insurers, building management and construction companies.

MAF Associates’ clients include many household names, with the main aim of the team focused on building trusted and long-lasting partnerships with them.