A new chair and vice chair have been appointed at the Federation of Awarding Bodies, the membership organisation for vocational awarding bodies in the UK.
The appointments of Paul Eeles (pictured above) and Terry Fennell (pictured below left) were announced today at the first day of the Annual FAB Conference, at the Marriott Hotel in Leicester.
Mr Eeles and Mr Fennell will replace Fiona Ballantine Dykes and David Grailey, who end their terms of office as current chair and vice chair today (October 20). 
The new chair and vice chair have both been co-opted members of the FAB board since 2014, and were fully elected in 2015.
They will take on responsibility for the governance of FAB and ensuring the organisation meets the needs of its 125 members.
Stephen Wright, chief executive of FAB, said he was “delighted” with the news.
He commented: “I have already enjoyed working with them both as board members and we all share the same passion to provide excellent practical support to members as well as driving the sector forward, strengthening its position among policy makers and helping to provide learners with the excellent technical and professional qualifications that they need.”
Mr Eeles has worked in the FE and skills sector for almost 30 years, including roles such as director of sector reforms at the Association of Employment and Learning Providers and, most recently, chief executive of emfec and ABC Awards.
This year, he also led the formation of the Skills and Education Group, a charity that aims to bring together education and skills organisations which share similar values.
Commenting on his new position, Mr Eeles said: “I am pleased to be taking on the role of chair at FAB during this turbulent time in the further education sector.
“While the sector continues to face challenges in light of interminable changes to post-16 educational policy, it is our role at FAB to ensure that we are offering the best service to our members in terms of promoting their needs and raising the profile of vocational education.”
Mr Fennell is group operations director of the Food and Drink Training and Education Council group of companies, which incorporates FDQ, an awarding body for qualifications in the food industry, and the Institute of Meat, a professional body for people in the meat industry.
He has previously worked at AELP and Improve, the sector skills council for food and drink manufacturing.
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