The Lifting Equipment Engineers Association (LEEA) has announced the appointment of Alex Beltrao as director of compliance. Beltrao expressed his enthusiasm for the role, stating, “I am looking forward to contributing to the growth of LEEA together with its membership and to solidify the Association as the worldwide reference for lifting equipment safety.”
Beltrao’s new role involves managing and disseminating LEEA's technical knowledge to benefit its members. This includes providing technical advice, developing guidance documents and codes, and participating in the development of new standards or legislation on behalf of the members.
“Being director of compliance requires a mix of technical background and an understanding of global standardization and regulatory frameworks,” said Beltrao. “It was therefore a great opportunity to use my skills and knowledge to help achieve LEEA’s ambitious new goal of reaching 5000 members.”
Beltrao brings a wealth of experience to the position. Trained as a civil engineer with a decade of experience in designing steel structures, he moved to Brussels in 2013 to work for the European Committee for Standardization as program manager for the construction sector. In this role, he oversaw the development of European standards and facilitated communication between technical committees, CEN members, and the European Commission. Prior to joining LEEA, he worked for Tata Steel in the UK.
Reflecting on LEEA, Beltrao said, “Having worked with many industry associations in the construction, steel, and gas sectors, I was very impressed with LEEA’s history of contributing to a safer lifting industry and how it was able to evolve from chain testers to addressing the wider industry, developing guidance and training, and expanding the membership in the UK and internationally.”
He added, “With the expansion of LEEA to members in new geographies, new markets, and new stakeholders in the supply chain, the challenge is to adapt and grow our knowledge base and services in a way that is relevant to them and helps them to improve the safety of the industry.”
Beltrao's appointment as director of compliance is one of three key senior management appointments made by LEEA this spring. The executive management team, including CEO Ross Moloney, will work closely together on the strategic development of the association. Moloney commented, “We are proud to welcome Alex to the LEEA team. He brings tremendous experience to the role of leading and managing our compliance work, with responsibility for all aspects of policy, research, and audit quality, which is a crucial aspect of the support that LEEA provides to members.”