The Association for Consultancy and Engineering Group (ACE) has made two new appointments to its senior leadership team.
Ben Brittain has been appointed as public affairs director and Marie-Claude Hemming as policy director.
Communications and policy specialist Ms Hemming is a Highways magazine columnist and joined ACE on 30 June from the Civil Engineering Contractors Association (CECA).
With 13 years direct experience in infrastructure, Ms Hemming has a strong and popular profile at the top levels of the sector across the breadth of the construction industry.
Working closely with chief executive Alasdair Reisner, Ms Hemming helped make CECA one of the most influential bodies in infrastructure. It provided vital leadership throughout the COVID crisis and is playing a key role in the competency agenda in the wake of the Grenfell tragedy.
Ms Hemming currently supports the work of the Construction Leadership Council (CLC), and is responsible for its cross-industry workstreams on late payment and fairer contractual terms.
As ACE’s new director of policy, she will help develop and deliver the association’s policy activity. She will also lead on engagement with key decision makers, clients and the delivery of ACE’s policy event programme.
Ms Hemming said: 'I am excited to work with the team to ensure ACE Group is always the first point of call for decision makers within the construction and infrastructure spheres.
'I look forward to championing the work of ACE Group so that every political voice understands the role our sector plays. Together we will deliver the world-class infrastructure and growth the UK so desperately needs.'
Mr Brittain is an experienced policy and public affairs professional with a diverse career spanning academia, corporate and political advisory roles.
He was an advisor to Andy Street, former Mayor of the West Midlands, leading on portfolios including transport, economy and the environment, helping shape policies to drive sustainable growth and connectivity.
As director of public affairs at ACE - a new position at the association – he will play a key role in managing and delivering the organisation’s public affairs and communications activity.
He took up his post on 19 May 2025.
Kate Jennings, chief executive officer at ACE Group, said: 'Ben and Marie-Claude are joining ACE at an exciting time, with the government looking to publish the industrial and infrastructure strategies.
'They will support the outstanding contributions to infrastructure our members are making and continue to build collaboration with government.'
The ACE Group comprises both ACE and EIC.
The Association for Consultancy and Engineering (ACE) is the leading business association for more than 400 professional consultancy and engineering companies who design, deliver, and manage the UK’s infrastructure and built environment.
The Environmental Industries Commission (EIC) represents the companies, large and small, working in the environmental services and technologies sector to deliver a more sustainable society.
