Simon Ayers has joined TrustMark as its new chief executive, taking over from Alan Slaney who ran the organisation as interim chief executive officer since June 2013. Mr Slaney has now returned to the Board as a non-executive director.

Mr Ayers joins TrustMark from Capita Business Systems (Energy), where he was a project director in the building services sector and head of two operational businesses. He has also been a customer services director and operations director for the Gas Safe Register, and in 2012 he led the successful establishment and delivery of a number of new energy-efficiency initiatives for Scottish & Southern Energy.

He has extensive knowledge and experience of running and developing consumer-facing businesses that promote accredited tradespeople and SMEs in the domestic and commercial repair, maintenance and improvement sectors, and of cultivating and delivering major new business opportunities through organic growth and acquisition strategies.

“I’m really thrilled to be joining TrustMark and to be spearheading the future direction of the organization,” said Mr Ayers. “It is also a great opportunity for me to drive forward my passion to support consumers and to help build the reputation of the trades to ensure they continue to deliver quality services.

“TrustMark has huge potential, real momentum following the relaunch, and a strong vote of commitment from government, industry and consumer groups. My role will be to extend TrustMark’s consumer protection work, and to explore and exploit all the further growth opportunities.

“TrustMark’s bold vision is for a future where rogue traders are effectively eliminated from the RMI sector because of the widespread recognition of TrustMark as the quality mark to look out for. Because of the extent of industry support and take up, and because the consumer will always choose to use TrustMark registered firms, I firmly believe that we can achieve this vision.”

TrustMark chairman Liz Male added: “The Board would also like to thank Alan for his exceptional achievements in steering TrustMark through the major changes of the last 12 months to its leading position today. It means that Simon joins us at what is probably the most pivotal and exciting stage of TrustMark’s development since it was created in 2005.”