British Expertise International (BEI), the UK’s leading membership organisation for UK-based companies exporting infrastructure services, has appointed Derrick Sanyahumbi as its new chief executive officer. He takes over from Tom Cargill, who has been appointed as CEO of Wilton Park, an executive agency of the Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office.

Sanyahumbi has been with BEI for just over three years and was previously the organisation’s chief operating officer. He joined BEI back in November 2017 as director for international development and previous to that he worked in marketing and communications roles for Palladium, an international advisory and management company.

Commenting on his appointment as CEO, Sanyahumbi said: “I am delighted to be picking up the reigns from Tom and leading BEI in its next chapter. I take over a great team that has successfully generated more value for our members and built more effective connectivity between UK government, business and key networks in critical areas of international engagement, notably trade and international development as well as foreign policy.”

BEI will continue its growth strategy, under its new leadership with support from Campbell Keir, senior advisor infrastructure, who was previously director for infrastructure and energy at the UK Department for International Trade. Outgoing CEO Tom Cargill will continue to support and contribute to BEI’s strategic focus, as he joins BEI’s advisory group as deputy chair as well as continuing as non-executive chair of the British Foreign Policy Group, BEI holding company Strategy International’s foreign policy and trade policy research group. 

Leveraging its depth of experience and leadership in both infrastructure and international development, the new team will continue to build on BEI’s support to its members and key partners in driving UK expertise internationally and delivering trade growth. Looking ahead, BEI will also be looking to further enhance its partnerships with the UK and foreign governments in support of improved markets access and opportunities for UK exporters of infrastructure, capacity building and international development.

Sanyahumbi has extensive experience of working in southern Africa and Asia, having worked for the UN, the World Bank’s International Finance Cooperation and the Netherlands Development Agency - SNV, on private sector development related programmes. Prior to this he built a successful career in marketing over 15 years in the Southern African tobacco industry. His expertise combines real world experience of the practicalities of operating in developing countries with a sound understanding of the UK and international private sector and the policies and operations of government and multilateral organisations. 

Along with other parts of the Strategy International group, BEI is actively involved in the current national effort to define and execute a successful post-Brexit, post-Covid strategy for the UK. 

Outgoing CEO, Tom Cargill said: “Derrick brings great experience and drive to this role and I firmly believe BEI will continue to grow from strength to strength in his capable hands. I am delighted to have the opportunity to continue supporting BEI’s work in an advisory role as deputy chair of the BEI’s Advisory Group.”

Peter O’Kane, BEI chairman said, “Derrick has worked at the top of a great team for two years in materially developing and enhancing BEI’s customer value proposition. He is the ideal candidate to now build success for BEI’s expanding membership and for it to make a major contribution to achieving trade success for post-Brexit Britain. We thank Tom for his great contribution, wish him all the best and look forward to working with him at Wilton Park. ”

BEI and Wilton Park will look to develop new partnerships to build more effective national industry-government collaboration strengthening the UK’s place in the world and in this way continue to underline the very productive relationship between BEI, its members and government.