Yvonne Orgill to step down from UWLA

Yvonne Orgill, the managing director of the Unified Water Label Association (UWLA), has just announced her plans to step down, as she will become the new president of the Chartered Institute of Plumbing and Heating Engineers (CIPHE).

Orgill has led the UWLA since its formation in 2020. A prominent figure in the KBB sector, she also previously held the position of chief executive of the Bathroom Manufacturers Association (BMA) between 2006 and 2019.

She is also a firm advocate for women in the KBB industry, being named as the first female chairperson of NHIC and the NHIC trustees. In addition, she is also a non-executive board member of the British Institute of KBB Installation (BiKBBI).

Orgill will officially retire from the UWLA next year, by which time the association says it will have selected a replacement for her role.

Discussing the legacy she has built with the association, Orgill said: “Building the UWLA from an almost start-up 15 years ago to where it is today, recognised as the pre-eminent product-based water label in the UK and Europe, has been an honour and a privilege.”

UWLA president, Carlos Velazquez also said: “Yvonne has been a charismatic and effective leader at UWLA, bringing together many different organisations to work towards a common goal. I would like to thank Yvonne most sincerely for her leadership and vision. On behalf of the board, I wish her and her family all the very best for the future.”

Moving into her new role as president of CIPHE, Orgill says her priorities are firmly set on progressing its initiatives, such as new apprenticeship standards, in the name of raising professional standards.

Commenting on her new role, Orgill said: “The [plumbing and heating] industry is facing a number of challenges, from an aging workforce to advising customers on how to implement efficiencies and low carbon technologies within their homes. More than this, plumbers and heating installers have an essential role to play in ensuring we have robust infrastructure in place so we, as a population, can have good sanitation, drainage, and improved quality of water.”

The UWLA says that it is actively seeking new candidates to fill the managing director position that Orgill is vacating. It says it is looking for “an individual who is a self-motivated leader”. The closing date for applications is October 18.

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