CRH’s Albert Manifold elected president of Global Cement and Concrete Association (GCCA)

723 CRH chief executive Albert Manifold has been elected founding president of the newly formed Global Cement and Concrete Association (GCCA), formed to tackle global construction challenges and promote strong leadership in the manufacture and use of concrete.

Manifold was elected by the GCCA’s board of chief executives drawn from leading global cement businesses during the Association’s foundation meeting in London, England. Fernando A. González, chief executive of 643 CEMEX, and Jianglin Cao, chief executive of CNBM, were also elected as GCCA founding vice-presidents.

The GCCA currently brings together ten leading companies from the industry covering all continents: CEMEX, CNBM, CRH, Dangote, Eurocement, HeidelbergCement, LafargeHolcim, Taiheiyo, Ultratech and Votorantim. All board appointments are on an interim basis until formal elections can take place of the full board comprising 15 members at the organisation’s first Annual General Meeting to be held in London in November 2018.

Speaking at the GCCA foundation meeting on Friday 25 May, Manifold said: “We are proud to launch this new global cement and concrete advocacy platform. Cement and concrete are integral elements of the built environment around the world and the GCCA represents a strong sector-wide voice and responsible industrial leadership in the manufacture and use of these materials.

“It is an honour to be elected as the founding president. Concrete is the world’s second most consumed product after water, and as an industry we have a responsibility to demonstrate how innovative and sustainable concrete solutions contribute positively to the built environment. As members of the GCCA we will work together to anticipate global construction challenges and society’s development needs into the future.”

The GCCA will introduce its executive team, present a detailed work programme and launch its Sustainability Charter at its forthcoming Annual General Meeting (AGM). The AGM will be accompanied by a high-level conference aimed at exploring ways to promote innovation in the construction value chain. Speakers and panellists will be announced nearer the date.

The GCCA has established its headquarters in London.

Membership of the GCCA is open to cement and concrete manufacturers from all over the world that share the organisation’s values, and partnerships will be developed with organisations within the construction sector and beyond that share its vision.