Malcolm Thomson has been elected president of the Building Engineering Services Association (the BESA) for 2016/17.

He began his career in 1972 as a technician apprentice with Sadia Airofreeze, studying at Willesden College of Technology. After completing his training, he installed and serviced supermarket display cabinets and cold rooms for BOC Linde and later joined Subcool, which specialised in commissioning large centrifugal and absorption chillers, where he rose to the position of director.

He became a director and co-owner of Halcyon Air in 1985 before founding Enigma Environmental Services in 1999, which provides a range of cooling and associated building engineering services, both in the UK and overseas. He is also co-owner of Kelvin Ross Engineering, which specialises in marine air conditioning.

A fellow of the Institute of Refrigeration and a director of the Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Industry Board, Malcolm is a former chairman of the BESA South Midlands Regional Branch and vice chairman of the Refrigeration, Air Conditioning and Heat Pump Group, and a member of the Membership Committee. He was elected vice president in July 2014, and president elect in July 2015.

Malcolm succeeded to the presidency of BESA at its annual general meeting on Thursday 7 July 2016.

At the same meeting, Tim Hopkinson of Hargreaves Ductwork became president elect, while Giuseppe Borgese of Bouygues E&S FM UK was elected vice president. Jim Marner of Interserve Engineering Services will serve during 2016/17 as immediate past president.