EEF appoints chief operating officer

The division provides advice, consultancy and training across all business areas, including HR and employment law, health and safety, environment, productivity improvement, apprenticeship and skills training, learning and development and information and research. Gumble's priority will be to ensure that the division continues to build the advice, support and skills solutions needed by businesses to overcome such challenges to their development and growth. Gumble joined EEF in 2003 and has held a number of leadership roles, latterly as executive director. Previously, she had held a number of senior positions in industry, including Lucas Diesel Systems and Ransomes, part of Textron Inc, where she was the international HR director. She said: "My role will be to ramp up the support we can offer all businesses, regardless of sector or size. "Companies are at the economic sharp end, driving growth, jobs and wealth. Too often important, but complicated issues such as HR and recruitment law, health and safety and up-skilling employees can be seen as a distraction – especially for companies fighting hard to emerge from recession. But if left untended they can hinder a firm's ability to flourish." She added: "Our role at EEF is to help businesses tackle these issues. We provide the expertise so that companies can get on with their 'day job', safe in the knowledge that they are protected, compliant and unlikely to come unstuck in the future. I am committed to ensuring that we continue to serve our member and client needs – improving our offering and demonstrating integrity, expertise and professionalism in everything we do."