Harington steps down as VESA chairman

Allen Harington will step down as Chairman of The Vehicle Security Association of South Africa (VESA) at the end of March when the company meets for its annual general meeting.

Harington is leaving to pursue opportunities in his position as CEO of Orbtech.

"I have recently patented a new product at Orbtech, which will bring a whole new dimension to vehicle security, and I believe my position at VESA will conflict with bringing it to market," says Harington. "The intensity of preparing this exciting new product for launch and the associated management also has a tremendous impact on my available time, which in itself is not fair to VESA and its members. However, during the past months at VESA, I have been working on concepts to formalise communication channels between the vehicle security industry and the Insurance Industry. I will continue to work on this."

One of the visions for this new forum is to act as an intermediary where it will brief insurers about the products and services available in the vehicle security industry, and feed vendors in the market information about the insurers' requirements that will be an enhancement to current and future products and services.

"In relation to this, VESA needs to be seen as being a proactive body that gives VESA's manufacturing members and insurers a formal platform of interaction," says Harington. "It will complement VESA's role, which is to regulate the overall quality and minimum manufacturing quality standards, by assisting in the establishment of design criteria up-front before design and development costs have been incurred."

"The closing of SAIA Approved has left a gap in the market and VESA must vigorously pursue the opportunity to fill this void," he says. "I believe the formalisation of this channel will complement that. Once this has been established, my involvement will end and I will continue focusing on my business."
|
Harington adds that his role at VESA is complete. "I have promoted from the onset that I do not view myself as a long-term chairman of VESA. Our role as a board was to implement sound business and management structures in order for VESA to fulfil its objectives and capitalise on current and future industry changes. We have achieved that. It is time for me to hand over the reins to the next generation to take VESA to the next level," he concludes. "VESA is now in a position to redefine itself in line with industry changes and expectations, as and when they occur."