Melanie Fasham, Managing Director of Fasham Pty Ltd, was inaugurated yesterday as the new president of Master Builders Association of Victoria at a dinner ceremony at the River Room, Crown. Following several years of productive service on the Board of Directors, Ms Fasham breaks new ground as the first woman to hold the office.

Over 100 guests joined Master Builders Association of Victoria CEO Radley de Silva as he presided over the evening program.

“Master Builders is very fortunate to have Ms Fasham advancing to the President’s seat. Not only will our association benefit from her deep and diverse experience in the building industry, but her leadership on the Board demonstrates that our industry welcomes and represents men and women alike in every role,” Mr de Silva said.

Ms Fasham is a registered builder with a background in chemical engineering and process quality management for global manufacturers. At Fasham Pty Ltd, she sources and manages suppliers of materials and services, estimates building projects and oversees construction methods and schedules.

“I believe that as leaders of the building and construction industry, which is Victoria’s second-largest full-time employer, Master Builders has a responsibility to lobby for critical infrastructure works and to promote legislation that protects Victorians from the increasingly uncompetitive cost of construction in this state,” Ms Fasham said.

“We also have a responsibility to lobby strongly for housing affordability for all Victorians, as our state grows at a record pace,” she said.

“We thank our outgoing President, Peter Picking, for his devoted service over the past two years. Mr Picking has been instrumental in helping to spearhead our campaign to arrive at a sustainable Industry Enterprise Bargaining Agreement, including an in-depth study of the state of the industry in Victoria prepared by Deloitte Access Economics,” Mr de Silva said.

Ms Fasham will serve as President on the Board of Directors for a two-year term.