Martin Knights Elected President of ITAAs widely expected, Martin Knights was elected president of the ITA at the recent Prague conference. Martin has 35 years post graduate civil engineering experience, predominantly in tunnelling and underground space, and is director of an international engineering company. He has seven years experience of the management of ITA affairs, including three years as Vice President and over ten years of membership of the UK Committee. He believes the central mission of the ITA should be to demonstrate to the industry, clients, government, financial and educational institutions the value and relevance of promoting the best practise in tunnelling and the use of underground space worldwide. The immediate challenge for ITA is to manage change, including that of its evolving new Secretariat organisation.The industry faces a shortage of qualified management and technical professionals and skilled practitioners. Martin believes ITA must seek to maintain the interest of the current members and experienced people, whilst finding new ways to encourage younger membership and participation. Martin is a good communicator, having contributed many papers and magazine articles on a variety of subjects over the years. He is also author of the popular History of Tunnelling, published in 1989.We look forward with positive anticipation to the next four years of ITA under the tutelage of Martin Knights as president, and will support his efforts to build a dynamic, modern, outward-looking organization to lead this industry. 20/07.