Bessell, who was inaugurated at Kings Place, London, brings experience across public, private, legal and governmental planning practice. Currently a Strategic Planning Adviser at Pinsent Masons, she has worked on a range of planning projects, from community-led initiatives and neighbourhood plans to nationally significant infrastructure projects.

Bessell is the immediate past Board Chair of the National Infrastructure Planning Association and a member of the Building with Nature Standards Board.

In her inaugural address, Bessell announced her collaboration with Content with Purpose to produce a new series of inspirational short films, launching on World Town Planning Day 2026. The digital series will showcase how positive planning outcomes have shaped, and continue to shape, communities across the UK.

Delivered through active planning partnerships, the series will demonstrate how planners and delivery partners, working at all scales, create places and projects that make a lasting positive difference.

As she told delegates in her inaugural address: “As I begin this presidential year, my message is simple: Planning with Purpose is not just a theme; it is a call to action. Let us engage, let us innovate, let us lead. Let us show the world that planning is not a barrier, but a collaborative bridge, a bridge to thriving communities, resilient environments, sustainable infrastructure, positive economic outcomes and a future we can all be proud of.”