The appointment of the new executive is seen as important to activities in the packaging waste sector which faces higher targets this year and in the future for the recycling of materials including metals, plastic, paper, wood and glass. Valpak buys about 2 million PRNs each year.
Mr Cox, 44, spent under a year with Railtrack before leaving following a decision by the then chairman that the post was not needed.
The new chief executive will bring with him experience of working in the environmental sector and some knowledge of the waste management industry. Before joining Railtrack on September 1 2000, Mr Cox worked for the Kelda Group as managing director. Kelda was formerly known as Yorkshire Water plc which Mr Cox joined in 1992. Between 1979 and 1992 he held a range of management positions in the Royal Dutch/Shell Group and is also a member of the University of York Environmental Advisory Board.
Waste interests
At the time he was with the company, Kelda had landfill and energy from waste interests including a 46% stake in the Waste Recycling Group.
In his new post – which at 170,000 attracts one of the highest salaries within the recycling sector – Mr Cox would be expected to look closely at the whole structure of Valpak. He won praise from the Kelda board for his strategy review work, and his expected appointment to Valpak comes at a time when the compliance scheme is seeing a considerable change in its management structure with the departure of some key figures.
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