Second-ever early careers president joins CIWM Presidential Team
CIWM has announced the appointment of Emma Mulligan as its new Early Careers President, succeeding Charlotte Davies ahead of the institution’s new presidential term.
Mulligan joins the Presidential Team from within CIWM’s Early Careers community and will champion the interests of emerging professionals entering the waste and resources sector through a variety of pathways, including apprenticeships, graduate schemes and career transitions.
Currently a Senior Consultant at Rooted, Mulligan has more than six years’ experience in the waste and resources sector, having previously held roles at WSP and AECOM.
She has supported public and private sector organisations across the UK on sustainability, circular economy, and waste and resource management challenges.
An active CIWM member, Mulligan currently serves as an Early Careers Ambassador and elected Regional Committee Member for London and Southern Counties.
She succeeds Charlotte Davies, the first person to hold the Early Careers President role, who helped establish the position through initiatives including reverse mentoring and outreach programmes designed to strengthen engagement with the next generation of industry professionals.
Environment Agency chair to step down in 2026
Alan Lovell is to step down as Chair of the Environment Agency at the end of December 2026, following an extended term in the role.
Lovell took up the position in September 2022 and has overseen the organisation during a period of significant change, including efforts to strengthen regulation in the water sector and tackle waste crime.
A recruitment process to appoint his successor will take place over the summer.
Lovell said: “It has been a privilege to serve as Chair of the Environment Agency over the past four years.
“I am enormously proud of what the organisation has achieved and deeply grateful to the dedicated staff whose professionalism and commitment make the EA what it is.”
Environment Secretary Emma Reynolds thanked Lovell for his service, adding: “I thank Alan for his dedication to the Environment Agency and his commitment to strengthening its regulatory approach and sharpening its operational effectiveness.”
Jarno Stet joins WRWA as Director of Waste Management
Jarno Stet has been appointed Director of Waste Management at Western Riverside Waste Authority (WRWA), bringing to an end a 23-year career with Westminster City Council.
Stet will take up the role later this month, where he will oversee the treatment and river transport of waste generated by around one million residents across WRWA’s four central London boroughs.
He joined Westminster’s Waste and Cleansing team in 2003 as a graduate officer, working on Church Street Market and the Edgware Road, and has since held a variety of roles within the authority.
Stet’s final working day with Westminster City Council will be 30 June 2026.
Epoch Biodesign appoints new CTO to drive recycling scale-up
Epoch Biodesign has appointed Dr Bo Ava Chen as Chief Technology Officer as the company prepares to scale up its enzymatic recycling technology.
Chen joins the business at a pivotal stage in its growth, with Epoch’s demonstration facility at Imperial College London’s North Acton campus currently being fitted out ahead of a planned opening in late 2026.
Bringing more than 20 years of biotechnology experience, Chen most recently served as Vice President of Process Development at Geno, where she led programmes spanning the full commercialisation pipeline.
She has also held senior positions at BP Group Technology and BP Biofuels and Advanced Bioproducts.
Jacob Nathan, founder and CEO of Epoch Biodesign, said Chen’s appointment marked “a significant step” in building the team needed to take the company’s technology to global commercial production.
Chen added: “Plastics recycling is important for both sustainability and for supply chain resilience.
“I have spent my career bridging R&D and commercial production, and I look forward to working with Jacob, the team and our partners to get the demo site at Grapht Works operational and to build the production capacity to make genuinely circular nylon 6,6 recycling a reality.”
Cheshire West Recycling appoints operations director
Cheshire West Recycling (CWR) has appointed James Tams as its new Operations Director, with him set to join the business at the end of August.
Tams brings experience spanning local authority waste services, council operations and large-scale logistics, having previously held roles at Bristol Waste Company, South Derbyshire District Council and Amazon.
CWR said the breadth of Tams’ background made him “a great fit” as the organisation continues to strengthen its services, support its workforce and deliver for the communities it serves.
Alongside his operational expertise, the company highlighted Tams’ alignment with its values and vision, citing his focus on people, practical delivery and continuous improvement, as well as a commitment to getting things right first time.
CWR added on LinkedIn: “We very much look forward to welcoming James to the team at the end of the summer.”
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