New Chair elected to lead global plastic treaty negotiations
The Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC) has elected Julio Cordano as Chair to lead negotiations on a global, legally binding treaty on plastic pollution.
The appointment was confirmed during the third part of the fifth INC session (INC-5.3).
Ambassador Cordano will guide talks aimed at delivering an international agreement to tackle plastic pollution worldwide.
Accepting the role, he said: “Plastic pollution is a planetary problem that affects every country, community and individual.
“Therefore, a treaty is urgently needed to support concerted action and bring us together to address this shared responsibility.
“I am willing and determined to play a leading role in helping the Committee cross the finish line.”
Following the decision, the Committee also elected Linroy Christian of Antigua and Barbuda as Vice-Chair.
INC Executive Secretary Jyoti Mathur-Filipp added: “I congratulate Ambassador Cordano on his election and look forward to supporting the Committee under his leadership as it carries forward its mandate.”
EPA appoints Eimear Cotter as new Director General
The board of the Environmental Protection Agency has appointed Eimear Cotter as its new Director General, with the role taking effect from 8 March 2026.
Cotter has served as a Director at the EPA since 2017 and was appointed Deputy Director General in May 2025.
She currently leads the Office of Evidence and Assessment, with responsibility for climate policy including carbon emissions trading, water management, environmental research and data analytics.
She previously headed the Office of Environmental Sustainability, overseeing environmental licensing.
Alongside her EPA roles, she is a board member at the Institute of Art, Design and Technology.
The EPA said her experience across regulation, research and climate policy will support the agency’s next phase of delivery.
Jon Harley named as Managing Director of REA
Renewable Energy Assurance (REA) has appointed Jon Harley as its new Managing Director, with the role commencing on 7 April 2026.
Harley joins having previously held senior leadership roles at Gemserv, now part of Talan, where he served on the board and led major energy delivery and consultancy programmes.
Harley commented: “The organisation has a strong track record of delivering trust, confidence and clarity for consumers and businesses, and I see significant opportunity to build on this foundation — expanding our profile and impact across renewable energy and the circular economy in the years ahead.”
Most recently, he was General Manager at SSE Energy Solutions, overseeing significant investments in energy infrastructure.
He has also worked as an executive coach to CEOs and board leaders across major brands.
Robbie Staniforth takes on new Chief Policy and Impact Officer role
Ecosurety has appointed Robbie Staniforth as its new Chief Policy and Impact Officer, marking his ninth role progression within the company across nearly 15 years.
Staniforth said that he will step away from the day-to-day operations to work on the business more, building up the ecosystem of the company.
Staniforth commented on LinkedIn: “Over the past 5 years, I have increasingly been positioned in the lookout tower for the company as we navigate legislation change and deliver against our mission to rid the world of unnecessary packaging.
“While I love the technical detail of policy and the on the ground impactful work of recycling projects, I also want to amplify my contribution by building the best possible (business) ecosystem that delivers the most possible change.
“I’m looking forward to developing and executing even bigger and better plans through our exciting pipeline of products and services as the world moves from single use to reuse.”
Valpak promotes Phillip Crum to Director of Data Insights
Valpak, part of Reconomy, has promoted Phillip Crum to Director of Data Insights as it expands its global data services offering.
Crum has spent 11 years with Valpak and most recently led development of its Supplier Data Hub and Insight Platform, focused on automation, improved accuracy and future-ready data systems.
His promotion aligns with the launch of Valpak’s Global Data Insights service, designed to help brands and retailers manage packaging obligations, recyclability and extended producer responsibility (EPR) costs across multiple countries.
In his new role, Crum will head a 250-strong data team overseeing regulatory and commercial datasets covering more than 60 million packaging products worldwide.
Crum commented: “My role is to provide that assurance, making sure that Valpak’s platforms, processes and people deliver trusted data and scalable systems in an increasingly complex data landscape.”
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