Management shake-up at Veolia ES

Key among the changes include the appointment of two new female directors, the promotion of the company’s head of technology, Richard Kirkman, and the enlargement of the companys executive committee from seven to nine.

Tom Spaul no longer holds the post of chief operating officer and is now executive director for external affairs, where he will be responsible for co-ordinating business with other Veolia Environnement businesses in the UK Veolia Water and Dalkia.

As a senior member of the executive committee, Mr Spaul had helped to oversee most tasks at Veolia for a period last year after former chief executive Jean Dominique Mallet stepped down due to ill health.

Keith Riley, former managing director for technology, has left Veolia. Mr Riley is currently still working for the company on a consultancy basis, but Veolia said he would be leaving this work in the near future. Mr Riley has set up Energy Gap, an asset developer in the energy recovery sector where he is chief executive.

Paul Jackson, former sales & development director, was also confirmed by Veolia as having recently left to pursue other interests and Veolia said it could not comment on this further.

Committee

With regards to its executive committee, Veolia said that two new directors had been brought in, bringing its membership to nine. The two new members are Marguerite Ulrich and Richard Kirkman.

Ms Ulrich took up the position of HR director this month, having previously worked as HR director for Veolia ES Technical Solutions in the United States. Her appointment comes amid a push for more women to be appointed to board and senior positions in the UK and a drive for more diversity.

Meanwhile Veolia explained that the promotion of Mr Kirkman, who was previously head of technology at Veolia, reflected the companys ongoing commitment to innovation and implementing new technology as part of its 1 billion investment in recycling and waste management infrastructure in the next six years. Among his other achievements, Mr Kirkman has been responsible for introducing an innovative MRF sorting technique to Veolia known as the magpie which helps the company to sort a greater array of plastics (see letsrecycle.com story)

Ms Ulrich and Mr Kirkman join existing executive committee members: Ms Brachlianoff (chief executive); David Gerrard (chief financial officer); Gavin Graveson (executive director); Kevin Hurst (marketing and communications director); David Lusher (executive director); Robert Hunt (chief administrative officer); and, Mr Spaul (executive director for external affairs).

Directors and regions

In other changes outside of the executive committee, Veolia said that it has also appointed a number of new directors.

This includes Sarah Mosely as hazardous waste director. Ms Mosely has worked her way up the ranks of Veolia after joining the company nine years ago.

Meanwhile, former northern regional director, Ian Williams, has been promoted to industrial services director where he will manage areas such as decommissioning. And, former regional director for municipal south, Jack Lavington, has become development director for the public sector.

At a more local level, Veolia has also appointed five new regional directors. These are: Pascal Hauret (London); Keith McGurk (East); Donald Macphails (Midlands); Ben Slater (South) and Philip Gilmour (North).

The changes at Veolia come amid a cost-cutting programme by the company’s parent company Veolia Environnement and some months after reports of a potential merger with SITA/Suez Environnement which have been denied by the two companies.