ESA ON TWITTER
Meet the ESA Team
ESA Staff
Jacob Hayler - Executive Director
Jacob joined ESA from the City in 2005 as an Economist, and has spent most of the past 10 years focused on developing market-focused policies that combine environmental and economic sustainability. Jacob has retained responsibility for policy relating to finance, tax, carbon management, contracts and energy from waste.
Sam Corp - Head of Regulation
Sam leads on a wide range of regulatory and policy areas within ESA, including the sectors’ role in tackling waste crime, environmental permitting, the management of hazardous waste and the regulation of landfill. Sam also plays a key role in contingency planning activities for ESA and its members.
Stephen Freeland - Policy Advisor / SESA Co-ordinator
Stephen's role as policy advisor is to help inform the development of H&S and environmental policy on behalf of the industry. As SESA co-ordinator, Stephen looks after policy, regulation and engagement with the Scottish Government.
Charlotte Rule - Head of Climate and Energy Policy
Charlotte is responsible for policy relating to the ESA’s Net-Zero commitments and Energy from Waste (EfW). She seeks to promote policy in three key areas to ensure the sectors’ decarbonisation roadmap is achieved: increased recycling, decarbonising non-recyclable waste treatment, and transitioning vehicles and fuel use to zero emission sources.
Patrick Brighty - Head of Recycling Policy
Patrick is responsible for developing policy relating to dry recyclables, biowaste and WEEE regulation. He seeks to drive the sector’s positive commitment to implementing the Government’s flagship Resources and Waste Strategy reforms, and ensure that the sector sets voluntarily high standards for waste exports.
Emilia Peters - Environmental Social Governance (ESG) Policy Officer
As the ESA's ESG Policy Officer, Emilia leads the Association’s policy development across environmental and social issues affecting the recycling and waste management industry. She is the principal ESA policy contact for biodiversity, carbon reporting and social value for ESA Members.
Toni Lockhart - Membership Communications and Events Manager
Toni manages the ESA Membership communications channels (internal communications, social media and the website) as well as supporting all external communications (trade and national press enquiries). She manages all ESA Membership applications and onboarding, and is the main point of contact for member companies. Toni also organises all ESA events, and is the point of liason for external events.
Anita McCarthy - Office Manager
Anita manages the ESA reception and the meeting room bookings. She is the first point of contact at ESA. She is hands on with the day to day running of the offices and assists the Policy Team when required with administration.
ESA Board
BOARD CHAIR
Michael Topham
Chief Executive - Biffa
Michael was appointed ESA Chair in November 2023. He was appointed Biffa CEO in September 2018, having previously held the role of Chief Financial Officer from 2013. He was appointed to the board of Biffa in August 2016. Michael trained as a chartered accountant with PwC in London and held positions in both the audit and transaction services practices. Prior to joining Biffa, he was finance director at Greenstar UK Holdings from 2005 to 2010.
Brian McCabe
Group CEO, Beauparc Group
Brian joined Panda in 2005 as Managing Director, having held the role of Operations Director at a leading Irish PLC for 15 years prior to that. Appointed to the role of Beauparc Group CEO in 2019, Brian has been instrumental in building a strong management team along with the successful integration and strategic development of the Irish business to become the leading / largest Waste Management company in Ireland. From 2016 he has led the continued growth and development of the UK business which has now become one of the leading Waste Management companies through strategic planning of acquisitions, organic growth and investment in strategic initiatives.
Andrew Elliott
Chief Operating Officer; Castle Environmental
Bio to follow
Dougie Sutherland
Chief Executive, Cory
Dougie was appointed CEO of Cory Riverside Energy in April 2019, and brings more than 20 years of infrastructure experience working across both the public and private sectors, most recently on the board of multinational infrastructure provider Interserve. He has developed and delivered major infrastructure projects and public service businesses and has valuable experience in the contracting and commissioning of Energy from Waste plants.
Owen Michaelson
CEO, encyclis
Mike Maudsley
Chief Executive Officer, enfinium
Mike Maudsley joined enfinium as Chief Executive Officer in 2022. Mike has over 30 years of experience across the power and utility sector, most recently responsible for leading all operating assets at Drax plc. Prior to Drax, Mike spent six years in the Middle East with Engie.
Roger Morton
Managing Director for Technology and Innovation, EMR
Roger is a chartered chemical engineer. He has worked in the recycling sector for the past 20 years. He co-founded Axion Consulting and Axion Polymers in 2001, leading the design and operation of Axion’s advanced recycling facilities in Manchester.. Roger left Axion in mid 2019. He joined European Metal Recycling in March 2020 as Managing Director for Technology and Innovation.
Steve Longdon
Group Chief Executive, FCC Environment
(Bio to follow)
Neil Grundon
Deputy Chairman - Grundon
Neil began working for Grundon Waste Management in 1992. He considers ongoing professional development essential to ensure the company’s future growth and continuity and works to build shareholder value for Grundon through responsible innovation.
Michael Hill
Chief Executive, The Hills Group
Michael is the great grandson of Edward Hill, founder of the company. He joined the Hill family business in August 1994 after spending several years in Bristol working for the accountancy firm KPMG. Mike graduated from Brunel University with a joint honours degree in European Business Management and Spanish and in 2004 graduated from the University of Bath with an MBA. Mike became chief executive in April 2008 and was elected onto the ESA Board in 2019.
Bill Swan
Managing Director - Recorra
Bill is Managing Director of Recorra who specialises in providing complete recycling solutions to commercial real estate, education and healthcare sectors. He graduated from Cambridge University and started his career in environmental services working for Cory Environmental and then Suez, before founding Recorra in 2000. Bill is also Trustee and Treasurer of the Campaign for National Parks and former Trustee and Treasurer of Friends of the Earth.
Keith Sinfield
Managing Director - Municipal, Renewi
[IMAGE TO FOLLOW]
[Bio coming soon]
John Scanlon
Chief Executive Officer, SUEZ Recycling and Recovery UK
John is responsible for driving forward the SUEZ group’s SUEZ 2030 vision in the UK and for SUEZ’s newly won contracts in Greater Manchester and Somerset. He joined SUEZ in 1991 as one of the company’s first employees in the UK and has been an integral part of the executive committee since 2003. John has held a variety of operational and business development roles within SUEZ, which lead to him becoming Chief Operating Officer of Operations in 2015.
Gavin Graveson
Executive Vice-President of Veolia UK & Ireland
Gavin leads a 15,000 strong workforce positioned at the forefront of sustainable development and providing integrated waste, water and energy services. Formerly Chief Operating Officer, Public & Commercial, Gavin believes Veolia will be instrumental in delivering the UK’s Resources & Waste Strategy by investing further in its extensive infrastructure network, championing the circular economy and manufacturing green products and green energy.
Kevin Bradshaw
Chief Executive Officer, Viridor
Kevin joined Viridor in September 2020 and brings over 20 years of senior leadership experience to the company. He has previously served as CEO of Northgate plc, CEO of Wyevale Garden Centres and MD of AVIS Budget Group UK. Kevin brings a strong track record of delivering transformation and growth in complex, capital intensive businesses. He holds an MA, M.Eng in Manufacturing Engineering from the University of Cambridge.
