CIWEM appoints new CEO
Annie Kane | 27 November 2013

Member body and environmental charity the Chartered Institution of Water and Environmental Management (CIWEM) has appointed Dr Simon Festing as its new Chief Executive Officer (CEO).

Formerly Chief Executive at the Society for General Microbiology, Festing has also previously worked as Director of Public Dialogue at the Association of Medical Research Charities, and as CEO at Understanding Animal Research.

He has also worked at environmental charities Greenpeace (as a volunteer) and Friends of the Earth.

Dr Festing will take up his £100,000 per annum appointment on 1 March 2014. Until then, the Trustee Board has appointed Nigel Hendley as Interim Chief Executive. The appointments follow the sudden passing of Nick Reeves, who had led CIWM as Executive Director since 1998.

Jim Oatridge, Chair of CIWEM’s Trustee Board, said: ”We are delighted to be able to welcome Simon to lead our Royal Chartered Charity as we enter a new and exciting era of development. CIWEM seeks to energetically and purposefully drive forward our aspirations as a forward-thinking and pace-setting institution seeking to engage in transforming the long-term landscape in environmental and sustainable natural resource management in the UK and internationally.

“Simon’s appointment will enhance our capability in delivering our strategic objectives for the benefit of the public, our 10,000 members working in various sectors globally, key policy makers in governments and financial institutions, and the wider sustainable environmental movement.”

Festing added: “I feel very pleased and honoured to be invited to lead the team at CIWEM and to help guide and steer the future direction of this prestigious, 120-year old chartered body.

“Organisationally, CIWEM is one of the foremost institutions in its sector and is ideally placed to deliver its ambitions from its new state-of-the-art headquarters in Saffron Hill, London. I am very pleased to be able to help CIWEM achieve its aspirations.”

Read more about CIWEM.

More articles

resource.co article ai

User Avatar

How will the government and DMOs address the challenges of including glass in DRS while ensuring a level playing field across the UK?

User Avatar

There's no easy solution to include glass in the DRS while maintaining a level playing field. Potential approaches include a phased introduction of glass, potentially with higher deposits to reflect its logistical challenges. The government and DMOs could incentivise innovation in glass packaging design and subsidise dedicated return points for glass-handling. Exemptions for smaller businesses unable to handle glass might also be necessary. Any successful solution will likely blend several approaches. It must address the differing priorities of devolved administrations, balance environmental benefits with logistical and cost implications, and be supported by robust consumer education campaigns emphasizing the importance of glass recycling.