Sophie Walker named new CEO at Dsposal
Emma Love | 13 January 2022

Former Dsposal COO Sophie Walker has today been named as CEO of the company, taking over the role from co-founder Tom Passmore, who has been appointed into the newly created role of CIO.

Sophie Walker
Sophie Walker

Walker commented, “I’m thrilled to be taking on the CEO role at this exciting time for both Dsposal and the industry. I’m tremendously grateful to Tom and the team for their support. We made the conscious decision early on that I would be the face of Dsposal which has enabled us to tip the balance of gender representation at events in the sectors we work in.

“Making the waste and tech sectors more inclusive and equitable is something I am extremely passionate about. This is a wonderful opportunity for me and I hope that it’s another step towards tipping the balance in favour of better representation at leadership levels in these industries.”

Walker was recognised with a Women in Innovation award from Innovate UK and the Knowledge Transfer Network in March 2021. In a statement, Dsposal said that her promotion was a ‘natural step’, describing her as ‘an equal driving force in the company’s development’ alongside Passmore.

Tom Passmore, CIO, added, “With the imminent changes to the industry heralded by the Environment Act 2021, especially the focus on compliance and digital waste tracking, we wanted to create this Chief Information Officer role to dedicate the necessary time and resources to continued best-in-class product development and waste data quality for the whole sector.

“Sophie’s built such an impressive reputation for herself and Dsposal over the last five years and is the perfect person to take the CEO role as we move to our next chapter focussed on extending our impact and reach, supported by our Commercial Director, Alexa Culver, and our growing team”.

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

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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.