Ashley Robb

Director

Making companies ‘sit up and listen’ to more sustainable means of conducting business stands at the core of my values. Knowing that I’ve made a difference makes me happy, but encouraging change and innovation makes me ecstatic. I studied Estates Management and went onto complete a Master of Research course in the Built Environment in 1995.

 

I’ve been involved in the low carbon sector for 18 years with a particular focus on sustainable wastes management. During this time, I have seen the green economy flourish – doing something positive for the environment while also allowing industry and commerce to prosper. This laid the foundations for where I am at now…having spent 13 years of my career in consultancy; I have conducted a number of strategic pieces of research which have in due course informed policy. I have conducted over 30 resource management feasibility studies and options appraisals across the UK, including Scotland, Ireland and Wales.

 

Between 2009 and 2011, I managed a £9 million ERDF resource efficiency programme, enhancing the region’s move to a low carbon economy through stimulating product development and investment support to SMEs. I have performed due diligence on low carbon product investments (business plan reviews, cash flow projections, proof of concept and proof of market) assessing whether the proposition ‘has legs’. My previous clients include Defra, WRAP, Yorkshire Forward, Greater Manchester Waste Disposal Authority, Westminster City Council, Yorwaste, Global Renewables, ASDA, HMV and countless SMEs.

 

Steven Ogden

Director

A popular quote paraphrasing Charles Darwin suggests that: ‘It is not the strongest of the species that survive, nor the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change.’ My career experience leads me to believe this observation is equally applicable to the business world. I began my career in manufacturing in the late 1990’s before moving into waste management consultancy with Resource Futures. The concept of ‘sustainable development’ was still confusing to many businesses and much of my work was exploratory. I supported government agencies such as WRAP, Defra, and the Environment Agency to conduct research to fully understand material markets for the first time. I also worked with high profile clients including Halfords, Waterstones, Lafarge, and The Crown Estate to help them address end-of-process waste issues.

 

I worked for two years as an Envirowise Advisor and witnessed first-hand businesses going beyond waste management to embrace a broader ‘resource efficient’ approach. I then joined and helped to grow an innovative regional programme called CO2Sense and by this point I was supporting businesses to link their impacts and costs to carbon reduction. I supported forward thinking businesses to innovate and adapt their products through eco-design. I co-ordinated an investment fund to support new green technologies to develop. Businesses were now seeing the ‘green space’ as an opportunity for investment, growth and prosperity. At Green Gain, I am continuing with the ethos of ‘strength through adaptation’ by supporting organisations to innovate, and explore new ways of working – this time through circular models of business where organisations maintain control over their resources and impacts and lead the way for others.

Tim Peatfield

Associate
Tim has worked on sustainability and in the field of Health Safety, Quality, Environment and management systems for the past 14 years for a major services / construction business. Previously having managed refrigeration maintenance and project work for a major retailer, after a career as a sea-going marine engineer officer.

He has devised and introduced new sustainability and management systems into UK and international businesses, covering both the public and private sectors. Including enabling low carbon economies, protecting the environment, supporting local communities, providing better prospects for employees, leading the way in the sector and building a successful business. He led on carbon reduction and online reporting systems. Notable initiatives have reduced carbon use by 35% and increased the diversion of waste from landfill from 56% to 82%. He holds an MSc in Climate Change and Sustainable Development, a BSc in Safety and Environmental Management and the NEBOSH Specialist Diploma in Environmental Management.

 

James Horne

Associate
James Horne has 16 years of experience as an environmental consultant working with a diverse range of clients from local and national government to small and multinational companies as well as third sector organisations. His main area of expertise is waste and in particular waste market research and waste data analysis having played a key role in the delivery of numerous national and regional commercial & industrial waste arisings surveys, UK wide organics recycling industry surveys and feedstock studies for proposed waste management facilities.

 

James has also undertaken a wide array of business waste assessments, developed and overseen HWRC wood waste segregation trials, undertaken carbon impact studies and managed waste collection trials. Clients have included: WRAP, Zero Waste Scotland, CO2Sense, Envirolink Northwest, Defra, various local authorities as well as private sector clients such as Greater Anglia Trains, Recresco and Syngenta.

 

 

Paul Forrest

Associate

Paul’s main focus is on the development of organisations which deliver sustainable resource services, particularly through local reuse, recycling and composting. Over the years, Paul has worked in the public and community sectors in the UK and New Zealand, helping businesses reduce waste and improve organisational performance. He has experience of working in a variety of settings, including: management of a European-funded employment creation scheme; coordination of a regional network of 150 community organisations; being part of a small, innovative environmental education unit; carrying out ground-breaking research on reuse and recycling from 1990 to 1993.

 

Since the mid-90s, when he delivered a ‘Cleaner production’ programme in New Zealand, a consistent thread in Paul’s work has been to help organisations achieve cross-cutting resource efficiency, especially where this is facilitated through community sector involvement. He has a strong record of communications and education work, has worked for a number of local authorities on resource management, as well as delivering audits and carrying out action research. He is a Level 5-qualified social enterprise support worker and earned a Masters in Rural Resources & Environmental Policy

Leigh Holloway

Associate

Leigh Holloway is Director of Eco3 Design Ltd and Green Gain Associate. He has almost 20 years’ experience in the field of resource efficiency, producer responsibility, product carbon foot printing and eco-design. He qualified in Engineering and then went on to gain a PhD in sustainable design and has since gone on to work in the educational, public and latterly private sectors. During this time he has project managed the UK’s first Eco-design project for SMEs (total project value over £800k) as well as numerous other EU and private sector funded eco-design and resource efficiency projects. Leigh has helped companies to identify over £30 million or savings through changes to product and packaging design or manufacturing practice.

 

Leigh was a key member of the delivery team for UK Government Funded Envirowise Programme for over 10 years and during that time he helped many companies with practical support for resource efficient design activities, delivery of workshops and the development of guidance tools and case studies to share good practice. More recently he has also been involved in the delivery of a range of projects for WRAP. Clients include: NHS, Diageo, Honeywell Pharmaceuticals, BT, Microsoft, Cafédirect, B&Q, Next, CO2Sense, Hozelock, Mars, Northern Foods, Lincolnshire County Council, WRAP, electronics Yorkshire, Unipart Logistics and Malvern Instruments.

Kate Gilmartin

Associate

Kate has a breadth of experience in the spectrum of renewable energy technologies and low carbon consultancy. She has been involved with delivering renewable energy feasibilities across the country, both site specific and broader area scoping studies. Kate provides technical consultancy and develops innovative, practical and cost-effective solutions for clients, assisting them to address the practical barriers to installation. Kate has worked on three area-wide energy studies, analysing the practical methods for reducing energy consumption and meeting demand with local decentralised renewable energy installations. This work was formulated into low-carbon action plans and she continues to consult with local communities, local authorities and investors to progress the most feasible projects.

 

Kate has provided due diligence for potential renewable energy investment assets, undertaking analysis and financial modelling. She has been responsible for securing investments in three Hydroelectric projects. She has undertaken low-carbon consultancy projects with a diverse client base including projects in the health services, prison service, and manufacturing and logistics sectors. Kate is also the administrator of the Micro Hydro Association and a community hydro forum, providing support to community groups and individuals endeavouring to progress their hydro schemes.

Chris Maunder

Associate

Chris specialises in helping businesses secure the funding they need to grow. He is a professionally qualified bid-writer with a successful track record in winning grants, loans, bank finance and tender opportunities for his clients. He has detailed knowledge of the environmental sector and recent commissions have included waste processing businesses and technology businesses.

 

Before establishing his own business in 2010, Chris gained over 10 years' experience working for organisations that awarded grants, loans and tenders. He therefore has a detailed understanding of funders' priorities and processes. In 2009 he gained an MBA with Distinction from Leeds University Business School and in 2012 he became a member of the Association of Proposal Management Professionals.

Nigel Thompson

Associate

Nigel has over 25 years’ experience in business development, business strategy, planning and implementation, market analysis and assessment, strategic development, strategic marketing and sales growth. As well as extensive experience across a range of commercial sectors, Nigel has led a number of projects in plastic reprocessing and recycling, recycled paper manufacturing, contaminated plastics recycling, electrical appliance and furniture recycling, SME’s, third sector and Community Interest Companies.

 

Nigel’s track record of business support and consulting experience has been developed with a wide range of SMEs involved in the recycling / environmental sector as well as the wider commercial field. He is a “hands on” strategic marketer with experience on ‘both sides of the desk’ leading, managing and consulting with sales and marketing teams internationally, bringing innovative techniques based on’ real world’ proven concepts to varied businesses. He has many years international marketing and management experience, with a strong record of achievement across a wide range of industry sectors. Previous clients include WRAP and WRAP Cymru, UK and Welsh Government agencies, various Regional Development Agencies, a number of blue chip UK businesses and over 120 growth-hungry SME clients.

Chris Wilson

Associate

Chris is a graduate engineer and Chartered Waste Manager who has worked in the waste & recycling industry since 2002. Previously, Chris spent 20 years in engineering contracting as a design engineer and project manager, this included international working in USA, Azerbaijan and Hungary and projects across the UK.

 

Chris specialises in both operational efficiency and in business development. He has delivered performance improvements to recycling operations, such as MRFs, HWRCs, composting, waste collection and WEEE reuse & recycling, and increased revenues by attracting new customers to facilities. Chris also has significant experience in Bid Management having been successful in bidding for small and large scale contracts in the public and private sectors.

 

Chris is experienced in delivering services to local authorities and major retailers and manufacturers such as Comet, Argos, Littlewoods and Flymo.

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