Our Board

The CPA’s role is to champion the importance of UK construction product manufacturing and distribution to the entire construction supply chain and ensure recognition for the value it delivers to the wider economy. The Association represents 85% of the £50 billion sector by value, including global multinationals and 21,000 SMEs across the UK.

Diana is also the Non-Executive Chair of the Board of the Institute of Environmental Management and Assessment. The Institute represents sustainability professionals and IEMA’s challenge is to develop career pathways for professionals and ensure this is backed up by training and upskilling for both specialists and mainstream managers. The role as Chair is to lead the Board to discharge their fiduciary duties, to provide the strategic steer to the senior management team and to support the Chief Executive in the development of the Institute.

Before joining the Construction Product Association, Diana was Deputy Chief Executive of the Chemical Industries Association where she raised the profile of chemical manufacturing in the UK and established its pivotal role in the delivery of the UK government’s sustainability targets. Previously she headed the sustainability agendas in companies including Centrica, the AA and Johnson Wax.

Diana is a Fellow of the Institute of Environmental Management and Assessment and the Royal Society of Chemistry. She has a degree from Oxford University in Chemistry and a PhD from Imperial College in Environmental Management.

Simon has been involved in the energy recovery, recycling and waste industry for 25 years, originally joining Blue Circle Waste Management in 1991. Since the acquisition by what is now Viridor in 1995, Simon led all the Human Resources, Health & Safety, Environmental Compliance, Training & Development and Sustainability processes of the business thus positioning it as one of the leading UK companies in the sector. He was appointed to the Viridor Board in 2010 and held the position of HR and Regulatory Director. Simon retired from Viridor at the end of 2016 and is now an independent HR Consultant.

He is also a Trustee Director on two Pension Trustee Boards and is the Chairman and Trustee of a third scheme.

Simon is the industry spokesperson on skills, development and sector attractiveness and is a non-executive director of Energy and Utility Skills Ltd. He also chairs the Waste Management, Recycling & Resource Recovery Industry Skills Initiative (WRRISKI), is a Trustee Director for Viridor Credits (an Environmental Body) and sits on the South West Regional Board of Business in the Community.

Before his time at Blue Circle Simon spent many years with ICI, primarily in their Plant Protection Division, prior to which he worked in private, small to medium sized enterprises.

Simon is a Court Assistant to the Worshipful Company of Water Conservators and is a Freeman of the City of London. He is married with two daughters and lives in Hampshire.

Ian has considerable experience of working at a senior director level (both Executive and Non-Executive) in a wide range of organisations, including Leading Multinationals, Small Businesses, Start Ups and Universities.

In the past 20 years he has sat on the UK management teams of Dell and Bull Informations Systems where he reported to the CEO.

He is also the founder and director of a USA based services business and the founder and principal consultant of two businesses working with companies like Microsoft, Oracle, Xerox and Hewlett Packard, where he advised on strategic marketing and sales activities.

He has also had responsibility for the full range of business performance activities including financial management, leadership and governance

Ian has a long standing interest in environmental issues and has a full time leadership position at the Centre of Industrial Sustainability which was founded in 2011.

Teach and research on Environmental Technology and sustainability with particular reference to waste (circular economy) and energy management, and the use of environmental management systems and regulation.

Director of the Environmental Technologies iNet

Lead £2.4m European joint programme with other universities and partners to support enterprising businesses develop innovative environmental technologies in the construction, transport, waste and energy industries.

Develop strategy for the largest UK environmental professional body, providing environmental practitioners with the knowledge, skills and tools to ensure sound environmental performance delivers real business benefit. IEMA has over 15,000 individual and corporate members based in 83 countries in the public, private and non-governmental sectors.

Director and Chair of Evaluation Group, Bristol Green Capital Partnership

Chair of the Bristol Green Capital Partnership from November 2011 to December 2013 and part of the team and wider community which secured and delivered the title of European Green Capital 2015 for the City of Bristol. Committed to achieving a successful Bristol Green Capital 2015 and the benefits and changes for many years after. The Partnership is a network of over 750 business, community groups, universities and other organisations committed to making Bristol a low carbon sustainable city with a high quality of life for all.

Project Lead, World Bank Programme

Worked with governments, local authorities and communities in the Middle East and Central Asia on environmental issues and regulation.

Previously Head of Industry and Waste Regulation, Environment Agency, England and Wales

Provided vision, policies, national business leadership, strategic direction and delivered regulation of the manufacturing, energy and waste industries in England and Wales. Worked with UK and EU governments to develop policies and guidance for the EU Industrial Emissions Directive and Environmental Permitting. Responsible for the direction and competency of 500 staff and £75m budget, targets and performance.

Richard Carter is Head of Finance and Sustainability at Adnams plc, an award-winning brewery and distillery based in Southwold, UK and famous for its eco-distribution centre, its energy efficient brewhouse and its 500,000 honey bees. Adnams describe themselves as a values-led, purpose-driven business.

Richard holds a first class accounting degree from the University of Wales and subsequently qualified as a chartered management accountant. He held a series of commercial finance and controller roles at BT before joining Adnams in 2012. In his current role, Richard demonstrates the clear and compelling business case for environmental sustainability and frequently provides guest lectures for universities including Oxford, Imperial and UEA. He became a Fellow of IEMA in 2018.

Additional to his position on the IEMA Board Richard sits on the board for The National Trust / Ashden's Fit for the Future network, the ICAEW sustainability committee and is on the board of Cleantech East.

Eileen began her career in communications and marketing, very quickly moved from the world of consumer branding and FMCG to the not-for-profit sector. During her ten years in the sector she not only used her skills to raise large sums of money for national charities, but she also worked on the sector’s largest corporate accounts (e.g. BAE Systems and Tesco) and events (e.g. London Marathon).

She later joined the Virgin Group and set up their Global Sustainability function. Over the six years at Virgin, Eileen developed an appropriate approach for a celebrity-led, global superbrand and its operating companies, balancing sufficient policy direction with the flexibility needed for companies operating in diverse sectors and different geographical territories globally. She advised the board on a wide range of sustainability issues and was responsible for the Virgin Group’s first awarding winning sustainability report.

Eileen then spread her wings, taking head of roles at Anglian Water, Tomorrow’s Company and the John Lewis Partnership.

She then returned to the world of FMCG in her role as Director of Sustainability and Communications at PZ Cussons International where she created and implemented a sustainability strategy appropriate for a multinational business operating in both mature and emerging markets. She had a particular focus on creating and launching a palm oil strategy, including supply chain mapping, smallholder investment, NGO and investor engagement. Not only did she write the corporate narrative on palm oil, she the company's sustainability spokesperson on 'hot topics'.

Safia has worked on Senior Executive Teams including working as Director of Transformation and retains a comprehensive understanding around transformative change.

Safia had also trained and practised as a Barrister for around 10 years. She has previously advised and advocated for organisations from a variety of public and private sectors and is currently an Honorary Door Tenant at 23 Essex Street Chambers, focussing on her work with GCM.

Safia is founder of GCM a global advisory group working to increase conscious capability and excellence in organisations and society. Working with those seeking a deeper understanding around social impact, connectivity, purpose and those committed to transformative organisational change. GCM also promotes awareness and seeks to improve conscious capability through collaboration, dialogue and uniquely curated events.

Paul has been Professor of Environmental Assessment at Cranfield since October 2015. His research and strategic consultancy interests include the monitoring, assessment and control of emissions and discharges that affect air, water and land quality and impact on people and the environment. He is also involved in the development, implementation and review of regulatory and other approaches to achieve the required policy outcomes whilst minimising administrative costs. Other study areas include; resource use management, the circular economy, natural capital approaches and responses to major incidents. He has a particular interest in translating research findings into practical operational measures.

He is a member of the government’s Natural Capital Committee, the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology’s Advisory Committee and the Scottish Government’s Rural and Environment Science and Analytical Services Strategic Advisory Board. He is a non-executive director of Flood Re and of a consultancy providing specialist product safety and regulatory compliance services, and provides advice to a number of public and private sector organisations.

Paul was Chief Executive of the Environment Agency (EA) from June 2008 to September 2015. The EA’s main areas of activity include flood and coastal risk management, the regulation of nuclear and process industries and waste management, water quality and resources. Paul also provided the strategic direction to the Environment Agency’s response to major incidents. He developed and promoted the concept of modern environmental regulation from 1998 before the better regulation agenda was being widely promoted. The outputs from this have been recognised within government and internationally as leading edge.

Paul had a leading role in the European and worldwide networks of environmental regulators including chairing the Heads of European Environment Protection Agencies Better Regulation Group. At the request of Defra Paul chaired the National Drought Group in 2012 and the National Bathing Water Group in 2015.

Prior to joining the EA in 1998 Paul worked in the private sector for over 20 years. This included BP, SmithKline Beecham, Schering Agrochemicals as well as being the managing director of a consultancy specialising in environmental, health and safety issues.

Paul has a first degree in chemistry and a PhD in environmental engineering, both from Imperial College and an MBA from Cranfield School of Management. He also has a postgraduate diploma in occupational hygiene.

Shaun McCarthy is an independent advisor, author and speaker in the field of sustainable business policy and practice.

He has been a leader in sustainable supply chain management for 20+ years; having instigated much of today’s best practice.

He also pioneered a unique assurance programme over the sustainability of the London 2012 Olympics.

He was awarded an OBE, for services to sustainability and the London Olympics, by Her Majesty the Queen in her 2013 birthday honours list.

His current and recent portfolio includes:

• Director, Action Sustainability (2006 -), a niche consultancy business with a social enterprise mission to inspire sustainable supply chain management www.actionsustainability.com
• Chair, Supply Chain School (2012-), a collaborative initiative in the UK and Australian construction industry to build competence of the supply chain www.supplychainschool.co.uk www.offsiteschool.co.uk www.supplychainschool.org.au
• Advisor, Transport for London (2007-16), expert advisor to the non-executive Safety and Sustainability panel,
• Advisor – Rail Safety Standards Board and Department for Transport (2015-15), advising on incorporation of sustainable standards in national rail franchises
• Advisor, Tarmac (2013-), part of an expert panel advising the executive team on long term sustainability issues
• Director, Greenshoots Foundation (2010-), an innovative charity mitigating the carbon emissions of a major corporation and delivering local social benefits
• Chair, Commission for a Sustainable London 2012 (2006-13), a ground breaking assurance body directly advising the Mayor of London and Olympics Minister www.cslondon.org

Shaun has over 20 years senior management experience with large companies and 10 years’ experience as an independent advisor to a wide variety of corporations and governments around the world.

Louise is a fellow of Institute of Food Science and technology (IFST) and part of M&S’s Food Technology Leadership Team where she leads a fantastic team of Food sustainability and packaging experts supporting buying teams and supply chain on a day to day basis.

Louise was instrumental in developing Sedex - one of the world’s largest organisations for helping companies manage responsible sourcing in their supply chain. She held a position on its Board for 16 years and chaired the Sedex stakeholder forum (SSF) establishing SMETA, the most widely used ethical trade audit methodology in the world. Louise has also held Board positions at the Ethical Trading Initiative, LOCOG Stakeholder oversight board and Equality Human Rights Commission Advisory Panel. Additional to Louise’s current position on the IEMA Board, she is also a trustee of The Bread and Butter Thing.

She is personally passionate about ensuring IEMA membership is increasingly relevant to a wider range of sustainability professionals, and building professional competency in global supply chains.

Tim Balcon is Chief Executive of the Institute of Environmental Management and Assessment (IEMA). With considerable expertise in education and professional skills and leading organisations, Tim is leading IEMA towards achieving its global ambitions.

Tim joined IEMA in 2013 and since then has created a new vision for IEMA (transforming the world to sustainability), and has implemented many changes, leading to both greater value for IEMA’s members and a stronger more influential market position for the organisation.

He is an experienced Chief Executive and has led previous organisations from start-up, to rapid growth and through to high performance, in multiple sectors including energy, utility and education.

His previous appointments include Chief Executive of Energy and Utility Skills (EU Skills Group) which encompasses the National Skills Academy for Power and Chief Executive of GWINTO (Gas and Water Industries Training Organisation).

He recently completed a 6-year tenure as a Non-Executive Director on the Board of Ofqual.

He has also held numerous other Non-Executive positions and is a past President of the Institute of Water.

Martin Baxter leads on IEMA's policy and external engagement activity. He works in the UK, and internationally, to support the transition to a low carbon, resource efficient, and sustainable economy.

Martin is a regular media spokesperson on a range of business sustainability topic areas. He has extensive experience of networking and communicating at all levels, including with senior parliamentarians, Government officials, business leaders, and academia.

Martin has national and international experience in developing and negotiating global and European standards and developing capacity for effective and widespread implementation. He is chair of the International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO) sub-committee on environmental management systems and head of the UK delegation. Martin represents the UK on the European Commission Eco-Management and Audit Scheme regulatory committee.

Martin is a board member of IEMA and also the Society for the Environment (SocEnv), where he chairs the SocEnv Registration Authority. He is a Fellow of IEMA and the RSA, and a Chartered Environmentalist.