IEMA unveils new board chair

Sustainability body IEMA has today unveiled former Environment Agency chief executive Paul Leinster as its chair of the board, with Louise Nicholls appointed vice chair.

Leinster has more than 40 years of experience in environmental management, policy development and regulation having worked in both the public and private sector.

He obtained a BSc in chemistry and PhD in environmental engineering from Imperial College London, before picking up an MBA from the Cranfield School of Management.

Leinster worked for BP prior to the Environment Agency, where he stayed for the best part of two decades before joining Cranfield University as a professor of environmental assessment.

He is a chartered environmentalist and chemist, and Fellow of IEMA and the Royal Society of Chemistry. He replaces Diana Montgomery, who was chair of the board for over eight years.

“The board at IEMA consists of individuals recognised and committed to the ongoing work of sustainability and environmental management,“ IEMA said in a press release.

“We are delighted to announce that Paul Leinster is IEMA's new chair of the board with Louise Nicholls appointed as vice chair. We wish Diana all the very best in her future work.“

Nicholls is managing director of human rights and sustainability at consultancy firm Suseco, and previously worked at M&S as corporate head of human rights, food sustainability and food packaging.

She is a Fellow of the Institute of Food Science and Technology, and led packaging and sustainability experts as part of M&S' Food technology leadership team for over 26 years.

Nicholls was instrumental in the development of Sedex, sitting on the board for 16 years and chairing Sedex stakeholder forum, which established SMETA – the most widely used ethical trade audit methodology.

She also played a leading role in the formation of the Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority, has held board positions at the Ethical Trading Initiative, LOCOG Stakeholder Oversight Group, Consumer Goods Forum, and is currently a trustee of the Bread and Butter Thing and director at IEMA.

Image source: IEMA