Speaker - Plastics Packaging 2014: Consumer Focus

Howard Ellard, Ellard Associates

Howard has been in the waste and environmental sector since 1986, both as an operator and as a regulator. In this period of time there have been huge changes in the way in which society thinks and acts in respect of waste and the industry have responded in its kind.

Howard was most recently the Business Development Director at Viridor, which was the culmination of a 21 year career with that organisation. Initially concentrating on environmental compliance, Howard soon moved into the development side of the business where he oversaw the move away from landfill into recycling and energy production.

Now set up on his own as Ellard Associates, Howard intends to continue to provide sound,  logical and commercially based advice to waste producers, as well as resource and waste businesses.

Howard’s previous roles have encompassed the predecessor bodies to the Environment Agency as well as consultancy.

Bruce Margetts, RPC Group

Bruce has been involved in manufacturing plastics Packaging for 25 years, encompassing all the key conversion technologies. Bruce has spent the last 14 years at RPC Containers. He was initially responsible for an extrusion and thermoforming factory and is currently responsible for the RPC UK injection moulding businesses at five sites across the UK.

Tom Sheldon, Science Media Centre

Tom Sheldon has degrees in Artificial Intelligence and Bioinformatics.  He joined the Science Media Centre in April 2008, and he takes the lead on engineering and environment stories in the national news.  Fukushima, 'climategate', GM crops, and the health effects of mobile phones have all been high profile media stories over the last few years; in every case it was vitally important that the voices of scientists and engineers were heard among the uproar.  When these stories break the SMC provides a direct route between journalists and scientists, to their mutual benefit: ensuring that reporters have constant and immediate access to the best quality, up-to-date evidence, and that scientists have help communicating complex, nuanced research where it matters most: the national news media

Katherine Stephenson, Marine Conservation Society

Katherine Stephenson has worked for the Marine Conservation Society for over 8 years, specialising in managing charity - corporate partnerships. She received her BSc (Hons) in Marine Biology and Coastal Ecology from Plymouth University and a real passion for sustainability and helping companies deliver on corporate social responsibility.

Her current work focuses on delivering partnerships for leading brands which motivate staff, customers and stakeholders. She sits on the Steering Group for the Marine Litter Action Network, a new initiative bringing together a diverse group to tackle marine litter. She has managed the partnership with Plastics 2020 Challenge since 2011.