Georgeson to take temporary charge of WasteAid

Ray Georgeson will take temporary charge of international waste management charity WasteAid once CEO Mike Webster leaves his post at the end of March, it was announced today (24 March).

After previously announcing that he would be transitioning to a strategic role within the organisation, Webster will now be leaving the charity to take up a new international role elsewhere.

Webster, who has occupied the role since WasteAid was founded in 2015 and is a former winner of the annual Resource Hot 100 poll of resources and waste industry influencers, had overseen a significant period of growth for the charity. The last three years have seen WasteAid’s annual turnover increasing from £50,000 in 2017 to £330,000 in 2019.

Commenting on the announcement, Webster said: “I’m proud of everything our team has achieved and the benefits we have delivered with our partners and stakeholders over the last five years. Global recognition of the burgeoning waste management crisis has led to increased international efforts to reduce the impacts of unmanaged waste. I wish nothing but the best for the charity, its employees and its partners, and I’ll always be grateful for my time leading the organisation.”

A new CEO has been identified and is expected to be announced in the coming weeks. In the interim, Trustee Ray Georgeson will temporarily lead the charity, taking an executive role reporting to the Board until the new CEO begins.

Georgeson has vast experience in the field of resources and waste, having previously been the Chief Executive of the Resource Association between 2011 and 2019, and working for organisations such as the Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) as RREUSE, as well as freelance consultancy work. Georgeson was also awarded an MBE for services to sustainable waste management in 1999.

Chair of WasteAid Sarahjane Widdowson said: “WasteAid remains poised for its next phase of growth and success. We are committed to supporting our talented team during this brief transition period, as we continue to share much-needed waste management and recycling skills around the globe.

“On behalf of the Board, we would like to thank Mike for his work establishing WasteAid as a well-reputed organisation. Following an extensive recruitment process, the Board has identified the right person to take over the role of CEO, and we look forward to welcoming them to the team.”

WasteAid has gone from strength to strength in recent years, and the new CEO will be expected to build on such success, though their immediate priority will be to steer the charity through the disruption caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

Recent highlights for the charity include raising £168,000 as part of its ‘Widening the Net’ appeal in 2019, seeing its community-led waste management toolkit named one of the top three waste publications in the world in 2018 and announcing a three-year partnership with waste management company Biffa in April 2019 to fund its international projects.

2020 is set to see the delivery of community waste management training courses in The Gambia, Ghana, Kenya and Malawi, with additional projects in the pipeline for Indonesia, Haiti and Tanzania.