Banbury, Oxon, England: WRAP (Waste & Resources Action Programme) announced yesterday that Ray Georgeson, a founder Director, is to leave the organisation in June after nearly eight years service.
Mr Georgeson , WRAP’s Director of Policy and Evaluation since 2001, is leaving to start his own business, developing a freelance portfolio in the waste and resources sector as well as pursuing new interests.
The news follows the recent severe cut-back in funding to WRAP for 2008-09, thought to be in the region of 30%.
Ray Georgeson was a key influence in the creation of WRAP as part of the Government’s Waste Strategy 2000 , serving on the former DETR’s (Department for Environment, Transport and the Regions) Market Development Group that recommended the creation of WRAP and supporting DETR in setting up the organisation during the development of the Waste Strategy.
He went on to support Government in the Cabinet Office review of the English waste strategy in 2003 and has overseen the production of all four of WRAP’s Business Plans since its inception.
Liz Goodwin, WRAP's Chief Executive, praised what she described as Ray Georgeson’s unique contribution both to the development of WRAP, and in helping to shape the wider public and Government debate about waste and resources management over the past decade.
She said:
“Ray has made an outstanding and in many ways unique contribution to the waste and resource management landscape in the UK. His standing in the sector is immense and many of WRAP’s achievements over the past eight years can be directly tracked to him.
“We will all miss Ray’s enthusiasm, wide strategic grasp of the issues and imaginative solutions. Although he is moving on he has made it clear he wants to stay in close contact and I welcome that.”
Mr Georgeson will leave WRAP at the end of June, though following a review of WRAP’s senior management structure, the post will not be filled. The Policy team under Patrick Mahon will report directly to Liz Goodwin, WRAP's Chief Executive, and the Evaluation team under Dr Barbara Leach will report to Finance director Hugh Etheridge, who will be responsible for the delivery of financial and operational targets.
Vic Cocker, Chairman of WRAP, also praised Ray Georgeson’s contribution:
“I have known and worked with Ray for nine years and his contribution to WRAP has been immense. I have valued and respected his wise counsel and practical solutions, based on a deep knowledge of and commitment to waste and recycling issues. I am grateful to him for his role in making WRAP successful and wish him well in his new ventures.”
Ray Georgeson said:
“I will leave WRAP with immense pride in what we have achieved. Leaving behind some many great friends and colleagues is hard but after eight years at WRAP it is the right time to move on. I have a new home in Yorkshire and am entering a very happy new stage of my personal life, all of which has made balancing my time and commitments the more difficult.
“I leave WRAP in good shape and ambitious for the future. It will go from strength to
strength under Liz Goodwin’s leadership.”