Nick is Deputy Director for the Smart Sustainable Plastic Packaging Challenge at Innovate UK; this multi-year programme is part of the UKRI Challenge Fund. The SSPP programme supports research and innovation to deliver a circular economy for plastic packaging in the UK. Nick’s background in resource efficiency and circular economy was gained across 15 years in industry, he worked for Closed Loop Recycling, a large plastic bottle recycling business based in Dagenham, East London, where he delivered various projects, including creating the first commercial plastic bottle made from recovered marine plastic waste. Nick also worked for spin-off consultancy business, Closed Loop Environmental Solutions, managing projects such as launching a range of on-site food composting machines in the UK and a large waste auditing program for Heathrow Airport and various airlines to develop recycling options for both terminal and cabin waste. Prior to Closed Loop he worked at:

· Green-Works, a Queen’s Award-winning social enterprise that recycled large volumes of office furniture across multiple UK sites.

· Forest Stewardship Council UK, a world-wide timber and forest product certification scheme.

· Storebrand Investments, a leading socially responsible investment fund manager.

Nick has a bachelor’s degree in Biochemistry from Imperial College and a master’s degree in Oceanography from Southampton University.