William Pope
Will Pope became chair of EEDA on 1 April 2010, having been a board member since 2006. Professor Pope is an established and successful businessman who has developed innovative environmental technologies companies.
Will Pope is currently non-executive chairman of the health, safety and environmental businesses IEG Technologies UK Ltd, Cranfield, Bedfordshire, AAR Environmental Ltd, Watford, Hertfordshire, and CEO of Microbila Solutions, Oxford.
He also has his own business developing health, safety and environmental technologies and companies, advising those in the process of developing companies in these and other industrial sectors including communications, media, manufacturing, distribution and retail.
He won an Engineering Excellence Award from Ford Motor Company and an Innovation Award from BAE Systems in 2008, and was also Business Innovation Support Person of the year, 2008, for the SPARC Technology Network.
He was formerly chief executive officer of Bedford-based Casella Group Limited, a post which he held for ten years from 1995-2005, developing the company into a high level health, safety and environmental consulting company, and a high technology research and development, software and electronics manufacturing and laboratory business, operating with bases in the UK, USA and Europe.
For four consecutive years, between 1998 and 2002, he was a winner of the Deloitte & Touche NatWest "Technology Fast 50" award for the fastest growing businesses in the East of England. In 2003, Casella became the UK market leader in its field.
Prior to Casella, he was executive director of environment worldwide at Inspectorate plc, Witham, Essex (1991-95).
Will was a founder director of The Society for the Environment, incorporated by Royal Charter, became the Society's first Chairman (2001-05), and remains a director today. He is vice president of the charity The Institution of Environmental Sciences, having been a council member and trustee (1992-date) and chairman (1999-2002). He is a former member of the board of the Science Council (2000-2003), and is a member of the DEFRA/DTI Environmental Innovations Advisory Group (2003-2008. A member of SEEDA's MK Enterprise Hub board (2005-2008), he is also a SEEDA Merlin Mentor (2005-date),and was chairman of the MSc ECSC at the University of the West of England (2004-2008). He has lectured in many countries around the world and has appeared as an expert witness in the High Court and at public enquiry.
Will is a member of EEDA's Remuneration and Selection Committee.
