Waterways Charity Thames21 Recruits Industry Heavyweights to Board

Date of Release: July 7, 2017

Martin Baggs and Peter Gerstrom appointed as Trustees

Martin  Baggs, former CEO of Thames Water, and Peter Gerstrom, former CEO of Cory Environmental, have both moved to strengthen the Board of environmental charity Thames21 to help deliver its new Five Year Plan.

Martin Baggs headed up Thames Water from 2009-2016, managing the largest water and wastewater business in the UK, serving 15 million customers. During his time there, he also oversaw the development of the £4.2bn Thames Tideway Tunnel.

Martin Baggs

Previously, Martin was an Executive Director at Macquarie, responsible for the portfolio of utility investments across Europe. His long track record in the water industry has encompassed senior roles at South East Water and Southern Water. He is a Fellow of the Institution of Civil Engineers and a Liveryman of the Worshipful Company of Water Conservators.

Martin said: “Having worked in the water industry for more than 30 years I am absolutely passionate about the environment and I am proud to have been a strong supporter of Thames21 in my previous role at Thames Water.

“Thames21 is a brilliant organisation doing a superb job linking communities to their local rivers. I am delighted to join the Board to support the team and build stronger links across the wide range of stakeholders and supporters.”

Peter Gerstrom

 

Peter Gerstrom spent 14 years with one of the UK’s largest waste and resources companies, Cory Environmental, latterly as Deputy Chairman and CEO, and chaired the Environmental Services Association.

At Cory, he oversaw the commissioning of the UK’s largest energy from waste project at Riverside, Bexley, for which waste inputs are delivered from transfer stations up river on the Thames. 

This rounded off a career that, armed with an engineering degree from Oxford, had started in the 1980s with developing water resource and wastewater projects around the world. 

Following an MBA at London Business School, Peter then moved into new businesses having identified the environmental sector, and waste in particular, as a changing and growing industry.  He has held director roles in Cleanaway and Veolia.

Peter has a long-standing knowledge of Thames21’s work in his role as Chairman of the Cory Environmental Trust (CETB), which has granted funds to improve waterway environments benefiting nature and communities in SE London.

He said: “Coming from an environmental background in waste resources, I saw how raw materials get used and, if we don’t recycle them properly, how our rivers have just become dustbins for the world’s rubbish.

“Through funding substantial projects on the River Cray, in Bexley and Thamesmead areas, I have a keen interest in the issues affecting the river and its tributaries and the efforts to improve them. Thames21 has a substantial history of not only improving our waterways but in engaging Londoners to take ownership in looking after their local stretch of waterway and I want to use my experience to help.”

Michael Hamilton, Chairman of Thames21 said: “We are delighted to draw on the huge experience of Martin Baggs and Peter Gerstrom by welcoming them to the charity’s Board of Trustees.

“They not only know a great deal about the issues confronting London’s waterways but also have a huge understanding of our work from their previous associations with us. Their knowledge and expertise will be tremendously useful as we set about implementing the many exciting projects in our Five Year Plan to improve the health of the capital’s waterways.”

ENDS

Notes for editors

About Thames21

Thames21 is an environmental charity putting healthy rivers back at the heart of community life. Through environmental improvements, education, research and advocacy efforts, Thames21 is inspiring and influencing effective and lasting change by working hand-in-hand with communities to deliver tangible and measurable improvements for urban rivers.

www.thames21.org.uk | Registered Charity No. 1103997

Media Contact

Ian Lamont

Communications Manager at Thames21

Ian.Lamont@thames21.org.uk

07739 627667

020 7248 7171