EMR chairman to step down

Multinational recycling company EMR Group, based in the United Kingdom, has announced that Colin Iles has decided to step down as executive director and chairman of the company. The decision is part of a succession process, initiated by Iles and the late Phillip Sheppard, to transfer executive management and governance to a new generation of managers, EMR says.

Iles will remain a board director, allowing him to maintain his involvement with EMR. His career with the company spans 28 years and includes roles as finance director, group CEO, USA CEO and chairman.

The company has started a process to recruit a new chairman.

“The succession of a successful, entrepreneurial company like EMR is a very difficult thing for any business to achieve,” says Iles. “We have built excellent strength and depth in our executive management team, and, having worked with Chris Sheppard now for eight years, I have a high regard for him and his ability to take this business to the next level. I have seen this company grow from a small regional company with four sites to a global leader in the recycling industry with around 170 locations. Chris and his management team have already taken this platform forward with our industry-leading investments in plastics recycling and waste to energy.”

EMR Group Chief Executive Chris Sheppard comments, “Although Colin will maintain his involvement with EMR as a nonexecutive director, I think it is only right to highlight the achievements of one of the metal recycling industry’s giants. Colin has been a huge driving force in developing EMR into the successful global business it is. On behalf of the Sheppard family and the company, I would like to express our sincere gratitude for his exceptional contribution.”

EMR is a privately owned company based in the U.K. and bills itself one of the world’s largest metal recyclers with approximately 150 facilities globally and annual sales in excess of £3 billion ($4.6 billion).