Veolia has appointed Richard Kirkman as chief executive for Northern Europe and group head of growth and innovation from 2 April 2026.
The company said Kirkman will also become chief executive of its UK business and oversee operations across the UK, Ireland, Belgium, Luxembourg, Finland and the Netherlands.
Veolia added the region comprises almost 20,000 employees and generates £4bn in revenue across water, waste and energy services.
Kirkman joins from his role as chief executive of Veolia in Australia and New Zealand, where he led operations across the Pacific region.
The appointment forms part of wider management changes as Veolia enters a new phase of its GreenUp strategic programme.
Gavin Graveson has been appointed chief executive of Veolia’s Asia Pacific zone and will remain on the group executive committee.
“I am looking forward to building on the excellence that Gavin and the team have delivered across Northern Europe and supporting my colleagues as we drive to complete our GreenUp ambitions,” said Richard Kirkman, chief executive of Northern Europe at Veolia.
“Environmental security is essential for public and private entities across the zone and our innovative solutions are primed to support economic growth with sustainable sovereignty.”
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