The UK Deposit Management Organisation (UK DMO) has appointed Niamh Lawlor as Chief Financial Officer. The appointment means that all Board positions for the organisation, which will deliver the Deposit Return Scheme in England, Scotland and Northern Ireland, have now been filled.
Niamh joins the DMO from Poundstretcher, where she was Chief Financial Officer. She brings more than 25 years of experience in senior financial leadership roles across organisations in the UK and Ireland. Prior to Poundstretcher, she spent over two decades at Tesco, holding a range of senior finance positions spanning retail operations, logistics, infrastructure and online delivery, and served as Chief Financial Officer and Executive Board Director at Tesco Ireland.
During her time in Ireland, Niamh was part of the executive leadership team during the implementation of Ireland’s Deposit Return Scheme, giving her first-hand experience of the complex operational change required to establish a DRS.
As Chief Financial Officer, Niamh will be a member of the DMO’s Executive Leadership Team and Board, responsible for leading the organisation’s financial strategy, governance and performance as it continues to build towards full operational delivery of the Deposit Return Scheme in England, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
The announcement follows a period of significant progress for the DMO, including the appointment of two Independent Non-Executive Directors, the appointment of Russell Davies as Chief Executive, and continued advancement of core delivery work such as the development of Reverse Vending Machine (RVM) specifications as part of the operational blueprint.
“The DMO has made strong progress in a short space of time, and I’m pleased to be joining at this important next phase," said Lawlor. I’m looking forward to working with colleagues to help build the financial foundations needed to support the successful delivery of the scheme.”
John Bason, Chair of UK DMO, said: “Niamh’s appointment is an important step for the organisation. With Board positions now filled and organisational structures in place, we are moving into the next phase of work – finalising scheme design and supporting industry readiness across the UK, to ensure the scheme is practical, fair and works for everyone involved.”