- UK DMO appoints two independent non-executive directors to its board
- Appointments to strengthen governance and bring external expertise in sustainability, procurement, and finance
- Both will chair newly established board committees to provide oversight on fees, operations, audit and remuneration
The UK Deposit Management Organisation (UK DMO), the not-for-profit, business-led body delivering the deposit return scheme in England, Scotland and Northern Ireland, has appointed two independent non-executive directors to its board.
The appointments further strengthen the organisation’s governance as it continues to prepare for the scheme to go live in October 2027.
Juliet Sotnick has over 25 years of sustainability, procurement and supply chain experience. Most recently she was chief procurement officer at IHS Towers, one of the largest independent communications infrastructure companies, and prior to that was chief procurement & supply chain officer and chief sustainability officer at Babcock International Group.
Juliet has also worked in senior leadership positions at Sky and Bear Stearns & Co.
She is currently an independent non-executive director at Nuclear Waste Services – one of the UK’s largest and most complex environmental infrastructure projects – and also sits on the global board of trustees for the Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply.
Juliet will chair the fees committee and the operations, technology and IT committee.
Sotnick said, “The Deposit Return Scheme can transform how we manage waste across the UK, preventing billions of cans and bottles from littering our countryside, rivers and beaches.
"I have spent my career working on some of the most complex environmental challenges and know first-hand the importance of working with stakeholders across the supply chain to deliver projects that make a real difference. I am looking forward to bringing this experience to bear with the passionate and committed team at UK DMO to deliver the best possible DRS for the UK.”
Lynda Heywood is a finance leader and treasurer with more than two decades of experience, including senior roles where she held group treasurer positions. She has deep expertise in capital structure, liquidity and financial risk management, as well as debt and real estate financing.
Heywood has held non-executive roles at Urban Logistics REIT plc and Atrato Partners, and served on boards across retail, insurance and property. She also sat on the Tesco Pension Scheme’s investment and risk committee and was a member of the Bank of England’s Money Markets Committee. She is a Fellow of both the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England & Wales and the Association of Corporate Treasurers.
Lynda will chair the audit, finance and risk committee and the remuneration committee.
Heywood said, “I am excited by the opportunity to be joining an organisation at the heart of such a transformational change in the UK’s circular economy. I look forward to supporting the development of a scheme that is effective, efficient and delivers real value across the economy and environment.”
With these appointments, UK DMO has now formalised its full board committee structure, including approved terms of reference for the following committees:
- Audit, finance and risk committee
- Nominations committee
- Remuneration committee
- Fees committee
- Operations, technology and IT committee
This governance framework will provide dedicated oversight and support for key areas of programme delivery.
John Bason, Chair of UK DMO , said: “I’m delighted to welcome Juliet and Lynda to the UK DMO board. They bring deep experience across sustainability, procurement, finance and risk, and their appointments complement existing members by introducing independent perspectives from outside the drinks and retail sectors.
"With both taking on leadership of newly established committees, they will provide targeted oversight in key areas of programme delivery. Their expertise brings added strength to the board as we continue to develop the DMO at pace.
"We are making great strides as we progress towards the scheme going live in October 2027 and with our full committee structure now in place, we can move forward with even more clarity, focus and governance oversight as we deliver a deposit return scheme that works for everyone.”