ESPP is governed by a “Board of Directors”, as specified in ESPP’s statutes (in particular, articles 17 to 21).
The Board consists of members elected by the General Assembly (which consists of all ESPP Members). The Board elects, from its members, the ESPP President, Secretary and Treasurer.
At present, the members of the ESPP Board of Directors are as follows:
Robert van Spingelen (Ostara Nutrient Recovery Technologies) – President
Robert has 20+ years’ experience in the fertiliser production industry and working on several projects of recuperating nutrients derived from waste streams. Currently working with Ostara as well as for other companies helping them out valorising their organic waste streams into fertilising products. Robert is a firm believer in getting nutrients that are present in ‘waste” streams back into fertilising products to lower the footprint of waste nutrients.
Jean-Christophe Ades (Kemira) – Treasurer
Jean-Christophe works as a Senior Marketing Manager for Waste Water & Sludge Municipal in Kemira. He has more than 20 years of experience in the water, wastewater and sludge treatment field. All of his career he has worked on different positions in Kemira with focus on production, sales, product management and marketing. He has worked in France and since more than 5 years with responsibility for EMEA region.
Ludwig Hermann (Proman) – Secretary
Ludwig has 35+ years of experience as technology, sustainability and innovation manager and consultant on 3 continents, was co-founder and long-term CEO of ASH DEC Umwelt AG, is co-inventor of minerals/ash decontamination, phosphorus recovery, energy conversion and efficiency technologies, author and co-author of several patents, reports, papers and book chapters on recovery of critical materials, nutrient recycling and renewable energy. He is a member of the scientific advisory board “Environment” of the German Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing and of the Steering Committee of the International Water Association’s (IWA) Resource Recovery Cluster.
Mark Craig (UKWIR – Severn Trent Water)
Mark has been with Severn Trent Water for 33 years and his current role is Long Term Asset Strategy Lead for wastewater treatment. In this role he owns and plans for a wide range of issues that come under the umbrella term ‘emerging substances of concern’, including pharmaceuticals, hazardous substances, PFAS, microplastics and anti-microbial resistance; monitors future legislative requirements, such as the new UWWTD and quantifying impact on Severn Trent Water if England decides to adopt equivalent legislation; leads on the development of our 5 yearly wastewater environmental improvement programme (with specific focus on Phosphate removal to meet WFD standards); works on our business plan submission to our economic regulator, Ofwat; engages with a range of key stakeholders including environmental regulators, Defra and the academic community. He is also the programme lead for UKWIRs sustainable wastewater treatment research programme to develop new research proposals for consideration by the UKWIR membership.
Christian Kabbe (EasyMining)
Christian has a PhD in Environmental and Analytical Chemistry and a professional career in the chemical industry, in the German EPA, in research and in water technology engineering. He coordinated the EU FP7 project P-REX (2012-2015). Since 2019, Christian is managing director of the German branch of EasyMining, a daughter company of the Swedish Ragn-Sells Group, which has developed technologies for nutrient recovery from secondary sources. Christian participates in IFS, DWA and various European and German committees dealing with wastewater management, resource recovery and circular economy. Christian focuses on cross-sectoral cooperation to implement recycling in practice, where quality, volume and reliability matter.
Laia Llenas Argelaguet (BETA Technological Centre)
Laia Llenas Argelaguet holds a PhD in Chemical Engineering and is currently the Deputy Director of the BETA Technological Centre, a leading research centre in bioeconomy and sustainable rural development. Her work focuses on environmental technologies for waste treatment and nutrient recovery, particularly in the agri-food sector. Laia has coordinated and participated in numerous European research and innovation projects, including H2020 FERTIMANURE, and has promoted multiple technology transfer initiatives with industry. She is also part of the coordination team of the European Sustainable Nutrient Initiative (ESNI) and is currently leading the creation of the Catalan Nutrient Platform, two initiatives that foster collaboration among stakeholders in sustainable nutrient management and support the development of markets for recycled and bio-based fertilizers.
Chris Poole (Fertilizers Europe)
Chris Poole joined Fertilizers Europe in 2022 in the position of agriculture and environment officer. He graduated from the University of Malta with a degree in Geography and is currently completing his MSc in Biosphere Reserves Management from the University for Sustainable Development in Eberswalde. Prior to joining Fertilizers Europe Chris spent several years working in the agricultural sector as a journeyman winemaker at the Weingut Georg Breuer.
Andrea Salimbeni (RE-CORD)
With more than 10 years experience in thermochemical conversion processes, he owns a EU patent on Phosphorus extraction from biowaste and sludge. From 2020 he is HAS consultant of the European Commission for the Fertiliser Products Regulation.
He started his career working as project manager for EUBIA (European Biomass Industry Association), from 2012 to 2017. During these years he coordinated the development of international research projects. From 2013 to 2016 he was coordinator of the NEWAPP project, funded by the European Commission FP7 programme. From 2017 to 2019 he worked at INGELIA, firstly covering the role of Business Development Engineer at the Valencia headquarters, then the role of R&D Manager at the associated INGELIA Italy. In September 2019 he officially joined the Re-Cord team, where he is coordinator of the unit "Raw Materials & Carbon Recycling". His research activity is focused on thermo-chemical treatment technologies for the extraction of critical raw materials, such as phosphorus, copper, iron, aluminium and silicon
Tanya Schaaf (Outotec)
Tanja is product manager RD and Technology in the in product line Thermal Processing at Outotec Germany, with R&D interests including pyrolysis, gasification, combustion, gas upgrading, nutrient recovery from ash and phosphate rock calcination, including cadmium removal. Tanja studied in Slovenia and Germany before starting at Lurgi, where she was responsible for R&D in oleochemicals for 4 years.