David Slater - CChem, FRSC, CEng, FiChemE, BSc, PhD Director

Profile

Extensive experience in Environmental Policy and Risk Management, both in academia, consultancy and in UK Regulatory Agencies. Through the 1970s and 1980s, in environmental policy, (The Netherlands and UK), impact and risk; and through the 1990s a leading role in developing and implementing risk-based pollution control legislation in UK and Europe. Current involvement with Welsh, Dutch, Norwegian and Swiss Government Institutions on Environmental and Science policy, Aviation and Major Hazard studies.

Professional and Academic Qualifications

    • Chartered Chemist (CChem)
    • Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry (FRSC)
    • Chartered Engineer (CEng)
    • Fellow of the Institute of Chemical Engineers (FIChemE)
    • BSc - Chemistry, University of Wales
    • PhD in Gas Kinetics, University of Wales

Employment History

 

    2002 Cambrensis   Director
    2002 Manchester University  

    Royal Academy of Engineering Visiting Professorship in Sustainable Engineering.

    2002 King’s College London   Adjunct Professorship in the King’s Risk Group

    2001 - 2004

    Acona Group

    Principal Partner. Consultancy focussed on helping clients to understand environmental, safety and business risk, and thereby to accelerate their organisational performance.

    1998 to 2001

    OXERA Environmental Ltd

    Managing Director. Consultancy in strategic, regulatory and environmental policy, advice and analysis, mainly in the Utilities sector.

    1995 to 1998

    UK Environment Agency

    Director of Environmental Protection

    1991 to 1995

    Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Pollution (HMIP)

    Chief Inspector, directing the activities of 436 professional, technical and administrative staff in IPC regulation.

    1981 to 1991

    Technica Limited

    Risk management consultancy; a Founding Director, Main Board member and Chairman.

    1974 to 1981

    Cremer and Warner

    Consulting Engineers & Scientists, the senior UK chemical engineering partnership.

    1970 to 1974

    Imperial College, London

    Lecturer in Combustion

    1969 to 1970

    University of Southampton

    Senior SRC Fellow, leading research on chemical lasers

    1966 to 1969

    Ohio State University, USA

    Postdoctoral Fellow on photochemistry of smog

 

Cambrensis (Director, 2002 – to date)

  •  Providing expertise in environmental regulation and risk.

  • Current and recent projects include-

  • Provision of advice and strategies for companies affected by the new REACH Directive

  • Advice on Chemical Hazards (British Retail Consortium)

  • Preparation of briefing and data sheets for Chemicals

  • Advice to major US petrochemical company on REACH

  • Confidential litigation work (major multinational)

  • Development of a risk ranking tool to prioritise chemicals for strategic decisions such as substitution, phase out , etc

  • Preparation of protocols for the Heavy Metals, Pop’s and Air Pollutant Framework Agreements. UNECE

  • Development of strategy for project sustainability assessment. NESTA

  • Assessment of Radon Policy, Welsh Assembly Government

 Acona Group (Principal Partner, 2001-2004)

 Group Board Director, Recruited and introduced the Sustainable Business team in the UK.

Pioneered and developed the international Aviation sector risk business

 OXERA Environmental Limited (Managing Director, 1998 - 2000)

Founded and developed the environmental arm of the OXERA group from start-up to an established consultancy, with a reputation in strategic, regulatory and risk advice and analysis, mainly in the Utilities sector. It has contributed significantly to policy, in particular, to the developing area of voluntary initiatives and economic instruments, such as Environmental Reporting and Accounting, Carbon Trading and the Climate Change Levy.

 UK Environment Agency (Director of Environmental Protection, 1995 – 1998)

As the Agency's chief environmental regulator, he developed and ensured implementation of related strategies, policies and procedures. Pollution regulation involved roughly half of the Agency's £560m budget and 9,000 workforce. Dr Slater chaired the Policy Group, which steered the Agency’s' environmental strategy; and successfully integrated policy, forming a common approach and implementation across all functions of the Agency; delivering the Agency's statutory responsibilities, aims and objectives in environmental protection and enhancement.

  • 1997-1998 Seconded to the European Commission (DGXI.E-Industry and Environment). Working to the Director, involved in formulating policy on Chemicals, PVC and Endocrine Disruptors.

Her Majesty's Inspectorate Of Pollution, HMIP (Chief Inspector, 1991 – 1995)

As Chief Executive and Chief Inspector, Dr Slater led and directed the activities of 436 professional, technical and administrative staff. He was responsible for enacting UK legislation on the environment on behalf of the Secretary of State, notably Integrated Pollution Control (IPC) introduced in April 1991, and for complying with the Secretary of State's instructions regarding European and international legislation, standards and agreements. He also had an important role in influencing government policy on the environment, based on the experience of HMIP in implementing legislation.

During his time at HMIP, Dr Slater drove forward the integration of the Inspectorate to enable it to deliver its new responsibilities for IPC. The efficiency of HMIP was increased by a strategic reorganisation to maximise the value added by the various divisions of the Inspectorate and by the introduction of an extensive IT network. Dr Slater played a leading role in developing the Network of the European Environmental Enforcement Agencies (IMPEL) to a formal role in the EU and provided advice to government on the establishment of the UK Environment Agency.

Technica Limited, Risk Management Consultancy (Director, 1981 – 1991)

As a founding director, Dr Slater was responsible for the launch, funding and development of this leading international consultancy from five people to 200 people worldwide. In 1987 he moved to take charge of Technica's US subsidiary, which he built up from three to 65 staff and about half of Technica's world-wide turnover then of some £10m pa. His role was general management of the US business, high-level corporate/client relations and overseeing the direction of a wide range of projects such as Exxon Valdez. Clients included major oil and chemical companies and international governments (including UK, Europe, Australia and Hong Kong).

1981-1986 Chairman and Managing Director - Technica Ltd

1986-1991 President and Chief Executive Officer - Technica Inc.

Cremer & Warner Partnership (1974 – 1981)

Initially a principal scientist, he subsequently became the partner responsible for the work on hazard analysis and environmental issues. Projects included the studies for the inquiry into the Flixborough disaster, the Seveso clean up and work on radioactive waste disposal. He led the pioneering application of risk assessment techniques to the offshore and petrochemical industry and their use in policy decision making for the Dutch government.

 Professional Activities

  • Founding Chairman of the EU Network for the Implementation and Enforcement of Environmental Law (IMPEL)

  • UK Representative to the International Network for Environmental Compliance and Enforcement (INECE)

  • Environmental Adviser to the Cabinet Office’s Better Regulation Taskforce (2000 - 2000)

  • Specialist Adviser to the House of Commons’ Environment, Transport and Regional Affairs Select Committee (1999 - 2000)

  • Independent member of the BHPBilliton Board’s Sustainability committee (1999 –to date).

  • Seconded as Senior Scientist to the National Assembly of Wales Government (Jan – Apr 2003)

  • Committee member of the Institution of Chemical Engineers’ Environment Subject Group.

  • Vice-chairman of the National Society for Clean Air’s Commission on Sustainable Regulation.(1999- 2001)

  • Chairman of the Joint Agency/Government Task Force on Environmental Risk Assessment.(1997-1998)

  • Member of the Industrial Advisory Board, Cardiff University(2003 - to date)

  • Member of the Court, Cranfield University (1996 - 2001)

  • Honorary Professor and External Advisor- Life Sciences, University of Wales, Aberystwyth (1992 - 2001)

  • Professor and Visiting Fellow, Warren Centre for Advanced Engineering, University of Sydney (1985 - 86)

  • Co-opted member, UK Advisory Committee on Major Hazards (1975 - 81)

  • Consultant to the Offshore Emergency Evacuation Joint Committee, Department of Energy and United Kingdom Offshore Operators Association (UKOOA) (1981- 86)

Outside Interests

Breeding and competing Sport horses ( www.ruxtonhorses.com )

Contact details

Tel. 01432-840-568

Mobile 07775632759

E-mail dslater@cambrensis.org