Our People

The Exec team

Martin Smith Chief Executive Officer

Martin Smith

Chief Executive Officer

Martin has over 40 years of leadership experience across the legal, environmental and support services sectors. Earlier in his career, he was engaged by a leading barristers’ chambers to drive its expansion, helping establish its international presence and reputation advising governments and major corporates, for which he received national award for business innovation.

He has since held senior executive roles in businesses delivering essential services to commercial and infrastructure clients across the UK. Martin brings a strong focus on governance, compliance and operational performance, and has led a number of successful business integrations and growth strategies. He continues to champion innovation, investment in people and long-term customer partnerships.

Matthew Turner

Chairman

Matthew has over 35 years experience in global businesses. He qualified as a lawyer and is now Senior Partner at Triton, a significant European investor managing over €18 billion of funds.

Prior to Triton, he served as International Head of the Global Private Equity business of Merrill Lynch, was the designate CEO of Kaupthing, overseeing the successful restructuring post the financial collapse in Iceland and senior director within the investment arm of the Prudential. He continues to hold a number of senior non-executive positions in global industrial, healthcare and service businesses.

Vaughan McLeod

Non Executive Board Member

Vaughan brings with him over 50 years experience in the construction material and plant hire industry. As an executive chairman of a 250 FTSE PLC. He is known for his operating detail and has led significant strategic growth in the businesses that he has run. He grew one business that spanned the USA, Poland and the UK by 500% over 10 years at the helm. He successfully turned a struggling Sweeper business around from a loss making position and achieved growth of 50% and delivered profits of over 10%  which was then subsequently sold successfully to a Venture capitalist. He remained with the company to ensure a successful and fluent merger into their existing operations.

Vaughan brings a strong focus on performance and delivering a sustainable future whilst creating value.

Steve Carter

Chief Financial Officer

Big 4 qualified and with over 20 years senior finance experience across UK & US listed, private equity and owner-managed businesses, Steve brings a range of experience to support and drive Sweeptech’s growth.

Throughout his career, Steve has specialised in acquisitions & integrations, process improvement, system implementations and developing best in class finance teams that consistently add value to the organisation.

Sallie Gilbert Finance Director

Sallie Gilbert

Financial Director

Joined Sweeptech as finance director in 1997, bringing 10 years’ experience gained in banking and financial organisations ,Sallie has a rich and varied experience in multiple leadership roles and a strong focus on cashflow procedures.

Sallie strives towards creating a productive welcoming and friendly work environment that encourages every team member to achieve their very best.

Emma Smith Sweeptech In-House Lawyer

Emma Smith

In-House Lawyer

Emma is Sweeptech’s in-house lawyer and has been a key part of the business’s legal and governance support for many years. A qualified solicitor since 1988, she began her career at Hextall Erskine, completing her articles there before moving to Mishcon de Reya and later Charles Douglas. Her practice focused on company commercial work for both UK and offshore clients. Since moving in-house, Emma has played an important role in supporting the company’s growth, particularly around corporate governance, risk management, and acquisitions.

Health, Safety and Compliance

Stephanie Davis

HSEQ Manager

I have gained valuable experience within the Health, Safety, Environment and Quality profession from a variation of active, high functioning sectors including mining, manufacturing and distribution.

From each of these I have worked on both national and local basis’s helping depots, branches and companies to further their compliance, mindset and attitude towards EH&S. I aim to support and guide both operations and senior management levels to create a realistic, practical but safe working environment considering all stakeholders in the process.

Operations Team

Shaun Gilbert Operations Director

Shaun Gilbert

Chief Technical Officer

Shaun began his career in civil engineering over 35 years ago, including work on Gatwick Airport’s North Terminal. He founded Sweeptech Limited in 1997, focusing on road sweeping services, and has remained with the business through its transition into Sweeptech Environmental Services Ltd.

Now Chief Technical Officer, Shaun brings extensive hands-on experience and continues to support the delivery of frontline services across the company’s operations.

 

Stuart Derrick

Regional Director - North

After serving with the British Army, Stuart joined the Waste & Recycling Industry in 2007. He has gained a wealth of experience within the industry in various managerial roles in both family run businesses and large national players, so he understands what is required to make a business successful.

He enjoys challenging environments, offering up strong leadership and man management skills and likes to work closely with his team to ensure customers receive a first-class service. Over the years, Stuart has managed culturally diverse work forces and is keen to develop new talent within our business.

Arron Alison

Regional Director - South

Arron began his career in the military, which laid the foundation for his strong leadership and problem-solving skills. Arron has spent 16 years in the waste and transport industry, starting as an operative and working his way through various roles focused on continuous improvement in both the private and public sectors.

Passionate about seeing people grow and thrive, Arron enjoys helping teams come together and solve problems – his goal being to always support customers and drive solutions that make a real impact.

Rupert Diggins

National Hire Desk Manager

Rupert brings over 35 years experience in the travel industry, where he built a strong foundation in customer service before advancing into product development, sales and marketing. He recognises the importance of combining exceptional customer service with data-driven insights to strengthen client relationships and drive strategic sales initiatives.

Rupert joined Sweeptech in 2024 to support the sales team during the Go Plant acquisition and plays a key role in ensuring key national accounts receive a prompt, reliable and customer-focused service reinforcing our valued long-term partnerships.

Russ Kelso

General Manager - Newcastle Depot

With a career in the sweeping industry which is 35 years and counting, Russ has seen many changes in operations and vehicle improvements.

Russ enjoys the  day to day challenges of meeting Sweeptech’s clients needs. A very approachable member of the team with an open-door policy, which he believes leads to a happy environment.

Wayne Dunford

General Manager - Ellesmere Port Depot

Wayne has had a varied career – starting off on the hire desk and working his way up to regional manager. Wayne is a self-motivated individual who always strives to achieve a high standard in whatever he undertakes.

He prides himself on a strong work ethic and problem solving abilities – and has an open door policy which enables him to get the best out of the team he works with, in return meaning you get guaranteed customer satisfaction!

Darren White

General Manager - Barnsley Depot

Darren has progressed his career over the past 35 years in various customer-facing and management roles resulting in vast experience and knowledge in the corporate sector.

Darren has held many positions within sweeping companies; from driver, health and safety compliance to hire controller and management, so is fully conversant with every aspect of the business and the challenges and rewards presented. Strong connections have been built with customers, stakeholders and colleagues, establishing collaborative methods of operation and successful working relationships.

Stuart Brumbill

General Manager - Barnsley Depot

Stuart initially worked for 15 years as a sweeper driver, before moving onto the hire desk. Throughout his career he has applied one simple rule, ‘you get back what you put in’.

Stuart believes each person in his team brings a unique set of skills, from the drivers to the staff on the hire desk. He is proud to be building a strong business in the Midlands due to the strength of Sweeptech’s Senior Leadership Team and the brilliant staff under his control.

Liam Woodley

General Manager - Southampton Depot

With over a decade of experience in hire and logistics, and seven years specialising in the sweeper and waste industry, Liam has built a career on reliability, efficiency and customer-focused service. Working across the South Coast, he has ensured businesses stay operational, compliant and clean and takes pride in building strong relationships and always going the extra mile.

Liam is passionate about delivering practical, cost-effective and environmentally responsible waste management solutions. Whether it’s coordinating fleet logistics, managing large-scale contracts, or working directly with clients to tailor solutions, he thrives on keeping things running smoothly. 

Curtis Fell - General Manager, South East

Curtis Fell

General Manager - South East

Curtis began his career at Sweeptech in 2017 as a sweeper driver and through hard work and dedication, he advanced through various roles to his current position as General Manager for the South East.

Curtis’ journey has been fuelled by a commitment to providing excellent customer service and building strong client relationships, taking immense pride in his work and has a genuine passion for what he does; proudly playing his role in Sweeptech’s  mission to provide exceptional services to our clients.

Business Development Team

Amanda Brown

Business Development Director

With over 30 years of industry knowledge, Mandy has worked within both specialist vehicle asset sales and vehicle rental solution companies in the waste and cleansing industry delivering significant revenue growth and customer retention.

Holding senior positions and managing key accounts with £millions spends for market leading companies she is dedicated and focused to ensuring that customers are at the forefront of the businesses focus delivering strong customer relationships, savings, safety and innovation as well as having strong leadership skills to manage a team of front line salespeople.

Shaun Smithson

Account Manager

With a career spanning over four decades, Shaun has built a strong track record in sales, strategic planning and relationship management.

As a National Key Accounts & Sales Manager, Shaun played a key role in driving significant revenue growth. He has held senior sales positions, developing business strategies, expanding key accounts and leading cross-functional teams. Before joining Sweeptech, he owned his own business and brings expertise in business development, customer advocacy and performance analysis to his current role.

Conrad Bool

Account Manager

Conrad has a wealth of sales, customer relationship and sales management experience across a variety of sectors including Advertising and Media, Radio and Adult Social Care.

Conrad worked as National Sales Manager for a large national advertising company before establishing his own advertising and tele-marketing business. He then spent many years selling occupancy in Care Homes, until the emotional responsibility in that sector saw him move his experience and transferable skills into the Waste Management arena. Conrad is a huge advocate of strong and focussed Customer Service and Account Management.

Team

Liz Finch Assistant Operations Manager

Liz Finch

Business Support Manager

Emily Light Accounts Manager

Emily Light

Financial Controller

Lauren Osborne Hire Desk Manager

Lauren Osborne

General Manager (Hickstead)

Paul Clough

Hire Desk Manager (Northwest)

Karla Tekic

HR Administrator

Brooklyn Newington Accounts Assistant

Brooklyn Newington

Accounts Assistant

Sweeptech Accreditations

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