Steven, could you tell us about your professional background and how it led you to RetourMat?

I began my career as a Chartered Accountant, which laid the groundwork for over three decades of experience in financial leadership roles across various sectors, including environmental services and sustainable industries. My previous positions have always involved a strong focus on operational efficiency, business transformation and sustainability.

Joining the business was a natural progression – a chance to bring my financial expertise to an organisation making a real difference in how we manage waste and resources. Now, as part of RetourMat, that ambition has grown even further as we bring together expertise from across Europe to create more circular solutions for the mattress industry.

What attracted you to join the business?

What stood out to me was its mission. The business isn’t simply focused on reducing waste – it is actively changing the way the industry thinks about mattresses throughout their lifecycle.

From recovering valuable materials through recycling to extending the useful life of suitable mattresses through rejuvenation, RetourMat is developing smarter, more circular solutions. The opportunity to be part of a team innovating across both recycling and rejuvenation, while scaling that impact across Europe, was incredibly appealing.

Since joining the business, what initiatives have you been most passionate about?

I’ve been particularly focused on strengthening our performance framework to support long-term growth and investment in sustainable technology.

RetourMat has an ambitious vision for scaling mattress recycling and rejuvenation, and ensuring we have the right financial and operational foundations in place is critical to making that happen. I’m passionate about building a business model that not only supports our day-to-day operations but also enables continued innovation, investment and measurable environmental impact.

How do you see the role of finance in advancing RetourMat’s sustainability goals?

Finance plays a strategic role in everything we do – from evaluating new recycling technologies and optimising logistics to investing in and expanding our rejuvenation capabilities.

At RetourMat, commercial performance and sustainability need to work together. By closely aligning our financial strategy with our environmental objectives, we can continue to invest in infrastructure, technology and innovation while delivering value for our customers and progressing towards a more circular mattress industry.

What makes RetourMat’s recycling and rejuvenation services unique in the industry?

Our approach to the entire mattress lifecycle is what sets us apart. We don’t simply look at how a mattress can be recycled at the end of its life – we first consider how its useful life can be extended wherever possible.

Through rejuvenation, suitable mattresses can be professionally processed and given another life. When a mattress can no longer be reused, our recycling operations recover materials such as foam, textiles and steel so they can be returned to productive use.

Bringing recycling, rejuvenation and circular material solutions together allows us to help our customers reduce waste, keep valuable resources in circulation and achieve their sustainability goals. We’re also continually innovating, investing in new technology and developing better ways to recover and retain value from mattresses and their materials.

What do you enjoy outside of work?

Outside of work, family is everything to me. I’m married with four children and two wonderful grandchildren, and we have two dogs who keep us on our toes. I love to travel whenever possible – it’s a great way to recharge and gain perspective. I also enjoy playing golf, both for the challenge and the chance to spend time outdoors.

What are your aspirations for RetourMat’s future?

My goal is to help establish RetourMat as a European leader in mattress sustainability and circularity.

That means continuing to expand our capabilities, strengthening partnerships with mattress manufacturers, retailers, waste management companies, hospitality businesses and local authorities, and investing in the technology and people that will enable us to grow.

Ultimately, I’d like to see recycling and rejuvenation become the norm across the mattress industry, with mattresses kept in use for as long as possible and their valuable materials retained in circulation when they reach the end of their useful life. That’s the future RetourMat is working towards.