Richard Kirkman joined the Veolia Group in 1994 as an Environmental Engineer. He went on to hold a range of commercial, operational and technical positions throughout Europe, the UK and Ireland. In these roles he covered material & energy sales, planning, construction, fleet and external affairs, whilst building and commissioning a number of recycling, composting and energy recovery facilities, as well as energy and water treatment assets.
In 2020, he joined Veolia Australia and New Zealand as CEO and Managing Director, where he focused on delivering a practical Ecological Transformation approach across the company’s water, waste and energy activities.
As an engineer with a doctorate in Infrastructure for the Circular Economy, he believes in bold action for improving the health of both people and our planet.
On April 2, 2026, Richard Kirkman was appointed CEO of the Northern Europe Zone and Chief Growth Officer, and joined the Group’s Executive Committee.
