Nigel Sandy joins the board of Universal Salvage plc as an executive director, with effect from today, 12 January. At the end of March 2004, Mr Sandy will take over the role of chief executive from Martin Hynes, who will remain on the board as an executive director in order to complete a smooth handover. Martin Hynes intends to retire from the board completely on 30 June 2004.

From May 2001 to July 2003, Nigel Sandy was chief executive of Waste Recycling Group plc, until its agreed sale to Terra Firma Capital Partners for £530 million. Before that, he spent 10 years as managing director of Hanson Waste Management, the waste management and renewable energy services business of Hanson plc, which was subsequently sold to Waste Recycling Group in 2001 for £185 million.

Sandy was also Deputy Chairman and later Chairman of The Environmental Services Association, the trade association for the waste management industry, for four years, between 1994 and 1998.