Reconomy appoints Dodsworth, invests GBP £10m in tech

Reconomy is set to strengthen its technology leadership with the appointment of Jenny Dodsworth as the new Group Programme & Delivery Director, accompanied by plans to invest over GBP £10 million in technology development for 2025.

Jenny Dodsworth brings a wealth of experience to Reconomy, having previously led major transformation projects at several FTSE 100 companies. Her background includes senior programme roles at Capita, Merlin Entertainments, Virgin Atlantic, and Argos, where she was instrumental in implementing large-scale enterprise resource planning systems. Most recently, Dodsworth served at A2Dominion, a housing association, directing a significant D365 transformation programme.

Reporting to Jody Fullman, Chief Information Officer, Dodsworth will work closely with James Skeet, Director of Group Change and Transformation, to drive technology change across Reconomy. Additionally, she will support the company's strategic objective to expand in North America and integrate newly acquired companies.

Reconomy is currently focused on leveraging the opportunities available in the international circular economy, reflecting the necessity of embracing circularity to conserve resources and reduce waste. The company's technological strategy is central to this effort as it aims to lead within its core markets and expand operations in North America.

The company's technology strategy rests on three pillars: streamlining operations for its workforce, consolidating platform and data products, and developing new products for market entry. Key initiatives include providing its 4,000 employees with unified operations, creating a single data platform for Extended Producer Responsibility compliance, and centralising platforms to serve Recycle brands in the UK.

RecoTek, launched last year as Reconomy's internal scaling centre, now employs over 130 people. This centre is dedicated to accelerating product development and enhancing Reconomy's existing technological capabilities.

Guy Wakeley, Chief Executive of Reconomy, stated: "Technology is one of our greatest competitive advantages and is the driving force behind our rapid growth. In less than a year, Jody and his team have established a world-class technology scaling centre that will enable us to deliver on our strategic priorities and provide circular economy led solutions to our customers, helping them unlock commercial opportunities and deliver cost efficiencies. I look forward to seeing Jenny make an invaluable contribution to our technology and growth agendas."

Jody Fullman added: "This is a truly exciting time to be leading technology at Reconomy. As our business continues to experience exceptional growth, our global technology function plays a critical and strategic role in transforming the products and capabilities across our acquired brands to operate as one international team, driving operational excellence and creating opportunities to enter into new markets. I am delighted that Jenny has joined my leadership team. With her proven track record of driving commercial success and numerous large scale transformations, she is a perfect fit to support the delivery of our technology change programmes."

Dodsworth expressed her enthusiasm: "I am excited to have joined Reconomy with its excellent track record and clear purpose to enable the circular economy for its customers. I look forward to working closely with Jody and the senior leadership teams to drive major change programmes across the organisation to capitalise on the opportunities ahead of us and create a more sustainable world."