Green Futures: Expo & Summit

• Mark Farr
• CEO, Purple Planet Packaging

Hello, everyone! I’m Mark Farr, and while I may have the title of CEO at Purple Planet Packaging, my journey to this role has been anything but ordinary. You see, before I dived headfirst into the business world, I was—and still am—a paramedic. Being a paramedic isn’t just a job; it’s a calling, a passion that’s all about helping others. This same passion fuels everything I do, including leading Purple Planet Packaging, a family-run business based right here in Coventry. Back in 2019, my wife Joanna and I took a leap of faith and founded Purple Planet Packaging with a clear and bold mission: to tackle the environmental challenges posed by single-use plastics. We wanted to offer something better, something sustainable, something that would make a real difference. With Joanna’s sharp financial acumen and my drive to make the world a better place, we set out to create recyclable, compostable packaging alternatives that not only serve their purpose but also give consumers a responsible choice that doesn’t harm our planet. From compostable coffee cups to custom-printed packaging, every product we offer is designed with the earth’s future in mind. We’re proud to have built Purple Planet Packaging into a leading name in responsible packaging, known for our commitment to quality, innovation, and most importantly, environmental stewardship.

• Colin Szwed
• Head of Renewables, Eco UK Group

Colin Szwed is an accomplished professional with over 29 years of experience in the financial sector. Throughout his career, he has held pivotal roles at various leading financial institutions, where he honed his expertise in finance, investment strategies, and market analysis. His broad experience across the industry has provided him with a deep understanding of financial markets, risk management, and sustainable investment practices. After watching a documentary ‘ The inconvenient Truth’ and understanding the impact of climate change Colin decided to enter the Renewable Energy Sector in 2012 to assist business reduce their carbon emissions and energy costs by installing Solar PV. Currently, Colin serves as the Head of Renewables at Eco UK Group where he leads strategic initiatives focused on driving the growth and integration of renewable energy solutions. Under his leadership, the company has expanded its renewable energy portfolio, advancing its commitment to sustainability and innovation in the energy sector. Colin is known for his strategic vision, leadership, and passion for fostering a sustainable future. He is a strong advocate for the transition to clean energy and is dedicated to making a positive impact through his work in the renewables industry.

• Vicky Lofthouse
• Sustainable Innovation Consultant and founder of EN:ABLE Sustainability

Vicky has been working in sustainable innovation for 25 years, helping businesses and organisations across a broad range of industries to reduce their environmental impact. Clients include: Triton showers, GlaxoSmithKline, SATS, Leonardo, Tencel Acordis, Lloyds Banking Group and Alliance Boots.​ EN:ABLE SUSTAINABILITY is an innovation consultancy that supports product manufacturers who recognise the importance of sustainability, but lack the time, resources or knowledge to realise their ambitions. Vicky has been a keynote speaker on the topic of sustainability at international events in UK, Norway, Mexico, Columbia, China and has been an advisor for the Ellen MacCarthur Foundation; DEFRA; British Standards (BS 8887). She holds a PhD in Sustainable Design Implementation from Cranfield University and has held academic teaching positions at both Cranfield University and Loughborough University within the field of Sustainable Design Innovation and Circularity. She has circa 100 academic publications in Sustainability related topics and has examined 15 PhDs across Europe and supervised 10 PhDs to completion.

• Denise Osborne
• Business Energy Advisor, Coventry City Council

Denise is a business energy advisor for the Decarbonisation/Net Zero Programme at Coventry City Council, with a focus on supporting small to medium-sized businesses on becoming efficient with their energy, waste and water use as well as maximising low carbon opportunities. Previous to this Denise worked as a business development advisor in the business support team, having previously worked on the Green Business Programme for four years. Both roles were within Coventry City Council. Denise has an MBA in Business Strategy from the University of Warwick and is a Chartered Marketer (CIM Dip) and has been a member of the Chartered Institute of Marketing for over 20 years.

• Adam Concar
• Creative Director, rBL Brand Agency

Adam Concar is a Creative Director with over two decades of experience working with brands such as ZSL, Commonwealth Sport, and OCI Global. Over the years he has developed expertise in integrating sustainability into brand strategy, witnessing firsthand how building net zero into a brand’s identity can align teams, improve recruitment, increase impact, and drive higher valuations. While working with industrial clients he noticed the trend of “greenhushing” – where brands are silent about their sustainability efforts due to fear of accusations of greenwashing. This observation, confirmed by further research, culminated in The Greenhushing Report. Adam’s mission is to empower organisations to communicate their sustainability initiatives boldly and authentically. He and his team craft visual and verbal identities that enable them to avoid greenwashing and greenhushing while providing a platform for sustainability leadership. They have earned over 25 international awards. Adam is passionate about helping brands turn their net zero commitments into powerful, actionable narratives that drive positive change.