“What I look for, are organizations that have the courage to try to change the world. I see that in Enviu.”
Some people are content treating symptoms. Marcus Gover prefers to try to fix the system.
With a career that spans science and engineering, government advisory, NGO leadership, and global policy circles, Marcus has always chased one thing: real change. The kind that shifts systems, flips mindsets, and gets upstream of the world’s messiest problems.
That’s why we’re thrilled to welcome him to Enviu’s Supervisory Board.
But systems thinkers aren’t born overnight. Before he was influencing treaties and scaling circular solutions, he was in the lab getting his hands dirty, testing ideas, and asking big questions.
Engineering with impact baked in
Marcus started out where most systems thinkers do: deep in the details.
“I began as a chemical engineer. My early work was all about making power stations and engines more efficient,” he says.
“At the time, I didn’t really see it as environmental work. However, looking back, everything I did was about reducing environmental impact.”
From fossil fuels to renewable energy, and from lab research to feasibility studies, Marcus built a reputation for scientific rigour and visionary thinking.
Building circular solutions at scale
And that systems thinking deepened when he entered the world of waste.
“Once you’re working with waste, your focus quickly becomes how to avoid it. You start looking at how food is produced, how clothing is made, how products are designed. You move up the value chain and you realize: this isn’t a waste problem. It’s a design and system problem.”
At WRAP, Marcus went from researcher to CEO, helping transform a UK-focused NGO into a global catalyst for circular economy action.
“We moved from working in three countries to forty. The real breakthrough, however, was showing businesses that fighting food waste or plastic pollution wasn’t just good for the planet, it was good for their bottom line. For example: we found that every dollar invested in food waste prevention gave a $14 return. That changed the conversation.”
After 15 years at WRAP, Marcus was ready for a new challenge and Minderoo Foundation came calling.
“They were looking for someone to lead their Plastics Initiative, and I was eager to roll up my sleeves and dive back into the work,” he shares.
At Minderoo, he worked with scientists studying plastic’s impact on human health and a policy team in Amsterdam (where he relocated) pushing for international change. One idea they championed? A polymer premium charged on polymer production to help developing countries deal with plastic pollution.
“Less than 10¢ pe kg of plastic. Doesn’t sound like much, right? But across some 400 million tonnes, that could be nearly $40 billion a year. Enough to make a real difference in the countries that need it most.”
It is being considered at UN Plastics Treaty, with negotiations in Geneva this August. Hopefully it can be adopted in some way to help finance an ambitious Global plastics Treaty.
So why Enviu? And why now?
After WRAP and Minderoo, Marcus could’ve picked any number of global climate roles. So what drew him to Enviu?
“You’re not just talking systems change, you’re building it. With ventures. In places others shy away from. And you’re succeeding.”
Enviu’s focus areas: zero waste, agrifood, textiles and mobility resonated instantly. “These are the same value chains I’ve worked in before,” he says. “And the venture-building model? It’s disruptive, it’s entrepreneurial, and it’s exactly what’s needed.”
More compass than critic
Marcus joins Enviu’s Supervisory Board with humility and purpose. “I’m not here to be an expert. That’s the Enviu team’s job. I’m here to support, and challenge, to keep us true to our mission.”
He sees governance not as gatekeeping, but as enabling. “If it’s all challenge and no support, it’s not helpful. If it’s all support and no challenge, you miss blind spots. I’ll be asking: What’s the evidence base? What’s the opportunity? But I’ll also be cheering you on.”
Advice to leaders
We asked Marcus what wisdom he’d offer to emerging leaders in this space. His answer? Let go of certainty.
“In my early leadership days, I thought I needed to have all the answers. Now I know the best leaders ask better questions. They empower people. They create space. If your team has the drive and direction (and Enviu’s clearly does) your job is to support, not steer.”
A note of hope: the shift is real
Despite the scale of the challenges we face, Marcus is quietly optimistic. Not because the problems have become smaller, but because he sees a shift in how we’re approaching them. “There’s a real paradigm shift happening,” he says.
“I see more organizations like Enviu, but also WRAP, Circle Economy, Delterra, and others trying to tackle the system itself, not just the symptoms. That’s where real progress starts.”
His hope is also personal. “My children are grown up now, and their lifestyles are far more resource-efficient than mine was at their age. They buy secondhand, they share, they think about their impact. Not because they’re told to, but because it feels like the better way to live.”
From his seat on the boards of global initiatives tackling systems change, he sees a groundswell forming.
“We need to help the next generation take the lead,” he says. “There’s a window now to do things differently. And organizations like Enviu are helping open that window even wider.”
Welcome aboard, Marcus
We’re beyond excited to have Marcus on the journey with us. His passion for systems change, evidence-backed optimism, and hard-earned wisdom are already helping sharpen our thinking and fueling what’s next.
