Kevin Percival

Kevin Percival has a driving ambition.

The 48-year-old has spent the last three months on secondment working as a Business Development Executive for Yorwaste.

This is a sales-focused role with the emphasis on attracting new commercial customers.

What makes Kevin different is that he does not come from a sales background, but rather has spent the last 15 years driving waste collection vehicles.

He is one of two drivers working for Yorwaste to be accepted on a secondment to the sales and marketing team. The idea is that as a driver, Kevin sees customers struggling with recycling or waste volumes and hears countless tales of customers using alternative providers who he believes he can assist. With his years of experience in the waste industry, Yorwaste has identified that Kevin can have a unique perspective.

But Kevin’s story actually starts in a chocolate factory.

Before becoming a driver, he worked for Nestle in York where he was on the line where Aero chocolate bars were made.

After Kevin left Nestle, he received a grant which enabled him to take lessons to become an HGV driver. He took to it immediately and after passing his test worked for various organisations in the waste industry before joining Yorwaste in September 2018.

When’s he not collecting waste, or new customers, Kevin enjoys spending time with his family. He also enjoys playing fantasy football and as a DIY buff, watching informative programmes on YouTube.