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We have an exciting line up of international and local speakers, and expert panellists for the discussion groups. The international speakers will be joining us via pre-recorded videos. View agenda.
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Joachim Quoden has extensive experience in packaging waste management, dating from 1992 when he spent 4 months in the German Federal Ministry of Environment working on packaging issues including the Packaging Ordinance. From 1993 to 2006, Mr Quoden worked with Der Grüne Punkt as Syndicus, and head of International Affairs in 2001. Between 2001 and 2013, he also became Secretary General and later Managing Director of PRO EUROPE, an umbrella organisation of 35 PROs. Since 2013, Mr Quoden has been the Managing Director of EXPRA, an alliance of 32 non-profit and industry owned PRO’s from 30 countries from all over the world. Besides the above, Mr Quoden is working since 1995 as independent lawyer in Germany specializing in international EPR legislation, chairperson of ISWA’s EU group, and has served as an expert in ISO global standardisation project SIS/TK 165/AG 10 Packaging and Environment, chair/co-chair of ISWA’s Governance WG and EU Group, member of the OECD EPR expert group and several other value chain initiatives like CEFLEX, HolyGrail 2.0, Close the Glass Loop and 4EverGreen.
“Making our products and packaging circular is a great challenge for all members of the respective value chain. By involving companies via Extended Producer Responsibility and by mandating non-profit, industry owned Producer Responsibility Organisations we are able to find the best path forward to a circular business model, especially by aligning economy and environment and by involving all stakeholders on this way!”
Michelle Saunders is Vice President of Provincial Affairs and Sustainability at Food & Consumer Products of Canada. Representing Canada’s food, beverage and consumer goods manufacturers, she oversees all policy and advocacy efforts related to environmental sustainability, including plastics and packaging. She led her organization to become the first trade association in Canada to have endorsed the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, co-founded the Canada Plastics Pact, and sits on numerous boards and advisory committees of organizations focused on advancing a circular economy and implementing Extended Producer Responsibility for packaging. With 20 years of experience offering strategic public policy and government relations guidance to the business community and on-the ground advocacy at all levels of government, Michelle’s perspective on advocacy builds on her background in politics. Prior to her work in trade associations she worked as a political advisor in the Ontario government, both in the office of the Premier and in the offices of a number of Cabinet Ministers.
Séamus Clancy joined Repak Ltd as Chief Executive in April 2014, with over 20 years’ industry experience as a senior executive. Prior to Repak, Séamus was Chief Operating Officer of Environmental Group One51plc., Managing Director of Rilta Environmental Limited, Director of Enterprise at the Rehab Group in Ireland and prior to 1995 has over 13 years in the UK in senior management roles. Since joining Repak, Seamus has transformed the organisation, growing Membership by over 50% to over 3,500 and establishing Repak as a leading environmental organisation and educator on packaging recycling and best practice recycling in Ireland. Séamus has led the development of a number of new environmental initiatives including the Repak Plastic Packaging Recycling Strategy 2018-2030, the highly successful Repak Members’ Plastic Pledge and the ‘Repak Team Green’ campaign, aimed at encouraging the Irish public to protect the environment, and to reduce, reuse and recycle more and better. In 2015, Séamus oversaw the development of Ireland’s new End of Life Tyre compliance scheme, Circol ELT (formerly Repak ELT as CEO), which recycled 3.8m tyres in 2018, and is now a successful stand-alone organisation effectively managing tyre waste using environmentally responsible solutions and reducing pollution. More recently, Séamus led the development of Ireland’s deposit return system. Acting as Interim CEO from 2020 until October 2023. DRSI CLG (trading as Re-turn) successfully launched on 01 February 2024. A native of Cork, Séamus holds a primary degree in Civil Engineering from UCC, a Master’s in Construction Management from the University of Birmingham and participated in The Prince of Wales Business & Sustainability Programme, Cambridge University in April 2022.
Thomas is responsible for developing new and innovative recycling technologies, delivering market development insights and solutions for customers, and analysing and advising on developments in policy, technology, and strategy, relating to waste management activities and the wider value chain. With nearly fifteen years of operational, commercial and project management experience in the waste management sector, Thomas focuses on maximising waste as a resource, increasing the circularity of materials, value recovery from waste, and modelling and forecasting waste arisings.
Alec has been involved in the waste sector since the 1990s holding both private and public sector senior leadership roles. Alec emigrated to New Zealand in 2008 and now works in the public sector where he is Manager Resource Recovery for Christchurch City Council. He is a current WasteMINZ Board member and a trustee on the Agrecovery Foundation. His professional interest is centred on developing the New Zealand resource recovery sector. Alec is a thought leader in the waste sector, actively participating in various working groups, industry forum and international collaborations. Alec holds a Doctor of Professional Practice, and his research area focuses on Product Stewardship.
Sue has been involved in reuse and recycling since 2002 when she started work at Wastebusters in Wanaka. She fell in with the national and international zero waste crew at the Life with Waste Hui in Raglan in 2003. As Wastebusters GM Sue worked on local operations, business and network development, influencing policy and campaigning for change. She shifted to work on external affairs with the Zero Waste Network in 2020. Sue has a social sciences background and a deep interest in community enterprise and the critical role that local scale action plays in making a just transition to a zero waste, zero carbon Aotearoa.
Currently Independent Chair of the Plastic Packaging Product Stewardship Scheme (a sustainability partnership between industry and government), and the Omega Lamb Primary Growth Partnership (an added value development partnership between industry and government). Chair of Douglas Nutrition (an early-stage company focused on the commercialization of high value nutrition developments) and retired Chair of Wellington Drive Technologies Limited (a publicly listed green technology and IoT company now known as AoFrio), and Scion (The New Zealand Forest Research Institute).
Former Establishment Chair and current board member of New Zealand Food Innovation Auckland (an open access pilot production innovation facility for the food and beverage industry), former Chair of the New Zealand Good and Grocery Council, former Chair of the New Zealand Packaging Accord, and formerly a board member of Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) and ExportNZ (the Export Advisory Board of Business New Zealand).
With a strong technical background in product development, plastics processing and polymers, Rachel Barker has a passion for helping her Members and the wider NZ resource recovery system transition successfully to a circular plastics economy. Rachel’s broad experience with local and international plastics regulations, and various groups across plastics, resource recovery, and manufacturing provides an excellent base for sharing insights with stakeholders.
Barney Irvine joined the Waste & Recycling Industry Forum in 2021, following an extensive career in government relations and communications. As Executive Director, his role is to synthesise the views of the nine Forum members and speak on behalf of private industry. In his spare time, Barney plays the guitar, practises judo, chauffeurs children, and tries to keep on top of his lifestyle property in West Auckland.
Shaun Lewis became a Director in the Waste and Resource Efficiency Business
Group at the Ministry for the Environment in 2016. In this role Shaun has led system change and implementation – including compliance monitoring and enforcement of the Waste Minimisation Act; product stewardship to help reduce waste to landfill; developing policy to simplify waste streams; and improving kerbside recycling. Shaun also works with his director colleagues on the wider waste work programme covering legislation, strategy and investments.
