Speakers - Sea Circular

Aimee Gonzales, Executive Director, Partnerships in Environmental Management for the Seas of East Asia (PEMSEA)

Aimee Gonzales is the Executive Director at Partnerships in Environmental Management for the Seas of East Asia (PEMSEA). Aimee Gonzales has more than 20 years of experience in managing multicultural teams in the design and implementation of marine/fisheries strategies and public policy reform to mainstream environment in regulatory, planning and investment frameworks. Prior to joining PEMSEA, Ms. Gonzales held various posts at WWF International. The most recent was as Manager of the Marine Ecosystems Goods and Services, where she worked on evidence-based economics and policy analysis on marine/fisheries issues. Her previous positions include Manager for EU Fisheries and Trade, Senior Policy Adviser for Trade and Investment and Coordinator of the Expert Panel on Trade and Sustainable Development. Aimee holds a Masters in Environmental Assessment and Education from the London School of Economics and a Master in Public Policy from National University of Singapore.

Alexander Rendell, Co-founder and CEO, Environmental Education Center (EEC)

Alexander Rendell is an actor, singer, Co-founder and CEO of the Environmental Education Center (EEC), an organization that raises environmental awareness among kids through camps. The EEC is in its fifth year of operations and has hosted around 150 camps. Using nature as its classroom, the group organises outdoor activities and camping trips to encourage young people to help protect the earth’s resources. Alexander aims to foster environmental consciousness in kids, to tackle the environmental crisis from the ground up. He holds a Master in Environmental Social Science from Mahidol University and a Bachelor in Communication and Media Studies from Chulalongkorn University, Thailand.

Aloke Lohia, Founder, CEO, Executive Director, Indorama Ventures PCL

Aloke Lohia is the Founder, CEO, Vice Chairman and Executive Director of Indorama Ventures PCl. He is the Chairman of the company’s Sustainability Committee and a member of the nomination, compensation and corporate governance committee. Indorama Ventures is the world’s largest producer of PET polymer by capacity. Under his leadership, IVL has established a recycling business to respond to the challenges of resource management as well as the need for sustainable packaging. Indorama has eleven recycling facilities globally and aims to complete the recyclable loop and has committed US$1.5 billion of investment in recycling. He holds an honorary doctorate in Business Administration from Rajamangala University of Technology, Thailand and a Bachelor of Commerce from Delhi University, India.

Amanda Lim, Graduate Student, Bioeconomics Laboratory, National University of Singapore (NUS)

Amanda Lim is a graduate student in the National University of Singapore (NUS). Under the supervision of Prof Roman Carrasco, who heads the Bioeconomics Laboratory in the Department of Biological Sciences, she studies the impacts of microplastics on marine mammals, and the public perception and valuation of plastic pollution. She also works with Youna Lyons, a Senior Research Fellow from the Centre of International Law in NUS, and Neo Meilin, a Research Fellow from the Tropical Marine Science Institute (TMSI), on a review of the publication of ‘A Review of Research on Marine Plastics in Southeast Asia: Who Does What?’. This involves a full update of the report as well as supporting the development of a regional inventory of research on marine plastics and regional coordination through adequate expert networks. She holds a Bachelor in Life Sciences with a minor in Aquatic Ecology from the National University of Singapore (NUS).

Ambrogio Miserocchi, Management Associate, Thai Union Group PCL

Ambrogio Miserocchi is a Management Associate in the Sustainability Development Department at Thai Union Group PCL. Thai Union, one of the world’s largest seafood companies, has been ranked number one in the world in the Food Products Industry Index of the Dow Jones Sustainability Indices (DJSI) for the two years in a row, with an industry best-in-class 100th percentile ranking for total sustainability. Thai Union Group PCL, has joined forces with the Global Ghost Gear Initiative (GGGI) in a drive to reduce the growing problem of abandoned, lost and discarded fishing gear (ALDFG) worldwide. Ambrogio is an environmental engineer with a strong interest in climate change, environmental conservation and social development. He holds a Master of Engineering in Environmental and Land Planning Engineering and a Bachelor of Engineering in Environmental Engineering from Politecnico di Milano, Italy.

Antoinette Taus, UNEP National Goodwill Ambassador / Founder, Communities Organized for Resource Allocation (CORA)

Antoinette Taus is an award-winning actress, singer, host, humanitarian and long-time UN advocate. She is passionate about her work as the founder of the non-profit organization CORA (Communities Organized for Resource Allocation). She has been a staunch supporter of UNEP’s work, particularly around plastic pollution and ocean conservation. Her efforts helped bring local partners together, including the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, to form Clean Seas Pilipinas, a national chapter of UNEP’s global Clean Seas campaign. Antoinette is also the CEO and Founder of “The Sustainable Planet”, a social enterprise focussing on promoting sustainable products.

Atip Asvanund, Director of Sustainability and Good Governance, Charoen Pokphand Group (CP Group)

Atip Asvanund is Head of Strategic Policy Development at True Corporation and Director of Sustainability and Good Governance at Charoen Pokphand Group (CP) in Bangkok, Thailand. His work experience revolves around Digital Technology, Startup, Telecom, Public Policies, Food, Agriculture, Fisheries, Retails and Sustainability. Dr. Atip is an executive at Thailand’s major telecommunication, broadcasting and convergence company. He holds leadership positions in public organisations, and contributes to Thailand’s leading newspapers. He is currently heading a sustainability team in 22 provinces coastline provinces in Thailand working directly with communities of Artisan fishermen. His educational background is in Computer Science, Economics and Public Policies. He holds a doctorate and Master’s degree from Carnegie Mellon University, USA.

Belinda Ford, Public Affairs, Communications and Sustainability Director, Coca-Cola ASEAN

Belinda Ford is Public Affairs, Communications and Sustainability Director for Coca-Cola ASEAN. Based in Singapore, she is responsible for leading government relations, sustainability and corporate communications across the region. Prior to her current role, Belinda held roles leading the public affairs and communication function for Coca-Cola across multiple markets in ASEAN including Malaysia, Singapore and Vietnam. Her initial role in ASEAN was based in Yangon where she helped establish operations and governance for Coca-Cola’s newest market in the region. Before Coca-Cola Myanmar, Belinda worked for Coca-Cola South Pacific based in Sydney having joined the company from public relations agency Porter Novelli where she led the Consumer and Food Practice. Belinda holds a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Melbourne and a Master of Business Administration from the Australia Graduate School of Management, University of New South Wales.

Bénédicte Niel, Principal Agent, Global Pollution Enforcement, INTERPOL

Bénédicte Niel has dedicated her academic and professional career to work on environmental issues, with two Master’s degrees in Environmental Policies and Environmental Sciences, and a junior expertise on forestry and pollution crimes. She is has been an integral member of INTERPOL’s Global Pollution Enforcement Team – within the Environmental Security Programme – since April 2017, contributing to the coordination of the largest global enforcement operations ever led against waste-related crimes and marine pollution. Her statistical analysis of operational data led to the identification of criminal trends and risk indicators that INTERPOL has shared with all member countries, allowing enforcers to enhance their detection and disruption of pollution crimes globally. Benedicte is now conducting INTERPOL’s work on plastic-related crime, which the organization and member countries have identified as a priority target.

Carlos Martin-Novella, Deputy Executive Director, Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions

Carlos Martin-Novella is the Deputy Executive Secretary of the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions. He holds a Master of Science degree in biology from the Complutense University (Madrid, Spain). Carlos has more than 30 years of professional experience on environment and sustainable development issues, both at national and at international levels, and multilateral environmental negotiations and processes. In his previous assignments Carlos was the Deputy Secretary of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the Special Advisor to UN Environment on Multilateral Environmental Agreements, a Senior Advisor to the German Government, a Senior Advisor to the Spanish Government and a Principal Administrator at the European Commission. Earlier in his career Carlos undertook scientific field research on Mediterranean ecosystems and lead initiatives for the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity in Spain, Europe and globally.

Casper Durandt, Head of Sustainable Packaging, Coca-Cola Southern and East Africa

Casper Durandt is the Head of Sustainable Packaging and Agriculture and Franchise Technical Director for Coca-Cola Southern and East Africa. He also serves on the board of the South Africa National Bottle Water Association (SANBWA) and previously The Glass Recycling Company. He is also the Chairman and Founder of PET bottle recycling company PETCO. PETCO has helped grow PET collection rates from single digits in the early 2000s to 65% today, putting it on a par with international standards. Casper is an accomplished international speaker, has a passion for the environment and is an expert in water bottling, plant maintenance and PET recycling. He has over 20 years of experience in Supply Chain, Manufacturing, Quality, Packaging and Sustainability. He has a PhD in Industrial Engineering, an MBA from the University of Stellenbosch, a B.Sc. in Mechanical Engineering from Pretoria University and is a qualified Professional Engineer with the Engineering Council of South Africa (ECSA).

Chaowat Sarkulworawit, Customs Technical Officer, Professional Level Enforcement Division, Thai Customs Department

Chaowat Sarkulworawit is a Customs Technical Officer, Professional Level Enforcement Division, Thai Customs Department. Chaowat studied a Master of Arts (Criminal Justice Administration) at Thammasat University and has a Bachelor of Science (Health Science), Thammasat University.

Chayaporn Wattanasiri, President, Mae Fah Luang University

Chayaporn Wattanasiri is the President of Mae Fah Luang University (MFU). She holds a Ph.D. in Plant Breeding, University of Alberta, a M.Sc. in Horticulture, University of Missouri-Columbia, and a B.Sc. in Genetics, Chulalongkorn University. Dr.Wattanasiri has been a key driver behind the development of organic farming in Thailand. She was Standard Committee of IFOAM (International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements) and the Chairperson of Governing Board of Organic Agriculture Certification Thailand (ACT) and is still the General Secretary, Organic Agriculture Certification Foundation. She joined MFU as a Vice President responsible for the academic affairs in 2011. Dr.Wattanasiri was appointed as the President on 29 April 2019. The new administration has continued and emphasize on sustainability of MFU under the motto: “new, different, better and together”.

Chen Yuan, Senior Program Officer, Basel and Stockholm Convention Regional Centre for Asia and the Pacific

Chen Yuan is the Senior Programme Officer, Chief of Regional Chemical Management Branch of Basel Convention Regional Center for Asia and the Pacific/Stockholm Convention Regional Centre for Capacity-building and the Transfer of Technology in Asia and the Pacific (BCRC-SCRC China). She achieved her doctoral degree from South China University of Technology in 2010 and finished postdoctoral research from Tsinghua University in 2012. Currently, she is one of the consultants hired by the GEF project “Reduction of POPs and PTS release by environmentally sound management throughout the life cycle of electrical and electronic equipment and associated wastes in China”, member of National delegation of waste and chemical international environment agreements negotiation, etc. Her chief research areas are the policy management and recycling technology on solid waste and chemicals. She leads and participates in over 50 national and international projects, in which more than 10 are about plastic waste.

Christophe Crepin. Manager for the Environment, Natural Resources and Blue Economy Global Practice (ENB), SEA, World Bank

Christophe Crepin, a French national, is the Manager for the Environment, Natural Resources and Blue Economy Global Practice (ENB) for South East Asia at the World Bank. He provides technical and strategic guidance to the ENB regional activities and manages a team of professionals with work programs consisting of operational and analytical work related to environment health, natural resources, green growth and climate change in East Asia, including Marine Plastics. He has directly led innovative work on policy, institutions, financing and investments worldwide on these topics for close to the past 30 years, including Africa, Latin America and Eastern Europe.

David Robinson, Director, Bangkok River Partners

David Robinson is the Director of Bangkok River Partners to promote the Chao Phya River as a world-class destination for leisure and tourism. He is also a co-founder of Creative District Foundation, a community-centric non-profit organisation with a new vision of environmental improvement for the riverside districts of Bangrak and Klongsan. He is former media executive working in public and commercial television in Australia, Europe and the US, consults on a number of projects in Thailand through his company VIVID. He has also volunteered with ActionAid previously, an international humanitarian agency focused on poverty eradication, working in 12 countries across Asia from Afghanistan to China.

Dechen Tsering, Director, UNEP Asia and the Pacific Office

Dechen Tsering is the Director at UN Environment, Asia and the Pacific Office. She has held management and leadership positions with the United Nations and has over 25 years of experience in national government and intergovernmental organizations including the World Bank. She has been actively involved in intergovernmental negotiations as a key negotiator for least developed countries and contributed to the establishment of the Least Developed Countries Fund and the Least Developed Countries Expert Group. Previously, she served as Director of the Finance, Technology and Capacity-Building Programme at the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change secretariat. Prior to that position, she was the Deputy Regional Director of UN Environment in Asia and the Pacific. Dechen holds a Ph.D. from the Federal Institute of Technology, Zurich in forest economics and policy. She also has a Master’s Degree from Georgetown University and Undergraduate Degrees from UC Berkeley.

Doug Woodring, Founder and Managing Director, Ocean Recovery Alliance

Doug Woodring is the Founder and Managing Director of Ocean Recovery Alliance, which is focused on bringing innovative solutions, technology, collaborations and policy together to impact positive improvements for the health of the ocean. He is the Founder of the Plasticity Forum, which focuses on the future of plastic, and where the leaders are going with design, innovation, materials, recycling and solutions, for a world with a reduced waste footprint. He is also the founder of Kids Ocean Day Hong Kong, as well as the Grate Art project, which puts Art for Awareness on city streets in Hong Kong. Doug has worked in Asia for over 25 years in several industries which have been at the forefront of technology within their sectors, mainly related to the environment and new media platforms. He has a dual Masters degree from The Wharton School (MBA) and Johns Hopkins University, School of Advanced International Studies.

Eduardo Garza, Creative Director, Waste2Wear

Eduardo Garza Garcia is the Creative Director and Partner at Waste2Wear. Based in China, Waste2Wear recycles 100% post-consumer plastic waste into environmentally friendly fabrics and has partnered with former fishermen to collect ocean plastic. It brings together stakeholders from different sectors in a joint effort to find solutions to reduce plastic pollution in the oceans. He uses his creative skills to lead a multidisciplinary team to create awareness on social and environmental issues and to design and implement impact solutions to help companies become more sustainable through innovation in Circular Economy.

Emilie Devenport, Project Development, River Recycle

Emilie Devenport is responsible for project development at River Recycle. Their mission is to provide river cleaning as a free service for affected communities to immediately reduce the flow of plastic entering the oceans. Together with their partners, River Recycle provides the means to recover plastics currently flowing in rivers around the world, and turn it into raw material for the circular economy. River Recycle’s second largest shareholder provides 30 years of experience in marine oil spill cleanup with a global delivery network in 104 countries. Emilie has broad experience tackling marine conservation challenges with the public and private sector, related to plastics pollution, marine protected areas and youth participation in decision-making. She pursued her Master’s Degree in Marine Systems and Policies at the University of Edinburgh, and also holds a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Leeds, United Kingdom.

Ennio Lamari, Co-founder, Grin Green International.

Ennio Lamari is a 17 year old French student at Berkeley International School and one of the founders of Grin Green International. Grin Green International is a student-led social enterprise, founded with the ambitious aim of liberating Bangkok of its addiction to plastics using a student-led, grassroots strategy. Ennio has lived in 10 countries and has experienced a wide range of cultures which has helped him to understand more about society and its various mechanisms. The cultural gaps and mode of consumption between the countries in which he has resided and visited has given Ennio a vision and a series of goals to work toward in establishing a sustainable environment, which each of us can rely on.

Esther An, Chief Sustainability Officer, City Developments Limited (CDL)

Esther An is the Chief Sustainability Officer at City Developments Limited (CDL). A pioneer CSR practitioner for over 20 years, she is instrumental in building up City Developments Limited’s sustainability leadership since she joined the company in 1995. She spearheaded the company’s pioneering efforts in strategic sustainability integration, reporting and green financing. Esther sits on board several international and local sustainability organisations including UNEP Finance Initiative Property Working Group; UNEP Sustainable Stock Exchanges’ Green Finance Advisory Group, World Green Building Council Corporate Advisory Board, GRI Corporate Leadership Group for Integrated Reporting; Asia Pacific Real Estate Association Singapore Chapter Board and Global Compact Network Singapore Management Committee. Founder of the Women4Green Network, Esther is committed to engaging and empowering women in the male-dominated building and technology industries to drive the sustainability agenda.

Gillian Hyde, General Manager, The Plastics Circle / MC, Plasticity

Gillian Hyde is General Manager at The Plastics Circle, and Plasticity’s resident MC. In 2000, Gillian executed a 180° vocational turn – moving from an established career as a professional actor to the business world, where she held senior management positions (in marketing and operations) in the wine industry. Although no longer involved full-time, she continues her association with the wine industry as a free-lance writer and wine educator. A professional communicator for many years, Gillian recognises that clarity of message is central to the art of persuasion; and that there is a lot of persuading to do, if we are to deliver a successful plastics circular economy. In 2018, Gillian was appointed General Manager (communications and content) at The Plastics Circle; in 2019 she accepted a directorship. Plasticity Bangkok will be Gillian’s fourth Plasticity forum – having previously held the reins at Plasticity Kuala Lumpur; Fiji and Amsterdam.

Giovanni Broussard, Regional Programme Coordinator, UNODC

Giovanni Broussard is the Regional Coordinator of the UNODC Global Programme for Combatting Wildlife and Forest Crimes in Southeast Asia. His work focuses on building capacity to tackle transnational organized crime in the environment sectors, such as illegal wildlife trade, timber trafficking and fishery crime. He has 15 years of experience in the field of project management related to criminal justice, organized crime and law enforcement. He worked in Afghanistan, Namibia, Macedonia and he is now based in Thailand. He holds a PhD in Development studies with focus on Environment, a Master in International Relations with focus on Corruption and an undergraduate degree in Economics with focus on drug markets.

Giuseppe Busini, Deputy Head of Mission, European Union

Giuseppe Busini is the Deputy Head of Mission of the European Union Delegation to the Kingdom of Thailand since September 2018. The European Union is Thailand’s third trading partner and third source of foreign direct investment. They are also partners in issues such as promotion of Sustainable Development Goals. Giuseppe has worked in the EU External Relations service for more than 20 years, covering inter alia South Caucasus, Iran, Central Asia, the Gulf Cooperation Council and India. Before his appointment to Bangkok, he was responsible for the EU’s relations with ASEAN and the ASEAN Regional Forum. Giuseppe holds a master degree with Honours in Political Science and a PhD in International Relations and Contemporary History, both obtained at the University of Perugia in Italy.

Han Zhang, APAC Sustainability Director, Packaging and Specialty Plastics, Dow

Han Zhang is the APAC Sustainability Director, Packaging and Specialty Plastics at Dow. Prior to his current role, Han was the Sustainability Leader, Dow Packaging and Specialty Plastic, Asia Pacifica where he was responsible for driving Dow’s 2025 Sustainability Goals for Packaging and Specialty Plastics (P&SP) and developing strategies to grow business value by leveraging Dow’s sustainability expertise. He also established the agenda and key programs addressing critical business issues such as marine debris, recycling and driving a circular economy, together with various value chain partners and industry associations throughout Asia. He holds a doctorate in Natural Resources and Environment from the University of Michigan, USA and a Master and Bachelor in Thermal Engineering from Tsinghua University.

Heidi Savelli-Soderberg, UNEP Global Programme of Action for the Protection of the Marine Environment from Land-based Activities

Heidi Savelli-Soderberg coordinates UNEPs marine litter activities within the framework of the Global Partnership on Marine Litter which is hosted by the Global Programme of Action for the Protection of the Marine Environment from Land-based Activities (GPA) since 2009. She has worked with coastal and marine management for 18 years particularly related to land-based sources of pollution, specially protected areas and wildlife; communication, education, and awareness; and implementation of training programmes in e.g. marine protected area management, wastewater management and assessment and monitoring of marine litter and microplastics. She is an ecotoxicologist by training with an MSc in Biology from Lund University in Sweden.

Helen Ågren, Ambassador for the Ocean, Swedish Ministry for Foreign Affairs

Helen Ågren is the Ambassador for the Ocean at the Swedish Ministry for Foreign Affairs. Ms Ågren has been working at the Swedish Government Offices since 2000 in various positions on issues such as sustainable development strategies, green economy, consumption and production, climate mitigation and adaptation, research, innovation and local investment programs. She chaired the Swedish Governments Council for Sustainable Development between 2005-2007 and has held advisory positions to Statistics Sweden on the National Environmental Accounts. Helen Ågren studied chemistry at Stockholm University.

Helmut Schmitz, Director Communication & Public Affairs, Der Grüne Punkt – Duales System Holding GmbH

Helmut Schmitz has worked since 2013 as Director Public Affairs for “Der Grüne Punkt – Duales System Deutschland GmbH“ in Berlin, Brussels and Cologne. As Head of International Communication and Director Public Affairs he was responsible in 2000 – 2013 for projects with different international stakeholder groups, particularly in Europe and Asia. After finishing Albertus-Magnus-University in Cologne with a Master Degree in Biology he worked seven years as Secretary General of the Young Federal Civil Servants Association, the umbrella organisation with 45 independent associations in the German public service.

Hideshige Takada, Professor, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology

Hideshige Takada is a Professor at the Laboratory of Organic Geochemistry (LOG), Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Japan. He received his Ph.D. from Tokyo Metropolitan University and has been working in Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology for 33 years. His specialty is trace analysis of organic micropollutants. The target compoun1`ds include persistent organic pollutants (POPs), endocrine disrupting chemicals, pharmaceuticals as well as anthropogenic molecular markers. His research field encompasses from Tokyo Bay and its vicinities to Southeast Asia to Africa. In 2005, Shige Takada launched International Pellet Watch, global monitoring of POPs by using beached plastic resin pellets. He has been working with ~ 100 NGO and individuals who have concern about marine plastic pollution. His group has been demonstrating the transfer of hazardous chemicals from ingested plastics to biological tissue through field observations and exposure experiments. Shige Takada has authored over 150 peer-reviewed papers in international journals and over 20 international conferences.

Hidetoshi Nishimura, President, Economic Research Institute for ASEAN (ERIA)

Hidetoshi Nishimura is the President of the Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia (ERIA). Prof. Hidetoshi has an extensive career in international affairs. He joined the Ministry of International Trade and Industry in 1976 and has assumed numerous positions since, including Representative of the Asia-Pacific Region of the Japan Overseas Development Corporation, Director of the Southeast Asia and Pacific Division of the Trade Policy Bureau, and Vice Governor for International Affairs of Ehime Prefecture among others. He assumed position of ERIA Executive Director in June 2008 and subsequently was appointed as its first President and was then reappointed as President for a third five-year term. He is also visiting Professor of Waseda University, Darma Persada University, Honorable Professor of Guangxi University, and Fellow of Musashino Institute for Global Affairs, Musashino University. He graduated from Faculty of Law, The University of Tokyo, Japan.

Hiroyuki Miyazaki, Visiting Assistant Professor, Asian Institute of Technology (AIT)

Hiroyuki Miyazaki is a Visiting Assistant Professor at Asian Institute of Technology (AIT). He is a Project Assistant Professor at the Center of Spatial Information Science, The University of Tokyo, Japan. He has over 15 years of experience on geospatial information technology, such as geographic information system (GIS), satellite remote sensing, and mobile phone technology, and its applications for various sectors including energy, environment, disaster management, urban infrastructure, and knowledge management. He also has over five years of experience in international research projects and more than two years’ international experience on ICT development in Asia. He holds a doctorate and Master’s degree in Environmental Studies from The University of Tokyo, Japan.

Huib van Westen, Senior Inspector, Human Environment and Transport Inspectorate (ILT)

Huib van Westen is Senior Inspector at the Human Environment and Transport Inspectorate (ILT) in the Netherlands. He focuses on the prevention and enforcement of illegal transboundary movements of harmful substances and hazardous waste. Previously, he was the Coordinator for the Regional Enforcement Network for Chemicals and Waste (REN) implemented by the UN Environment Programme. It aims to enhance the capacity of the customs in the region to control the illegal trade in chemicals and waste, and to further strengthen the existing network as a platform for effective enforcement at the regional and national levels.

Inger Andersen, Executive Director, United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)

Inger Andersen was appointed Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme by UN Secretary-General António Guterres in February 2019. Between 2015 and 2019, Ms. Andersen was the Director General of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Inger Andersen brings a passion for conservation and sustainable development with more than 30 years of experience in international development economics, environmental sustainability and policy-making, as well as in designing and implementing projects and generating on-the-ground impact. She has played a key role in supporting riparian countries on international water management and hydro diplomacy. Inger Andersen has previously held leadership roles at the World Bank and the UN. Most recently, she was Vice President of the Middle East and North Africa at the World Bank, and previous to that Vice President for Sustainable Development and Head of the CGIAR Fund Council.

Isabelle Louis, Deputy Regional Director, United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific

Isabelle Louis is the Deputy Regional Director at United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific. As Deputy Director, she leads an experienced team in strategic assessments of regional environmental policy issues, partnerships engagement and dialogue; supporting the convening of experts for sharing and learning, and sustaining strategic government relations so as to advance UNEP’s global programme of work across the Asia Pacific region. She has international experience in environment and sustainability issues across Asia Pacific region with local, regional and international NGOs, governments, business and local communities. She also has expertise in partnerships assessments and establishment for environment, sustainability and fundraising successes, senior Management Executive Leadership development, Environment, Science and Policy research, analysis and advocacy. Prior to her role with the UN, she worked with Sustainability Advisory as an Associate Partner and with WWF as Director for Asia Pacific. She holds a doctorate in Botany from The University of Sheffield, UK.

Jayaprakash Murulitharan, Principal Assistant Secretary, Ministry of Energy, Science, Technology, Environment and Climate Change, Malaysia

Jayaprakash Murulitharan is the Principal Assistant Secretary at the Ministry of Energy, Science, Technology, Environment and Climate Change, Malaysia. He is highly experienced in various domestic, regional and international policies related to Environmental Management including air and water pollution. He is responsible for monitoring the progress of Hidroflurocarbon Phasing Out Programme (HPMP) under the Montreal Protocol Treaty, the Transboundary Haze Pollutions, developing Malaysia’s Environmental Performance Index (EPI), establishing the National Environmental Quality Monitoring Program, and negotiating and preparing country’s interventions related to policy matters on Ozone Depleting Substance, Air pollution, Acid Deposition, Transboundary Haze Pollution and Environmental Quality Management. He is a Chevening Scholar and holds a Master of Science in Sustainability Studies and Environmental Studies from the University of Glasgow, UK and a Bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering from University of Technology, Malaysia.

Jerker Tamelander, Coordinator, Coordinating Body on the Seas of East Asia (COBSEA), UNEP

Jerker Tamelander is the Coordinator at the Secretariat of the Coordinating Body on the Seas of East Asia (COBSEA), UNEP, a regional intergovernmental policy forum and decision-making body for the East Asian Seas Action Plan. Prior to this role, he was Head of the Coral Reef Unit at UNEP where he led activities on coral reefs and associated ecosystems; policy analysis and guidance; programme development and implementation. Previously, he was working with the IUCN as Manager, Oceans and Climate Change; Coordinator, Indian Ocean and Coordinator, IUCN Asia Regional Marine Programme and with UNEP as a Programme Officer. He holds a Master of Science in Marine Biology from University of Gothenburg.

Kabir Arora, National Coordinator, Alliance of Indian Wastepickers

Kabir Arora is the National Coordinator for the Alliance of Indian Wastepickers. Kabir is an urban geographer, trained in geography, urban development and public policy. The Alliance of Indian Wastepickers has members across India. Kabir is supporting the Asian outreach of the Global Alliance of Wastepickers.

Kakuko Nagatani-Yoshida, Regional Coordinator for Chemicals, Waste and Air Quality, UNEP

Kakuko Nagatani-Yoshida is the Regional Coordinator for Chemicals, Waste and Air Quality, UN Environment Programme. Her current portfolios cover issues such as air pollution, heavy metals such as mercury, plastics, asbestos, and environment and health. She is an Environment Programme Specialist with experience stretching over 25 years. Her mission is to promote Pollution Free Asia and the Pacific. Kakuko has designed and facilitated over 150 multi-stakeholder consultations, planning exercises, and trainings over 40 countries. Until September 2015, she was with the Compliance Assistance Programme (CAP) for the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer. Previously, Kakuko was in Latin America and the Caribbean with assignments concerning integrated environmental assessment and geospatial and statistical analysis. Prior to that, she was with the WWF in UK and the Wildlife Clubs of Kenya Association (WCK). She holds BSc in Zoology/ Wildlife Conservation from Fort Valley State College, USA, and MSc in Environmental Management from University of Stirling, UK.

Karen Raubenheimer, Lecturer, University of Wollongong

Karen Raubenheimer is a lecturer at the Australian National Centre for Ocean Resources and Security (ANCORS), University of Wollongong, Australia. She obtained her PhD from ANCORS, focusing on international and regional policy frameworks. Her thesis, titled “Towards an Improved Framework to Prevent Marine Plastic Debris,” analysed measures to prevent ocean- and land-based sources of plastic pollution. The feasibility of a new legally binding international agreement and an associated global funding mechanism was reviewed. She presented a possible model for such an agreement at the 17th meeting of the United Nations Open-ended Informal Consultative Process on Oceans and the Law of the Sea. Karen was the lead researcher and author of the 2017 assessment for UNEP titled: “Combating marine plastic litter and microplastics: An assessment of the effectiveness of relevant international, regional and subregional governance strategies and approaches.” Karen also holds a Master of Environmental Management from the University of New South Wales.

Katy Waring, Co-founder, EcoBeasts

Katy Waring is the Co-founder of Bangkok’s environmental education startup EcoBeasts. With collaboration and teamwork at its heart, EcoBeasts connects schools and local environmentally driven businesses and foundations, aiming to support and ignite positive action across the city. Katy worked in events before completing a BEd Primary Education in her home country of Scotland. Her 10 year teaching career has spanned 5 countries, developing a pedagogical understanding in as many different curriculums and methodologies. Unable to discover a framework that highlights environmental themes adequately, Katy’s passion and drive to bring environmental education into the spotlight became realised with the birth of EcoBeasts in January 2019. The project has big plans for the future, remaining true to its core beliefs of collaboration for mutual gain for all participants, the essence of powerful action driving local and global sustainability.

Kavinda Gunasekara, Team Leader (Environment), Asian Institute of Technology (AIT)

Kavinda Gunasekara is the Team Leader (Environment) and Senior Program Specialist at the Geoinformatics Center (GIC), Asian Institute of Technology in Thailand. He holds an affiliated faculty position in School of Environment, Resources & Development, AIT. Over the past 12 years, he had involved in implementing geospatial related projects on environment, disaster management, and capacity building projects in South, Southeast and Central Asian countries. He extensively involves in mapping river and coastal morphological changes, spatial-temporal river discharge mapping using Satellite Remote Sensing data, and related applied research using geospatial data. He holds a doctorate in Coastal Engineering from the Department of Civil Engineering, the University of Tokyo, Japan.

Kay Vasey, Chief Connecting Officer, Mesh Minds

Kay Vasey is the Chief Connecting Officer at Mesh Minds and Founder of the Mesh Minds Foundation. The MeshMinds Foundation is a not-for-profit arts organisation that is focused on enabling sustainable development through creative technology from an Asian perspective. Their mission is to connect artists with the world’s most socially responsible companies to work on immersive artwork and experiences focused on the sustainable development of people and our planet. Prior to MeshMinds, Kay was a technology lawyer focused on multimedia content licensing. Whilst Head of Arts at The British Council, she spearheaded ground-breaking artist-in-residence programmes between Singapore and the UK and took the lead on the Memorandum of Understanding with the Singapore International Foundation.

Kazuhide Umemoto, Deputy Mayor, Kitakyushu, Japan

Kazuhide Umemoto is the Deputy Mayor of the City of Kitakyushu, Japan. In one of the greatest environmental comeback stories of the 20th century, Kitakyushu was transformed from industrial wasteland to the first “Eco Town” in Japan. For its passionate commitment to the environment, the city of just under 1 million people has received global accolades. Kitakyushu became the first city in Japan to receive the UN Environment Programme’s Global 500 award and was named one of four Green Growth Model Cities by the OECD. The organization chose Kitakyushu as one of its nine pilot cities to advance the SDGs. A new cooperation agreement between the city and UN Environment will help bring that expertise to bear on plastic pollution through support to local governments in Thailand and Cambodia to implement effective waste management plans.

Kim Nong, Senior Technical Officer, Ministry of Environment, Cambodia

Kim Nong is the Senior Technical Officer for the Minister of Environment in Cambodia. He is also Deputy Secretary General for General Secretariat of National Committee for Cambodian Coastal Zone Management and Development, Deputy General Director for General Directorate of Administration for Nature Conservation and Protection, Deputy National REDD+ Task Force, and also as COBSEA National Focal Point. He is a specialist on Environmental Protection of Coastal Water and Community-Based Development from Germany and Canada respectively. He has 25 years experiences working on policies and strategies development for environmental conservation and protection, especially on flora and fauna, and also attended many National and International symposiums and conferences that related to community-based development, sustainable livelihoods, climate change issues, environmental policy, biodiversity and natural resources conservation and protection. He is particularly interested in social action research, policy and strategy development, and sharing lesson learnt from a practitioner level to decision maker level.

Laksmi Dewanthi, Senior Advisor, Ministry of Environment and Forestry, Republic of Indonesia

Laksmi Dewanthi is the Senior Advisor to the Minister on Industry and International Trade, Ministry of Environment and Forestry, Republic of Indonesia. She is a government official with more than 25 years of experience in the field of environment and sustainable development. Prior to her current position, she served in a number of different capacities, including as Director of Hazardous Waste Management Performance Evaluation, Assistant Deputy Minister for Environmental Data and Information, as well as Assistant Deputy for Environmental Economics, where she was responsible for developing the State of the Environment Report (SOER) and Environmental Quality Index, Environmental Data and Information System, and the implementation of various economic instruments for environmental protection and management. She received a Master’s degree in Environment and Development Policy at the Sussex University, UK. In the international fora, since 2003, she has been involving in environmental-related trade and climate change negotiation as well as in sustainable development related talks.

Lars Svensson, Sustainability and Communication Director, IKEA Southeast Asia

Lars Svensson is the Sustainability and Communication Director for Ikano Retail Asia (IKEA Southeast Asia) and Group Sustainability Manager for Ikano Group. Ikano Retail Asia own and operate IKEA stores and Shopping Centres in Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand and invest in mixed use real estate. He has worked in regional and local management roles in Southeast Asia since 1992 with mainly IKEA but also EF, Novena Holdings and Oriflame with sustainability, marketing, establishment, business development and sales. Lars is currently Vice President of Thai Swedish Chamber of Commerce and has served as Councillor for Southwest CDC in Singapore. He earned an MBA from Stockholm School of Economics with a post graduate scholarship for Malay language studies at National University of Singapore.

Lillygol Sedaghat, Explorer and Storyteller, National Geographic

Lillygol Sedaghat is a National Geographic Explorer and multimedia storyteller at the intersection of science, systems and people. Previously, she was a Fulbright–National Geographic Digital Storyteller documenting Taiwan’s waste management system, plastics recycling, and circular economy initiatives. Through her work, Lillygol hopes to inspire conscious consumerism and spark a global discussion on trash with #MyWasteMyWay. Using infographics, music videos, maps, and digital storytelling to promote environmental education, she aims to transform people’s perceptions of trash from something disposable to something valuable. An active spokesperson for National Geographic’s global Planet or Plastic? campaign, she helped to launch the Planet or Plastic? campaign in both mainland China and Hong Kong. Lillygol received her Bachelor of Arts in Political Economy from the University of California, Berkeley and is pursuing a Ph.D. in environmental anthropology.

Lixin Zhu, Plastic Marine Debris Research Centre (PMDRC), East China Normal University

Lixin Zhu is part of the Plastic Marine Debris Research Centre (PMDRC), State Key Laboratory of Estuarine and Coastal Research, East China Normal University. Lixin received his Bachelor’s degree from the Ocean University of China, in Qingdao, China, majoring in marine ecology and marine life science. Lixin holds a doctorate from the State Key Laboratory of Estuarine and Coastal Research (SKLEC), East China Normal University, in Shanghai. Lixin’s doctoral thesis focused on the losses of the dissolved organic matter as it transits from rivers to the open ocean. He quantified concentrations of dissolved black carbon and lignin and their loss rates in waters from the Yangtze River and East China Sea, as well as within Georgia estuaries.

Louise Hardman, Founder and CEO, Plastic Collective

Louise Hardman is the Founder and CEO of Plastic Collective. She is a passionate environmental science educator, innovator and businesswoman. Her passion to stop plastics entering the oceans led her to starting a social-enterprise called the Plastic Collective in 2016, where she developed a mobile lightweight recycling machine called the Shruder ™ designed for remote and vulnerable communities suffering the impact of plastic pollution, empowering communities to turn waste into resources. PC launched Plastic Neutral reduction and offset programs for corporates in 2017, enabling close collaboration with grassroots and global brands. Louise has become a specialist in the chemistry of plastics and zero-waste education.

Louise Mabulo, UN Young Champion of the Earth 2019

Louise Mabulo is an award-winning chef, entrepreneur, agriculture advocate, public speaker, and competitive archer. She is the Founder of The Culinary Lounge, The Camarines Food and Tourism Society, and The Cacao Project. Louise is a recipient of the Young Champions of the Earth Prize 2019 by UNEP for her initiative, entitled The Cacao Project, which aims to combat deforestation by reviving barren lands through tree planting, creating economic forests and nurseries, promoting fair trade and reforestation, while empowering farmers with higher incomes. She promotes sustainable agriculture, and farm-to-table cuisine, and was awarded The Outstanding Young Farmer of the Philippines by JCI International. Louise completed an Economic Development and Social Entrepreneurship at Brown University, U.S.A., and the Watson Institute Philippines.

Makarim Wibisono, Senior Advisor, Ministry of Environment and Forestry, Indonesia

Makarim Wibisono is the Senior Advisor of The Ministry of Environment and Forestry, Indonesia. He was the former United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Occupied Palestinian Territories and the President of the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) of the United Nations and the Chairman of the United Nations Commission of Human Rights in Geneva in 2005. He was also appointed as the Executive Director of the ASEAN Foundation, the Special Advisor to the Minister of Health, and to the Speaker of the House of Representatives of Indonesia, and as a member of the WHO Review Group. He was also appointed as the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary, Permanent Representative of Indonesia to the United Nations in New York and in Geneva. His recent roles are as the Vice Chairman of the Governing Board of the Indonesian Council of World Affairs, Senior Fellow of the Center for Strategic and International Studies, as a Professor and lecturer at various universities and institutions in Indonesia. He attained his M.A. from John Hopkins University, M.A. political economy and Doctorate Degree from the Ohio State University, USA.

María Neira, Director, Department of Public Health and Environment, World Health Organization (WHO)

María Neira is the Director of the Department of Public Health and Environment at the World Health Organization (WHO). She was also Vice Minister of Health and Consumer Affairs in Spain and President of the Spanish Food Safety and Nutrition Agency. Before joining WHO, she obtained extensive field experience working in Africa as Public Health Adviser in the Ministry of Health in Mozambique and in Kigali, Rwanda, where she served as UN Public Health Advisor for UNDP. María holds a degree in Medicine and Surgery (University of Oviedo, Spain), and a specialization in Endocrinology and Metabolic Diseases at the Université René Déscartes, Paris. She then obtained a Master’s degree in Public Health from the Université Pierre et Marie Curie, in Paris, France. She has been awarded the Médaille de l’Ordre du Mérite National by the Government of France, the Spanish National Nutrition Strategy Award, among others, and is a member of the Royal Academy of Medicine of Asturias.

Maria Tsakona, Senior Expert, Waste Management, GRID-Arendal

Maria Tsakona is the Senior Expert, Waste Management at GRID-Arendal. She has been working in the field of waste and resource management for over 13 years, providing innovative advisory and support services to businesses, public authorities, NGOs and policymakers in environmental and natural resource management. She holds a degree in Environmental Engineering (MSc) and has experience directing and managing environmental engineering projects in the field of solid waste and resource management: formulation of waste management plans and strategies, reuse and recycling programs, environmental impact assessment studies and feasibility studies. During the past decade, she has been a member of the International Solid Waste Association (ISWA) and participate in several international projects. She founded the Women of Waste initiative supported by ISWA and also joined the ISWA Marine Litter Task Force. Maria’s vision is “closing the loop” and she participates in multidisciplinary teams to develop an overview perspective and bring sustainable solutions into her projects.

Mark Fletcher, Insights Manager, Power Retail

Mark Fletcher is the Insights Manager at Power Retail where he prepares deep insight shopper and industry reports to help online retailers make better business decisions. Mark has accumulated over thirty years in the market research industry and he has been particularly captivated by shopper research. In his current role, Mark focuses his efforts on making a difference in the world of online retail – researching, analyzing and writing the reports that feed the strategic decision making of those retailers. Mark is a specialist in the development and implementation of strategic consumer and customer insights. Mark also develops content for retail, shopper and FMCG organisations, and writes on consumer marketing topics for a range of industry publications. He holds an MBA in Strategic Marketing from University of Leicester.

Maurice Evers, Head of Plastic, De Paauw

May Thazin Aung, Research Associate, Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI) Asia

May Thazin Aung is a Research Associate with SEI Asia working on policy analysis and stakeholder engagement. May works closely with government agencies and civil society in Southeast Asia to promote evidence-based decision-making and multi-stakeholder participation. May’s work focuses on understanding how political, regulatory and institutional structures in natural resource governance influence the use and control of resources by different actors and social groups. Away from research and policy engagement, May is also interested in using innovative science-communications tools at the science-policy interface, and has published several photo-stories, discussion briefs and short-films. Prior to joining SEI, May supported Myanmar policy-makers to develop environmental protocols to improve natural resource governance. May graduated from Vermont Law School with a M.A. in Environmental Law and Policy.

Michikazu Kojima, Senior Economist, Economic Research Institute for ASEAN (ERIA)

Michikazu Kojima is Senior Economist at the Economic Research Institute specialising in environmental policies, especially, waste management and recycling in Asian countries. Prior to joining ERIA, he was a chief senior researcher at Institute of Developing Economies in Japan. He has also contributed in the field of international cooperation, as a member of Expert Working Group of Environmentally Sound Management under the Basel Convention, a member of Technical Expert Committee for Green Industry Platform by UNIDO and the course leader on JICA training courses on recycling policy. He holds Master of Science on Agricultural and Resource Economics from University of California, Berkeley.

Murray Hyde, CEO, The Plastics Circle / Program Director, Plasticity

Murray Hyde is the Chief Operating Officer at The Plastics Circle and the Program Director for the Plasticity Forum. The Plastics Circle aim is to turn plastic waste streams into business opportunities globally. He is the Co-Founder of their project PastX which is a micro-market app for the trading of quality recycled feedstock collected by locals. He is responsible for overseeing daily operations, while developing business and strategy for clients. Murray has over 20 years of experience in business and management. His focus is on driving strategic thinking for business and developing relationships that deliver sales, profits and great customer experiences. Murray holds a Master of Leadership from Deakin University, Australia.

Nadya Hutagalung, UNEP Goodwill Ambassador

Nadya Hutagalung is a media personality, eco-centric jewellery designer and eco-activist who has become one of Asia’s leading voices in the Green Movement. Devoting her time and voice to environmental advocacy Nadya made headlines with building one of Singapore’s first eco-home from scratch. She co-founded an ivory reduction campaign ‘Let Elephants Be Elephants’ which has over 8000 pledges to date. In her capacity as a UNEP Goodwill Ambassador, she helped launch the global campaign – #cleanseas – to eliminate major sources of marine litter by encouraging governments to pass plastic reduction policies. She is also the Founder of Green Kampong, a social enterprise focused on promoting sustainable living practices.

Nagulendran Kangayatkarasub, Deputy Secretary General, Environment and Climate Change, Malaysia

Nagulendran Kangayatkarasub is the Deputy Secretary General, Environment and Climate Change of the Ministry of Energy, Science, Technology, Environment and Climate Change, Malaysia. Formerly, he was deputy under-secretary at the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, Malaysia. He played a key role in the government’s decision to no longer provide drinking water in plastic bottles or food wrapped in plastic at its events, in a bid to cut down single-use disposable plastics. His achievements include work with the government’s Biodiversity and Forestry Management Division as he led the task force preparing the final draft of Malaysia’s Access to Benefit Sharing. Nagulendranholds a doctorate in Biodiversity Governance and aMaster of Science in Environmental Management from the University of Nottingham Malaysia Campus.

Nalini Shekar, Co-founder, Hasiru Dala Innovations

Nalini Shekar is the co-founder of Hasiru Dala, an organization of wastepickers in Bangalore. She is also a co-founder of Kagad Kach Kashtakari Panchayat (KKPKP), a union of wastepickers in Pune in 1997. Previously, she worked on the issue of violence against women for over a decade in the USA. Her main focus in Hasiru Dala is on the inclusion of wastepickers and other waste workers in the informal waste economy in the Solid Waste Management systems of Urban Local Bodies across Karnataka. Hasiru Dala is working on organising and skilling wastepickers to provide services in the waste management sector. Facilitation of access to social security entitlement offered by the government is another major goal of the organisation. She was chosen as one of 100 women in India who make a difference in the society by BBC.com, and received several awards in the USA for her work with immigrants and women survivors of violence.

Nani Hendiarti, Director, Maritime Science and Technology, Coordinating Ministry for Maritime Affairs, Republic of Indonesia

Nani Hendiarti is currently the Director for Maritime Science and Technology, Coordinating Ministry for Maritime Affairs, Republic of Indonesia. She is also a lecturer on marine remote sensing at the Master Program in Marine Science, Department of Physics – FMIPA at University of Indonesia as well as a scientist in Geomatics, Center for Natural Resources Inventory, Agency of the Assessment and Application of Technology, Jakarta. She holds a degree of Doctor Rerum Naturalium in Marine Remote Sensing, the University of Rostock, Department of Marine Biology, Germany as well as a Post-doctoral in Marine Science, National Taiwan University.
She has more than 25 years of experience working in the area of marine and natural resources. She has issued a number of publications, including the ‘Satellite View of Southern South China Sea: Natuna Island and Its Surrounding Water’ and ‘An operational approach to the ocean management in the Indonesian Archipelago’.

Naporn Popattanachai, Director, Faculty of Law, Thammasat University

Naporn Popattanachai is currently a Director of Centre for Natural Resources and Environmental Law, Faculty of Law, Thammasat University, Thailand. His research interests and expertise lie in the fields of Public International Law, International Environmental Law, International Law of the Sea, and Trade-related Environment matters. Naporn advises both public and private institutions, such as the Ministry of Natural Resources and the Environment. Prior to this, Naporn practised as a lawyer with Hunton & Williams (Thailand) Ltd. where he consulted on Constitutional and Administrative law, Environmental Law, WTO Law, Public International Law and general corporate matters. Naporn holds a doctorate in Protection of the Marine Environment from Pollution from Land-based Activities from Nottingham Trent University, UK. He pursued his LL.M. in European Legal Studies at the University of Bristol, and LL.M. in Environmental Law and Policy at University College London. He was an ITLOS/Nippon Fellowship at the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea, Hamburg, Germany.

Natalie Harms, Associate Programme Officer, Marine Litter Focal Point, COBSEA, UNEP ROAP

Natalie Harms is an Associate Programme Officer and Marine Litter Focal Point in the Secretariat of the Coordinating Body on the Seas of East Asia (COBSEA) at the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific. She has hands-on experience working with local and national governments, informal waste workers, businesses and coastal communities on solutions to prevent plastic pollution and protect marine and coastal ecosystems in the East Asian Seas region. Her areas of expertise include ocean governance, engaging the informal economy in sustainable plastic waste management, market-based solutions for circular economies, promoting ecosystem-based solutions for resilient settlements and coastlines, and gender mainstreaming for environmental management. She is passionate about equality, tackling plastic pollution, climate action and a healthy ocean.

Neo Mei Lin, Research Fellow, Tropical Marine Science Institute, National University of Singapore (NUS)

Neo Mei Lin is a Research Fellow at the St John’s Island National Marine Laboratory, Tropical Marine Science Institute, National University of Singapore (NUS). She holds a doctorate in Marine Ecology and a Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Life Sciences from NUS. Her research interests include Giant clams, Experimental Marine Ecology, Invertebrate Larval Biology and Ecology, Marine Biodiversity and Conservation and Science Communication. She is a recipient of the World Future Foundation Ph.D. Prize in 2014, the L’Oréal For Women in Science National Fellowship in 2015, and the NUS Outstanding Young Alumni Award in 2017. She was also selected as the only Singaporean TED Fellow for the Class of 2017.

Niall O’Connor, Centre Director, Stockholm Environment Institute

Niall O’Connor is the Asia Centre Director for the Stockholm Environment Institute. He has worked in government, academia and non-government organizations, adding over 20 years of environment and development senior leadership, programme management and academic capacity to the organization. Previously he has worked with Teagasc, Concern Universal, Agroforestry Research Unit for the Government of The Gambia and WWF, among others. At WWF, he also served as Regional Representative of WWF Madagascar & West Indian Ocean, Director of WWF’s Performance and Development Africa and finally the Regional Director for Eastern and Southern Africa, WWF’s biggest Programme Office that administered six country offices and 450 employees. Niall holds a BSc and an MSc in Forestry, both from University College Dublin, and an MSc in Biodiversity Conservation from Imperial College London, with a specialty in community-managed nature park conservation.

Omar Siddique, Economic Affairs Officer, UNESCAP

Omar Siddique is the Economics Affair Officer, Sustainable Urban Development at United Nations ESCAP. He has over 15 years of experience in formulating urban strategies and managing people-centred city development programmes with a geographic focus in Asia Pacific, Africa and Latin America. Previously, Omar worked with Cities Alliance as a Senior Urban Specialist and with UNDP as Programme Specialist for Urban Development. His main areas of expertise are slum upgrading strategies, urban poverty assessment, municipal financing strategies, city-wide service delivery profiling, local climate change mitigation and adaptation planning, participatory planning for informal livelihoods promotion, and institutional strengthening for improved urban governance. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Politics and Urban Geography from Monash University, Australia and a Master of Arts in International Relations from New York University, U.S.A.

Oscar Wang, Deputy Director, IQTC

Oscar Wang is Deputy Director, National Reference Laboratory for Food Contact Material (IQTC), Guangzhou Customs Technology Center, China. With chemistry education background and nearly 13 years’ experience on testing and food contact materials safety assessment, Oscar Wang has being involved in the setting a series of China National GB Standards, and is currently looking at import requirements for recovered content. In addition, he is Executive Officer of the Secretariat for China FCM Sustainability Alliance.

Panate Manomavibool, Assistant to the President, Mae Fah Lung University

Panate Manomaivibool is an Assistant to the President at Mae Fah Luang University (MFU) in Chiang Rai, Thailand. He holds a Ph.D. in Engineering and a M.Sc. in Environmental Management and Policy from the International Institute for Industrial Environmental Economics (IIIEE) at Lund University, Sweden, a M.A. in Public Administration and Public Policy form the University of York, the UK, and a B.A. in Political Science. He has led more than 20 research projects and served as advisor in several projects on waste management and sustainability. He joined MFU in 2011 and is leading a research center, “Circular Economy for Waste-free Thailand” (CEWT) at the School of Science. CEWT developed an online platform, D-ToC, for the management of household hazardous waste in Chiang Rai. It also assists local governments and communities to promote source separation which could deliver upto 82% landfill diversion, according to the research.

Paola Cortese, Indonesia Country Director, Plastic Bank

Paola Cortese is the Indonesia Country Manager for the Plastic Bank, an organisation where people can exchange plastic waste for goods or Blockchain secured digital tokens. She possesses 10+ years of experience in building, running and monetising small businesses in Design, F&B and Sustainability fields. As the founder of Cortese Design Studio – an eco-forward interior design studio, Zero Waste Life HK – a consultancy agency that focuses on lowering barriers to sustainable behaviour, and a Climate Reality Leader, Paola is experienced on the topic of designing a circular lifestyle in the urban environment. Now as the Indonesia Country Manager of Plastic Bank, Paola hopes to expand her impact by cleaning the environment and tackling the plastic issue while alleviating poverty nationwide.

Paradorn Chulajata, Chairman, Plastic Industry Club

Paradorn Chulajata is the Chairman of Plastic Industry Club, The Federation of Thai Industries and Managing Director of Prepack Thailand Co., Ltd., one of the top five flexible packaging manufacturers in Thailand. Since he joined Plastic Industry Club in 2003, he has been involved in several committees such as Thailand Bioplastic Development Committee, Ministry of Science, National Skill Standards of Plastic Industry, Ministry of Labour, Member of Committee in setting up Plastic Institution of Thailand, Ministry of Industry, and Committee in Thailand Institute of Packaging and Recycling Management for Sustainable Environment, the Federation of Thai Industries. He played a major role in forming Public Private Partnership for Sustainable Plastic and Waste management in Thailand which aims to reduce plastic waste into Thai ocean by 50% by 2028. Recently, he has also been appointed by National Environment Board to be a member of the Plastic Waste Management sub-committee in Thailand. He received his MBA from Eastern Michigan University.

Pei Kang Ng, CEO and Founder, Tria Bio

Pei Kang Ng is the CEO and Founder of TRIA, a packaging house specializing in innovative and sustainable food packaging. TRIA’s breakthrough technology, Bio24, is a closed-loop system for disposable foodware and food waste. The system turns disposable foodware and food waste into fertilizer in just 24 hours, a world’s first, and have clenched several notable awards. He also runs a design consultancy firm, Geometria. He has vast experience in various design and innovation competence including industrial design, UX, design thinking, material and sensors R&D, technology management and packaging innovations. More recently, Pei Kang led design innovation for Philips Global TV and Home Theatre System portfolio and drove its R&D activities across Philips Netherlands, Hong Kong, and Singapore. As an industrial designer turned entrepreneur, Pei Kang firmly believes that great design has the ability to inspire change. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Industrial Design from Brunel University.

Pete Ceglinski, CEO and Co-founder, Seabin

Pete Ceglinski is the CEO and Co-founder of The Seabin Project. He started the Seabin Project with the aim to clean up ocean pollution through a floating rubbish bin designed to catch rubbish, oil, fuel, detergent and micro plastics down to 2mm in size operating 24/7. Along with the development of the project, he’s involved in the technical design and development of the products. Designed for marinas, ports and yacht clubs because of their calm environments and available services, the Seabin has now been installed in more than 16 countries, with more than 50 marinas investing in the technology. Ceglinski has a background in product design, with over 10 years of high-end yacht building experience.

Peter Fantke, Associate Professor, Technical University of Denmark

Peter Fantke is Associate Professor in Quantitative Sustainability Assessment at the Technical University of Denmark, with research experience in and focus on assessing environmental fate, human and ecosystem exposure, and toxicological impacts of chemicals. He contributed to several national and international projects focusing on life cycle impact assessment, external cost analysis, socioeconomic analysis, environmental risk assessment, and alternatives assessment including chemical substitution. He is executive manager of USEtox, the UNEP/SETAC scientific consensus model for characterizing toxicity impacts of chemicals. He contributes to training at MSc and PhD level, organizes international training workshops, initiated and coordinates internal training in his research division, and coordinates global task forces on quantifying emissions of pesticides and addressing health effects from exposure to fine particulate matter.

Peter Kershaw, Chair, Joint Group of Experts on Scientific Aspects of Marine Protection (GESAMP)

Peter Kershaw is the Chair of the Joint Group of Experts on Scientific Aspects of Marine Protection, an inter-Agency body of the United Nations (GESAMP). He is an independent science advisor to UN agencies on marine environmental protection. His international experience includes working in association with a number of UN Agencies and other Intergovernmental Organisations (e.g. IAEA, UNESCO-IOC, UNEP, IMO, FAO, IWC, OECD Nuclear Energy Agency, Global Environmental Facility, ICES, PICES) in a range of research, assessment, advisory and collaborative roles. His research interests have revolved around many different aspects of marine environmental processes and the potential effects of human activities on the ecosystem, the influence of societal and economic aspects in policy formulation and implementation, and use of this understanding to bridge the science-policy divide. He holds a doctorate and a Bachelor of Science in Geology from the University of Dundee, Scotland.

Pojanath Bhatanacharoen, Executive Director, Thai-Swedish Chamber of Commerce

Pojanath Bhatanacharoen is the Executive Director of the Thai-Swedish Chamber of Commerce. Representing Swedish companies in Thailand and echoing their ethos on sustainability issues, Pojanath is leading on the organisation of the Chamber’s sustainability events to help engage businesses and public in environmental issues. The upcoming TSCC Smart Cities Symposium will explore the issues of smart mobility and connectivity to address the core challenges and understand the latest technologies that are shaping the future of responsible business. Pojanath is particularly passionate about partnership building between businesses, government, academia and the public to achieve sustainable development goals. She holds a PhD in Politics from Newcastle University, UK.

Qamar Schuyler, Research Scientist, CSIRO

Qamar Schuyler is a Research Scientist at CSIRO’s Oceans and Atmosphere Flagship. She handles statistical modelling for a variety of marine debris-related projects. Her primary focus is on marine plastics, and the transport of debris from land to sea. Other research interests include the impacts of marine debris on wildlife, the analysis of satellite imagery for ecological change detection, visual ecology, and sea turtle biology and ecology. Qamar also has extensive experience in marine tourism, and coordinated outreach and education campaigns in the Mariana Islands. She has a PhD from the University of Queensland and a Master of Environmental Studies from the College of Charleston in South Carolina.

Ralyn 'Lilly' Satidtanasarn, Bye Bye Plastic Bags

Ralyn Satidtanasarn AKA Lilly of Bye Bye Plastic Bags Thailand, an anti-plastic youth campaign group, is a 12-year-old environmental activist. Lilly has been meeting directly with officials to lobby for policy change. A sixth grader at St. Andrews International School, Lilly spends about three to four days a week visiting other schools and meeting both government and corporate officials. Lilly won her first victory; she persuaded Central, a major supermarket in Bangkok, to stop giving out plastic bags in its stores once a week. Lilly is currently meeting with education officials to ask that lessons about the environment be included in Thai school curriculums.

Ran Xie, Associate Programme Officer, UNEP

Ran Xie is the Associate Programme Officer for the Consumption and Production Unit, Economy Division at UN Environment. She works on circular economy for plastics. Previously, she was in the Pollution and Health Unit at UNEP, reporting and monitoring of the UNEA3 voluntary commitments and the preparation of the report on pesticides and fertilizers requested by UNEA3 resolutions. She obtained her Master degree in International Relations and environmental policy from Peking University and Sciences Po. Before joining UNEP, she worked for China-ASEAN Environmental Cooperation Center, an institute affiliated with the Ministry of Ecology and Environment of China.

Ravish Majithia, Founder and CEO, Magnomer

Ravish Majithia is the Co-founder and CEO of Magnomer, a design-to-recycle company that makes magnetic coatings to enable the recyclability of plastic packaging. He is a materials scientist by training, a chemist at heart and an entrepreneur by design. Ravish is an experienced researcher in the field of nanoscale materials. His interests lie in recycling, technology development and commercializing applications of nanoscale materials in all walks of life. Ravish has a Ph.D. in Materials Science with specialization in nanomaterials from Texas A&M University. He also holds an MBA from Babson College. An author of numerous widely cited original scientific research papers and named as one of the ‘Top 100 MBA’s in 2018’ by Poets & Quants, Ravish certainly wears many hats.

Regula Schegg, Managing Director Asia, Circulate Capital

Regula Schegg is the Managing Director, Asia at Circulate Capital. She leads the investment strategy, manages the investment team and oversees Circulate Capital Ocean Fund’s investment portfolio in South and Southeast Asia. Together with her team, Regula manages asset allocations as well as due diligence, portfolio management of fund investments. She also provides strategic advisory to the portfolio companies, focusing on strategy, business development, fundraising, key hiring decisions, financial management and governance. Regula is an experienced global professional with over 20 years’ of leadership, business development, project management finance and social enterprise/start-up expertise. Throughout her corporate career, she held positions in corporate strategy, M&A, private equity, financial controlling and business development. Regula graduated with an MBA (Honors) in Global Management from Thunderbird, School of Global Management, USA, with undergraduate studies in Switzerland, the United Kingdom and France. She is an Aspen Institute Business & Society First Movers Fellow.

Richard Jones, Senior Vice President, Indorama Ventures PCL

Richard Jones is the Senior Vice President at Indorama Ventures PCL and Director of the IVL Foundation. The IVL Foundation recently partnered with GEPP for the collection of waste for sustainable recycling based on the Circular Economy concept. He commenced a career in investor relations (IR) over 20 years ago and has been recognized as one of the top 25 IR officers in the world of all time. Currently, Richard focuses on HR, corporate communications, CSR and sustainability. He is also the Chairman of the Sustainability Steering Committee. He holds a Master in Business Administration from Sasin Graduate School and a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature from University of Wales, UK.

Roland Weber, International consultant, Stockholm Convention Secretariat

Roland Weber is an independent international consultant for several UN Organisations (UNIDO, UNEP, UNDP, Stockholm Convention Secretariat) for the implementation of the Stockholm Convention. He has over 25 years research experience on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs). His areas of expertise include Dioxins, unintentional POPs, Brominated and fluorinated POPs, Best Available Technologies (BAT) and Best Environmental Practice (BEP), Destruction of POPs, POPs contaminated sites, Sustainable Consumption & Production, Chemicals in plastic and control. He is drafter of Stockholm Convention guidance documents, member of the UNEP Dioxin Toolkit and BAT/BEP group and has an assignment at Tsinghua University Beijing at Stockholm Convention Regional Center for Asia and Pacific. He holds a doctorate and a Master in Chemistry both from the University Tübingen, Germany.

Salinla Seehaphan, Corporate Affairs Director, Tesco Lotus

Salinla Seehaphan is the Corporate Affairs Director at Tesco Lotus. Her main responsibilities are enhancing Tesco Lotus’ positive image among external stakeholders, including 12 million customers who shop at Tesco Lotus every week. SHe works to instil Tesco values and engage over 50,000 employees in Thailand through effective internal communications, and supporting Thai society through high impact programmes such as the recent ‘Proud not to use plastic bag’ campaign that received award from Marketing Association of Thailand. She has 18 years of experience in Marketing and Communications working with international companies in various industries including Singapore Airlines, DHL, Yum Restaurants, and most recently, HSBC. She holds a Master’s degree in Organizational Communication from the University of Northern Iowa, USA, and a Bachelor of Arts degree from Chulalongkorn University in Thailand.

H.E. Samantha K. Jayasuriya, Ambassador of Sri Lanka to Thailand

H.E. Samantha K. Jayasuriya is the Ambassador of Sri Lanka to Thailand. Ambassador Jayasuriya is a career diplomatic officer with 21 years of experience. Immediately prior to being appointed as Ambassador of Sri Lanka to Thailand, she served as the Deputy Permanent Representative at the Permanent Mission of Sri Lanka to the United Nations Office in Geneva. Prior to joining the Foreign Service, Ambassador Jayasuriya served in the Economic Affairs Department of the Faculty of Agriculture, University of Peradeniya, as an Assistant Lecturer. She is skilled in multilateral affairs, human rights, migration, sustainable development, policy analysis, politics, and government. She holds a Master of Arts in International Relations from the University of Japan (IUJ) and Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Agriculture Economics from University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka.

Sandra Avérous Monnery, Programme Officer, Chemicals and Health Branch, Economy Division, UNEP

Sandra Avérous Monnery is Programme Officer at the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). She joined the Chemicals and Health Branch in summer 2019, and leads work on chemicals in products, chemicals and plastics, sustainable and green chemistry and the Global Mercury Partnership. She has worked for the past 10 years on sustainable consumption and production at UNEP. Recently, she oversaw the eco-innovation portfolio, engaging all actors, including the private sector and SMEs, towards sustainable value chains and circular economy, where she focused on circularity in the plastics, electronics and textiles sector. She also served as well as Special Assistant to the Division Director. Development economist, her area of expertise is Chemicals, Sustainable Consumption and Production and Disaster Preparedness.

Sharinee Shannon Kalayanamitr, Venture Partner, Gobi Partners

Sharinee Shannon Kalayanamitr is Venture Partner at Gobi Partners Thailand Fund. Shannon is the Founder of IKIGAI Group, a consulting company designed to solve 21st century challenges. She is currently advising the Thai government, the Ministry of Digital Economy and Society, and the Digital Economic Promotion Agency (DEPA) on its Thailand 4.0 Strategy, with a specific focus on its Tech, IoT, and Startup Execution plans. Shannon also co-founded and was the Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) of Orami [formerly Moxy], – South East Asia’s only e-commerce destination focused on women. Shannon is also currently an advisor to Santora Nakama, a startup studio that works with entrepreneurs to build startups across the region. She is Gobi’s official representative in Thailand, pitching the firm to investors, limited partners, and angel investors, as well as procuring investment opportunities for Gobi in the digital media and IT sectors.

Siriporn Sriaram (Vivi), Project Coordinator and Senior Project Officer, IUCN Thailand

Siriporn Sriaram is the Thailand MARPLASTICCs project coordinator and the Thailand Business and Bio-Diversity Network Alliance (B-DNA) Senior Project Officer at the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). She joined IUCN in 2008 as the Mangroves for the Future (MFF) Thailand National Coordinator. She has expertise in coastal resource management and partnership development. She has been working closely with governments, local communities, private sectors, academia and NGOs. In 2018, Siriporn became a member of IUCN Commission on Education and Communication (CEC) with a passion to connect, educate and inspire people about sustainable development through nature conservation. She holds a M.Sc in Environmental Biology from Mahidol University.

Singh Intrachooto, Head of the Building Innovation and Technology, Kasetsart University, Faculty of Architecture

Singh Intrachooto is Head of the Building Innovation and Technology Program at Kasetsart University Architecture, Bangkok and Design Principal at OSISU, Thailand’s leading eco-design production house. He holds a PhD in Design Technology from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). His design evolves around sustainable design concept as his research focuses on identifying patterns of technological innovation in environmentally responsible architecture. His investigations also include material developments from manufacturing and agricultural by-products, and waste reclamation from buildings’ construction and debris. Singh is considered a pioneer of ecological design in Thailand. He focuses on bridging academia and industry to leverage technology, education and production approaches to stimulate environmentally responsible innovations within the design and architecture industry. He is Design Innovation Ambassador for Thailand’s National Innovation Agency. He received Thailand’s Emergent Designer of the Year 2007 Award as well as Top Environmentalist 2008 Award from Thailand’s Department of Environment.

Stein Hansen, Regional Director, UN Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO)

Stein Hansen is the Regional Director and Representative of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) Regional Office in Bangkok, Thailand where he also represents UNIDO in the UNSDG Asia Pacific Regional Directors group, and the UN Regional Coordination Mechanism. He is an Economist who has been working in international development for 26 years. Prior to his appointment, he was Chief of Strategic Donor Relations, Office of Deputy to Director General, UNIDO, Vienna, Austria. Previously, he has also worked at UNDP where he served as Resident Representative, UN Resident Coordinator and Deputy Resident Representative. He holds a B.Sc. in Economics from Aalborg University, Denmark. In addition to being an Economist, Stein R. Hansen holds a Master of Public Administration from the Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University with focus on international development. He is also a Senior Executive Fellow of the Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University.

Stephen Sikra, Senior Advisor, Alliance to End Plastic Waste

Stephen Sikra is the Senior Advisor at the Alliance to End Plastic Waste. He is a Materials Science Engineer with 26 years work experience at the Procter & Gamble Company. Currently, he is a Technology Manager leading P&G’s global Material Science and Technology program for package material innovation in support of all P&G business units. His history includes management roles in process development, package development, and product supply operations contributing to P&G’s Fabric Care, Home Care, and Beauty Care business units. Stephen is a champion for plastic recycling and currently holds the following positions: Chairperson, Rigids Committee, Association of Plastic Recyclers (APR); Advisory Board Member, Closed Loop Fund (CLF); Executive Board Member, The Recycling Partnership (TRP); Steering Committee Member, Flexible Film Recycling Group (FFRG) and Technical Advisor, Materials Recovery For the Future project (MMRF).

Steve Wong, Executive President, China Scrap Plastics Association

Steve Wong is the Executive President of the China Scrap Plastics Association and is also the Founder and Managing Director of Fukutomi Company Limited. Being one of the leaders of the plastic recycling industry, Fukutomi operates through its processing facilities at Hong Kong, Vietnam and Penang and globally with its well-established networks and affiliates worldwide. As environmentalism is Steve’s business philosophy, Fukutomi is committed to investing in technologies and equipment for improving the efficiency through new applications for plastic recycling. His company’s mission is to maintain a fresh, healthy and comfortable living environment for the next generation and contribute to the global sustainable development.

Suchana Chavanich, Associate Professor, Chulalongkorn University

Suchana Chavanich is Associate Professor at the Department of Marine Science, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand. Suchana received her Ph.D. in Zoology from University of New Hampshire, USA. She has a broad base of ecological research interests that involve the study of nearshore species from tropical to polar region. In addition, her research focuses on conservation and restoration of marine ecosystems, and impact of climate change and marine debris on marine ecosystems. Currently, she has marine biodiversity projects under the Plant Genetic Conservation Project and Polar Research Project of the Royal Initiative of Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn. She is also the Project Leader of Coral Reef Conservation in the Western Pacific under the UNESCO/IOC Sub-Commission for the Western Pacific, and serves as a Thailand Reef Check Coordinator (Headquarter in California, USA) that teaches and stimulates local communities to protect and monitor coral reef health using ecologically sound and economically sustainable solutions.

Sujitra Vassanadumrongdee, Researcher, Environmental Resarch Institute, Chulalongkorn University

Sujitra Vassanadumrongdee is a researcher at the Environmental Research Institute, Chulalongkorn University, Thailand. She is also the Project Manager of the Chula Zero Waste Project. Together with network partners, Chulalongkorn University implemented this project to develop a model for waste and hazardous waste management in urban areas and the Sustainable Waste and Hazardous Waste Management Plan in Chulalongkorn University. Her areas of expertise are policy and institutional analysis on waste management, environmental and health valuation, economic tools for environmental management, public participation in environmental management and trade and environment. Sujitra holds a doctorate and Master’s degree in Environmental Economics from Hiroshima University, Japan. She completed her Bachelor in Political Science (International Relations) from Chulalongkorn University.

Sumangali Krishnan, Chief Business Officer, GA Circular

Sumangali Krishnan is the Chief Business Officer at GA Circular and has over 12 years of research and consulting experience ranging fields law, economics and waste management. She has a J.D. in Law from Boston University as well as a Masters degree in Economics. In her current role, Sumangali has developed and led various research projects, exploring both policy and on-ground realities across South and South East Asia. Working closely with intergovernmental agencies, national and local governments, as well as leading plastics, consumer and retail goods manufacturers in Asia, she has a good understanding of opportunities and challenges in the region with respect to waste. In previous year, she has worked in research, private practice and has provided legal and business advise to start-ups and emerging businesses.

Supranee Kampongsun (Pern), Head of Office, IUCN Thailand

Supranee Kampongsun is the Head of Office, IUCN Thailand. She has over 10-year experience in environmental project management, planning, monitoring & evaluation. She had experienced on environmental education, school based and community-based waste management, when she worked for WWF Thailand on Tsunami Recovery project. After she got a master’s degree in Environment Security and Governance from University for Peace in Costa Rica in 2013, she has worked for IUCN Thailand Programme on several projects at the local and national levels. Throughout her experiences, she collaborates with local communities, local authorities, and private sectors in waste management to further develop a model of municipal waste management model at the pilot site located on the island.

Suracha Udomsak, CTO and Emerging Business Director, SCG Chemicals

Suracha Udomsak is the Chief Technical Officer and leads Research and Development Center at Siam Cement Group Chemicals Co., Ltd. He is also in charge of Emerging Businesses Director at SCG Chemicals. His primary responsibility is to drive SCG Chemicals’ research and innovation to market. He was awarded a Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering at Texas A&M University in the USA. He joined SCG Chemicals in 1989 and since then has extensive experience in polymer production ranging from polyethylene, polypropylene and polyolefin compound. His areas of expertise also include chemistry, chemical and process engineering.

Tay Yuke Ling, Research Assistant, Centre of International Law (CIL), National University of Singapore (NUS)

Tay Yuke Ling is a Research Assistant with the Ocean Law and Policy Programme of the Centre of International Law (CIL), National University of Singapore (NUS). In her current position, she works closely with Youna Lyons, a Senior Research Fellow of the CIL, NUS, on a review of the publication of ‘A Review of Research on Marine Plastics in Southeast Asia: Who Does What?’. This involves an full update of the report as well as supporting the development of a regional inventory of research on marine plastics and regional coordination through adequate expert networks. Her particular area of interests is biodiversity study and conservation, with a focus on the marine environment. This has led to her contributing to several research projects and citizen science initiatives including the National Parks (NParks) Intertidal Watch and the NUS-NParks Marine Debris Monitoring Programme. She holds a Bachelor in Life Sciences with a minor in Aquatic Ecology from the National University of Singapore (NUS).

Tokuaki Shobayashi, Deputy Director General, Ministry of the Environment, Japan

Tokuaki Shobayashi is the Deputy Director General of Ministry of the Environment, Japan. He graduated from Faculty of Medicine, Tottori University in March 1989. After working at Toshima Hospital of Tokyo Metropolitan Government, joined the Ministry of Health and Welfare in February 1991. After studying abroad at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine and seconding to the World Health Organization (WHO), he served as Director of Pandemic Influenza Preparedness & Response, Communicable Disease Control Division, Director of Communicable Disease Control Division, Director of Cancer Control & Health Promotion Division, Director, Health Service Division. In August 2018, he served as Executive Advisor to President, National Cancer Center. Incumbent from July 2019, engaged in water environmental administration

Trish Hyde, Managing Director and Founder, The Plastics Circle / Director, Plasticity Global

Trish Hyde is the Managing Director and Founder of The Plastics Circle and the Director of Plasticity Global. The Plastics Circle is a business start-up to drive innovation and commercial opportunities that put the circle into circular economies in Asia. Her work spans non-profit industry collaboration and education initiatives; scrap plastic end-market development; technology applied within market contexts and regulatory and stakeholder engagement. Previously, as CEO of the Australian Packaging Covenant, Trish successfully negotiating the Enhanced Covenant, and setting the multi-ministerial and broad-membership endorsed 2022 APC Vision and Strategic Plan. She is a senior executive with 15+ years’ leadership and commercial experience. She holds a double Masters from Deakin University, Australia.

H.E. Varawut Silpa-archa, Minister, Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, Thailand

H.E. Varawut Silpa-archa is the Minister of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, Thailand. Varawut was elected as Member of the Parliament again in 2019, after previously serving as a Member of the Parliament in 2001, 2005 and 2007. Roles he has held in government include Deputy Minister of Transport in 2008, Secretary to the Minister for the Ministry of Tourism and Sports in 2002, as well as Secretary to the Minister for the Ministry of Science, Technology, and Environment in 2001. He completed a Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering at University College London and then did a Master of Business Administrative Finance at the University of Wisconsin.

Veronica Pedrosa, Independent Broadcast Journalist

Veronica Pedrosa is an independent broadcast journalist, news presenter and moderator. Veronica began her career, in 1995, as a news anchor with CNN International and then with BBC World. She has also been a journalist with ABS-CBN News and Current Affairs. She was with Al Jazeera English in the run-up to its launch, and worked for the channel for six years full-time, and then as a freelance for a few years more. During that time she was based in the Asia-Pacific bureau, in Kuala Lumpur; at the main bureau, in Doha; and as a correspondent in the field, based primarily in Bangkok. In 2004, Veronica was named Best News Anchor at the Asian Television Awards. She completed her undergraduate studies at Newnham College, Cambridge and graduated from Cambridge University with an M.A. (Honours) in English.

Vivekanand Sistla, Regional R&D Director, Unilever

Vivekanand Sistla is the Regional R&D Director, Personal Care & Site Leader at Unilever. He is Responsible for R&D for very dynamic Hair Care Category for SEA & ANZ Cluster and represents on Leadership and Business Teams for Thailand and Vietnam. He also drives Innovation agenda for 12 countries, with a wider variety of consumer profiles and needs and is Site Leader for R&D Bangkok with over 200 employees across categories. He has been with Unilever for over 18 years and specialises in Innovation Strategy & Leadership, Product and Process Development, Technology transfer and scale-up, Consumer Insights, Claims & Regulatory affairs, Open Innovation and Project Management. Prior this role, he was the Global R&D Director Lipton and Beverages Global Design Centre and Global R&D Director Refreshment Category. He holds a Master’s degree in Chemical Engineering from University of Tennessee, Knoxville and a B.Tech. in Chemical Engineering from Osmania University.

Vong Sok, Head of the Environment Division, ASEAN Secretariat

Vong Sok is the Head of the Environment Division and Assistant Director of the Sustainable Development Directorate ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community Department, ASEAN Secretariat. He is passionate and dedicated Environmental Professional, with over 20 years’ global environmental compliance and governance experience, including in-depth knowledge of environmental development, strategic planning, relationship building, operations control and implementing environmental management systems. Educationally, he’s graduated Bachelor’s Degree in Forestry from Cambodia and Master’s Degree in Environmental Science and Management from Belgium. He also completed his PhD research on impact assessment and climate change at the University of Western Australia in 2012. Professionally, he works on environmental assessment, planning and management in Southeast Asia, intensively with government agencies, international organisations, development partners and communities at grass-root level. This provided him with specific assets to lead, and coordinate the strategic level; and deliver substantive impacts and contributions to this Region.

Vu Hai Dang, Senior Research Fellow, National University of Singapore (NUS)

Vu Hai Dang is a Senior Research Fellow with the Ocean Law and Policy Programme of the Centre for International Law (CIL), National University of Singapore (NUS). His area of expertise includes international law, law of the sea, international environmental law, protection of the marine environment and the South China Sea. Dang holds a Doctorate of Juridical Science in International Marine Environmental Law from Dalhousie University, Canada and a Master of Laws in International Trade Law from University of Paris V, France. He has experience working in the fields of legal service, civil servant, diplomacy and academics.

Wayne Nicholas Phillips, Lecturer, Ecology and Conservation, Mahidol University

Wayne Nicholas Phillips is a lecturer in Ecology and Conservation at Mahidol University International College. The focus of his work with the youth has been on providing opportunities to interact with stakeholders to gain different perspectives of shared problems; and to spend time in nature to gain a greater understanding of the role of our behaviour. His efforts focus on coral reefs and adjacent ecosystems and as an outlet for his efforts he founded Project Koh Sak to highlight the role of plastics and tourism in reducing coral reef resilience to climate change. Working with the island owners and other stakeholders, Wayne aims to reverse declines in reef and island quality and to help deliver an experience that is educational; enhances island and reef quality; and offers the opportunity for peace and quiet in this frenetic world. He holds a doctorate in Biology from the University of Essex and a M.Sc. in Aquatic Resource Management, King’s College London, UK.

Wenxi Zhu, Head, Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission Sub-Commission of UNESCO for the Western Pacific (IOC-WESTPAC)

Wenxi Zhu is the Head of the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission Sub-Commission of UNESCO for the Western Pacific (WESTPAC) based in Thailand. He is responsible for the development, coordination and implementation of regional programmes on marine science, observations and capacity building in the Western Pacific and adjacent regions, which include North-East Asian region – The Global Ocean Observing System (NEAR-GOOS), South-East Asia – The Global Ocean Observing System (SEAGOOS), IOC Regional Network of Training and Research Centers on Marine Sciences; ten regional scientific projects and programs, and four regional working groups. As a key advocate for marine science, IOC and its WESTPAC focus on working collaboratively with scientists representing different institutions, countries, and international programs to advance ocean science for the prosperity of human beings.

Wijarn Simachaya, President, Thailand Environment Institute

Wijarn Simachaya is the President of the Thailand Environment Institute. He is an expert in environmental law, pollution control, natural resources, and environment management. He previously worked in many key positions including as Director General of the Pollution Control Department, Secretary-General of the Office of Natural Resources and Environmental Policy and Planning, Permanent Secretary and Deputy Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment. He has also represented the ministry of various international forums. He has worked as a leader of green growth and government reform strategy development for Thailand. Wijarn serves as a chairman of Thailand’s long-term strategy (20-year plan) on natural resources and environmental management, including water resources management, sustainable forest management, together with pollution control management and environmental governance for the Ministry. He has been a supervisor of 16 departments and public organizations of the ministry.

Yasuhiko Hotta, Programme Director, Sustainable Consumption and Production, Institute for Global Environmental Strategies

Yasuhiko Hotta Programme Director of Sustainable Consumption and Production at the Institute for Global Environmental Strategies (IGES). He holds Dphil in International Relations from University of Sussex in 2004. Before joining IGES in September 2005, he was a project assistant of UNU/ Zero Emissions Research Initiative at United Nations University/Institute for Advanced Studies, Contracted Researcher (Industrial Policy Area), Mitsubishi Research Institute, Inc. He has been involved in both policy initiatives and research projects in relation to sustainable resource circulation such as G8’s 3R Initiative and Working Group for 3R Policies for Southeast and East Asia at Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia (ERIA). He is a member of several advisory committees for Ministry of the Environment Japan. He is also a part-time lecturer for Tokyo Institute of Technology and Sophia University.

Yegor Volovik, Coordinator, Northwest Pacific Action Plan (NOWPAP)

Yegor Volovik is the Coordinator of at the Northwest Pacific Action Plan (NOWPAP), UN Environment Programme. He has over 25 years of experience including over 20 years at international level in both public and private sectors, including a number of UN Agencies including UNDP, UNEP and UNICEF. Yegor is familiar with the development processes in countries with economies in transition, including designing and implementing environmental policy reforms, strengthening management capacity of national and inter-state partners, as well as setting up modern governance systems and favourable enabling environment. HE has worked in various geographical regions including Northern, Central and Eastern Europe, the Caribbean, Africa, Central Asia, the Mediterranean and Black Sea basins. He holds a PhD from the Institute of Program Systems of the Russian Academy of Sciences (databases, information systems, mathematical modeling of abiotic and biotic processes of ecosystems, ecosystem management decision support).

Yoshikazu Uehara, Managing Director, Mitsui Chemicals Singapore R&D Centre

Yoshikazu Uehara is Managing Director of Mitsui Chemicals Singapore R&D Centre, which is an overseas R&D branch of Mitsui Chemicals (MCI). MCI is one of the diversified companies in Japan and contributes broadly to society by providing high-quality products and services to customers through innovation and the creation of materials, while keeping in harmony with the global environment. Mr Uehara is responsible for identifying new business opportunities in the Asia Pacific region. He is looking for new applications that will contribute to the realization of a circular economy through open innovation platform. He joined MCI in 1992 and started his carrier from a researcher. After Director of Energy and Environment Unit of Process Technology Center and Manager of Corporate Planning Division of MCI, he was assigned to his current position in 2017. He holds Master of Engineering on Chemical Process Engineering from Osaka University, Japan.

Youna Lyons, Senior Research Fellow, National University of Singapore (NUS)

Youna Lyons is a Senior Research Fellow with the Ocean Law and Policy Programme of the Centre for International Law (CIL), National University of Singapore (NUS). Her dual expertise in law and marine sciences has led her to spearhead and coordinate several multidisciplinary research projects at CIL on the protection of the marine environment in Southeast Asia (SEA) including the prospects for re-use of obsolete offshore installations as artificial reefs , sensitivity mapping for spill preparedness and response, pollution from marine plastics and the mapping of shallow features and sensitive marine areas. She also supports and participates to global and regional intergovernmental meetings in this field. She is Chair of the Board of the Advisory Committee on Protection of the Sea (ACOPS), an observer at the IMO, the London Convention and Protocol, the Arctic Council, the ISA and OSPAR. She holds an LLM in international law from University Paris I Pantheon-Sorbonne, trained in oceanography at the College of Oceans and Fisheries of the University of Washington, Seattle, also holds a Masters in Marine Affairs from this University and is completing a PhD dissertation with the University of Wollongong on sensitive marine areas in the South China Sea.

Yumi Nishikawa, Regional Plastic-Smart Cities Lead, SEA, WWF

Yumi Nishikawa is the Regional Plastic-Smart Cities Lead, SEA at WWF. This initiative aims to work on the ground and with cities and tourism areas in five pilot countries to scale up to 25 cities by 2021 to build a global movement of PlasticSmart Cities. She has had over three years of experience working in the financial services industry and over two years in the development. Her non-profit experience includes working for the 100 Resilient Cities, Clinton Global Initiative, Impact Investment Exchange Asia, United Nations Global Compact, and the Rockefeller Foundation. During her time in finance, Yumi worked for Goldman Sachs, Ernst & Young, and J.P. Morgan in Japan. She pursued her Master’s degree in Public Administration from Columbia University. Yumi also holds a Bachelor of Arts from Sophia University, Japan.

Zuraini Ahmad Tajudin, Senior Principal Assistant Director, Department of Environment, Selangor, Malaysia

Zuraini Ahmad Tajudin is the Senior Principal Assistant Director of Department of Environment Selangor, Malaysia. Currently, she is assigned as head of enforcement for all activities subjected under Environmental Quality Act 1974 at the Selangor state level. As part of Department of Environment of Malaysia enforcement team, her team is mandated to ensure the compliant of The Basel Convention, especially on the control of transboundary movement of hazardous waste and other waste. Among her team recent successes is the detainment of over 100 illegal cargos containing plastic and hazardous waste into Malaysia. Her previous role as a prosecutor has equipped her with the knowledge of handling all the related legal issues. With over 20 years of experience working for The Department of Environment of Malaysia she has also been the focal person for The Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Convention.