Speakers 2024

René Bethmann holds a degree in Textile and Apparel Technology and advanced his career in product and material management with renowned brands throughout Europe. Presently, he serves as the Senior Innovation Manager at VAUDE, where he oversees and drives innovation initiatives and projects pertaining to materials and joining technologies, with a particular emphasis on strategies for renewable carbon. Additionally, since 2020, he has been a consultant for the VAUDE Academy for Sustainable Business. With almost 20 years of experience in the sports industry, he has established himself as a distinguished global speaker in the domains of bioeconomy, circular economy, and innovative material technologies.

Christian Bonten is a professor for Plastics Engineering at Stuttgart University in Germany. He studied Mechanical Engineering in Duisburg, Plastics Processing at the University of Aachen and wrote a PhD thesis about welding plastics. In 2002, he joined BASF and worked in both the engineering plastics as well as in the styrenics plastics departments. He was a founder of BASF´s designfabrik where he headed the Healthcare and Diagnostics activities. In 2008, he became a Technology and Marketing Director at the bioplastics producer, FKuR. Since 2010, he has been chairing and directing the `Institut für Kunststofftechnik´ (IKT) at the University of Stuttgart. IKT is not only focused on bioplastics, but also combines the fields of material engineering, processing technologies and product engineering. Christian is an author of numerous scientific publications and of several books, published by Hanser publishers, Munich. He received several awards, e.g. of the German engineering association VDI and of the American Society of Plastics Engineers.

Michael Carus is a physicist and one of Europe’s leading experts, market researchers and policy advisors on the renewable carbon economy – including biobased, CO2-based and recycling. In late 1994, together with five other scientists, he founded the private and independent nova-Institute for Ecology and Innovation. From the beginning, Michael has been involved in the company as an owner and one of the two managing directors. Today, the nova-Institute employs nearly 50 scientists from a wide range of disciplines, covering markets, technologies, sustainability, communication and policy. In 2020, Michael founded the Renewable Carbon Initiative (RCI), which has almost 70 members from the chemical and materials industries today. Michael is one of the two executive managers of the RCI.

Guillaume Cazaudehore graduated from the University of Pau (UPPA, France) with a master’s degree in molecular biology and microbiology (2018). He then achieved a PhD (2022) at APESA (Technology research centre supporting transitions) and UPPA on the fate of biodegradable plastics in anaerobic digesters, with a focus on the microorganisms involved in this process. Guillaume is currently working as a post-doctoral research fellow at UPPA/CNRS/APESA and is notably involved in R&D projects concerning the end-of-life of plastics in anaerobic digestion.

Martin Clemesha graduated in materials science and engineering at the Polytechnic School of São Paulo University in 2001 and has over 20 years of experience in the polymer industry. He moved to Europe in 2014 to help Braskem promote its I’m greenTM biobased plastics, having done so for 6 years as Technical Sales and 3 years as a Product Manager. As of 2023, he has moved to Technical Advocacy, where he is dedicated to exchanging with relevant stakeholders, Braskem’s position on topics such as responsible sourcing, life-cycle thinking and circular economy.

As an Applications Development Engineer for NatureWorks – a world-leading company that invents and manufactures high performing biopolymers and applications called Ingeo™️, Viviana brings 20 years of polymer industry experience. Specialising in technical advancements for flexible and rigid packaging, she has refined her skills in biopolymer development for food, pharma, and cosmetics, tailoring unique functional properties for precise performance goals. Viviana fosters global connections with R&D departments, universities, startups, and boosters, leveraging her extensive knowledge of plastics and project management to deliver essential customer support in creating innovative products.

Lucy Cowton graduated from the University of Nottingham with a degree in Chemistry and holds a PhD in Organometallic Chemistry from the University of Manchester. She began her career as a Research Chemist working for Associated Octel Limited and subsequently worked on the development and scale up of an anti-cancer drug for Scotia Pharmaceuticals. Since 1999, Lucy has been closely involved with the development and commercialisation of the NatureFlexTM range of renewable and compostable films. Her current role involves managing the environmental aspects of NatureFlexTM and CellophaneTM films including the Life Cycle Assessment and forestry/end-of-life certifications. She represents Futamura through their membership of European Bioplastics, the BBIA, the UK Compostable Coalition and the Compostable by Design Platform. She also participates in the relevant working groups of the BSI, CEN and ISO.

Advocating for environmental sustainability in the polymer industry, Laurent Daligault is dedicated to creating a healthier planet for current and future generations. He focuses on enhancing end-of-life processes to support circularity and reduce environmental impact. Serving as the Luminy® PLA Bioplastics Packaging Global Market Segment Leader at TotalEnergies Corbion since May 2023, Laurent is a seasoned marketing professional with extensive experience in crafting and executing global marketing strategies across multiple sectors. With over 25 years of global experience in marketing, innovation, and commercial roles across packaging, non-woven, automotive, and consumer markets, Laurent has a deep understanding of the polymer and biopolymer industries. His previous positions at DSM Engineered Materials and Carbios have equipped him with the expertise to drive meaningful change in the transition towards a circular economy.

Currently, Francesco Degli Innocenti is a Senior Advisor at Novamont and coordinator of the Scientific and Technical Committee of Assobioplastiche, the Italian Association of Bioplastics. Francesco is personally involved in standardisation at ISO, CEN, UNI, ASTM level, where he contributes to the development of relevant standards in the field of biobased and biodegradable plastics. Francesco is the Convenor of the Working Group on Bio-based and Biodegradable Plastics at CEN (CEN TC249 WG9) and Chairman of the Subcommittee on Environmental Aspects of Plastics (UNI/CT 600/SC 27) and of the Committee on Bio-based products (UNI/CT 424) at UNI, Italy.

Roberto Ferrigno is Head of EU Public Affairs at European Bioplastics (EUBP). He held senior management positions in global and European organisations, such as Greenpeace International, the European Environmental Bureau (EEB), WWF EU, and Weber Shandwick.
He served as a National Expert for Italy at the Economic and Social Committee of the European Communities (ESC) in Brussels. Roberto is the co-founder of the European Bioeconomy Bureau, member of the Board of Directors of the Institute for European Environmental Policy (IEEP) with offices in Brussels and London, and Basel Action Network (BAN), a US-based NGO advocating for the end of hazardous and plastic waste shipments from OECD countries to the Global South.

Stephen Geldart has worked in the energy, food and agriculture markets for almost 20 years. He is one of the world’s foremost sugar and ethanol analysts, helping many of the world’s largest household name food and beverage companies manage their physical supply and futures price risks. He also works with major agribusinesses, banks, finance providers and funds to manage their exposure to these markets. He is also a regular speaker at global conferences on energy, food security and decarbonisation.
Stephen joined CZ in 2008 and leads the analysis team. The team delivers leading-edge insights into the commodities CZ handles across the agriproduct, food, ingredients packaging and energy sectors. This analysis is published on CZ’s client-focused platform, but also supports CZ’s physical trading and corporate finance businesses. Stephen also supports CZADVISE’s consulting team as they deliver strategic advice to customers in the food, agriculture and bio-energy sectors.
Stephen holds an M.Sc. in Chemistry from Imperial College London and before joining CZ, he worked in the downstream oil industry, promoting the interests of the UK’s crude oil refineries at a national government and EU-wide level.

Andrew Gill is the CTO of Floreon and has over 15 years of experience working with bioplastics. He completed his PhD in Materials Science at the University of Sheffield (UK) before joining Floreon as a Research Associate. His work has led to a number of granted patents, peer reviewed publications and conference presentations. Today he continues to lead the development of Floreon’s high performance bioplastics as the company continues to evolve and grow.

Jake Hebert is the Global Market Manager at Earthfirst, a leading manufacturer of biobased and compostable films for flexible packaging. He brings over a decade of experience having previously held various sales, marketing, and business development roles in the bioplastics manufacturing industry. Prior to his current role, he led initiatives as the Director of the OSC Packaging Collaborative, a California-based non-profit focused on reducing plastic waste through innovation and commercialisation of sustainable packaging systems for natural products, policy and advocacy work, and brand and consumer education. Driven by his passions for design and sustainability, Jake has worked with numerous brands in their transition from conventional flexible packaging materials to sustainable alternatives, with a focus on maximizing renewable raw material content and ensuring a circular usage life cycle. Jake holds a B.Sc. in Marketing from Kennesaw State University and has previously served on the board of the Biodegradable Products Institute (BPI) and the OSC Packaging Advisory Board. He has also been active in the Sustainable Packaging Coalition’s Compostable Packaging Collaborative and the Food Marketing Institute’s brand mentor programme.

Franz Kraus joined Novamont in December 2021 as Head of International Public Affairs. He is responsible for driving public and governmental affairs engagement in European and international markets, to open new opportunities for compostable solutions, and to promote policy for biobased and compostable building blocks for a new circular bio-economy. He has over twenty years of experience working in Public Affairs, both in the public sector (European Parliament) as well as the private sector (Kraft Foods/Mondelez). He holds a master’s degree in History and English Literature from the University of Regensburg.

Afsaneh Nabifar has been leading the Advocacy and Sustainability topics for Biopolymers at BASF globally for 3 years. During the last 12 years at BASF, she has held several positions in R&D, market, and business development for various businesses within BASF that supply material to the packaging industry. Besides her involvement in several plastic and paper packaging associations like EUROPEN, CEFLEX, and 4evergreen, Afsaneh is a Board member of European Bioplastics (EUBP) and the British Bio-based and Biodegradable Industry Association (BBIA). She is Chair of the Board at the Compostable by Design Platform (CbDP) which is a cross-value chain platform to increase the circularity of compostable packaging.

Heather Neilan serves as the Manager of Sustainability and Materials at the Plastics Industry Association, where she spearheads initiatives vital to advancing sustainability. Her focus spans key domains like the circular life cycle of bioplastics, sustainable manufacturing and operations, and community impact. Heather holds a bachelor’s degree in environmental science from George Mason University College of Science, with a specialisation in Human and Ecosystem Response to Climate Change. She is also a certified LEED Green Associate, underscoring her commitment to environmental stewardship.

Sil Nevejans graduated as a Polymer Chemist (UGent, 2015) and finished her European Industrial Doctorate with BASF SE (Ludwigshafen, Germany) on self-healing polymers in 2019. After that, she was a postdoc at the start-up company AVA Biochem in Switzerland, where she was responsible for the R&D of specialty biopolymers. From 2021-2024, she was a Business Developer at the start-up B4Plastics focusing on introducing novel biopolymers into new & existing markets. In February 2024, she joined Normec OWS as Commercial Manager, where she aims to build and safeguard a sustainable future by supporting Normec OWS’ partners in developing biodegradable & compostable materials.

Theodora Nikolakopoulou studied Biology in the University of Athens in Greece and holds a PhD in Biological Sciences. Working as a researcher for 15 years she was involved in several projects, dealing with the environmental microbiology with a focus on gene transfer in natural ecosystems. She joined DG GROW in 2018 and since then is responsible for the implementation and development of the Fertilising Products Regulation, including standardisation. She also follows the development of other legislative acts relevant to the fertilising products file such as the animal by-products Regulation, waste legislations, REACH restrictions, Nitrates Directive and SAIO (Statistics on Agricultural Input and Output). Recently, she also became responsible for the detergents Regulation and has been following the negotiations on the revision of this Regulation with the European Parliament and the Council.

Patrizia Pfohl works as a Lab Team Leader “Microplastics and Nanoplastics” within the group Colloidal Science & Material Properties at BASF SE in Ludwigshafen am Rhein, Germany. The general fields of her work include understanding of aging and fragmentation mechanisms of microplastics in the environment (abiotic and biodegradation), assessment of secondary micro- and nanoplastic release from consumer products and occurrence of microplastics in the environment, where extraction of micro- and nanoplastics from complex environmental matrices such as compost and soil followed by analysis of polymer and particle properties, as well as ISO standardisation of developed processes are the main targets. Patrizia is a polymer chemist by training (University of Freiburg) and focused on Environmental Sciences during her PhD (University of Vienna).

Wouter Post is a senior researcher at Wageningen University & Research where he acts as knowledge leader of the Sustainable Plastics Technology team. His work focusses on the development of new materials and products from biobased and biodegradable polymers and the development of thermoset polymers with an inherent recyclability. Special interest lies on bridging the gap between concept and application for materials that biodegrade in controlled and open environments. Before starting his position in Wageningen, he studied Chemical Engineering at the University of Twente and in 2017 he obtained his PhD at the faculty of Aerospace Engineering at Delft University of Technology.

Marco Ricci has 27 years of experience in planning sustainable Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) management solutions, designing and upgrading collection and transport schemes for MSW, assessing and planning recycling facilities (focusing on composting), working in multi-linguistic, and multi-tasking working groups or projects. As Senior Expert at Consorzio Italiano Compostatori (CIC) since 2012, he was involved in almost all sectors of activity of the Italian Biogas Composting Association; and since 2017 he has been responsible for the “Compostabile CIC” certification scheme coordinating all the activities including R&D projects, market analysis and support to companies that intend to certify compostable plastic and non-plastic items according to the certification scheme. At the EU level and internationally he represents the interest of the recycling sector for organic waste; he is vice-Chair of International Solid Waste Association ( ISWA)’s working Group on Biological Treatment of Waste and Chair of the European Compost Network (ECN) task group on compostable plastics.

John Ryan is a skilled professional in sustainable materials and product development, with experience at companies like 3M, BP, and Biome Bioplastics. He currently serves as Laminate Development Manager at Sinclair, focusing on creating more sustainable produce labels. At 3M, John worked on medical adhesives, helping to introduce new materials into healthcare products. His time at BP involved research on adhesive polymers to improve material performance and quality control. He also completed a PhD in Chemical & Environmental Engineering at the University of Nottingham, exploring sustainable biomaterials. At Biome Bioplastics, John contributed to developing compostable alternatives to petrochemical polymers, addressing challenges like compostability, shelf life, and food safety. Now at Sinclair, he continues to prioritise sustainability and innovation in his work on the next generation of compostable self-adhesive materials.

Markus Schmid studied Food Technology and Food Processing at Fulda University of Applied Sciences and completed his doctorate at the Chair of Food Packaging Technology at the Technical University of Munich TUM. He worked as a research assistant at the Fraunhofer Institute for Process Engineering and Packaging IVV in Freising. There he headed the research focus ‘Biopolymers in paper and film applications. Since 2018, he is Professor for Process Engineering and Process Design at Albstadt-Sigmaringen University at the Faculty of Life Sciences, where he heads the Sustainable Packaging Institute SPI. He has published numerous scientific articles in international journals, including on packaging-related topics, and is an appointed member of the editorial board of several scientific journals such as ‘Food Packaging and Shelf Life’ (Elsevier). He is also Chairman of the DLG Committee on Food Packaging in the Supply Chain, an appointed member of the Scientific Committee of the Research Association of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers and Regional Group Leader South-West of the Association of German Packaging Engineers. Professor Schmid is a member of the Doctoral Centre of the Baden-Württemberg Doctoral Association, which has been awarded the independent right to award doctorates.

Zuzana Sediva is currently leading the team of polymer applications at Sulzer Chemtech AG, which is the market leader in providing PLA ring opening polymerisation technology across sectors. With a focus on PLA, Zuzana is contributing to boosting the biobased material market with identifying and designing smart and robust applications based on process-structure-property relationships. Originally trained in biochemistry and food process engineering, Zuzana completed her PhD at ETH Zurich working on high pressure technology for gas hydrates, which were applied as blowing agents for highly viscous systems. Using her unique multidisciplinary expertise, Zuzana spent 5 years before joining Sulzer on developing biobased and biodegradable foamed materials based on agricultural side streams, for which she founded her own company Groam Tech AG.

Pia Skoczinski is trained as a biologist, has several years of research experience in optimisation of microbial cell factories, enzyme engineering and enzyme-catalysed polymerisation. After one-year postdoctoral research in Macromolecular and Polymer chemistry, she joined the nova-Institute in 2018 in the Technology and Markets department. Here, she is a Senior Expert for biobased building blocks and polymers, industrial biotechnology and Carbon Capture and Utilisation (CCU).

João Sousa went to the Netherlands in 2012 to acquire his PhD in Microbiology via Wageningen University and Wetsus. Soon after, he started working at Paques, a global leader in anaerobic wastewater and biogas treatment. There he became Head of Emerging Technologies, managing a team and project portfolio with the goal of producing higher value products from various waste streams. In 2021, Paques Biomaterials was carved out from Paques to pursue its own path towards implementing PHA production from waste streams. João joined this new adventure from day 1 as Technology Development Lead, keeping an overview on all R&D developments from PHA accumulation by bacteria, PHA extraction and application development.

Daniel Steinitz has been General Manager of the Alliance bündnis mikroplastikfrei since 2021, which was originally initiated by the Austrian Compost & Biogas Association. The Alliance bündnis mikroplastikfrei has set itself the goal of reducing microplastic emissions into the environment and is one of the partner organisations involved in the Austrian federal government’s “Microplastics Action Plan 2022-2025”.

Alexander Tülp, originally from Luxembourg, currently based in Berlin, has a background in agricultural economics, based on his studies at the renowned Humboldt University in Berlin. During his studies, his focus and passion increasingly shifted towards sustainable energy solutions. Subsequent roles as an energy and sustainability consultant, with a focus on carbon accounting and innovation in environmental management, strengthened his expertise in this field. His commitment to environmental protection ultimately led him to his current position as an auditor and product manager at DIN CERTCO, a leading certification company. There, he focuses on auditing and evaluation in the fields of sustainable biomass, biofuel, and further energy products.
Alexander Tülp’s career path reflects his strong commitment to promoting environmental protection and sustainable development. His comprehensive knowledge makes him a valuable expert in the field of sustainable energy certification.

Frederic Van Gansberghe is the founder and Chief Executive Officer of Futerro and has served as CEO since 1992. With more than 30 years of experience in the world of lactic acid and PLA, he was one of the first to develop a business linked to PLA.
As well as being CEO of Futerro, he is also currently CEO of Galactic, Futerro’s parent company. Between 2011 and 2017, he was Chairman of the Board of Compagnie du Bois Sauvage SA an investment holding company, involved in the real estate, finance, chemical and food industries.
He received a master’s degree in biotechnology from Louvain University and a master’s degree from ECAM in Electromechanical Engineering.

Marc Verbruggen is a distinguished leader in the bioplastics sector, having served as CEO of NatureWorks from 2008 to 2017. Under his leadership, NatureWorks became a global leader of biobased polymer solutions, doubling its manufacturing capacity, developing a wide variety of new, exciting applications and establishing a robust global customer base. From 2018 to 2023 Marc acted as a consultant and provided strategic direction to many financial and industrial companies interested in the bioplastics industry. He holds a PhD degree in Aerospace Engineering from the Technical University of Delft in the Netherlands.
Marc’s focused and results-driven leadership style will be pivotal in establishing Emirates Biotech as a regional leader in the dynamic landscape of the biopolymers market.

Mariagiovanna Vetere joined NatureWorks in February 2013 and is responsible for EU Public Affairs. Previously she worked for more than 10 years as an Internal Audit and International Affairs Manager at COREPLA and was responsible for relations with European and Italian policy makers. Prior to that, Mariagiovanna Vetere worked for the international consulting company KPMG focussing on Business Process Reengineering. She holds a master’s degree in economics.

Hasso von Pogrell has been Managing Director of European Bioplastics since March 2009. Born in São Paulo, Brazil, in 1964, he spent most of his childhood and adolescence in Portugal and the United States. Upon completion of his education in Germany, and a two-year term of military services, he studied Economics at the University of Cologne where he graduated in 1994. He began his carrier as a lobbyist in 1995, when he joined the German Industry Association for Optical, Medical and Mechatronical Technologies, where he was responsible for public relations and economics. After a two-year stint as General Manager at the Federal Association of the German Medium and Large Retail Enterprises, he returned to the industry sector again. As Head of Department for Foreign Affairs at the Association of the German Construction Industry and Assistant Director of the European International Contractors (EIC), he served the construction industry for seven years from 2000 to 2007, before steering the affairs of the German Sawmill Association as its Managing Director between 2007 and 2009.

Henk Vooijs is Consultant Market Development at Novamont. Novamont is the world’s leading company in the sector of bioplastics and biochemicals. Novamont promotes the transition from a product economy to a system economy, relying on the utilisation of local areas and on products that can redesign entire application sectors, reducing the costs of environmental and social externalities.
In his role as market developer he is working with stakeholders in the value chain to develop products that can deliver solutions to major environmental problems. Focus areas are separate waste collection, agriculture, large retail sector, disposable food-service ware and packaging. He is member of the board of the Compostable by Design Platform, Belgian Bioproducts and Holland Bioplastics (chair) and is convenor of Working Group 5 of the CEN-TC 411 (Standards Bio-based Products)

Miriam Weber is a marine biologist and director of HYDRA Marine Sciences GmbH, Germany. Miriam studied in the USA, Australia and Germany and graduated at the Max Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology, Bremen. She coordinated and attended dozens of research expeditions in lakes, rivers, and the sea, from high-alpine lakes to the Dead Sea, from the polar regions to the tropics, both in the Indo-Pacific and in the Atlantic Oceans. Miriam’s research focuses on developing solutions to pressing environmental problems. This includes conceptualisation through to understanding the role of microorganisms, for example regarding the effects of sedimentation on corals, the functioning of marine habitats affected by CO2 leakage from CCS sites, and the interaction in symbiotic relationships with animals and plants. For the last 15 years she has been leading research on the biodegradation of plastic in the open environment with focus on the marine ecosystem. Meanwhile also freshwater and soil is included. Together with various partners from the EU (OpenBIO, REBIOLUTION), and in projects with public administrations, academia, private institutions, NGOs and industry her team has been developing and conducting tests in the field, in mesocosms and in the laboratory. Miriam has also been contributing to the introduction of several ISO standards on this matter, book chapters and the SAPEA evidence review report on ‘Biodegradability of Plastic in the Open Environment’.

Rhodes Yepsen is the Executive Director of BPI, North America’s leading authority on compostable packaging. His expertise is on the circular bioeconomy and systems-based solutions, specifically the synergy in solving for food waste and packaging at the same time – to address climate change, ecosystem impacts, and regenerative agriculture. Rhodes served on the Board of USCC, as Mentor for the Google Circular Economy Accelerator, is on the Advisory Council for the US Plastics Pact, and was an editor and writer at BioCycle magazine.

Susan Zhu is a passionate and driven market expert with years of experience in the furan biobased material industry. She is a versatile and resilient business leader with a strong combination of business, commercial and technical skills.
Susan has been working in the identification, evaluation, and development of furan biobased new business opportunities and partnerships across different markets and regions.
She currently works for Zhongke Guosheng (short for GS Biomats). The company’s key mission is to contribute to the transition to a circular and biobased economy, and to create value and impact for the society and the environment.