PSGE admin 08/10/2024
6th October 2025
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About Plastics Summit - Global Event

Don´t miss this global event

After the highly successful first edition, in 2022, the Plastics Summit – Global Event (PSGE) will return in 2025 with new topics, updated information, scientific knowledge, and new challenges. By coming together with a shared goal for a just transition we will continue “Moving into a New Era of Responsible and Holistic Sustainability”.

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Speakers
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Sponsors
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Partners

The 2025 edition will also have the presentation of the results of the Sustainable Mobilising Agenda for Sustainable Plastics in Portugal.

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FIND OUT MORE ABOUT WHAT WILL BE DISCUSSED

Exploring Challenges and Solutions for a Sustainable Future

Ten years after the Paris Agreement and with only five years remaining to reach the 2030 targets for energy transition and decarbonization, alongside the introduction of mandatory sustainability regulations (ESG) for industries, processes, and products, as well as for consumers behaviors, it is crucial that this industrial sector meets its targets towards a sustainable future.
PSGE 2025 will be a pivotal event for driving multi-sectoral and international networking and knowledge sharing, placing a strong emphasis on people and planetary health. Our key themes include Circularity, Transition, Resilience, Adaptation, Safety, Integrity, Regeneration and Interdisciplinarity.
We will also continue to explore critical aspects related to Resources, Oceans, Recycling, Behaviors, Environment, Technology and Sustainable Development.
Four topics will be addressed in four rounds of debates over solutions for economy, society, industry, and the environment.

1st Panel
Resilient Industry and Integrated Management

A just transition is necessary for both people and industry. To become more resilient, it is essential to have the capacity not only to adapt but also to adopt a foresight and preparedness approach to tackle climate change and unpredictable geopolitics events, among other societal and challenges. The Clean Industrial Deal (March 2025) recognizes to crucial role of the circular economy to decarbonise the industry. A resilient and competitive industry is even more needed in the actual geopolitical context characterised by instability and threats to the security of supply. To achieve European and global targets, industry will need to accelerate the green transition for a net-zero industry (decarbonization) or negative emissions. On the other hand, with an increasing number of ESG regulations, standards and sustainable finance emerging worldwide, it is crucial to bring to the debate their implications for business practices and global markets. We will also have the opportunity to explore the role of artificial intelligence (AI) in this area and how it could be leveraged to embrace more sustainable and efficient practices.

Head of Sustainability at Banco Santander Portugal

Partner at Shiftify and Former Minister of Environment and Climate Action of Portugal

Partner Sustainability, Reputation and Corporate Governance in KPMG Spain

Vice-President of the PPE group and Co-President of the Cleantech Friendship Group

Sales Coordinator Europe – Recycled Plastics at Veolia 

General Manager at FRIGOSYSTEM SRL and President of WOMEN IN PLASTICS ITALY

Partner at Shiftify and Former Minister of Environment and Climate Action of Portugal

Vice-President of the PPE group and Co-President of the Cleantech Friendship Group

2nd Panel
Transition Pathways:
A Societal Approach

Many of our major transition challenges are not only related to raw materials, technology, and industrial processes, but also to consumption patterns, social behaviors, ethical communication, fair marketing, political decisions, and legislation. These must be based on true knowledge and research. The Global Plastic Treaty (UNEA resolution) to end plastic pollution and the Green Claims Directive to fight against greenwashing practices are two approaches which highlights this need. Furthermore, the way information is conveyed between organizations and to the consumer/society needs to be based on evidence, with a strong focus on overcoming disinformation and going beyond mere “educating”. The industry should globally pursue credibility and trust and address current challenges by embracing a culture of integrity, responsibility and transparency built on compliance with ethics, safety, human health, human rights, sustainability, and social responsibility within the plastics sector.

Chairman of Logoplaste

Partner at Abreu Advogados

President of APICCAPS

President of Novo Verde and ERP Portugal 

Full Professor NOVA National School of Public Health 

PAGEV President 
TOBB Plastics, Rubber and Composite Industry Assembly President 
SEM Plastik Board of Directors Chair 

3rd Panel
Keep Looping:
Enhancing Circularity

The circular economy has gained significant presence as a strategic factor for business and industry as crucial enabler of a sustainable economy. A new vision for the management of materials is needed to overcome resource dependencies. The industry also has to prepare for the upcoming Circular Economy Act (2026) that will be a key enabler of circularity in the EU. However, the circular economy continues to be a challenge for this industry and any sector of the value chain.
At a time when several new legislations are emerging and new requirements and targets will be set for the collection, recycling and recycled content (PPWR, ELV/Auto, Textiles, Food Contact, Pellet Loss prevention and control and the REACH revision), it is important to explore the main challenges, opportunities, barriers and bottlenecks on the way to closing the loop.
Mechanical and chemical recycling, biowaste, recycled content, eco-design, traceability, durability, and case studies are subjects of matter importance for this discussion.

Partner, Strategy and Transactions, EY

CEO of Sociedade Ponto Verde

Senior Analyst, Plastics Recycling, EMEA at ICIS

President of Biorepack, Global Public Affairs Manager at Novamont

Prof. UK Circular Plastics Network Manager, Innovate UK Business Connect

Head of Unit – Net Zero Industries, Sustainable and Circular Products European Commission, DG Internal Market, Industry Entrepreneurship and SMEs

CEO of Sociedade Ponto Verde

Prof. UK Circular Plastics Network Manager, Innovate UK Business Connect

4th Panel
Regenerative Ecosystem Architecture: From cradle to cradle

Pollution and biodiversity loss are two crises we must combat now. Creating a regenerative economy, raising awareness, and securing funds for global actions that add value to our common good are crucial to the Earth System. Healthy oceans, soil and water, increased forestation, and ecosystem restoration are fundamental for our life. The challenge we face is not individual but collective and systemic. In fact, ecosystems that restore, renew or revitalize their own sources of energy and materials help our planet thrive, but this requires a scale of change that demands full commitment and regional and global cooperation.

Vice-President Global Corporate Affairs at the GreenDot group

Head of Unit for Circular economy, Sustainable Production and Consumption at the Directorate-general for Environment (DG ENV) of the European Commission

Board President ABIPLAST and SINDIPLAST.
Vice-President COPIN

Professional Explorer, Speaker, and Author

Professor of Marine Biology and Director of the University of Plymouth Marine Institute

PLASTICS SUMMIT - GLOBAL EVENT 2025
MODERATORS
Maria Callapez
MARIA CALLAPEZ
Principal Investigador at CIUHST-FCUL
Paul Hodges
PAUL HODGES
Chairman at New Normal Consulting
Sílvia Machado
SÍLVIA MACHADO
Executive Director for Sustainability | Portuguese Business Confederation (CIP)
EXPERT COMMITTEE

COORDINATION

MEMBERS

LUÍSA MAGALHÃES
Executive Director at ASWP
MARIA CALLAPEZ
Principal Investigador at CIUHST-FCUL
SUSTAINABLE PLASTICS AGENDA AT
PLASTICS SUMMIT - GLOBAL EVENT 2025

The SUSTAINABLE PLASTICS Project aims to become the Mobilising Agenda for Sustainable Plastics in Portugal, capable of leveraging the sector’s transition to a truly circular economy. Co-financed by the Portuguese Recovery Plan, this Agenda is the result of an APIP initiative, led by the Logoplaste Innovation Lab, and aims to mobilise the private sector, national authorities, universities and citizens, contributing to the objectives of the European Circular Economy of reducing greenhouse gas emissions, greater resource efficiency and job creation.
At the Plastics Summit – Global Event 2025, the “Sustainable Plastics Stage” will be the stage for presenting the results of the 14 projects that make up this Mobilising Agenda.

Agenda

8.00AM - 9.00AM
Registration
9.00AM - 9.15AM
Opening Cerimony
Amaro Reis

Presidente da Associação Portuguesa da Indústria de Plásticos | APIP

Rita Marques

Secretária de Estado de Turismo, Comércio e Serviços | Governo de Portugal

9.15AM - 10.45AM
1st Panel
Resilient Industry and Integrated Management
10.45AM - 11.15AM
Coffee-Break
11.15AM - 12.45PM
2nd Panel
Transition pathways: A Societal Approach
12.45PM - 2.00PM
Lunch
2.00PM - 3.30PM
3rdPanel
Keep Looping: Enhancing Circularity
3.30PM - 4.00PM
Coffee-Break
4.00PM - 5.30PM
4th Panel
Regenerative Ecosystem Architecture: From cradle to cradle
5.30PM - 6.00 PM
Closing Session
Isabel Ferreira

Secretária de Estado do Desenvolvimento Regional | Governo de Portugal

João Galamba

Secretário de Estado do Ambiente e da Energia | Governo de Portugal

6.15PM
  • Networking Cocktail
8.30AM - 9.00AM
Opening Cerimony
Amaro Reis

Presidente da Associação Portuguesa da Indústria de Plásticos | APIP

Márcia Damas

Líder Empresarial da Agenda Sustainable Plastics | Logoplaste Innovation Lab

Jorge Coelho

Coordenador Científico da Agenda Sustainable Plastics | Universidade de Coimbra

WP1
  • 10.30AM - 10.45AM
  • 10.45AM - 11.00AM
  • 11.00AM - 11.15AM
WP1 - Circularity by Material Design
  • PPS1: New MP
  • PPS2: Eco Board
  • PPS3: RECPET
WP1 - Circularity by Material Design
  • 10.00AM - 10.45AM
  • PPS1: New MP
  • 10.45AM - 11.00AM
  • PPS2: Eco Board
  • 11.00AM - 11.15AM
  • PPS3: RECPET
WP1
  • 12.45PM - 1.00PM
  • 1.00PM - 1.15PM
  • 1.15PM - 1.30PM
  • 1.30PM - 1.45PM
  • 1.15PM - 2.00PM
WP2 - Circularity by Product Design
  • PPS4: Frascos MG
  • PPS5: Aro SIE
  • PPS6: Recicla+
  • PPS7: Neutro.Bottle
  • PPS8: Nirvana
WP2 - Circularity by Product Design
  • 12.45AM - 1.00PM
  • PPS4: Frascos MG
  • 1.00PM - 1.15PM
  • PPS5: Aro SIE
  • 1.15PM - 1.30PM
  • PPS6: Recicla+
  • 1.30PM - 1.45PM
  • PPS7: Neutro.Bottle
  • 1.15PM - 2.00PM
  • PPS8: Nirvana
WP1
  • 3.15PM - 3.30PM
  • 3.30PM - 3.45PM
  • 3.45PM - 4.00PM
WP3 - Circularity by Recycling
  • PPS9: Connected Singularity
  • PPS10: Recy.tube
  • PPS11: Ecotelepoles
WP3 - Circularity by Recycling
  • 3.15PM - 3.30PM
  • PPS9: Connected Singularity
  • 3.30PM - 3.45PM
  • PPS10: Recy.tube
  • 3.45PM - 4.00PM
  • PPS11: Ecotelepoles
WP1
  • 5.15PM - 5.30PM
  • 5.30PM - 5.45PM
  • 5.45PM - 6.00PM
WP4 -Circularity by Alternative Feedstock
  • PPS12: BiFibRe
  • PPS13: Biofilm
  • PPS14: Olivepit_Cutlery
WP4 -Circularity by Alternative Feedstock
  • 5.15 PM - 5.30PM
  • PPS12: BiFibRe
  • 5.30PM - 5.45PM
  • PPS13: Biofilm
  • 5.45PM - 6.00PM
  • PPS14: Olivepit_Cutlery
6.00PM - 6.15PM
Closing Session
6.15PM
  • Networking Cocktail
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Watch the Highlights of the first edition

PLASTICS SUMMIT - GLOBAL EVENT 2022
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Plastics Summit - Global Event 2025

Early Bird Ticket

199 € *

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  • Access to lunch and coffee-breaks
  • Access to the Networking Cocktail
  • * Plus VAT at the Legal Rate
Regular Ticket

275 € *

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  • Access to lunch and coffee-breaks
  • Access to the Networking Cocktail
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PLASTICS SUMMIT - GLOBAL EVENT 2025

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PLASTICS SUMMIT - GLOBAL EVENT 2025

SPONSORS

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Gold Sponsors
Silver Sponsors
Bronze Sponsors
PLASTICS SUMMIT - GLOBAL EVENT 2025

AMBASSADORS

REGIONS

Aliplast
LATIN AMERICA
PAGEV
MIDDLE EAST AND ASIA
Plastindustrien
NORDIC COUNTRIES
Plastics SA
SOUTH AFRICA
British Plastics Federation
UNITED KINGDOM

INITIATIVES

Mulheres que Transformam
BRAZIL
Women in Plastics
ITALY
Mujeres en la Manufactura
MEXICO
PLASTICS SUMMIT - GLOBAL EVENT 2025

PARTNERS

Institutional Partners
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Cristina Melo Antunes

Cristina Melo Antunes
Head of Sustainability at Banco Santander Portugal

Speaker of the 1st. Panel – Resilient Industry and Integrated Management

Cristina Antunes holds a degree in Economics and an MBA in Finance from CATÓLICA-LISBON, and a mentorship certificate from the VOICE Leadership Initiative of Nova School of Business & Economics. 

Her career began in 1993 at Santander in investment banking, spanning various areas. From 2019 to 2021, she was an executive board member at Santander Totta Seguros and held roles at Aegon Santander and BESI.  

She is currently Head of Sustainability at Banco Santander Totta and holds non-executive roles at Fundação Santander and Santander Totta Seguros. She is also a member of the Operational Council of the Center for Sustainable Finance at CATÓLICA-LISBON.

Duarte Cordeiro

Duarte Cordeiro
Partner at Shiftify and Former Minister of Environment and Climate Action of Portugal

Speaker of the 1st. Panel – Resilient Industry and Integrated Management

With more than 10 years of experience in public administration and management, He was Minister for Environment and Climate Action for Portugal, where he oversaw the implementation of the national strategy for climate action, energy transition, circular economy, and sustainable development. He holds an Executive MBA from ISCTE and a Graduation in Economics from ISEG, with an Erasmus exchange at Universiteit Antwerpen. He has a strong background in sustainable policies, international relations, public relations, and team leadership, having previously served as the Secretary of State for the Prime-minister and Parlamentary Affairs and as Vice-President for Lisbon municipality. 

Jerusalem Hernandéz Velasco

Jerusalem Hernández Velasco
Partner Sustainability, Reputation and Corporate Governance in KPMG Spain

Speaker of the 1st. Panel – Resilient Industry and Integrated Management

Jerusalem Hernández Velasco has been a consultant for more than 18 years on sustainability and corporate reputation. As a partner in KPMG, she accompanies organisations in their adaptation to the challenges of the future, in building and safeguarding their reputation and in their changes to their business, governance and management models to become more sustainable. 

In 2019 she was selected to participate in the ‘W50 Preparing our Women Board members of Tomorrow’ UCLA (USA). In 2020 the European Commission selected her to join the Stakeholders Group on Sustainable Finance. In 2022 she received the Executive Certificate in Advancing Sustainability from New York University. 

She teaches at various universities and business schools and is an accredited CESGA trainer. 

Lídia Pereira

Lídia Pereira
Vice-President of the PPE group and Co-President of the Cleantech Friendship Group

Speaker of the 1st. Panel – Resilient Industry and Integrated Management

Lídia Pereira holds a degree in Economics from the University of Coimbra and a Master’s in European Economic Studies from the College of Europe (Bruges, Belgium). After an internship at the European Investment Bank, Lídia became a consultant in the financial sector.  

Later, she became politically active in the JSD, the youth organization of the Social Democratic Party (PSD, Portugal). In May 2016, Lídia was appointed International Secretary of the JSD’s Executive Committee (2016-2018). Since 2018, she has served as President of the Youth of the European People’s Party (YEPP) in her third term.  

Elected to the European Parliament in 2019, she has since been a member of the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs, a member of the Permanent Subcommittee on Tax Matters, and the Committee on Environment, Public Health, and Food Safety, where she is the PPE rapporteur for COP. In the current term, 2024-2029, Lídia Pereira will also join the International Trade Committee and rejoin the Delegation for Relations with the People’s Republic of China. 

Margaux Bares

Margaux Bares
Sales Coordinator Europe - Recycled Plastics at Veolia

Speaker of the 1st. Panel – Resilient Industry and Integrated Management

Margaux Bares is passionate about environmental challenges and began her career in 2018 in waste recycling. At CIRCPACK by Veolia, she collaborated with brand owners and producers to maximize the recyclability of their packaging, conducting operational tests at Veolia’s sorting and recycling facilities and delivering on-site workshops. 

Currently, her work focuses on plastic recycling, aiming to promote the incorporation of recycled materials across various industries to foster a circular economy and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. 

She holds a double degree in business and engineering from EDHEC and Centrale Paris. 

Miriam Olivi

Miriam Olivi
General Manager at FRIGOSYSTEM SRL and President of WOMEN IN PLASTICS ITALY

Speaker of the 1st. Panel – Resilient Industry and Integrated Management

With 30+ years of experience in auxiliary equipment for plastics processing, Miriam Olivi built an inspiring path from sales back office to GM of FRIGOSYSTEM SRL. 

She led projects in 70+ countries and pursued studies in management, sociology, and global education. Expert in international markets and business strategies, she is known for her multicultural mindset and advocacy for diversity.  

Since 2024, she is President of WOMEN IN PLASTICS ITALY, promoting female leadership in plastics and fostering inclusive, innovative corporate culture.

Filipe de Botton

Filipe de Botton
Chairman of Logoplaste

Speaker of the 2nd. Panel – Transition Pathways: A Societal Approach

Filipe de Botton has a Bachelor’s degree in Business Management from “Universidade Católica Portuguesa”. 

Between 1980 and 1991, he represented the following banks in Portugal: Crédit du Nord (France), Banc de Sabadell (Spain), Banque Bruxelles Lambert (Belgium) and Bayerische Hypotheken und Wechselbank (Germany). 

From 1985 to 1990, Filipe de Botton was a Founder and Member of the Board of Interfinança, a private bank sold to Millennium BCP, and, between 1990 and 1991, he was a Founder and Member of the Board of Fonsecas & Burnay, Sociedade Gestora de Património, which is now part of the BPI group. 

In 1976, he founded Logoplaste with his father and became CEO and main shareholder in 1991. Logoplaste is one of the main worldwide producers of rigid plastic. It has 70 factories in 16 countries – in Europe, NAFTA, Vietnam and Brazil – with sales of over 800 million euros. 

Filipe de Botton is also involved as a Shareholder and Director in: Portobay; Santini; Logowines; Logofruits; Invesfin; LACS; Mesacer; Sixty Degrees. 

He is Founder President of the Portuguese Diaspora Counsel and a French Foreign Trade Advisor. 

He is also President of the CADin, Centro Apoio Desenvolvimento Infantil. 

He was President of the Universidade Católica Portuguesa Alumni from 1989 to 2001, Director of the Hotel da Lapa in Lisbon from 1990 to 1994 and Member of the Board of Sporting Clube de Portugal between 2006 and 2009.

José Eduardo Martins

José Eduardo Martins
Partner at Abreu Advogados

Speaker of the 2nd. Panel – Transition Pathways: A Societal Approach

José Eduardo Martins is a Partner at Abreu Advogados, working primarily in the areas of Environmental, Commercial, and Real Estate Law and is one of the most vastly experienced Portuguese lawyers in the areas of environment, energy and natural resources. 

The main focus of his practice is Public Law, in matters related to industrial and environmental licensing, electricity production, emission and transaction of carbon permits, environmental asset accounting, water management and waste management. 

José Eduardo also has an extensive experience in the public sector, having been Secretary of State for the Environment in the XV Portuguese Constitutional Government and a Member of the Portuguese Parliament. 

Since 2021, the partner of Abreu Advogados has been Chairman of the Environment and Energy Committee of the International Chamber of Commerce Portugal. 

Luís Onofre

Luís Onofre
President of APICCAPS

Speaker of the 2nd. Panel – Transition Pathways: A Societal Approach

Luís Onofre was born in Oliveira de Azeméis in the early 1970s. He worked for brands such as Cacharel, Daniel Hechter, and Kenzo before joining the family business. 

In 1999, he launched his own brand, immediately beginning to establish a strong international presence. Today, the brand is distributed across five continents. In Italy, he received some of his most prestigious awards, including the Prestige Collection Award. 

Among other distinctions, he was decorated as Commander of the Order of Entrepreneurial Merit, Industrial Merit Class, by the President of the Portuguese Republic, Aníbal Cavaco Silva. He also received the GQ Man of the Year award and the Golden Globe for Best Designer, both in 2014. 

He served as President of the European Confederation of the Footwear Industry from 2019 to December 2023 and has been President of APICCAPS since 2017. 

Ricardo Neto

Ricardo Neto
President of Novo Verde and ERP Portugal

Speaker of the 2nd. Panel – Transition Pathways: A Societal Approach

Ricardo Neto began his career in the commercial area and entered the environmental sector in 2000 as a consultant for IT companies in Iberia. In 2005, he became General Director of ERP Portugal and, in 2014, Head of Landbell South America, the year he founded Novo Verde, breaking the Green Dot’s 25-year monopoly. He is president of Novo Verde and ERP Portugal and vice-president of Fluxos. With extensive international experience, he played a key role in implementing WEEE management in Brazil and has spoken at global conferences. 

Susana Viegas

Susana Viegas
Full Professor NOVA National School of Public Health

Speaker of the 2nd. Panel – Transition Pathways: A Societal Approach

Susana Viegas is a professor and researcher at NOVA National School of Public Health and besides lecturing she coordinates several research projects on environmental determinants of health. She is a member of the Committee for Risk Assessment of the European Chemicals Agency and of the Scientific Committee of the European Environment Agency. Since 2021, she has been collaborating with the International Agency for Research on Cancer, World Health Organization. She has authored and co-authored more than 120 scientific publications and has been included in the world’s top 2% scientists list by Stanford University (2022). 

Yavuz Eroglu

YAVUZ EROĞLU
PAGEV President
TOBB Plastics, Rubber and Composite Industry Assembly President
SEM Plastik Board of Directors Chair

Speaker of the 2nd. Panel – Transition Pathways: A Societal Approach

Born in 1973 in Istanbul, Yavuz Eroğlu graduated from ITU Electronics & Telecommunications Engineering and earned master’s degrees from Boğaziçi and Marmara Universities. He received leadership training from Harvard University under Michael Porter. Since 2002, he has been Managing Partner at SEM Plastik and chairs SEM Global, Credoy Polimer, and Recyloop. He leads PAGEV, TOBB Plastics Assembly, and founded PAGCEV. A board member of EUPC and MECC, he has published 50+ papers and spoken globally on plastics, sustainability, and finance. He managed the “Mutlu Balıklar” project and is an amateur marathon runner. 

Alicia Rubi

Alicia Rubi
Partner, Strategy and Transactions, EY

Speaker of the 3rd. Panel – Keep Looping: Enhancing Circularity

Alicia is an expert in the strategic and financial integration of sustainability in business operations. She is a former member of the IFRS Advisory Council, the strategic advisory body to the Trustees of the International Standards Board. Alicia has extensive experience in the financial sector, where she has traveled and worked on three continents in a variety of roles, from structured financing to capital markets and asset management. Before joining the EY organization, Alicia was a partner at an independent strategic and financial sustainability consulting firm in Madrid. Alicia holds a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) and Fundamentals of Sustainability Accounting (FSA) credentials. She has a degree in Internal Relations and Economics from the College of William and Mary and advanced studies in Climate Innovation from ETH-Zurich. She speaks English, Spanish and Portuguese. 

Ana Trigo Morais

Ana Trigo Morais
CEO of Sociedade Ponto Verde

Speaker of the 3rd. Panel – Keep Looping: Enhancing Circularity

Ana Trigo Morais has a degree in Law at Católica Law School in Porto and a post-graduate qualification in Executive Management at AESE Business School in Lisbon, where she earned high experience in management areas. 

She started her professional experience at Teatro Nacional de São Carlos and in 2004 she joined Fundação Centro Cultural de Belém as an executive member of the Board. 

Six years later, in 2010, she became CEO at APED, the Portuguese Retailers Association, where she remained until 2018. 

Currently, she holds the position of Chief Executive Officer at Sociedade Ponto Verde. 

Carolina Holland

Carolina Holland
Senior Analyst, Plastics Recycling, EMEA at ICIS

Speaker of the 3rd. Panel – Keep Looping: Enhancing Circularity

Carolina Perujo Holland, Plastics Recycling Senior Analyst at ICIS, joined the company in 2019. Carolina follows the recycled polymers market in the EMEA region, contributing to the development and launch of both ICIS Recycling Supply Trackers – Mechanical and Chemical. Carolina is responsible for research and analysis of Europe and Africa regions and publishes the ICIS R-PET Europe price forecast.

Carolina studied at Trinity College Dublin, earning a BA Joint Honours business and economics degree, and graduated from HEC Paris business school with a Master’s in management.

Marco Versari

Marco Versari
President of Biorepack, Global Public Affairs Manager at Novamont

Speaker of the 3rd. Panel – Keep Looping: Enhancing Circularity

Marco Versari was born in Imola on 4 August 1958. 

He graduated with honors in Agricultural Sciences at the University of Bologna. 

He has been President and legal representative of Biorepack since December 2018. 

Also, he is the Vice President of Assobioplastiche – the Italian Association of Bioplastics and Biodegradable and Compostable Materials – having been a founding member of the Association as well as its President in the last 10 years – and joins the Board of Directors of CIC – Italian Compost Producers Alliance. 

Besides, Marco Versari has been working in Novamont SpA since 1995. Currently, he is Global Public Affairs Director, reporting to Novamont CEO. 

Sally Becken

Sally Beken
Prof. UK Circular Plastics Network Manager, Innovate UK Business Connect

Speaker of the 3rd. Panel – Keep Looping: Enhancing Circularity

Sally Beken is an innovation expert supporting the polymer community for over 20 years. She previously worked in the medical industry developing polymer medical devices with new formulations to reduce impact on the ozone layerHaving spent many years working with polymer experts she has an extensive personal network to draw upon from both the academic and business communities to facilitate the changes we need in the sustainability of polymeric materials and innovation for future polymer products. Her Ph.D. was in the modification and depolymerisation of polymer compounds, and she has an honorary role as Professor at Brunel University. Her current role at Innovate UK Business Connect includes strategic interventions to support and shape projects involving multiple stakeholders from the polymer supply chain from SMEs and academics to major retailers. She was deeply involved in the set-up of the £60m IUK Smart Sustainable Plastics Packaging challenge and has supported multiple polymer innovators during the challenge delivery phase. She founded and runs the UK Circular Plastics Network a community working to ensure that less plastics waste enters the environment or is sent to landfill. 

Stefano Soro

Stefano Soro
Head of Unit – Net Zero Industries, Sustainable and Circular Products European Commission, DG Internal Market, Industry Entrepreneurship and SMEs

Speaker of the 3rd. Panel – Keep Looping: Enhancing Circularity

Stefano Soro holds a degree in Management and Economics from Università Bocconi, Milan. 

After working in the HR department of a multinational company, he joined the European Commission in 1994, serving in a variety of posts in Eurostat, the Enterprise and Industry DG, the Secretariat-General and the Health and Consumers DG, where from 2006 to 2011 he headed the unit responsible for non-food consumer safety. From 2012 to 2016 he was the Head of the “Medicinal products – quality, safety and efficacy” Unit and then of the “Animal nutrition, veterinary medicines” Unit. 

Stefano joined the Internal Market, Industry Entrepreneurship and SMEs DG as Head of the “Food Industry” Unit in 2017. Since 16 March 2021 he is the Head of the DG’s new Net Zero Industries, Sustainable and Circular Products.

Alexandre Dangis

Alexandre Dangis
Vice-President Global Corporate Affairs at the GreenDot group

Speaker of the 4th. Panel – Regenerative Ecosystem Architecture: From cradle to cradle

Alexandre Dangis holds a Masters’ Degrees in Business and in International and European Law from the University of Brussels. After having been involved in the family business producing plastic bags and selling injection and blow moulding machinery Alexandre set up in 1990 the European Plastics Converters (EuPC) association, which is the European representative for plastics converters in Brussels representing a sector of over 50 000 companies (mainly SMEs) and a turnover of almost € 300 Billion as well as PRE (Plastics Recyclers Europe) in 1996. 

Alexandre is also managing director of Polymer Comply Europe CVBA (PCE), a service company providing the resources needed to work on issues affecting plastics converters in Europe. 

He is also the President of the Waste Free Oceans foundation (WFO), fighting against the problem of marine litter at global level. WFO has activities in Europe, the Americas, Asia and Africa. Since 1st January 2023 he is Vice-President Global Corporate Affairs at the GreenDot group who owns Der Grüner Punkt and he is board member of EPRO as well as board member of Kunstoffland NRW.

Emmanuelle Maire

Emmanuelle Maire
Head of Unit for Circular economy, Sustainable Production and Consumption at the Directorate-general for Environment (DG ENV) of the European Commission

Speaker of the 4th. Panel – Regenerative Ecosystem Architecture: From cradle to cradle

Emmanuelle Maire holds a European Master’s degree from the College of Europe in Bruges, Belgium. She also graduated in political science and international relations from the Universities of Grenoble and Paris I: Panthéon-Sorbonne in France. 

Currently, she serves as the Head of Unit for Circular economy, Sustainable Production and Consumption at the Directorate-general for Environment (DG ENV). 

The core activity of her team is to support the transition to a competitive circular economy in the European Union and promote stakeholders dialogue across the European Union through the Circular economy stakeholders’ platform. 

Her team leads on the preparation of the new Bioeconomy strategy. She is in charge of the negotiations of several legislative proposals such as the Green Claims Directive, as well as the implementation of the Plastics strategy, the Single-use plastics Directive and the EU Ecolabel Regulation.

José Ricardo Roriz Coelho

José Ricardo Roriz Coelho
Board President ABIPLAST and SINDIPLAST. Vice-President COPIN

Speaker of the 4th. Panel – Regenerative Ecosystem Architecture: From cradle to cradle

José Ricardo Roriz Coelho is a Mechanical Engineer from UNB – University of Brasília, with a postgraduate degree in Marketing from ESPM and a specialization in Finance from FGV/SP. He also holds a Business MBA from Fundação Dom Cabral and completed the Advanced Management Program at INSEAD in France. He currently serves as a board member in the Board Member Development Program at Fundação Dom Cabral.

José Ricardo Roriz Coelho also holds additional leadership roles, serving as President of the Board at ABIPLAST – the Brazilian Association of the Plastics Industry, and at SINDIPLAST – the Union of the Plastic Material Industry, Processing, and Recycling in the State of São Paulo. He is also the Vice President of COPIN – the Thematic Council for Industrial Policy and Technological Development at the National Confederation of Industry (CNI).

Nacho Dean

Nacho Dean
Professional Explorer, Speaker, and Author

Speaker of the 4th. Panel – Regenerative Ecosystem Architecture: From cradle to cradle

Nacho Dean is a professional explorer, speaker and author. He is the first person in history to walk around the world and swim across five continents to raise awareness for environmental conservation. His books, Libre y Salvaje and La llamada del océano, have been widely praised. Nacho has been featured in global media, including CNN and National Geographic. His recent projects include the Portugal Azul expedition and the 2023 documentary El caminante del mar. He has spoken at over 200 international events, sharing his experiences and passion for sustainability.

Richard Thompson

Richard Thompson
Professor of Marine Biology and Director of the University of Plymouth Marine Institute

Speaker of the 4th. Panel – Regenerative Ecosystem Architecture: From cradle to cradle

Richard is a world expert on plastic pollution. In 2004, he published the first paper using the term microplastics to describe the environmental accumulation of microscopic fragments of plastic. His team are at the forefront of research on the distribution and impacts of plastic pollution. Their work has informed policy addressing microplastic contamination was recognised by a Queens Anniversary Prize in 2020. The team now focus on evaluating the efficacy of solutions to this global challenge. He was awarded am OBE for services to Marine Science in 2018 and elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 2021.

Natalia Ortega

Natalia Ortega
Editor-in-Chief Plastics Technology Mexico

Moderator of the 1st. Panel – Resilient Industry and Integrated Management

Journalist with a master’s degree in international Affairs. With over 20 years of experience publications related to plastics and manufacturing industries in Mexico and South America. She was a recipient of the prestigious Knight-Wallace Fellowship at the University of Michigan (2014-2015) and received the Siemens Environmental Journalism Award in 2011. Currently, she actively contributes to the discussion on plastic circularity, recycling, sustainability, and female leadership in manufacturing through content creation, storytelling, and analysis of technological and market trends. 

Assunta Camilo

Assunta Camilo
Director of the Instituto de Embalagens (Packaging Institute) and Futurepack, Serviços de Embalagens

Moderator of the 2nd. Panel – Transition Pathways: A Societal Approach

Assunta has over 42 years’ experience in the packaging market, with expertise in development, strategic planning, and business management in companies such as Cyklop, Amcor, Tetra Pak, and others.  

As a writer and international speaker, she has covered themes such as packaging, trends and innovation and sustainability.  

She has participated in international events and fairs such as InterPack, Kshow, Emballage, Chinaplas, Tokyo Pack, Anuga, Drupa, Pack Expo, Drinktec, SIAL etc. 

She won several national and international awards. Currently, she is founder and CEO of Instituto de Embalagens (Packaging Institute) and director from the Book’s collections “Better Packaging. Better World” and “Packaging Around the World”.

Liliam Benzi

Liliam Benzi
Communication Advisor at ABIEF and Founder & CEO of LDB Comunicação Empresarial

Moderator of the 3rd. Panel – Keep Looping: Enhancing Circularity

Liliam Benzi is a specialist in Communication, Digital Marketing, and Business Development & Strategies for B2B, with a strong focus on the packaging industry. 

She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Communication (FIAM), a Postgraduate degree in Packaging Engineering (Instituto Mauá de Tecnologia), and specializations in Digital Marketing (Insper) and AI Applied to Business (Ibmec). 

As the head of LDB Comunicação Empresarial, she works as a Communication & Marketing Advisor, Social Media Manager, and Business Strategist for Brazilian and international companies and organizations, including ABIEF and WPO (World Packaging Organization). 

Liliam was named Professional of the Year by the Embanews Brazilian Packaging Award and was the first Latin American President of the IPPO (International Packaging Press Organization), where she remains an Honorary Member. 

Jorge Cristino

Jorge Cristino
Sustainability and Climate Specialist

Moderator of the 4th. Panel – Regenerative Ecosystem Architecture: From cradle to cradle

Jorge Cristino is an engineer, with master’s in international relations, postgraduate in Environmental Law, specialized in Cooperation for Development. Currently He is Partner at Get2C, and he was board member in a Portuguese state owner company for environment, geology and mining, and Chief of Staff of Secretary of State of Environment. He is also member for the Task Force to recognize Climate System as a Common Heritage of Humanity by United Nations and member of several NGOs. He’s also author of the book “The Cities’ Mission to tackle climate change”, as well as several scientific and opinion articles. 

Marta Moreira Marques

Marta Moreira Marques
Assistant Professor at the National School of Public Health, NOVA University of Lisbon / Associate for the Centre for Behaviour Change, University College London

Expert Commitee Coordinator  

Assistant Professor at the National School of Public Health, NOVA University of Lisbon, and Associate for the Centre for Behaviour Change, University College London (PhD in Health Psychology from Leiden University), Marta has achievements recognised by prestigious international awards, and was invited to join expert commissions (e.g Portuguese Behavioral Science COVID-19 Task Force), and contributed to various international consortium grants (e.g. EU H2020, NIH). Research focuses on applying behaviour change models to develop and evaluate complex interventions targeting a range of behaviours in health and sustainability. 

Jorge Coelho

Jorge Coelho
Full professor in the Department of Chemical Engineering at the University of Coimbra and Scientific Leader of Sustainable Plastics Agenda

Expert Committee Scientific Coordinator

Jorge Coelho, (CEng., Ph.D.,), is a full professor in the Department of Chemical Engineering at the University of Coimbra. His research interests include reversible deactivation radical polymerization, bio-based and biodegradable polymers, novel pharmaceutical products, scale-up and polymer characterization methods (especially dynamic mechanical thermal analysis and size exclusion chromatography). He has published 228 papers in international journals and is co-author of several international patents (WO2020089807; WO2019239266; WO2017130094A1; WO2014027910A1, EP2890747B1, US9603935B2, WO2021053529). He has (co-)supervised 20 PhD students (12 ongoing) and more than 50 MSc students. As a research leader, he has received around €9 million in research funding and has been involved in more than 25 projects. He is a member of the Board of the Portuguese Society of Materials and responsible for the Polymers and Composites Department of the same society. He is the national representative of EMPA – European Association for Preventive, Predictive and Personalised Medicine and the national representative of EPF – European Polymer Federation. He is vice-president of Instituto Pedro Nunes. 

Bernard Merkx

Bernard Merkx
CEO/Owner GreenWavePlastics

Expert Committee Industry Coordinator 

Bernard Merkx is a Dutch social entrepreneur who held several senior management positions in the international plastics recycling and plastics converting industry for nearly 25 years, before starting his own advisory company, GreenWavePlastics in 2011.  

Bernard holds a degree in Business Administration (Polytechnics), is member of several international advisory committees and is co-author of several studies and booklets. 

Bernard is and has been Senior Advisor of Brussels based trade associations European Plastics Converters (EuPC) and Polymer Comply Europe (PCE) since many years. Next to that he is Managing Director of European trade association ESWA (European Single ply Waterproofing Association) and Secretary General of EuPC sector group PET Sheet Europe.  

Bernard is also among others CIO and Board of Directors Member of Plastix AS in Denmark, Honorary President of Plastics Recyclers Europe, co-founder of Waste Free Oceans Foundation and has a vast international network both in the public and private sector.  

He is Advisory Board member of the Portuguese Sustainable Plastics Project and Member of the Strategic Committee of the Roadmap Decarbonisation of the Plastics Industry 

Circularity has been a key driver throughout his career.  

His credo “Doing nothing is not an option”.  

Nuno Aguiar

Nuno Aguiar
Technical Director at APIP

Nuno Aguiar holds a degree in Environmental Engineering from NOVA School of Science and Technology (FCT NOVA), Lisbon. 

With over 20 years of experience in waste management, plastics recycling and the packaging industry, he served as Operations Manager at PLASTVAL for 12 years. 

Since 2018, he is Technical Director at APIP – the Portuguese Plastics Industry Association – where he coordinates technical areas and leads several projects, including the “Roadmap for the Decarbonisation of the Plastics Industry” and the Mobilising Agenda “Sustainable Plastics”. 

He is also an accredited auditor under RecyClass certification schemes, namely for recycling process and recycled plastic content, and has been part of the coordination of the Advisory Committee of the Portuguese Plastics Pact. 

Alicia Martin

Alicia Martin
General Director at Plastics Europe Ibérica Region

Member of the Expert Committee

Alicia has more than 20 years of professional experience in the plastics industry and held various management and leadership positions at Plastics Europe in the areas of sustainability, consumer protection, product stewardship, and institutional relations, both nationally and in Europe. She has also collaborated with multinational companies in the plastics sector in the implementation of their sustainability and circular economy strategies. 

Alicia holds a degree in chemical engineering from the University of Salamanca and a master’s degree in Advanced Specialization in Plastics and Rubber from the CSIC (Spanish National Research Council). She also trained in the development of leadership skills at IESE Business School in Barcelona. 

Alicia believes in science, innovation, and in the benefits that plastics bring to society. Her goal is to help the plastic sector to achieve a profound systemic change, because living without plastics is neither possible nor sustainable.

Ana Cristina Carrola

Ana Cristina Carrola
Member of the Board of Directors at Portuguese Environment Agency

Member of the Expert Committee

Ana Cristina Carrola has a degree in Chemical Engineering from Higher Technical Institute of Lisbon in the area of Processes and Industry branch and a Post-Graduation in Water Quality and Pollution Control from the Civil Engineering Department of the Science and Technology Faculty of the University of Coimbra. 

She develops and monitors issues in the environmental area since 1994, when she started public service functions at the Water Institute. 

At APA she is responsible for the technical areas of Waste, Environmental Licensing, Environmental Reference Laboratory and its regional network and circular economy. 

Ana Oliveira

Ana Oliveira
Director of Quality and Food Safety 

Member of the Expert Committee

Accomplished professional with 15 years of experience in the food industry and logistics, demonstrated expertise in managing standards (ISO and GFSI), and innovation and development projects across national and international settings. Over the past 3 years, I have focused on sustainability, pursuing a PhD in sustainability sciences, with a background in ESG strategy, reporting, roadmap development, and emissions calculations. Recognized for strong leadership, strategic team guidance, and a collaborative, empathetic, and resilient approach. Dedicated to creating a positive impact in business and fostering continuous learning and development.

Ana Quintas

Ana Quintas
Portugal Country Lead & Senior Sustainability Coach at Sustenuto

Member of the Expert Committee

Ana leads Sustenuto’s sustainability initiatives in Portugal and is an experienced circular economy and sustainability coach. Her work spans consulting, education, international collaboration, and innovation. With a strong background in implementing circular strategies and sustainability standards, Ana supports both public and private clients. She lectures at Cambridge Judge Business School and holds advanced degrees in environmental and circular engineering. Ana also serves with Engineers Without Borders and the Portuguese Engineers Association.

Ángela Osma

Ángela Osma
Technical manager at ANAIP

Member of the Expert Committee

Ángela Osma holds a Master’s degree in Polymer and Rubber Science and Technology from the ICTP Institute, part of the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC). 

At ANAIP, she has taken on various roles, including positions within the organization itself and in collaboration with external entities. Her experience includes serving as Secretary of the Spanish Plastics Committee for Standardization, engaging with industry associations, and coordinating international projects. 

She currently serves as Secretary of ASOBIOCOM, the Spanish Association of Biodegradable and Compostable Plastics.

Bruno Silva

Bruno Pereira da Silva
Public Affairs and Sustainability Director at PIEP

Member of the Expert Committee

Bruno Pereira da Silva is the Public Affairs and Sustainability Director at PIEP, the Innovation Center in Polymer Engineering at the University of Minho. In this role, he leads research, development, and innovation initiatives focused on the Circular Economy and Sustainability, working in close collaboration with national and international industry stakeholders across multiple sectors, including packaging, aeronautics, automotive, space, defense, and energy. 

He represents PIEP in various strategic platforms at both national and international levels, contributing to the advancement of sustainable policies and industrial practices. He currently participates in the Circular Plastics Alliance, APIP – Portuguese Plastics Industry Association, ASWP – Smart Waste Portugal, PFP – Portuguese Railway Platform, ECP4 – European Composites, Plastics and Polymer Processing Platform, and the IAM – Innovative Advanced Materials Initiative. Through these roles, he actively promotes sustainable innovation, cross-sector collaboration, and the alignment of industrial practices with European and global sustainability objectives. 

He holds a degree in Polymer Engineering from the University of Minho and a specialization in Design and Manufacturing of Automotive Components from the University of Porto. He has also completed advanced training in Project Management and the Advanced Management Programme at Porto Business School, as well as the Executive Programme in ESG Corporate and Non-Financial Reporting at ISEG – Executive Education in Economics and Management.

Carla Pinto

Carla Pinto
Director of the Department on Corporate Sustainability (Directorate-General for Economic Activities)

Member of the Expert Committee

Carla Pinto has a degree in Environmental Engineering (NOVA School of Science and Technology) and was a seconded national expert at the European Commission (DG ENV). She is since 2017 Director of the Department on Corporate Sustainability within the Directorate-General for Economic Activities, contributing to the definition of public circular economy and sustainable development policies, including the management of the EU Ecolabel system, the Ecodesign Regulation, Extended Producer Responsibility schemes and the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises on Responsible Business Conduct. 

Carla Velez

Carla Velez
Secretary General at ESGRA

Member of the Expert Committee

Carla Velez holds a Law degree from the University of Lisbon (1996) and practised law until 1999. 

She is currently Advisor to the Board of AVALER – Association of Entities for the Energy Recovery of Urban Waste, and Secretary-General of ESGRA – Association for Waste Management. 

She previously served as Legal Advisor in the Ministry of Economy, Deputy Director-General at the Ministry of Culture, and Legal Advisor to the Operational Intervention of the Ministry of Economy. 

She also worked with JRS – Jesuit Refugee Service as Legal Advisor and Advocacy Officer.

Carlos Bernardo

Carlos Bernardo
Emeritus Professor / Minho University

Member of the Expert Committee

Carlos Bernardo is an Emeritus Professor of the Polymer Engineering Department at Minho University, Portugal. Formerly, he was dean of the School of Engineering and Vice-Rector at that University. His research interests were the processing and characterisation of composites with polymeric matrices and glass and carbon fibres, the sustainable use of plastic materials, and environmental evaluation techniques such as Life Cycle Assessment and Life Cycle Costing. He has authored more than 100 publications, including 70 plus articles in international refereed journals, and co-edited 5 books. 

Cristina Costa

Cristina Costa
Environmental Engineer at APIAM - PROBEB

Member of the Expert Committee

Cristina Costa is an environmental engineer with extensive experience in environmental management, occupational health and safety, and sustainability in the drinks sector. As an independent consultant and trainer, she works in the areas of environment, sustainability and OHS. She currently manages the Packaging and Sustainability Committee of APIAM and PROBEB, supporting these associations and their members in the transition to a Circular Economy and playing an active role in the implementation of the Deposit and Refund System for beverage packaging in Portugal.

Dâmaso Silva

Dâmaso Silva
PV and Sustainability Consultant

Member of the Expert Committee

Completed advanced studies on Renewable and Energy Efficiency at Univ. de Aveiro. Founded D2M-Energytransit in 2012 which made Floating Solar its core technology from the start. From 2014 till May 2023 represented Ciel et Terre International and was part of construction team of 3 Floating Solar plants operating – Alto Rabagão (EDP); Cegonha and Cuba-Este (EDIA). Since June 2023 it is representing ISIGENERE, Iberian leader of Floating Solar systems, supplying among others the highly awarded EDP’s 5 MWp Alqueva plant. AgroPV technology is another specialized field of his activity within Portuguese Market. 

Daniela Cordova

Daniela Cordova Pizarro
International Constant on Circular Economy

Member of the Expert Committee

Daniela holds a Ph.D. in Engineering Sciences specializing in Circular Economy and a Master’s in Sustainable Development, with over 15 years of experience in plastics, manufacturing, oil, mining, tourism, and electronics. As an international consultant and project manager, she leads initiatives in Latin America, Asia, and Africa, advancing circular economy strategies, sustainable innovation, and waste management. Her expertise includes evaluating industrial processes for circularity, fostering eco-design innovation, and enhancing competitiveness. Daniela has collaborated with WBG, IDB, UNIDO, WEF, and CTCN on optimizing the plastics sector and developing circular economy roadmaps.

Elsa Agante

Elsa Agante
Team Leader of Energy and Sustainability at DECO PROteste

Member of the Expert Committee

Elsa Agante, PhD in Earth Sciences and Engineering from Imperial College London, has been working in the environmental sector since 2020. She is currently Team Leader of Energy and Sustainability at DECO PROteste, the largest consumer organization in Portugal and part of the Euroconsumers group. With a focus on consumers, Elsa is responsible for creating content, developing projects and co-operating with national and international stakeholders to promote more sustainable products and services. External representation and coordination of international sustainability projects are also her responsibility. 

Fausto Freire

Fausto Freire
Prof at Univ Coimbra & coordinator of the Center for Industrial Ecology

Member of the Expert Committee

Fausto Freire is Associate Professor at the Dep of Mechanical Eng., Univ of Coimbra (UC), focusing on developing and implementing life-cycle based approaches and Circular Economy systems to enhance the sustainability of products and systems. Faculty at the MIT-Portugal program and MIT visiting Scholar (2011-2012). Fulbright Scholar at the University of Michigan in 2008. Has studied and coordinated several projects on industrial, energy and transportation systems, including plastic products and packaging. Currently, is focused on ecodesign and implementation of Circular Economy systems, as well as extending LCA to include uncertainty, MCDA, optimization and economic aspects. Named to the Reuters Hot List of the world’s top climate scientists, which identify the 1000 most influential scientists. Co-Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Cleaner Environmental, Elsevier.

Fátima Poças

Fátima Poças
Researcher and Professor at the Universidade Católica Portuguesa (UCP)

Member of the Expert Committee

Fátima Poças holds a BSc in Chemical Engineering (University of Porto), an MSc in Packaging (Michigan State University), and a PhD in Biotechnology – Food Science and Engineering (UCP).  

She coordinates the Packaging Laboratory (since 1990) and the Centre for Food Quality and Safety (since 2013) at UCP. 

Her research focuses on the safety and quality of packaged foods, including migration, recyclability of plastics, bio-based materials, permeability, shelf-life, and active packaging. 

She represents UCP and Portugal in national and European scientific and technical bodies.

Fernando Leite

Fernando Leite
CEO at LIPOR

Member of the Expert Committee

Fernando Leite holds a degree in Economics from the University of Porto and a Graduate Certificate in Advanced Business Management from AESE Business School (Portugal). 

He has been the CEO of LIPOR since 1999, a Board Member of MAIAMBIENTE, the Municipal Environmental Company of Maia, a Board Member of Porto Energy Agency, a Member of the Board of AVALER (Association of Energy Recovery Entities for Municipal Solid Waste), a Board Member of GRACE, a Member of the Board of ACR+ (Association of Cities and Regions for Sustainable Resource Management), and the representative of AVALER at CEWEP (Confederation of European Waste-to-Energy Plants). 

Fernando Ventura

Fernando Ventura
Environment Global Director at Jerónimo Martins, SGPS

Member of the Expert Committee

Fernando Ventura holds a Chemical Engineering degree from ISEL and a postgraduate qualification in Industrial Engineering from FCT NOVA. He completed the Advanced Management Program for Executives at Católica Lisbon School of Business and Economics. He is currently Environment Global Director at Jerónimo Martins, SGPS. With experience in environmental management and sustainability, he focuses on process efficiency, (eco)innovation, climate and water strategies, circular economy, biodiversity, and integration of environmental issues into supply chains.

Filipa Bessa

Filipa Bessa
Professor at University of Coimbra and Researcher at CFE

Member of the Expert Committee

Filipa Bessa is a marine biologist and holds a PhD in Biosciences (Marine Ecology). She is a Professor at the University of Coimbra and researcher at Centre of FuncBonal Ecology. 

Her work has involved extensive research on the sources, distribution, and effects of various pollutants, including (micro)plastics on aquatic ecosystems and organisms. 

She is actively involved in policy actions, serving as a member of the European Scientific Advice Mechanism (SAM) and GESAMP (Group of Experts on the Scientific Aspects of Marine Environmental Protection), the international authorities on marine environmental protection. She recently co-designed a Zero Pollution Manifesto for the Portuguese UNESCO Biosphere Reserves.

Gonçalo Lobo Xavier

Gonçalo Lobo Xavier
General Manager APED

Member of the Expert Committee

Since September 2018, Gonçalo Lobo Xavier is the General Manager of APED – the Portuguese Association for the retail companies; the sector represents 12% of Portuguese GDP and the association aggregates 208 affiliates from food and nonfood area.   

Gonçalo is member of the EESC -European Economic and Social Committee appointed by CIP (Portuguese Business Confederation) since 2011, member of ECO, INT, CCMI groups,  Vice-President for the European Semester Group and former President of the European Semester Group (2018-2020) and Former Vice President for Communication (2015/2017)  

Gonçalo Lob Xavier previously worked for more than 12 years for the Portuguese industry in different sectors namely the most relevant for industrial exports, metallurgical, mechanical engineering. He also has a business degree from Minho University and did the Global Advanced Leadership Program –IMD Lausanne and the Advanced Administration Program at Porto Business School  

Gonçalo speaks fluently Portuguese, English, French and Spanish and practices jogging in a regular basis (Berlin Marathon, 2016; Rotterdam Marathon, 2018 and counting) and is a proud father of two.

Isabel Loureiro

Isabel Loureiro
Curious Scientist, Business Strategist, Innovation Advisor, Transformative explorer

Member of the Expert Committee

Isabel is a systems thinker dedicated to advancing green, digital, and fair transitions at both corporate and territorial levels. 

Currently, she serves as General Coordinator of Guimarães 2030 and Co-Director of the 2026 EGC program. She also contributes as an Expert to the European Commission and as a researcher at the University of Minho, with over 30 publications and ongoing lecturing in the field of human capital development. 

Passionate about sustainability, she mentors emerging professionals to help shape a more resilient and equitable future.

James Ellsmoor

James Ellsmoor
CEO of Island Innovation

Member of the Expert Committee

James Ellsmoor is an award-winning entrepreneur and CEO of Island Innovation, a consultancy focused on sustainable development. He works with islands worldwide, especially SIDS and sub-national jurisdictions. A Forbes columnist and sought-after speaker, James is known for his work in renewable energy and climate action. He founded the Virtual Island Summit to connect global island communities, promoting sustainability and showcasing island leadership on key global challenges.

Joana Martins Mendes

Joana Martins Mendes
Executive Director at APIP

Member of the Expert Committee

Joana holds a law degree from Universidade Católica Portuguesa and has completed executive programs in leadership, management, and energy from top institutions. 

With over 20 years of experience, she is a strategic leader and legal expert who has worked across high-impact sectors such as plastics, renewable energy, engineering, and telecommunications. 

She has held senior roles in multinational companies, specializing in corporate governance, M&A, and regulatory affairs. 

Joana Martins Mendes is currently the Executive Director of APIP – the Portuguese Plastics Industry Association.

Joel Vasco

Joel Vasco
Associate Professor at the School of Technology and Management - Polytechnic Institute of Leiria and Research Member of the Institute for Polymers and Composites

Member of the Expert Committee

Joel Vasco holds a PhD in Science and Engineering of Polymers and Composites (2010) and a MSc in Mould Design and Manufacturing (2006), both degrees from the University of Minho, Portugal.  

He is, currently, the vice-director of the PhD in Direct Digital Manufacturing, in collaboration with University of Minho. He conducts research on polymer processing, subtractive/formative/ additive manufacturing processes and direct digital manufacturing.  Currently he is the Co-PI of “Sustainable Plastics”, coordinating WP5-Sustainable Products and Co-PI of “Smart Pack”, coordinating WP4- Recycling Technologies. 

José Couto

José Couto
President of AFIA

Member of the Expert Committee

José Couto holds a degree in Economics, a Postgraduate Diploma in Marketing, and an MBA. 

Throughout his career, he has been actively involved in various industry sectors, primarily serving as a Manager, Board Member, and Entrepreneur. He has also engaged in business development activities as a Business Angel and in the field of Venture Capital. 

Since 2019, José Couto has served as President of the Board of Directors of AFIA – the Portuguese Association of Automotive Suppliers, and is also a Board Member of CLEPA – the European Association of Automotive Suppliers, as well as of CIP – the Portuguese Business Confederation.

Luísa Magalhães

Luísa Magalhães
Executive Director at ASWP

Member of the Expert Committee

Luisa Magalhães is an Environmental Engineer with a Master of Science in Environmental Diagnostics since 2002. From 2002 to 2016, she worked as a consultant at SPI – Sociedade Portuguesa de Inovação (Portuguese Society for Innovation). From 2004 to 2016, she performed activities of advising public bodies in the environmental area at Lisbon Municipality and Lisboa E-Nova – Lisbon’s Agency for Energy and Environment. Since september of 2016, she is the Executive Director of Smart Waste Portugal Association, being responsible for the direct contact with more than 140 Associate Members and promoting collaborative work and business. 

Marc Monnin

Marc Monnin
General Manager at CEP

Member of the Expert Committee

Chemical Engineer with 30+ years dealing in premium businesses in industrial, chemical & plastics sector. At the head of Centro Español de Plásticos, helping the stakeholders in strengthening their network and in establishing a responsible culture by promoting the proper use of plastic materials and their circularity.

Maria Callapez

Maria Callapez
Principal Investigador at CIUHST-FCUL

Member of the Expert Committee

Maria Elvira Callapez holds a Ph.D. in History and Philosophy of Science. She is PI of the project Metamorphoses of plasticsthe reality and multiple approaches to a material, at Centro Interuniversitário de História da Ciência e Tecnologia-Faculdade de CiÊncias, Universidade de Lisboa (CIUHCT-FCUL). She has been a Visiting Scholar at the University of California, Berkeley. Her research interests and publications focus on the history of plastics, material culture studies, and environmental regulation.

Marisa Lameiras da Silva

Marisa Lameiras da Silva
Director General for Maritime Policy, Portugal

Member of the Expert Committee

Marisa is currently the Director General for Maritime Policy. In her daily work, Marisa drives innovation, preservation, and sustainable development of marine resources, promoting cooperation and collaboration. She has led environmental policies as Head of Strategy at the Portuguese Environmental Agency and adviser to the Ministers of Environment and the Sea, responsible for the coordination of the Action Plan for a Bioeconomy and also focusing on the Sustainable Ocean Economy and circular economy. With a background in Chemical Engineering and two MScs, she has expertise in policy, compliance, and strategic program management. Recently, she was appointed SDG 14 Ambassador of the SDG Alliance Portugal. 

Mercês Ferreira

Mercês Ferreira
Adviser of Cabinet of the Secretary of State for Environment

Member of the Expert Committee

Mercês Ferreira holds a degree in Environmental Engineering and an MPA. With extensive experience in public administration, she held leadership roles from 1996 to 2024 in environmental management and sustainable development. Since April 2024, she has served as Adviser of Cabinet of the Secretary of State for Environment. Her career includes roles at APA (Portuguese Environment Agency), Vila Nova de Gaia Municipality, and SULDOURO. She has lectured in higher education, coordinated environmental projects, and contributed actively to professional and social institutions. 

Miguel Oliveira

Miguel Oliveira
Consultant

Member of the Expert Committee

Miguel Oliveira holds an Executive MBA from AESE/IESE Business School, a Postgraduate Degree in Auditing and Management Control, and a Degree in Management. 

With over 16 years of experience as a Financial Manager in the private sector in both Ireland and Portugal, he transitioned to the public sector in 2015, working across the areas of environment, transport, and energy. 

He has held several key positions, including Chief Internal Auditor at Carris, Metropolitan Secretary of the Executive Committee at AMP, and Chief of Cabinet to the Secretary of State for the Environment at the Ministry of Environment and Energy, a role he held until 2025. 

Milena Parnigoni

Milena Parnigoni
Recycling & Recyclability Expert at Logoplaste Innovation Lab

Member of the Expert Committee

In 2005, she co-founded Ecoiberia, which is now the largest PET recycler in Portugal, processing approximately 150 tons of PET waste per day. Within the company, she played a key role, transitioning from Executive Management to Strategic Development. 

When Ecoiberia became part of Logoplaste, a leading rigid plastic packaging manufacturer, in 2022, she joined Logoplaste Innovation Lab, the company’s R&D department, as a Recycling & Recyclability Expert. In this role, she shapes the company’s approach to various aspects of plastic recycled materials and manages a pioneering Recyclability Assessment Laboratory. 

She collaborates globally with plastic recyclers, plastic converters associations, as well as Standardization and Certification bodies.

Patrícia Carvalho

Patrícia Carvalho
Coordinator of the Portuguese Plastics Pact

Member of the Expert Committee

Environmental Engineer with experience in sustainability, circular economy, and recycling. Coordinator of the Portuguese Plastics Pact at Smart Waste Portugal and Specialist Technician at Lipor. Holds a postgraduate diploma in GIS – Agroforestry and Environmental Resources and completed the specialization phase of the Master’s in Organic Agriculture. Passionate about promoting systemic change through collaboration and environmental innovation.

Patrícia Franganito

Patrícia Franganito
Country Manager at Bureau Veritas Portugal

Member of the Expert Committee

Graduated in Industrial Production Engineering, with a specialization in Energy and Environment, Patrícia holds an MBA in Management and postgraduate degrees in Management by Value and Branding. She recently completed the course “The Director as a Strategic Leader.” 

Currently, she is Country Manager of Bureau Veritas Portugal and a member of the group’s Corporate Social Responsibility Committee. 

She was previously Sustainability Director for Portugal and Spain, Director of the Certification Body and Training Academy, and Commercial Director of a TIC company. She is also a qualified Lead Auditor for ISO management systems, with professional experience in consulting and marketing.

Paul Hodges

Paul Hodges
Chairman at New Normal Consulting

Member of the Expert Committee

Paul Hodges is a trusted adviser to major companies and the investment community, and has a proven track record of accurately identifying key trends in global marketplaces. He is chairman of New Normal Consulting and a Global Expert with the World Economic Forum. He is a regular speaker at international and industry conferences. Paul also serves as Advisory Board chairman for Infinity Recycling. Executive Chairman of  NiTech Solutions, and as Advisory Board member for the Buildings & Cities journal. Previously, Paul was an Executive Director of a $1bn global business with ICI. 

Paula Sobral

Paula Sobral
Professor at NOVA FCT and researcher at MARE

Member of the Expert Committee

Paula Sobral is a biologist and holds a PhD in Environmental Sciences. She is a Professor at NOVA School of Science and Technology and researcher at MARE – Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre. 

She has coordinated or participated in several microplastics research projects in national and international consortia, published impactful papers and is included in the world top 2% scientists list from Stanford/Elsevier. 

As expert she has collaborated in the implementation of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive, worked as member of UN advisor group GESAMP, participated in OSPAR Commission WG and integrates the pool of experts of UN 2nd and 3rd World Ocean Assessment.

Paulo Gomes

Paulo Gomes
CSO, Senior Consultant and Partner at Green Materials

Member of the Expert Committee

Paulo Gomes is a Senior Consultant and Partner at Green Materials, an advisory company specialized in industrial solutions for the Plastics Recycling Industry.  

He has over 30 years of international leadership experience, with special focus in the Plastic Packaging Industry. Prior to Green Materials, Paulo held several roles in market leaders like Kautex Maschinenbau GmbH (CTO), Markem-Imaje (Strategic Account Management) and Husky Technologies (Global Strategic Marketing Manager and EMEA General Manager).  

Since 2024, he supports plastic recycling solution providers with go-to market strategies based on added-value mapping, promoting the continuous reduction of transformation costs of plastics recycling as a tool to increase market penetration. 

Paulo Gomes holds a Polymer Engineering degree by Universidade do Minho.

Pedro Pablo Díaz

Pedro Pablo Díaz
Former VP of The Coca Cola Company and Former Ambassador of Chile to Portugal

Member of the Expert Committee

Pedro Pablo Díaz holds a degree in Commercial Engineering from PUC Chile and a diploma in Strategic Marketing from Harvard. 

He is a former Chilean Ambassador to Portugal and Australia, with a distinguished career in diplomacy, business, and academia. 

He served as VP for Latin America at Coca-Cola, led marketing at Embotelladora Andina, held key academic roles, presided over major associations, served on various boards, and authored books.

Pedro Martins

Pedro Martins
Executive Managing Director of Plastipak Europe

Member of the Expert Committee

Pedro Martins leads Plastipak Europe Operations as the Executive Managing Director. He has more than 2 decades of experience working at the packaging industry with specific focus on rigid plastic containers. Pedro Martins joined Plastipak Packaging in 2011 and as had roles of increasing responsibilities including Plastipak Italy General Manager, Sales and Marketing Director Europe and in 2020, he was named Plastipak Europe Executive Managing Director. 

Pedro Martins has a Master in Polymer Engineering and an MBA in Finance.

Ricardo Pereira

Ricardo Pereira
Chief Executive Officer at Sirplaste, S.A.

Member of the Expert Committee

Ricardo Pereira is CEO of Sirplaste, S.A., the largest plastics recycling company in Portugal, which is part of SCGC that is one of the largest integrated petrochemical companies in Asia and a key industry leader. 

He has a degree in Industrial Engineering and Management from the University of Aveiro. 

Most of his life has been dedicated to waste and plastics recycling, taking part of several working groups.  

In terms of associative movement, Ricardo is the Vice President of APIP – Associação Portuguesa da Indústria de Plásticos (Portuguese Plastic Industry Association) for Recycling area and representative of APIP at Interfileiras – National Association for the Reclamation, Management and Recovery of Packaging Waste.

Sara Moreno Pires

Sara Moreno Pires
University of Aveiro Professor and Researcher

Member of the Expert Committee

From Economics to Environmental Sciences and Public Policies, Sara is currently Professor at the University of Aveiro, and co-Founder and President of the ENGO Common Home of Humanity. 

Her academic career has been focusing on public policies and indicators for environmental sustainability, green transition, territorial innovation and local governance. 

She has been collaborating in sustainability projects with public entities, NGOs and private companies for more than 20 years and participating in several national and international research projects, being the author of several international publications.

Sílvia Machado

Sílvia Machado
Executive Director for Sustainability | Portuguese Business Confederation (CIP)

Member of the Expert Committee

Graduated in Chemical Engineering, with training in LCA, Quality, Environment and Integrated Management Systems, and SME Management, she began her professional activity in 1996 as a researcher in the petrochemical sector at Repsol Quimica in Spain. 

Returning to Portugal, she collaborated with the National Environment Agency in the implementation of the Industry Environmental Adaptation Contracts, and in 2000 she began her activity as an Environment consultant. For 20 years, she worked with the National Association of Ceramic and Glass Industries, where, in addition to responsibility for environment and energy issues, she was also responsible for the Association participation in several European research projects. 

From 2020 to 2023, she was Senior Advisor at the Confederation of Portuguese Business (CIP) for Environment and Climate Policies, and since then she is the Executive Director of CIP for Sustainability. She represents CIP in Business Europe’s Industrial Affairs Committee and is a member of the Environment WG and the Energy and Climate WG. With extensive experience in regulatory issues, she follows closely European and national politics that impact Portuguese companies, intervening and defending the position of national businesses to enhance the importance of having a regulatory framework that considers companies’ competitiveness together with the protection of the environment. 

Victor Neto

Victor Neto
Associate Professor, University of Aveiro

Member of the Expert Committee

Victor Neto is a researcher and teacher developing work on Product Development, Manufacturing Technologies, and Eco-design. His research focus is on plastic-related metastrutures. His main professional activity is at the Department of Mechanical Engineering of the University of Aveiro (Portugal) and at the Centre for Mechanical Technology and Automation (TEMA). 

Victor Neto has a BSc degree in Physics Engineering (2001); MSc in Applied Physics (2004), a PhD in Mechanical Engineering (2008), and a MSc in Management (2012). 

Yağmur Eroğlu

Yağmur Eroğlu
General Manager of CERTILOOP and Board Member of PAGÇEV

Member of the Expert Committee

Yağmur Eroğlu holds a degree in Environmental Engineering and an Executive MBA. 

She served as General Manager of PAGÇEV, Türkiye’s Extended Producer Responsibility organization for packaging waste, from 2012 to 2020. 

In 2021, she founded CERTILOOP, providing internationally accredited certification services in recyclability, recycled content, and plastics recycling processes. 

She also prepares sustainability and GHG reports and advises on LCA, zero-waste, and plastic waste management.

Filipe Domingues

Filipe Domingues
Co-founder and director of the Centre for Cooperation in Cyberspace

Host

Filipe Domingues is co-founder and director of the Centre for Cooperation in Cyberspace (CCC), Representative in Portugal of the Institute for Economics and Peace, consultant for Concerta International Consulting and guest professor at the Nova School of Business and Economics. 

He was Secretary General of the Institute for the Promotion of Latin America and the Caribbean – IPDAL – where he remains a non-executive member of the Board of Directors, was a radio and television journalist and is one of the co-authors of the biography of UN Secretary General António Guterres, ‘The World Doesn’t Have to Be This Way’. 

He was honoured by the Government of Colombia with the Orden de San Carlos. 

Filipe Domingues has a degree in Communication Sciences from Universidade Nova de Lisboa. He was born in 1985, is married and has two children. 

Bruno Pereira da Silva

Bruno Pereira da Silva
Public Affairs and Sustainability Director at PIEP

Media Officer

Bruno Pereira da Silva is the Public Affairs and Sustainability Director at PIEP, the Innovation Center in Polymer Engineering at the University of Minho. In this role, he leads research, development, and innovation initiatives focused on the Circular Economy and Sustainability, working in close collaboration with national and international industry stakeholders across multiple sectors, including packaging, aeronautics, automotive, space, defense, and energy. 

He represents PIEP in various strategic platforms at both national and international levels, contributing to the advancement of sustainable policies and industrial practices. He currently participates in the Circular Plastics Alliance, APIP – Portuguese Plastics Industry Association, ASWP – Smart Waste Portugal, PFP – Portuguese Railway Platform, ECP4 – European Composites, Plastics and Polymer Processing Platform, and the IAM – Innovative Advanced Materials Initiative. Through these roles, he actively promotes sustainable innovation, cross-sector collaboration, and the alignment of industrial practices with European and global sustainability objectives. 

He holds a degree in Polymer Engineering from the University of Minho and a specialization in Design and Manufacturing of Automotive Components from the University of Porto. He has also completed advanced training in Project Management and the Advanced Management Programme at Porto Business School, as well as the Executive Programme in ESG Corporate and Non-Financial Reporting at ISEG – Executive Education in Economics and Management. 

Cátia Morais

Cátia Morais
Communications Manager APIP & Operations Manager PSGE 

Operations Manager

Cátia Morais has a Master in Environmental Engineering – Environmental Management, from Instituto Superior Técnico (Lisbon, Portugal)  

Her professional career began at SGS – Sociedade Geral de Superintendência S.A., where she spent ten years as a Key Account Manager and later as a specialist in the Environment and Safety services. In this role, she was responsible for environmental and safety monitoring, inspections, and audits across various industries. As a Health and Safety Technician – Level VI, Cátia also has a background in Quality, Environmental, and Safety management systems.  

In APIP since 2021, Cátia Morais took on the role of Communications Manager of the Portuguese Plastics Industry Association (APIP), responsible for organizing and managing events, as well as implementing the association’s marketing and communication strategy. In the same year, Cátia assumes the position of Operations Manager for Plastics Summit – Global Event, ensuring, together with the APIP team, the organization and logistics of the event, as well as sponsorships and partnerships management.  

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