About Our Speakers
Lisa is a global circular economy and zero-carbon business transformation leader. She is an international speaker and author of circular economy publications supporting businesses and governments in the circular transition. Lisa has been successfully advising industry and governments in developing new policy frameworks, regulations and tools to bring about market change enabling the circular economy, over the past 20 years. This work covers markets, supply chains and business models across the water, energy mobility, finance and investment sectors in Australia and globally.
Speaking:
Event Facilitator
Day 2: Open Ceremony
Day 2: Keynote: Why a Circular Economy is essential to Asia Pacific’s Future
Day 3: In conversation: Circularity achieving Net Zero
Jo Taranto is an environmental strategist and co-host of Channel 10’s Planet Shapers, known for guiding leaders on climate courage and the circular economy. Co-founder of Good for the Hood, she has facilitated at major sustainability events including the Australian Circular Economy Forum.
Speaking:
Event Facilitator
AgPath
Dr. Mary Cole is an environmental microbiologist dedicated to developing science-based solutions for environmental sustainability. Drawing on extensive industry and research experience, she has advanced innovative approaches to improving soil health, restoring degraded landscapes, and strengthening ecosystem resilience through the beneficial use of microorganisms. Her contributions have been recognised with the 2025 AgriFutures Victorian Rural Women’s Award. Dr. Cole is passionate about translating microbiological research into practical environmental solutions that benefit agriculture, communities, and future generations.
Speaking:
Event Facilitator
Day 2: Nature-winning roadmaps look like in practice: Science and the economy
Day 2: Unlocking Circular Markets: Pivotal Circular Sectors: AGRIFOOD
Day 3: Circular Accelerator: Agri Food
Circular Australia Board Chair & Adelitics
Jodie Bricout is Chair of Circular Australia and a circular economy and infrastructure systems leader with over 25 years’ experience across Australia, Europe and the Middle East. As Chief Strategy & Commercial Officer at Adelitics, she’s taking circularity into the water sector, using AI-enabled diagnostics to extend asset life and cut material, cost and carbon waste across water networks. She is also a ministerial appointee to the Cooperative Research Centres Advisory Committee and a PhD candidate at Adelaide University.
Speaking:
Day 2: Panel: Policies to activate circular markets
Day 3: Circular Policies & Precincts
Dermot O’Gorman, EMBA (IMD), MSc, (LSE) BSc (Hons) Dip Sc.
CSIRO
Heinz Schandl, PhD, is a senior science leader at the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) in Canberra, where he directs the Circular Economy Initiative and coordinates research in this area. Additionally, he is an adjunct professor at Nagoya University’s Graduate School of Environmental Studies in Japan and a member of the UN Environment Program International Resource Panel. His research focuses on social theory, industrial metabolism, and sustainability policy, aiming to advance resource efficiency, waste minimisation, and circular economy principles.
Speaking:
Day 2: Keynote: The economic opportunity for the Asia Pacific
As Director of BC Consulting, she advises organisations on circular procurement, systems and implementation, drawing on leadership roles with the London School of Economics, The GPT Group, Australia Post and ALDI Supermarkets Australia.
Bel was named Planet Ark’s inaugural Australian Circular Leader, recognising her contribution to advancing circularity in Australia, and is a regular commentator in the media, including her own ABC radio residency: ‘Waste Not Want Not’ broadcast Fridays nationally.
Speaking:
Day 3: Facilitator: Circular Accelerator: Agri Food
Seemless
Ainsley is the CEO of Seamless, the National Clothing Stewardship Scheme, creating a circular clothing economy by 2030. With an MBA and post-graduate degree in science; sustainable planning and management has been central to her career in public and private sector roles. Drawing on extensive infrastructure sustainability experience and policy-shaping, she champions cross sectoral collaboration, climate action, and has led multiple industry partnerships for a resilient, inclusive transition.
Speaking:
Day 2: Valuing Secondary Resources
Katinka Day
OzHarvest
Katinka Day is a leading policy and advocacy specialist with extensive experience shaping food, health, and environmental regulation in Australia. Katinka has driven strategic government relations and political advocacy for major organisations, including WWF-Australia and CHOICE and has held roles both internationally and in the public sector. In her current position, she leads OzHarvest’s advocacy to shape public policy and address the root causes of food waste and food insecurity in Australia. Katinka holds an MBA and brings deep expertise in navigating government and complex systems to drive systemic change.
Speaking:
Day 2: Unlocking Circular Markets: Pivotal Circular Sectors: Agriculture & Food
Day 3: Circular Accelerator: Agri Food
Amitesh Deo, a Recycling and Environment Advocate, is the Founder of Pacific Recycling Foundation and CEO of Waste Recyclers Fiji Limited.
Rooted in a strong human rights background, Deo has dedicated his career to advancing social justice and environmental sustainability.
Driven by this deep commitment, Deo established PRF in 2022. A central focus of his work remains the dignity, recognition, rights, and empowerment of grassroots recyclers, especially the Collection Pillars of Recycling (formerly informal waste pickers), whose vital contributions in the waste management space are too often overlooked.
In 2024, Deo led the formation of the Pacific Recyclers Alliance, a regional network uniting grassroots recycling organisations from six Pacific Island countries. He currently serves as its President.
Deo has previously held senior roles at the Fiji Women’s Crisis Centre and remains actively engaged in this space. He is currently the only male member on the organisation’s Board of Trustees.
Speaking:
Day 2: First Nations Circular Economy
Day 3: Pacific Grassroots & story telling
UNSW
Professor Deo Prasad is the CEO of the NSW Decarbonisation Innovation Hub and a globally recognised leader in sustainable buildings and decarbonisation. Formerly CEO of the CRC for Low Carbon Living and Director of the UNSW Centre for a Sustainable Built Environment, he has led pioneering research on low-carbon cities and the built environment. An architect, engineer, and Fellow of both the Australian Institute of Architects and ATSE, he has published over 300 research papers and six books.
Speaking:
Day 2: Solving Net Zero with Circularity
Day 2: First Nations Circular Economy
Day 3: Circular Built Environment Accelerator
Dinadj
Damien Melotte is Director of Business Design and Innovation at Dinadj, specialising in strategic design, circular economy, and systems innovation. He helps organisations create products, services, and business models that combine human-centred design with Indigenous knowledge, emerging technologies, and regenerative thinking. With expertise spanning service design, circular design, and systems thinking, Damien works at the intersection of innovation, sustainability, and positive social impact.
Speaking:
Day 2: First Nations Circular Economy
Day 2: Circular Consumption: How Circularity and Science will Transform Nature
D-Ply
Dr Kumar Biswajit Debnath is a Chancellor’s Research Fellow at UTS and founder of D-Ply, a UTS research-led startup growing biodegradable engineered wood from agricultural and industrial biomass waste using fungi. D-Ply offers a circular, carbon-sequestering alternative to conventional timber—using zero toxic glue and zero virgin wood. A Top 3 Australian finalist in ClimateLaunchpad and APAC Top 8 winner, Kumar is now taking D-Ply to the global stage in Singapore, with ambitions to scale a circular bio-economy for the built environment.
Speaking:
Day 3: Circular Business Activator: Growing your business in the Asia Pacific
John Thwaites is a Professor of Practice in Sustainability at Monash University Business School and Chair of the McKinnon Institute for Political Leadership. He is Co-Chair of the Leadership Council of the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network (“SDSN”) launched by the Secretary General of the United Nations to mobilise universities to promote practical solutions to sustainable development challenges.
John was Chair of the Australian Government’s Circular Economy Ministerial Advisory Group.
John Thwaites was Deputy Premier of Victoria from 1999 until his retirement in 2007. holding various Ministerial portfolios including Health, Environment and Climate Change.
Speaking:
Day 3: In conversation: Circularity achieving Net Zero
Speaking:
Day 2: Circular Precincts Showcase
Anthony M. Watanabe, Ph.D.
Indorama Ventures
In the field of business sustainability, Anthony is recognized as a global leader with more than 20 years of experience. As Chief Sustainability Officer of Indorama Ventures, a global chemical company with 114 sites in 32 countries, he drives strategies and builds partnerships that create economic, social, and environmental value.
To complement his role as CSO, Anthony advances sustainability thought leadership worldwide. In academia, he is an Adjunct Professor at the Asian Institute of Technology, teaching a module of a Professional Master’s degree in Vietnam. He is a board member of the Indorama Ventures Centre for Clean Energy and sits on the Research Advisory Council, both of Plaksha University in India.
A champion of multilateral, multistakeholder efforts, he chairs a UN taskforce on the Circular Economy and also co-chaired the Circular Economy Working Group of Sustainable Business COP30,which took place in Brazil in November 2025. To facilitate capital flows to climate startups, he is also a Global Ambassador for Investors for Climate, active in over 30 countries. In April 2026, Anthony also assumed the roles of Acting Director and Acting Secretary of the IVL Foundation, supporting its governance and strategic direction while advancing initiatives that expand educational opportunities, improve quality of life, and create lasting community impact.
Believing that lasting change begins with people, he coaches sustainability leaders to maximize their impact and their happiness in work and in life. Circular Business Activator: Growing your business in the Asia Pacific
Speaking:
Romilly Madew is CEO of Engineers Australia. Previously Romilly was CEO Infrastructure Australia (IA). Before joining Infrastructure Australia, Romilly was CEO of Green Building Council of Australia for 13 years. In acknowledgment of her contribution to Australia’s sustainable building movement, Romilly was awarded an Order of Australia in 2019. In 2025, she was awarded a National Medal for sustained service and commitment to Surf Life Saving, became the first female Life member of Bilgola Surf Life Saving Club and awarded an Honorary Doctor of Engineering from the University of Sydney. Ms Madew sits on the STEM & Health Champions of Change committee; a Member of the Australian Academy of Technology & Engineering (ATSE) Infrastructure Forum; Chair IFM Australian Infrastructure Investor Advisory Committee, Director Placemaking NSW Board; Member Infrastructure Net Zero Steering Committee; Chair UNSW Institute of Industrial Decarbonisation IAC; Independent Chair Currawong State Park Advisory Board (NSW); and Member UK Institution of Civil Engineers Enabling Better Infrastructure (EBI) Steering Group Romilly is a Founder, Ambassador and former Director of Minerva Network (supporting Australia’s elite sportswomen). Romilly has mentored two-time Australian Olympic rower, Georgie Rowe since 2019. In her personal time, Romilly is an active surf life saver on Sydney’s Northern Beaches.
Speaking:
Day 2: Engineering a Circular Economy for Asia Pacific
Blocktexx
When building BlockTexx, Adrian wanted to make a real difference and honest amends for thirty years of being a retail buyer and then CEO for several large apparel brands. Knowing how many clothes he had procured over the years, and that they were now probably in landfill, made him determined to do something real and positive about it and build lasting solutions for the industry. After eight years of building BlockTexx, and running a real plant, he has built a wealth of experience and insight into what that journey entails and more importantly what real changes are still needed, from all of us, for sustained future growth in chemical textile recycling.
Speaking:
Day 2: Pivotal Circular Sectors: Agriculture & Food
Day 2: Innovation & Technology Showcase
Chief Executive, New Zealand Green Building Council
Andrew studied economics and public policy. He has 20 years experience in the built environment working for the government, supply chain companies and for not for profits. He has a wealth of knowledge in construction, housing, property, policy and supply chains.
Andrew joined the New Zealand Green Building Council in September 2016 as Chief Executive. The NZGBC is the country’s leading not-for-profit for the sustainable built environment. Andrew is proud to be working with his team to achieve a lower carbon healthier Aotearoa New Zealand.
As well as exemplary research, the NZGBC oversees Homestar and Green Star, the certifications confirming the health and carbon performance of New Zealand homes and buildings. The NZGBC also run NABERSNZ, and assessment of the energy performance of buildings, on behalf of central Government.
Andrew is sometimes asked to speak on panels. Andrew has made a commitment to not speak on all male panels. The NZGBC can assist in connecting you with a diverse range of great speakers, if that would be useful for your event
Speaking:
Jillian has more than 25 years’ experience across investment consulting and funds management, specialising in sustainable investment since 2011. She is a Partner and Head of Sustainable Investment, Investment Management, Pacific for Marsh (recently rebranded from Mercer), after various consulting roles in Australia and the UK. Her research and report contributions over the last decade have largely focused on climate change, but in 2022 and 2025 she co-authored investor specific circular economy reports with the Investor Group on Climate Change and Circular Australia.
Speaking:
Day 2: Panel: Financing the circular economy
Day 3: Circular Finance & Procurement Accelerator
COO Holland Circular Hotspot, International Representative of Despray Environmental
Dr. Vesna Lavtižar is Chief Operating Officer of Holland Circular Hotspot and plays a central role in translating international strategy into successful implementation. She oversees HCH’s global Circular Hotspot events and programmes, international partnerships and organisational development, ensuring that governments, businesses and knowledge institutions can collaborate effectively across borders.
Speaking:
Day 2: Circular Precincts Showcase
His focus is on decarbonising the entire building supply chain, enabling people and organisations to understand the levers they have to pull to collectively achieve the lowest carbon outcomes. A strategy-oriented systems-thinker and change-maker.
Day 3: Circular Built Environment Accelerator
WWF
Cliff Cobbo is WWF-Australia’s First Nations Principal Advisor and a proud Wakka Wakka and Nembar man. Cliff provides strategic leadership and trusted advice on First Nations engagement, Indigenous-led conservation, Inclusive Conservation, and cross-sector partnerships across Australia, Asia and the Pacific. Working at the intersection of culture, policy and conservation, Cliff collaborates with Traditional Owners, Indigenous organisations, government, philanthropy and conservation leaders to advance nature-positive outcomes that uphold rights, strengthen self-determination, and are grounded in culture and Country.
Speaking:
Day 2: Circular Consumption: How Circularity and Science will Transform Nature
Dr. Chanda obtained her PhD and MA degrees from Columbia University and her BA in Economics from Harvard University. Her research interests include the WTO, international trade in services, regional integration, and migration. She has over 200 publications in the form of journal articles, edited book chapters, reports and working papers. She has authored two books on services and co-authored/edited 5 other books in her field. Dr. Chanda has professionally engaged with international and Indian organizations and has served on many expert committees. She has also received several teaching awards.
Day 3: APAC Drive to 25: Driving Climate Solutions through Circularity
TOMRA
Annupa Ahi is Vice President and Head of Public Affairs Asia and Middle East at TOMRA and a recognised leader in circular economy policy and sustainable business transformation. With more than two decades of experience across Asia and Pacific, she works at the intersection of government, industry and innovation to bridge policy with practical implementation. Her expertise spans Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), resource recovery and long-term waste management strategies that drive regional growth and investment. Passionate about bridging business and policy, Annupa helps shape regional strategies that unlock investment, accelerate innovation and build resilient waste and resource management systems. She is a recognised international speaker on circular economy, resource recovery and sustainable growth.
Speaking:
Professor Tim Schork
University of Canberra
Professor Tim Schork is the PEET Research Chair in the Built Environment at the University of Canberra and Founding Director of the UC Living Lab for the Built Environment. He is an internationally recognised expert whose research advances digital technologies, modern methods of construction, and circular material systems that deliver more resource-efficient, affordable, and sustainable built environments. Through patented innovations, industry partnerships, and award-winning projects, Tim bridges research and practice to accelerate the transition to a more regenerative, resilient, and digitally enabled built environment.
Speaking:
Day 2: Circular Built Environment
Day 3: Circular Built Environment Accerlator case
Day 2: Circular Precincts Showcase
Day 2: Innovation & Technology Showcase
MRA Consulting
Mike is one of Australia’s leading waste experts. With 40 years’ experience in the environmental and waste sector, Mike combines technical expertise with business knowledge. As a former senior executive for Visy, SUEZ and WSN, Mike has become one of the sector’s most recognised strategic thinkers, advising governments and business on waste and recycling.
As MRA’s Managing Director, Mike provides insight into the economics, policy, issues and challenges of Australia’s waste and recycling sector.
Mike’s goal is to help make waste management economically rational and environmentally sustainable.
Speaking:
International Water Management Institute (IWMI)
Dr. Susanne Bodach is Research Group Leader for Integrated Circular Economy Transformations at the International Water Management Institute (IWMI), a CGIAR research centre which partners with governments, civil society, and the private sector to address water and agri-food system challenges. With two decades of experience in research, development cooperation and consulting, she focuses on circular bioeconomy approaches that connect water, waste and agri-food systems. Her work advances safe water reuse, resource recovery and circular business models, with a strong interest in how science, policy, investment and partnerships can enable practical circular economy transitions at scale across Asia, Africa and the Middle East.
Speaking:
Day 2: Unlocking Circular Markets: Pivotal Circular Sectors | Water
Day 2: Unlocking Circular Markets: Pivotal Circular Sectors | Water
Day 3: Circular Water Accelerator
Samsara Eco
Angie leads partnerships for Samsara Eco, an Australian biotech using AI-engineered enzymes to recycle mixed plastics and textiles. She collaborates closely with brands and their supply chain partners to help them meet their circularity goals by transitioning to recycled materials.
Angie is deeply engaged in the textile and automotive industry across the Asia Pacific and Europe, participating in a number of working groups to inform regulation and industry standards to make recycled materials accessible and scalable.
Prior to Samsara Eco, Angie led sustainability and business strategy at global companies including BlackRock and McKinsey.
Speaking:
NSW DCCEEW
Leads the state’s net zero, circular economy and nature restoration initiatives in a range of sectors including industry, built environment and land. This involves market development activities such as investment in demonstration models and supply chain pilots to deliver impact at scale. She has over 15 years of experience designing policies, strategies and programs across government, international and not-for-profit organisations to achieve economic, environmental and social outcomes.
Speaking:
Day 2: Panel: Asia Pacific Net Zero & Circularity Integration
Day 3: Circular Business Activator: Growing your business in the Asia Pacific
OMA
Paul Jones is an Architect with over 30 years’ experience across Australia and Asia. As Director of OMA, he established and leads the Australian office, overseeing major cultural and adaptive reuse projects including Perth Concert Hall and WA Museum Boola Bardip, which integrates new and old in the reuse of significant heritage buildings. Previously a Director at Donovan Hill and BVN, his experience includes Santos Place, at the time Australia’s largest 6 Star Green Star commercial office building. Paul is particularly interested in circular approaches that balance reuse, adaptation, new interventions and long-term design value.
Speaking:
Adrian Taylor
BVN
Drawing on over a decade of applied research in architectural practice and academia, he connects designers with the tools and expertise to eliminate carbon, increase circularity, and restore habitat. At BVN, Adrian helps project teams turn each brief into a place-specific regenerative vision and defendable design strategy that carries through from concept to delivery. He believes the key to achieving regeneration is shifting our perspective on value, from sunk costs to intergenerational investments.
Speaking:
Day 3: Circular Built Environment Accelerator
Vanessa Cullen GAICD is the Founder and Principal of Forward Thinking Design and FTD Circular, a certified social enterprise working at the intersection of governance, strategy, design and the circular economy. With more than 20 years’ experience across the built environment, Vanessa specialises in translating circular economy principles into practical approaches for implementation. Vanessa has significantly contributed to the Better Building Partnership’s Circular Fitout Toolkit for Offices, the BVN De-fit Guidelines for Commercial Fitouts and is currently announcing the publication of their latest City of Sydney supported de-fit waste research and Circular Fitout Guide for Retail and Hospitality. Vanessa also serves as a circular economy subject matter expert on the Green Building Council of Australia’s Circular Strategy Expert Reference Panel. As an experienced advisor, Vanessa brings together commercial, environmental and social systems thinking to help organisations, and communities, move from circular ambition to implementation.
Speaking
Day 3: Built Environment Accelerator
Green Building Council of Australia
A property professional with a passion for sustainability, Davina has led the Green Building Council of Australia since 2019. As a qualified engineer, Davina worked on large-scale construction projects in Sydney and London and spent nearly a year building an award-winning school in the Himalayas. Davina devoted a decade to driving sustainability at one of Australia’s largest diversified property companies, Stockland, which culminated in Stockland’s recognition as the world’s most sustainable property company. Davina is on the Board of Evolve Housing and the Australian Sustainable Built Environment Council, as well as Chairing the Sustainable Procurement Roundtable for the Sustainable Built Environment National Research Centre.
Speaking:
Day 3: Circular Built Environment Accelerator
Damien Melotte is an industrial designer, systems innovator and co-founder of Dinadj Design & Systems Innovation Lab. He is co-creator of the Country-Centred Economy (CCE) framework with Indigenous leader Paul Paton, bringing together global best practice in circular and regenerative economy with insights from Indigenous Knowledge Systems. Damien works with First Nations organisations, communities, governments, businesses, NGOs and research institutions to transform challenges into practical, place-based pathways that help organisations move from extractive to relational and regenerative ways of creating shared value for organisations, communities and Country. He is undertaking an industry-linked PhD titled ‘Bridging Indigenous Relationality and Regenerative Practice’.
Speaking
Day 3: Interactive Accelerator: Country Centred Circularity
TNO
Huub Keizers graduated as Aerospace Engineer at the Technical University of Delft in 1991 and is currently Business Director at TNO (www.tno.nl). Huub holds positions in the Boards of ECTP, Built4People, ENBRI and CIB, all dedicated to sustainable construction and innovation in the built environment. In this role, Huub chairs several Task Groups with focus on innovation, advanced construction materials, industrialization, digitalization and skills and he gives international guest lectures to stimulate open knowledge sharing for a more sustainable built environment.
Speaking:
The Ocean Cleanup
Charlotte de Jong is the Director of Business Development for Asia-Pacific at The Ocean Cleanup, where she leads the regional business development team, setting strategy and developing high-impact partnerships to scale river cleanup operations and accelerate the organisation’s mission to eliminate plastic pollution. Her work spans Southeast Asia and the Pacific, including the Philippines, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, Singapore, Australia, and Pacific Island nations, where she works with governments, corporates, philanthropic organisations, and academic institutions. Combining her background in civil engineering and urban development, Charlotte brings a systems-level perspective to river cleanup, considering how interventions can be integrated into broader urban waste management systems.
Speaking:
Day 3: Circular Policy and Procurement Accelerator
Mike MacKay is a visionary business leader and globally recognized expert in aerosol recycling technology, with more than 27 years of experience in aerosol recycling and over 35 years of international entrepreneurial business experience.
His approach has always been simple: never say never. He believes innovation, persistence and practical experience can drive business growth while solving real environmental challenges.
In 1998, Mike developed the world’s first 100% aerosol recycling system in Canada. Since then, he has dedicated much of his career to improving the way aerosols are safely processed, recovering not only the metal, but also the liquids and propellant gases that would otherwise be lost. His work has contributed to multiple patented technologies and international growth in the aerosol recycling sector.
Since 2014, Mike has been Co-owner and Managing Director of DESPRAY Environmental, where he continues to lead the development and global promotion of the company’s patented aerosol recycling technology. Today, DESPRAY systems help recyclers, waste companies and aerosol manufacturers safely recover valuable materials from one of the world’s most difficult hazardous waste streams.
In 2024, Mike was recognized by the Global Recycling Foundation as a World Recycling Hero, one of ten recipients selected globally for contributions to recycling and sustainability.
Mike works alongside his business partner, Eelco Osse, sharing a commitment to expanding DESPRAY internationally and educating the industry about the environmental, safety and commercial benefits of proper aerosol recycling.
His goal remains the same as when he started: to make safe, complete aerosol recycling the global standard.