Deputy Minister of Climate and Environment, responsible for waste management and the activities of the Chief Inspectorate for Environmental Protection. Graduate of the Executive MBA at the Kozminski University in Warsaw and the Lodz University of Technology. Manager with many years of experience in business, including project management in the field of IT and logistics. Politician, Member of the Polish Parliament (Sejm) for the 9th term. In her political career, she focuses on issues related to climate and environmental protection. Currently, she coordinates, among other things, the implementation of a deposit system and extended producer responsibility in Poland.

She is a professor at the Warsaw School of Economics, where she heads the Institute of International Economic Policy. She is also the vice-dean of the Warsaw School of Economics Doctoral School. In 2020, she obtained a postdoctoral degree in social sciences, in the field of economics and finance, and earlier  a doctorate in economics. Since 2023, she has been head of the postgraduate programme ‘ESG Fundamentals for Business’ run by the Warsaw School of Economics in partnership with PwC. She gained her research and academic experience working at: the Department of Business and Social Sciences at Aarhus University, the University of Barcelona in the Urban Creativity, Innovation and Transformation Research Group, the University of Glasgow  and the University of Iceland. 

Tim works with circular economy at the Finnish Innovation Fund Sitra. As a key part of his work at Sitra, Tim has analysed how circular economy strategies can help tackle biodiversity loss, not least through the circular bioeconomy. Tim now spends most of his time within the Policy Lab of the EU Circular Economy Resource Centre, which has been set up to facilitate exchange with and support EU Partner Countries in the Global South and European Neighbourhood with their circular economy work.

Arne Daneels is a policy advisor for the Flemish government focusing on environmental matters and the greening of the economy. He co-founded and coordinates the Flemish Green Deals, a pioneering initiative that brings together over 2,000 companies and organizations to collaborate on sustainable projects ranging from biodiversity to circular economy and shared mobility. Arne coordinates these deals, helping to facilitate partnerships and accelerate real-world green solutions without imposing mandates. This allows for voluntary, committed collaboration to emerge. His approach centers on listening to on-the-ground needs and creating networks that enable participants to broaden their knowledge, set up collaborations and get things done. 

She has extensive experience in conducting image, educational, and promotional campaigns related to plastics and the plastics industry. She has gained professional experience, among other things, as a journalist and editor in trade press, as well as a technical and legislative affairs manager for an FMCG industry association. A chemist by training, she holds a PhD in technical sciences (polymer technology), which she earned at the Faculty of Chemistry, Warsaw University of Technology. She also completed Postgraduate Studies in Social Communication and Media, organized by the Foundation for the Dissemination of Science and the Institute of Literary Research of the Polish Academy of Sciences.

Both privately and professionally, involved in environmental protection and sustainability for many years. She has started her journey with gaining experience in the field of environmental law in a consulting company and after that, working with the topic of energy efficiency. She worked as a Sustainability Manager in Carrefour Poland, driving sustainability strategy and at the same time taking care of the implementation of its the principles within the organization. 

She has joined IKEA as Sustainability Business Partner in 2021, being responsible for the implementation of Circular and Climate pillar from IKEA’s sustainability strategy. She leads projects and initiatives in the area of circularity and positive impact on the climate. 

He is an experienced manager responsible for air protection and climate policy at the City of Warsaw Office. He has worked in both the public sector and business consulting. His responsibilities included preparing and implementing strategic documents, adapting existing strategies to be more environmentally friendly, and fostering relationships and cooperation with internal and external stakeholders. He is a graduate of the School for Political Leaders.

Expert in recycling and head of a research group at Łukasiewicz – Poznań Institute of Technology. He leads a team specializing in the optimization of recycling processes and in advanced environmental, economic, and social assessments related to the circular economy. The group is also engaged in the development and application of biotechnological methods for recycling. His primary areas of interest include recycling technologies, circular economy systems, and advanced polymer characterization and processing. He earned a PhD in polymer science from Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands. For nearly eight years, he worked in the Dutch industry, developing and implementing innovative recycling technologies, managing intellectual property, and scaling up new solutions such as Magnetic Density Separation. 

My purpose is to inspire, enjoy life and create a future-proof society. Impact driven by means of empowering people, companies and communities, forward thinking keynotes/lectureships/podcasts/briefings and best-in-class advisory boutique. I am passionate about contemporary leadership, emerging markets, senior living/healthcare real estate and the value chain of users’ well-being, ESG and SDG.

 He's positions: Board member of Real Asset Media, Managing Editor of Real Asset Impact Journal, Co-founder and chair of Senior Housing and Healthcare Association (SHHA)

Associate Professor at the Amsterdam School of Real Estate (post graduate), both on Master of Real Estate and Executive Education, Business Partner at Sociëteit Vastgoed, Founder of MI – Multiple Impact

Érick Petit is an engineer by training who has dedicated half of his career to the metallurgy and steel industry, and the other half to environmental engineering companies. This unique combination of experiences led him to establish MagREEsource — a company that merges expertise in sustainable materials with cutting-edge clean technology.

MagREEsource specializes in manufacturing permanent magnets made from rare earth elements recovered from waste. Since rare earths are currently not available as raw materials in Europe, the company developed an innovative hydrogen-based recycling process. This clean, waste-free technology is not only environmentally friendly but also highly cost-effective, enabling the remanufacturing of high-performance magnets for industrial clients.

Marianne has 20 years of experience on the science-policy interface for environment and sustainable development. At EMF she leads the foundation’s biodiversity policy work, working across key biodiversity-relevant domains such as bioeconomy and sustainable trade. During her career Marianne has worked on multiple environmental issues, cooperating with a range of international governmental and non-governmental organisations including UN organisations, WTO, the European Commission and Parliament, national governments, and European and international think tanks and NGOs. She is a board member and advisor, an experienced speaker, convener and facilitator, and an author of numerous policy-oriented publications.

Deputy Director for Finance at the Institute of Power Engineering – National Research Institute, with a postdoctoral degree in economics and finance. His professional, research, and academic activities focus on electricity and climate change, new technologies, the competitiveness and internationalization of enterprises, value chains across various economic sectors, and sources of corporate innovation. He is an assistant professor at the Faculty of Management at the University of Warsaw, a member of expert and industry bodies, and a member of supervisory boards of both publicly traded and privately held companies.

Vice-President of the Management Board, General Director of the Polish Federation

of Food Producers (PFPŻ ZP), Editor-in-Chief of the quarterly "Food Lex," Member of the Council of the Union of Employers

and Entrepreneurs, Member of the Council

of the Polish Chamber of Commerce. Chairman of the Sectoral Council for High-Quality Food Competencies. He represents PFPŻ ZP in Food Drink Europe, the largest European food industry organization.

For over 20 years, he has been i

nvolved in the food industry in management, marketing, public relations, and corporate social responsibility. Author of numerous publications and analyses on the food market and the food economy.

He leads technology transfer, spin-off creation and industry collaboration in robotics and advanced technologies. He heads the PIAP Digital Innovation Hub and serves as EIT Manufacturing Country Representative in Poland, actively engaged in European initiatives fostering innovation and industrial competitiveness.

Guus ter Haar is Director of Impact at Circle Economy. As a biologist-turned-changemaker, he has dedicated his career to solving systemic issues and market failures leading to unsustainable outcomes. He has hands-on experience designing and implementing transformative sustainability strategies, specifically in tropical and temperate agri-commodities. Guus has worked directly with and created connections between farmer co-ops, supranational bodies, institutional funders, tech providers, national governments, and supply chain actors to drive sustainable change. He now focuses on accelerating the transition towards a more just and circular society, one that operates within planetary boundaries and social foundations.

Vice President Public Affairs for Eastern and Northern Europe at TOMRA Group, a provider of technological solutions for collection and sorting used in the food, mining, and waste management industries. Within her professional duties at TOMRA Group, she is responsible for shaping the Group’s position in the region with regard to legislative changes in the broad area of environmental protection and waste management, as well as maintaining relations with public administration bodies and market stakeholders.

She holds a PhD in Law from the Jagiellonian University and a Master’s degree in International Law from the University of Orléans. She also completed postgraduate studies in Finance and Accounting at the Cracow University of Economics.

An expert in sustainable development and the circular economy, with many years of experience in the NGO sector, including WWF. Initiator and coordinator of the Polish Circular Hotspot – a platform bringing together business, government, and civil society around the circular transition – and of the international educational campaign Circular Week. Author of numerous reports and publications on innovation and the implementation of circular models in Poland and across Europe. She collaborates with companies and local governments on developing circular strategies, including the Circular Cities project, which analyzes the circularity of three Polish cities. She is a member of the Coordination Group of the European Circular Economy Stakeholder Platform at the European Commission.

Emmanuelle Maire is 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 EU 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.

Cathrine Barth is a recognized expert in circular economy and sustainability, with a dedicated career within system design, business model innovation and strategic promotion of circular and sustainable practices.

She has led significant innovation and communication projects in the circular economy, including her role as head of circular economy at Natural State and co-founder of Nordic Circular Hotspot. From 2024, she has a part-time position as an Assistant Professor for the NMBU (Norwegian Life Sciences) Business School to develop and teach Circular Economy at management level.

Niccolò Cipriani, combines in his work the background in cooperation and sustainable development with the family tradition used in the Prato textile sector. Always driven by interests such as internationalization, he leaves for Vietnam, to investigate issues related to social entrepreneurship, micro-credit and professional training. It is realizing that the clothes marketed in the West, if unsold, would end up in landfills or incinerators, that he decides to give a second life to those clothes that people no longer wear. Thus in 2017 Rifò was born, a project that produces high quality garments and accessories, made with recycled textile fibers from wool, cashmere and now also from denim, in new yarns with which to create soft and fluffy ethical products at km 0.

With extensive experience supporting both large corporations and startups in technical innovation and business development, he has been instrumental in advancing sustainable technologies, renewable energy solutions, and sustainable carbon sources for a circular economy. In addition to his leadership role at RISE, he contributes valuable perspectives through board positions in companies ranging from early-stage ventures to listed corporations. Markus holds a M.Sc. in Chemical Engineering from Lund University of Technology.

Dr. Dariusz Prasek is an independent consultant in circular economy, sustainable financing, environmental, social and governance areas with an experience in around 4000 investment projects across a number of sectors. Till recently he held a position of a Director of Operations at the Environment and Sustainability Department in the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD). Dr. Prasek has been the key contributor to the development and implementation of the EBRD’s Green Economy Transition Strategy which includes the implementation of the provisions of Circular Economy in the Bank’s supported projects. He is a member of the United Nations Advisory Board on Circular Economy and Independent Expert on Development Financing at IDB Invest.

Karolina Adamska-Woźniak is a CSR and ESG expert, creator of the postgraduate program ESG Management at Collegium Da Vinci in Poznań, and lecturer in social leadership at Kozminski University. She is the founder of KAWA Dobra, Poland’s first “agency of good” supporting social engagement in the entertainment industry, and the host of the KAWA Dobra podcast. A graduate of Adam Mickiewicz University with a PhD in medical sciences, she is also a social activist and long-time volunteer. For many years, she served as President of the Mam Marzenie Foundation, helping to fulfill the dreams of children with life-threatening illnesses. As a mentor and advocate of sustainable development, she believes in people’s potential to change the world for the better.

Professor at the Silesian University of Technology, specializing in circular economy, waste management, energy recovery from waste, renewable energy, environmental analyses, and project management. He earned his master’s degree in 1993, PhD in 1999, habilitation in 2012, and became a full professor in 2020. He has led over 20 research and implementation projects, including European and international initiatives, and authored nearly 200 scientific publications, including books and articles in prestigious journals. He teaches courses on circular economy, life cycle assessment (LCA), and project management, and his pedagogical work focuses on challenge-based learning, project-based learning, and case teaching. 

​An economist specializing in sustainable economic development based on the circular economy model. His work focuses on driving tangible and measurable circular transformation in areas where the urgency or potential impact of such practices is the greatest, including construction, plastics, and the bioeconomy. To this end, he carries out economic analyses, impact assessments of regulations, and the development of roadmaps. He has led or been involved in numerous projects on the circular economy and its financing. Previously, he worked at the National Bank of Poland as a senior economist, where he analyzed EU funds for innovation and infrastructure, their outcomes, and efficiency.

A biologist by education, she has been involved in EU projects in Norway for many years. She specialises in circular economy and food waste management, and currently works on the TREASoURcE project at Fredrikstad City and Municipality Office. Her experience covers both research and practical implementation of pro-environmental solutions. She is also interested in innovative waste reduction strategies and the creation of sustainable production and consumption systems.

Lawyer, graduate of the University of Warsaw and the University of Montesquieu in Bordeaux, expert in the Circular Economy. Since 2020, President of the ProKarton Foundation, working for the food and beverage carton packaging sector, and since 2021, Member of the Board of the Polish Employers’ Union of Packaging and Products in Packaging EKO-PAK. His professional focus is on circular regulations, the waste management system, and environmental education. From 2009 to 2019, worked in the Polish government administration, serving as coordinator of the development of Poland’s Circular Economy Roadmap.

Entrepreneur in the textile/fashion sustainability sector. Bilingual, persevering, with experience in international environments. Great interest in topics related to the development of circular economy strategies, especially in the textile/fashion sector. Development of fashion, yarn and fabric projects applying self-acquired knowledge in circularity to obtain a competitive position when new European and national regulations come into force. Interest in continuous learning, innovation, research and collaboration with local and international social organizations that can contribute to change in the social, environmental and economic spheres.

He has over ten years of experience in the field of circular economy, gained through industrial and collaborative innovation projects. Since 2019, he has also been actively involved in international standardization efforts (ISO 59000 series). In 2025, Dr. Vildåsen was elected Chair of the Board at the Norwegian Center for Circular Economy (NCCE).

Leszek Kąsek is a Senior Economist in the economic research team at ING Bank Śląski in Warsaw, primarily responsible for sustainability, international trade, energy transition, and green finance in Poland. He joined ING Bank Śląski in 2019 and previously worked for the Ministry of Finance, the World Bank, and Deloitte. Leszek holds a PhD degree in economics from the Warsaw School of Economics and MA degree from the same university. 

Prof. Rafał Marcin Łukasik is a chemical engineer whose career bridges scientific excellence, policy advice, and international cooperation. He is currently the Director of the Research, Innovation and Commercialisation Department at the Łukasiewicz Research Network – Centre Łukasiewicz and serves as the Presidential Plenipotentiary for International Relations. In 2025, he was appointed to the Group of Chief Scientific Advisors to the European Commission, where he contributes independent, evidence-based recommendations on critical challenges for European Union. He also sits on the Executive Board of EARTO, actively shaping European strategies for research and technology organizations.