Patrick Schröder specialises in research on the global transition to an inclusive circular economy with a focus on international policy coordination, closing the investment gap, the role of global trade and the contribution of the circular economy to the Sustainable Development Goals. Prior to joining Chatham House, he was Research Fellow at the Institute of Development Studies at the University of Sussex. From 2008–15 he was based in Beijing where he worked extensively in development cooperation programmes of the European Union and climate change programmes with GIZ. He is currently coordinating lead author for UNEP’s Global Environmental Outlook 7. Patrick holds a BA in Chinese from the University of Westminster and received his MA in international relations and PhD in environmental studies from Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand.
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Elisa Tonda
Chief, Resources and Markets Branch
United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)
Elisa Tonda works for the industry and economy division of UNEP. She has more than 20 years’ experience in the field of environmental management, business sustainability, resource efficiency, sustainable consumption and production, the circular economy and sustainable development. She began her career in the private sector as an environmental expert and then held several positions in UN organisations.
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Florian Marin
Member
European Economic and Social Committee (EESC)
Florian Marin is an economist specialising in local and rural development, sustainable development, circularity and managing European structural and investment funds. He is the former vice-president of the Romanian Economic and Social Council, an alternate member in the executive board of the National Trade Union Block confederation, president of the Federation of Free Trade Unions in Romania and member of the European Social Fund monitoring committee. Marin has a PhD and conducts postdoctoral research in economic sciences.
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Peter Schmidt
NAT Section President
European Economic and Social Committee (EESC)
Born in 1962, Peter Schmidt's first occupation was cheesemaker. Later, he was a regional officer of the NGG food and catering trade union for 27 years, in charge of dairy industries and bakeries. Since 2014 he has been a member of the EESC's Group II (workers). From 2015 to 2018, he was the president of the EESC's permanent study group on sustainable food systems. From 2018 to 2020, he was the president of the EESC's sustainable development observatory. He is one of the founding members of the European Circular Economy Stakeholder Platform and continues to support the platform in his current capacity at the EESC, responsible for agriculture, rural development and environment.
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Alice Senga
Administrator, ECESP Secretariat
European Economic and Social Committee (EESC)
Seasoned communications expert Alice holds a master's in digital communication, which she complemented by EU environmental policies and law studies. She has worked in the social economy field for four years and is now part of the team managing the European Circular Economy Stakeholder Platform’s (ECESP) secretariat at the EESC. Over the years, she worked and facilitated policymakers and stakeholders in various configurations, including high-level events such as the platform's annual conference and the #EUCircularTalks concept.
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Christoffer Vestli
International Relations Officer
European Commission
Since 2020, Christoffer Vestli has been part of the multilateral team of the Directorate-General Environment of the European Commission, overseeing plastics negotiations and part of the circular economy action plan. He has worked with GACERE, the OnePlanet Network and other international projects related to sustainable consumption and production. He has experience in international relations and Norwegian legislation on the circular economy and waste management.
Guido Rink has been vice mayor of the city of Emmen since 2018. He is responsible for economic development and sustainability, mobility, international affairs, cooperation in the Northern Netherlands, events and hospitality, social support and inclusion. He is also a member of the European Committee of the Regions (CoR) at the EU and is a rapporteur and spokesman of Regulation on Artificial Intelligence for the CoR. Rink is political chair of the small and medium sized cities platform in the POLIS network. One of Rink’s priorities is the transition to a fully circular economy. He sees the urgency of this transition and clearly understands that this transition requires intensive cooperation with various stakeholders, public and private. He also strongly believes in collaboration between circular cities and regions across Europe.
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Juan Carlos Castro Vargas
Minister of Environment
Ministry of Environment, Peru
Juan Carlos Castro Vargas was nominated to his current role in February 2023. He is a biologist graduated from the National University of Trujillo, with a master's in environmental management from the University Santiago Antúnez de Mayolo. With more than 20 years’ experience, he is the former chief of the National Water Authority (ANA) and held management positions in different institutions of the public sector in Peru, such as the National Institute of Natural Resources (INRENA); the Environmental Evaluation and Oversight Agency (OEFA); the Ministry of Housing, Construction and Sanitation (MVCS); and the Ministry of Agrarian Development and Irrigation (MIDAGRI). His experience covers water resources management, watersheds, environmental assessment and public management.
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Nelson Pereira dos Reis
Vice President
Federation of Industries of the State of São Paulo (FIESP)
Nelson Pereira dos Reis leads the sustainable development department of FIESP and the Center of Industries of the State of São Paulo (CIESP). He is also the president of the Union of Chemical Products for Industrial Purposes and Petrochemicals of the State of São Paulo. In his journey as an executive working to conciliate the competitiveness of the industry with the improvement of environmental quality and social well-being, he presided over Copebrás and Anglo American's operations in Brazil and was executive president of the Brazilian Chemical Industry Association.
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Anna Cameron
Head of Sector
European Economic and Social Committee (EESC)
Anna Cameron's first career was as mayor of a historic town in the Eifel region of Germany. She joined the EESC in 2019, and is now leading their work on climate, sustainability and the circular economy. She co-ordinates the secretariat of the European Circular Economy Stakeholder Platform, managing the triangular relationship between the EESC, the European Commission and circular economy stakeholders on the ground to push for more circularity in the EU and beyond.