Take a look at our esteemed conference speakers for 2022
David Mulwa
Ishida East Africa
David has been with Ishida since April 2019 where he started the office from scratch and is based in Nairobi, previous to that he was the Key Accounts Manager for Bamburi Cement Ltd for 5 years. David has a Bsc. degree in Engineering (Instrumentation & Control) from Egerton University and an MBA from the University of South Wales
Julius Kirima
Ministry of Industrialization, Kenya
Mr. Julius K. Kirima, HSC is the Director of Industries, Chemical & Mineral Industries Directorate, State Department for Industrialization, Ministry of Industrialization, Trade and Enterprise Development. He holds a Bsc. Degree in Chemistry & Mathematics and Msc Degree in Entrepreneurship from Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture & Technology and currently PhD Thesis-writing.
He Successfully served as Coordinator for Kenya Trade and Poverty Programme (KTPP) whose objectives were to champion trade as a tool for development and fighting poverty (2005-2007). He Chaired and Convened the Technical Committee which drafted the Anti- Counterfeit Bill 2008 and engaged the stakeholders including members of Parliament for its Validation, debate and enactment. He was subsequently assigned operationalization of the Anti-Counterfeit Agency and Served as the 1st Ag. Executive Director of the Agency.
He Served as a member of the High-Level Task Force that negotiated the East African Community (EAC) Common Market Protocol and Prepared the EAC Common Industrialization Policy and EAC Anti-Counterfeit Policy. He is a registered Lead Expert on Environment Impact Assessment and Environmental Audit.
On 12th December 2011, he was awarded Head of State Commendation (Civilian Division) for distinguished service to the Republic of Kenya.
Steve Muli
British American Tabacco
Steve has been with BAT Kenya since May 2020, previous to that he was the Environment Health and Safety Manager - East and Central Africa for BAT. His previous experience includes Shell Kenya and Unilever. Steve has a BSc in Mechanical Engineering from Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology. Stephen is a seasoned professional on setting strategic sustainability plans in the manufacturing industry and passionate in executing and driving results in this arena. He has an outstanding track performance on carbon reduction, circular economy, waste management and climate change initiatives.
Sybril Atemo
PwC Eastern Africa
Sybril has been with PwC Eastern Africa since January 2018. Her responsibilities include conceptualizing and designing compelling visual and communications solutions that consistently and clearly communicate PwC’s brand identity across all touchpoints. She looks after five different areas namely Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda and Zambia. Previously she was the founder & Creative Director for Vangarde Afrika and Creative Marketing & Communications Consultant for the Rift Valley Marathon.
John Lomberg
ROTOCON MACHINES
John has been in the financial services industry for the last 25 years and occupied various senior and Executive roles in companies like Old Mutual, Sanlam and Metropolitan, and Santam. He is currently the Director for Market and Business Development for ROTOCON. His role is to grow ROTOCON’s footprint in new markets in South Africa, East and West Africa. John is also responsible to position ROTOCON as a relevant and responsible corporate citizen with all key and relevant Stakeholders in South Africa.
John’s expertise ranges from Business Strategy Development, Sales Management, and Leadership Development. He serves on various Boards and forums in the business sector in Southern Africa.
John was raised in Graaff-Reinet in the Karoo. He matriculated from Spandau Senior Secondary school and went on to do his pre-and post-graduate studies at UWC in the Western Cape, USB, and Milton Keynes in Scotland. He is married to Thandi and has 2 adult children.
Wambui Mbarire
Retail Trade Association of Kenya
Wambui Mbarire is a well-respected influencer in Retail sector in the Region. She is currently the Chief Executive Officer of Retail Trade Association of Kenya (RETRAK). Ms. Mbarire has been with the association since its inception and has built it up to be The Voice of retailers, sort by both Government and Private Sector. She has been instrumental in defining policy and regulatory framework for the Sectors positioning and exponential growth. She also seats as a Council Member of the Africa Retail Academy, based at the Lagos Business School in Nigeria.
Wambui champions responsible development and stewardship of various social sectors including sitting in the Impala club Board. She has been serving as the Sergeant at Arms of the Rotary Club of Lavington Eco and is currently the President Elect. Wambui is also Board Member, Kenya Producer Responsibility (KEPRO), Tourism taskforce member. Wambui is an accomplished administrator with over eighteen years’ all-round experience. Wambuiis the holder of a Bachelor of Education Degree, from Kenyatta University, and a Certified Public Accountant from Strathmore University.
She has worked in personnel and human capital management, finance, administration field and operations management.
Ms. Mbarire has been with the association since its formation and has helped build it up to be The Voice of retailers, sort by both Government and Private Sector for dialogue and various partnerships. She passionately champions best practices in the retail sector.
She has worked in personnel and human capital management, finance, administration field and operations management.
Joachim Westerveld
Highlands Mineral Water
Joachim Westerveld has an established career in business and entrepreneurship with extensive experience working in business strengthening and development in challenging environments across Africa and Pakistan. He is a leader in sustainability, which stems from his approach to place sustainability as a core pillar to business. At Bio Foods, he has placed it at the heart of their operations, creating a sustainable business that not only produces the cleanest, best tasting, and healthiest products but also considers its social and environmental impact, both now and in the future.
He currently serves on the Kenya Extended Producer Responsibility Organization (KEPRO) Board.
Richard Kainika
Kenya Association of Waste Recyclers
Richard Kainika, Secretary General, Kenya Association of Waste Recyclers (KAWR). Richard is a recycling enthusiast, circular economy advocate, and entrepreneur in recycling. He is the Secretary General of the Kenya Association of Waste Recyclers (KAWR) and serves as the Vice Chair, Recycling G4G Committee at KEPRO.
Richard is passionate about making the world a better place for posterity through recycling and recovery of value from waste. He believes in the power of coming together with like-minded people to heal our planet cause happiness, better health, and sustainability. He currently serves on the Kenya Extended Producer Responsibility Organization (KEPRO) Board.
Akshay Shah
Silafrica
Akshay Shah, Group Executive Director, Silafrica. Akshay is a respected & accomplished leader in the Sustainable Plastics Packaging Industry, and a strong advocate for transitioning to a Circular Economy in Africa. In his role at Silafrica, one of Africa's leading sustainable plastic packaging manufacturing company for leading FMCG brands, his focus is on achieving sustainable growth through technology leadership & circular economy.
He believes the transition to realizing a true circular economy is only possible through teamwork by partnering with all stakeholders, and the benefit is a sustainable environment with huge job creation potential. He currently serves as the Board Chairperson on the Kenya Extended Producer Responsibility Organization (KEPRO) Board.
Priyen Tanna
Kenya Extended Producer Responsibility Organization
Priyen is an Engineer with 20+ years of diversified experience in World Class Manufacturing in areas such as project and operations management and manufacturing efficiency improvements. He has a proven track record of consistently achieving and exceeding results through a dynamic combination of demonstrated leadership attributes and strong project management skills. He has combined his diverse background of knowledge and experience in creating solutions for challenges with a deep passion for environmental issues, sustainability and community to form partnerships geared towards building a sustainable future.
He currently serves as the Technical Lead Consultant of the Kenya Extended Producer Responsibility Organization (KEPRO) Secretariat.
Henning Post
Krones East Africa
Stefano Pisanu
ACO Kenya & East Africa
Stefano is an Italian engineer, working as Managing Director for ACO East Africa. ACO Group is one of the world market leaders in drainage technology. His role in ACO is to establish and develop the company business in East African countries such as Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, and Rwanda among others.
Stefano has extensive experience of the African construction sector since he has been undertaking various roles as Senior and Executive Manager for ACO in the Sub-Saharan Region since 2015. Before joining ACO, Stefano was working in Brazil as civil engineer for Egis, a global consulting, construction, and engineering firm.
Stefano was born in Sardinia, Italy. He holds a double master’s degree in engineering in Italy and China. Before settling in Kenya, he lived in Brazil and South Africa.
Matteo Melegatti
Soma
Matteo has been with SOMA since March 2020 as Area Sales Manager. Previous to that he was a Technical Sales Representative for Simonazzi srl based in Milan, Itlay. SOMA is a flexographic printing press and converting equipment manufacturer based in Lanškroun, Czech Republic. The company's key products are flexographic presses, slitter rewinders, laminators, plate mounters, sheeters and die cutters.
Bernhard Stipsits
Blue Air Systems GmbH
Bernhard has a Master’s degree in Business & Economics and over twenty-five years of experience in the international plastics industry with the main focus being on auxiliary equipment in the drying and cooling field. His functional experience includes Marketing research, sales support and new business and market development.
Michelle Penlington
Polyoak Packaging (Pty) Ltd
Michelle Penlington, National Executive: Marketing and Sustainability, Polyoak Packaging (Pty) Ltd
Michelle Penlington joined the Polyoak Packaging Group in 2013 as National Marketing Executive, combining her industrial psychology, commercial and project management training with her passion for the environment. In 2020 her role expanded to include Sustainability and she currently serves as Chairperson of the SA Plastics Pact Steering Committee.
Michelle Penlington joined the Polyoak Packaging Group in 2013 as National Marketing Executive, combining her industrial psychology, commercial and project management training with her passion for the environment. In 2020 her role expanded to include Sustainability and she currently serves as Chairperson of the SA Plastics Pact Steering Committee.
After working in the UK for 14 years in International Duty Free for Cadbury Schweppes and doing brand management, product development and consumer research for some of Britain’s most loved food brands (Oxo, Hartley’s and Loyd Grossman), Michelle returned to South Africa with her husband and two children, now 11 and 9.
They spend their weekends hiking and road tripping, and Michelle is a keen writer and Djembe drumming enthusiast.
JOYCE GACHUGI - WAWERU
PETCO KENYA
Joyce is a sustainability practitioner with 16 (sixteen) years of work experience gained from working for institutions in both the public and private sector across Africa and the United States of America. Currently, she is the Country Manager of the Kenya PET Recycling Company Limited (PETCO KENYA), the first registered and operational producer responsibility in Kenya. In her role she is driving collective action within the PET Plastic packaging sector toward responsible production and consumption. She has under her stewardship companies such as Coca-Cola, Unilever, BIDCO Africa, Kevian Kenya, BIO Foods, Coca-Cola Beverages Africa (Kenya), The House of Peptang, Naivas Supermarkets, Tuskys Supermarkets among others.
As a social scientist, she is naturally predisposed to tackling issues affecting society. Over the duration of her career, she has been able to create transformational impact for various institutions in the areas of carbon asset development, waste management, climate finance, renewable energy and environmental management.
Joyce is an alumnus of Strathmore Business School, Kenyatta University (Bachelor of Science – Environmental Science, Hons.) and currently a student at Cambridge Judge Business School, a member of the Environmental Institute of Kenya (EIK) and a registered environmental impact assessment lead expert with the National Environmental Management Authority (NEMA).
She currently serves on the board of the Joanne Chazima Sickle Cell Foundation. In 2019, Joyce was nominated as a Global Sustainability Leader by the US Green Chamber of Commerce for her work in driving collective action in the management of post-consumer PET plastics in Kenya.
Her passions are around building partnerships, championing gender equality, promoting social impact and developing social entrepreneurs.
Joyce loves to cook, travel and farm, despite loving sport as a metaphor for life, only Tennis and long walks are her sporting hobbies of choice.
Joyce is married. Life’s Mantra – We are born with a blank canvas, paint your picture in the brightest colours.
Links:
https://usgreenchamber.com/global-leader-joyce-waweru-2/
https://www.csc-foundation.org/our-team/
