Circular Change (CC) is a Slovenia-based think and do tank connecting ideas, people and action. Since 2016, CC has been pioneering the circular and bioeconomy transition worldwide. From international Circular Change Conferences with 500+ participants to co-creating national roadmaps, Circular Academies and CE Hubs, CC turns vision into systemic impact. They integrate creative industries, science and policy, bridging bioeconomy and circular economy to co-create regenerative and inclusive futures. As co-creator of Transition Brokers and originators of Circular Diplomacy, CC promotes network governance and collaborative leadership. Active in EU projects and global dialogues, they bring a systemic, human and creative spirit to every transformation.

Ladeja Godina Košir is an internationally recognised systemic thinker and transition broker, and Founder and Executive Director of Circular Change. For eight years she was Co-Chair of the ECESP. She co-creates CE roadmaps, foresight exercises and hubs, advancing network governance and circular diplomacy across Europe and beyond. An inspiring keynote speaker, lecturer, author and board member, she bridges bioeconomy and circular economy in policy, business and culture. Ladeja led five Circular Change International Conferences, consulted governments from Serbia to Chile, and chaired the BIOeast Circular Bioeconomy Foresight 2050 Expert Group. She serves as Chair of the International Council of the CE Forum Austria, and Member of Chapter Zero Slovenia and other international CE boards. Finalist of the Circular Leadership Award 2018 (Davos WEF), featured in #EUwomen4future (2020) and recipient of the Elle Green Style Award 2025.

FEAD represents the private waste and resource management industry across Europe. Its members, national waste management associations and companies, operate across the entire value chain, including collection, sorting, recycling, recovery and disposal. FEAD brings together around 3 000 private waste management companies, which operate in 60% of Europe’s municipal waste markets and 75% of industrial and commercial waste, supporting over 500 000 local jobs. FEAD’s vision is to shift Europe's overall material use towards recycled materials, promoting sustainable waste management as a cornerstone of the circular economy, contributing to environmental protection, resource efficiency and climate goals.

Paolo Campanella is Secretary-General of FEAD, leading the organisation’s advocacy for a stronger and more coherent European legislative framework to support the circular economy. With over ten years of experience across multiple areas of the waste sector, including plant design, operational management, consultancy and public affairs, he brings a comprehensive understanding of the industry's challenges and opportunities. Trained as an environmental engineer, he has managed the design and permitting of waste treatment facilities and assessed project proposals within the public administration of the Province of Bari (Italy). He previously served as a board member of the Italian Association of Environmental Engineers. 

Interact represents all programmes run by Interreg, the EU’s instrument for territorial cooperation, helping regions and communities work together across borders on shared challenges. Through its Smarter and Greener Europe networks, Interact connects programmes and projects advancing the circular economy, from resource efficiency and waste reduction to digital and innovation-driven circular solutions. It facilitates learning, exchange and policy linkages, ensuring that results from cooperation shape regional and EU transitions alike. By linking circular innovation with territorial development, Interact showcases how collaboration across borders delivers both smarter systems and greener outcomes, turning Europe’s circular ambitions into practical, place-based action.

Nicolas Garnier is Thematic Capitalisation Manager at Interact, leading the Greener Europe policy network and supporting Interreg programmes as they step up their impact on sustainability, climate and the circular economy. He facilitates cooperation and knowledge exchange amongst regions and EU actors, helping translate project results into policy learning and strategic action. With experience in environmental governance, innovation and regional cooperation, Nicolas drives capitalisation efforts that connect circular solutions across Europe, from local experimentation to EU-wide policy dialogue. His work focuses on making cooperation a catalyst for a greener, more resilient and circular Europe.

The Rediscovery Centre is Ireland's national centre for the circular economy. Since 2004, the centre has been leading Ireland’s transition to a circular economy and low-carbon, sustainable future. Based in Europe’s first circular economy demonstration centre, the Rediscovery Centre acts as an innovation hub, delivering education, providing research and enabling policy, citizen engagement and collaboration to support community action. Recognising that a just transition requires a social movement, they use their skills and expertise to ensure that all people benefit from, and can participate in, the circular economy. Their work is supported by key strategic partners and includes a range of public engagement, education and research programmes, workshops and training courses across broad disciplines.

Appointed Chief Executive of the Rediscovery Centre in February, Claire brings over 20 years' experience in the sector to this role and is a dedicated advocate for circular living. Claire actively contributes to national and international policy development, groundbreaking circular economy research and education initiatives in Ireland and beyond, and is a fellow of the Chartered Institute of Waste Management.

Sitra – The Finnish Innovation Fund is a pioneer in advancing the circular economy globally. As the initiator of the world’s first national circular economy road map, Sitra addresses societal challenges that shape our world. Their international programmes collaborate with partners to solve global challenges, enhance well-being and boost economic growth within the Earth’s carrying capacity. They drive systemic change through research, innovation and stakeholder collaboration. Promoting circular business models, skills, jobs and policies, they actively contribute to EU-level initiatives such as the European Circular Economy Stakeholder Platform (ECESP). Globally, Sitra advances circularity through the EU Circular Economy Resource Centre (EU CERC) and the World Circular Economy Forum (WCEF), a leading annual conference and global platform for knowledge exchange and partnership building, initiated by Sitra.

Kari Herlevi is Programme Director for Global Circular Economy at Sitra. He leads Sitra's international efforts to advance the circular economy, focusing on systemic change, foresight and cross-sectoral partnerships. Kari has played a key role in shaping global circular economy dialogues, including the WCEF and the EU CERC. With a background in sustainability and innovation policy, he works to align well-being and economic growth with planetary boundaries. Kari is a frequent speaker at international events and a driving force behind Sitra’s global initiatives to promote regenerative and inclusive circular solutions.

Generation Climate Europe (GCE) is the largest coalition of youth-led networks at European level on climate and environmental issues. Uniting the largest youth-led networks in Europe, they bring together 381 national organisations across 46 countries in Europe.

Arianna Crosera is Coordinator of the Circular Economy Working Group at GCE. She has a background in European and international law. In GCE, she has worked to advocate for a more circular economy with a focus on intergenerational justice, in particular in relation to the digital economy. She has represented GCE in high-level venues such as the EU Industrial Forum, EU Raw Materials Week, the ECESP and the International Energy Agency's 8th Annual Global Conference on Energy Efficiency. Across these roles, she has worked to ensure that youth voices shape the environmental and energy transition at every step of the legislative process. She is currently a Ph.D. researcher in Law at the European University Institute. As an academic in EU environmental and energy law, she regularly contributes to international conferences with her work on regulating the environmental impact of the data-centre industry. 

ACR+ is an international network of cities and regions sharing a common goal: promoting sustainable resource management practices. Established to encourage innovation, knowledge transfer and cooperation, they are at the forefront of the movement toward a circular economy, where resources are used sustainably and waste is minimised, where sub-national authorities play a key role and establish strong partnerships with a multitude of stakeholders. 

Anita Lombardo is a Project and Policy Officer at ACR+, where she manages EU-funded projects focusing on circular public procurement, construction and demolition waste, EPR and circular bioeconomy. With experience across the public, private and non-profit sectors, she has engaged with diverse stakeholders and developed expertise in policy analysis, project management and cross-sectoral collaboration. Anita has worked at Nespresso and at the European Commission’s Secretariat General, gaining deep insights into mainstreaming sustainability considerations in production value chains and policy. Fluent in English, French and Spanish, Anita holds a Master’s degree in Sustainable Development and her wide-ranging expertise enables her to navigate the complexities of EU programmes and sustainable development initiatives.  

The Environmental Coalition on Standards (ECOS) is an international NGO with a network of members and experts advocating for environmentally friendly technical standards, policies and laws. For over two decades, they have shaped environmentally ambitious standards, policies and laws in areas such as the clean transition to a circular economy, building a renewable and efficient energy system and fighting greenwashing. They are also pushing for a more inclusive, open and transparent standardisation system at all levels, and the appropriate use of standards in support of environmental legislation and policy.

As Head of the Circular Economy and Nature team at ECOS, Mariana leads efforts to advance environmental priorities in international and EU policy and to strengthen the representation of environmental interests in standardisation. She is responsible for developing and implementing ECOS’ strategy on Circular Economy and Nature.