Professor Veena Sahajwalla
Director, ARC Microrecycling Research Hub Hub Leader, Sustainable Communities and Waste Hub,
National Environmental Science Program Director, Centre for Sustainable Materials Research & Technology

Professor Veena Sahajwalla, an internationally acclaimed materials scientist and engineer is revolutionising recycling science. As the Founding Director of the UNSW SMaRT Centre, she pioneered the high-temperature transformation of waste into “green materials.” Veena invented green steel, a process using recycled tyres in steel production. She also launched the world’s first e-waste MICROfactorieTM in 2018 and subsequent MICROfactoriesTM for plastics and Green Ceramics. Veena leads the ARC Industrial Transformation Research Hub for ‘microrecycling’ and the NESP Sustainable Communities and Waste Hub. In 2022, Professor Veena was named the NSW Australian of the Year, won the Australian Museum Eureka Prize for Promoting Understanding of Science, and the Australian Academy of Technology and Engineering Clunies Ross Innovation Award. In 2023, she launched The ARC Research Hub for Microrecycling of Battery and Consumer Wastes.

Ben Rennie
Co-founder, and Managing Partner, Reny and Chair, Australian chapter of Design Declares

Ben is a designer, creative director, and co-founder of B Corp certified Reny®, with offices in Sydney, the USA, and London by 2025. Renowned for his innovative approach, creating digital experiences and brands that drive impact across community, climate, and humanities.  He  has worked with a vast array of brands such as Patagonia, ProBuild, Oakley, Boody, Re-Design, Adidas, Nike, Cancer Council, City of Sydney, City of Melbourne, Cancer Council, Westpac and St George banks and many more  Ben chairs Design Declares Australia and sits on the Advisory Board for the Surfrider Foundation, and was a Founding Board member of the Chumpy Pullin Foundation. In 2019, Ben spoke at Parliament House on design and was recognised by Fast Company as an international voice in design innovation. Currently, he is working with Curtin University on Design and Indigenous Futures and the DBE Advisory Board including the Redesign Venice Challenge. His book Inhabitus will be available in late 2024.

Su-Fern Tan
Head of ESG, CBRE Pacific Region Chair, Expert Reference Panel, Sustainable Fitouts GBCA

Su-Fern Tan has a blended background in technology and sustainability, with extensive experience in office, life sciences, and industrial sectors.  Su-Fern has held senior roles at Arup, Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Prescriptive Data and Catalent in addition to being on the Board at several high-profile real estate and government committees in the U.S, including the US Green Building Council.  In 2007 her building, CH2, won the “World’s Greenest Building.”  As CBRE’s Head of ESG, Su-Fern drives ESG outcomes through real estate services and proptech; her work enables CBRE to support clients, investors, and communities to deliver and exceed their ESG targets. Su-Fern advises on NYC’s Commercial Buildings Working Group and chairs the Expert Panel on Sustainable Fitouts at the Green Building Council of Australia.

Andrea Rossetto
Head of APAC, Arper

Andrea Rossetto is the Head of APAC at Arper, where he leads the company’s strategic initiatives across the Asia-Pacific region.

As ambassador for sustainability and design, he is committed to driving the conversation on these critical topics with a special focus on innovative materials. Andrea’s work focuses on supporting the A&D Community to include sustainable practices into design processes, and he is dedicated to sharing his expertise and insights with a global audience, fostering a more sustainable and design-conscious future.