Presentations

Dr Andy Bush – Managing Director, International Lead Association, UK

Dr Andy Bush is Managing Director of the International Lead Association (ILA), which represents the lead industry globally. After joining the organisation in 1997 he coordinated the lead industry’s activities on the EU REACH Regulation and several other key EU regulatory programs, before being appointed ILA Managing Director in 2011. Dr Bush led a global restructuring of several lead industry organisations, refocusing efforts on a new, coordinated strategy to promote and protect the interests of the lead industry worldwide. He also oversaw the launch in 2019 of the Consortium for Battery Innovation – formerly the Advanced Lead Acid Battery Consortium.

Mr Maurizio Mori – Sales, GME Recycling, Italy

Maurizio Mori holds a Degree in Economics and Business Administration from Università Cattolica di Milano, and a Masters Degree in Marketing. He started his professional journey at Samsung Electronics as a Product Manager Support, then continued on to Candy Group (currently Haier group) connecting consumers’ needs with new technologies, enablers of a greater value, within the consumer technology industry.

Keen on the commercial dimension and passionate about digital and new ways to interact with consumers, in 2016 Maurizio joined Whirlpool Corporation Group, driving new product development from scratch up to sellout strategies and initiatives, on different product categories and across EMEA, pursing strong track of records on all relevant KPIs.

Today Maurizio is serving GME commercial operations with the aim of spreading a sustainable and green technological message around Circular economy industry.

Mr Gianni Mori – Managing Director, Gianni Mori Engineering SRL (GME), Italy

Gianni Mori graduated as a Mechanical Engineer from  Politecnico di Milano in 1975. He joined A. TONOLLI & C, starting his very first journey in the non-ferrous metals’ recycling industry, being part of the engineering department and becoming one of the youngest Team Technical Directors at the age of 35. Over time, Gianni expanded his knowledge into the Used Lead-Acid Batteries (ULAB) and Aluminium UBC (Used Beverage Cans) fields, practicing and innovating in the designing and manufacturing of Plants to be suitable in almost every environmental and climatic situation travelling among the 5 continents.

Wanting to pay forward what he had learnt from previous experience, Gianni began sharing his experience as a technical consultant with many different stakeholders, including Universities and medium/large sector’s Companies. Noticing the world was becoming more Sustainability-aware, he went to become Head of Recycling at BERNARDI IMPIANTI, an international group with the willingness to expand their presence into the non-ferrous metals recycling sector, directing and taking the responsibility of large-scale projects.

With the aim of finding purpose, harnessing collaboration and driving change in the sector, Gianni decided to pursue his biggest dream: creating his own company along with the best people he had met in his journey as a team, to partner with various stakeholders in creating impactful innovation in the recycling field, aiming big and dreaming of building engineering production and consumption circular models to radically reduce the usage of world’s virgin raw materials.

Dr A.K. Ola Hekselman – CEO and Co-founder, Solveteq, UK

Dr A.K. Ola Hekselman is a Research Fellow at Imperial College London. In 2020, she and Prof. David Payne co-founded Solveteq, an Imperial spin-out company, to further develop and commercialise a lead recycling method based on the use of Deep Eutectic Solvents. Ola is a chemist by training and worked with various battery technologies since 2009.

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Doug Lambert – Vice President of Sales and Technology, Wirtz Manufacturing Company, Inc., USA

Joined Oldham Batteries (Denton, Manchester, UK) in February 1977, and now with over 44 years of experience in the lead-acid battery industry; working for battery manufacturers, battery manufacturing equipment suppliers, and 12 years as a specialist lead-acid product and process consultant, is currently;

Vice President of Sales and Technology, for WIRTZ Manufacturing Company Inc., Port Huron, Michigan, USA (having re-joined WIRTZ in August 2011 as Technology Manager, and accepting the VP role in October 2012).

John W Wirtz II – President, Wirtz Manufacturing Company, Inc., USA

David Scott – Regional Sales Manager – Asia Pacific, Wirtz Manufacturing Company, Inc., Australia

Ms Syeda Nurunnahar – Senior Research Officer, international center for diarrheal disease research, Bangladesh (icddr,b), Bangladesh

Syeda Nurunnahar is a Public Health Researcher working in the environmental Intervention unit at the international center for diarrheal disease research Bangladesh (icddr,b). Syeda obtained her BSS and MSS degree in Anthropology from Dhaka University. She assists mentorship of Masters Students belonging to Stanford University in the  U.S. A. Syeda has expertise in exploring the research context, making strategic plans and implementing interventions. Syeda Nurunnahar has a growing interest on working heavy metal toxic contamination issues. She is currently working on a project to assess, mitigate and prevent exposure to toxic lead from unsound industrial activities and contamination products.

Mr Ziaur Khan – Professor, Bangladesh Universityof Engineering and Technology (BUET), Bangladesh

Dr. Md. Ziaur Rahman Khan is a professor at the department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering (EEE) in Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET), Dhaka, Bangladesh. He completed his B.Sc. M.Sc. degrees in EEE from BUET. He obtained his Doctorate (PhD) degree from University of Cambridge, UK. He delivered 21 Masters Degrees and has published more than 100 articles in the reputed conferences and journals. He worked as the national expert for the EV charging policy of Bangladesh. He has implemented several projects on electric three wheels and worked with Bangladesh Railway for the possible introduction of electric traction system in Bangladesh.

Ms Jenna Forsyth – Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Woods Institute for the Environment, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA, USA

Jenna is a postdoctoral fellow with the Woods Institute for the Environment. She completed her PhD with the Emmett Interdisciplinary Program in Environment and Resources and obtained her Master’s in Civil and Environmental Engineering from the University of Washington. Her research brings together principles of environmental science, epidemiology, and behavior change. She hopes to develop and evaluate interventions to minimize exposures to contaminants and disease vectors in low-income countries. Her most recent research on lead contamination in food has brought her to Bangladesh.

Ms Amrita Kundu – Assistant Professor, McDonough School of Business, Georgetown University, USA

Amrita Kundu is an Assistant Professor of Operations and Information Management at the McDonough School of Business, Georgetown University. She conducts interdisciplinary empirical research to discover ways in which businesses can create social value and improve environmental sustainability. She completed her PhD in Management Science and Operations at London Business School and postdoc from the Stanford Graduate School of Business. Prior to that she worked at the World Bank.

Ms Erica Plambeck – Professor, Woods Institute for the Environment, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA, USA

Erica Plambeck is the Charles A. Holloway Professor of Operations, Information & Technology in the Stanford Graduate School of Business and Senior Fellow in the Woods Institute for the Environment. Erica received the Presidential Early Career Award for research in supply chain management, and was recognized as a Faculty Pioneer in social and environmental stewardship. Erica, received a BS in Mathematics and Industrial Engineering from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, developed decision-models for EU climate change policy as a Marshall Scholar at Cambridge University, and received her PhD in Engineering Economic Systems and Operations Research from Stanford University.

Mr Mahbubur Rahman – Project Coordinator, international center for diarrheal disease research, Bangladesh (icddr,b), Bangladesh

Dr. Md. Mahbubur Rahman is a medical graduate with masters of public health and populations sciences with 22years of experience in public health research. Dr. Rahman has been leading Environmental Interventions Unit at icddr,b which employed a team of public health professionals, epidemiologists, anthropologists, social scientists and statisticians. He has been working on lead issues since 2014 and works on a range of environmental health issues in Bangladesh. He has published 74 research articles in the peer reviewed journal and presented research findings in many conferences. Dr. Rahman has been collaborating with many renowned researchers around the globe.

Mr Qiong Wang – Associate Professor, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, USA

Qiong Wang received his PhD in Engineering and Public Policy from Carnegie-Mellon University, worked at Bell Labs as a Member of Technical Staff, and is now an associate professor of Industrial and Systems Engineering with University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He conducts research on models and analyses of business systems and processes, focusing on developing efficient operational strategies, assessing environmental and other societal impacts, and making policy recommendations. He has published his work in Management Science, Operations Research, and other leading journals of his field.

Mr Nazmul Hassan – Research Assistant, Bangladesh Universityof Engineering and Technology (BUET), Bangladesh

Hi, my name is Nazmul Hassan, I have completed my B.Sc in EEE from BUET in 2021. Currently doing my M.Sc in the same Dept and working on a project as a Research Assistant which is a collaboration between BUET, ICDDRB and Stanford Graduate Business School. My research interests focus on Renewable Energy, Energy Storage System, Power Electronics Converter, Smart and Micro Grid System.

Vijay Kumar Pareek – Executive Director, Gravita India, India

Mr. Vijay Pareek is executive director and SBU Head for Lead Business at Gravita India Ltd, heading the global Lead business of the Gravita group. He is a regular participant and speaker at various international conferences. In the past 28 years of experience his assignments are spread from sales & marketing and business developments in various industries including the power sector and Non-ferrous Metals.

Mr. Pareek holds degree in Metallurgy and Masters in Business administration.

Dr Vipin Tyagi – CTO & Co-founder, ACE Green Recycling, Inc, USA

Dr Vipin Tyagi is the CTO and Co-founder of ACE Green Recycling, Inc. He is passionate about the environment, sustainability and entrepreneurship. He co-founded ACE with the aim of providing a cost-effective and zero-pollution recycling technology for lead-acid batteries, which is the most recycled commodity globally. Prior to starting ACE, he worked at Merrill Lynch in commodity trading and structuring space in Houston and Singapore, where he developed a keen understanding of the metals and energy markets. Vipin holds a Ph. D. in Mechanical Engineering from Texas A&M University and a B. Tech. in Mechanical Engineering from IIT Bombay.

Massimo Maccagni – Senior Metallurgist, Engitec Technologies, Italia

Massimo Maccagni is a Consultant Senior Technologist at Engitec Technologies S.p.A. He graduated with a PhD equivalent in Industrial Chemistry (specializing in Electrochemistry and Metallurgy) in 1980 at Milan State University. Following his studies he was a researcher at De Nora Impianti Elettrochimici, studying electrocatalysts and electrochemical processes. Later on he was responsible for the Technical Service of the Italian Dow Chemical distributor. In 1990 he took on the role of R&D manager of Engitec studying new processes for the production of non ferrous metals.

Daniele Silla – Commercial Department Manager, Engitec Technologies S.p.A., Italy

Daniele Silla is the Commercial Department Manager at Engitec Technologies S.p.A. He holds a Degree in Economics and Management from the University L. Bocconi (Milan), as well as a Masters Degree in Applied Economics from Catholic University (Milan). After completing his studies, Daniele went on to work in the Technical Local Unit at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Senegal, and after that he worked in Business Development and Finance for Decal SpA. He started at Engitec Technologies in 2013.

Dr Steve Binks – Regulatory Affairs Director, International Lead Association, UK

Steve Binks joined ILA in 2011 as Regulatory Affairs Director, having previously worked as Director of Hazard Assessment & Communication at GlaxoSmithKline. He has been employed in roles involving understanding and influencing developing legislation since joining SC Johnson as European Product Safety Manager in 1991. Steve is currently the chair of the Eurometaux Regulatory forum that assesses EU legislative development that impacts Associations and companies in the non-ferrous metals sector.

Daniel Trindade – Research and Development Manager, Antares Recycling, Brazil

Daniel Trindade has a master’s degree in Environmental Engineering from UTFPR – Federal Technological University of Paraná, Industrial Chemist graduated from UTFPR – Federal Technological University of Paraná, and administration from the Technical School of Management Training – SEBRAE of Minas Gerais. He currently holds the position of Research and Development Manager at Antares Recycling.

Murilo Moises – Technological Innovation Researcher, Federal Technological University of Paraná, Brazil

Graduated in Chemistry from the State University of Maringá, Master in Urban Engineering from the State University of Maringá and Ph.D. in Chemistry from the State University of Maringá. He is currently adjunct professor at the Federal Technological University of Paraná and permanent member of the Postgraduate Program in Environmental Engineering (PPGEA) at UTFPR. He has experience in the area of ​​industrial chemistry, intellectual property. Works in the areas of innovative processes to add value to industrial waste, manufacturing and application of porous materials (coal, zeolites, MOFs, clays, HDL) and gas capture, storage and purification.

Dr Alistair Davidson – Director, Consortium for Battery Innovation

Dr Alistair Davidson is Director of CBI, managing all the consortium’s work programs. Alistair attended the University of Oxford and obtained a PhD at the University of Edinburgh. He has lectured at both Washington State University, USA and the University of Chongqing, China.

Brian Wilson – Consultant, International Lead Association, UK

Brian has been working in the Lead Industry for the past 40 years, initially with Britannia Refined Metals in the UK, then the International Lead Zinc Research Organization and for the past 15 years for the International Lead Association. Brian is also a member of the Pure Earth Technical Advisory Board and as an Independent Consultant has been engaged by the Basel Secretariat, UNEP, ERM, the OeKO Institute and Pure Earth. During the last 40 years Brian has worked in every continent except Antarctica and no less than 51 different countries.

Huw Roberts – Director, CHR Metals Limited, United Kingdom

Huw Roberts is an economist and co-founder with Claire Hassall of CHR Metals Limited. The company has an international reputation for providing in-depth analysis of the global zinc and lead industries, offering particular insight into developments in China. Huw’s career in the metals industry included working for an LME broker, a number of years with a mining company and senior positions in metals industry consultancy. CHR Metals was established in 2000 and has offices in the UK and China.

L Pugazhenthy – Executive Director, India Lead Zinc Development Association, India

Mr L Pugazhenthy, well known as “Mr Pug”, a Past National President of The Indian Institute of Metals (IIM) is also the Executive Director of India Lead Zinc Development Association, a 60 year old non–profit, non-commercial body that disseminates technical information on Lead & Zinc and their downstream markets. He is a Metallurgical Engineer by profession followed by Post Graduation in Business Management. He has more than 45 years experience in the applications of Lead & Zinc; he was instrumental in drafting the Battery (Management & Handling) Rules for the Ministry of Environment & Forest, Govt. of India. Pug also received the International Lead Medal, at Macau, in 2009.

Mr Andreas Manhart – Senior Researcher, Oeko-Institut, Germany

Andreas Manhart is Senior Research at Oeko-Institut, a non-profit value driven research institute based in Germany. Andreas Manhart has been working on e-waste and battery recycling projects since 2008 and particularly looks at challenges and solutions around managing worst polluting waste types in low- and middle-income countries. He maintains a broad network of partner organizations from civil society, industry, academia and policymaking in African countries. Amongst others, he coordinated cooperation projects for UNEP, GIZ, KfW, the World Resources Forum, The World Economic Forum and the Global Battery Alliance.

Bryan Nelson – Technical Services, Allied Mineral Products, United States

Bryan Nelson is a Ceramic Engineer, having attended Missouri Science & Technology from 1977-1981. He has spent much of his career at a North American Refractories company doing research, technical services and marketing in the Nonferrous Metals Market. He has also been involved in National Refractories heading up the Nonferrous Metals Group. Since 2012 he has worked for Allied Mineral Products in sales and is now Technical Manager – Nonferrous Metals.
Bryan is the inventor of porous plug technology for injecting various gases in aluminum and copper (the original brand name was the AL CLean System). He is the holder of a joint patent on New Carbon Bake Brick Technology.

Andy Bush – International Lead Association

Mr Mark Stevenson – Director, Global Lead Technologies

Mark Stevenson has been involved in the lead smelting and battery industry for the past 41 years. His career has covered all facets of primary and secondary lead research and production and battery development working in numerous roles over these years. He is currently the Technical Director for Global Lead Technologies and holds numerous positions throughout the world including Chairman of the Asian Battery and Secondary Lead conferences.

Darren Nelson – Director, Anglesite Management, Australia

Darren Nelson is Chemical Engineer, graduating from the University of Newcastle with first class honors in 1996. Darren spent the early part of his career working in primary lead and zinc smelters with a focus on blast furnaces, zinc roasters and metal refining. Since 2007 Darren has focused on the secondary lead field, working at Australian Refined Alloys Sydney and Melbourne facilities before moving in 2010 to manage the operations at the engitec plant of Enirgi Power Storage in Wagga Wagga. Darren has expertise in all facets of process operations, including business economics, process improvements, factory expansions and obtaining government approvals.

Darren retired in 2019 and now operates a consulting engineering business, Anglesite Management.

Andy Bush – International Lead Association

Brian Wilson – Consultant, International Lead Association, UK

Brian has been working in the Lead Industry for the past 40 years, initially with Britannia Refined Metals in the UK, then the International Lead Zinc Research Organization and for the past 15 years for the International Lead Association. Brian is also a member of the Pure Earth Technical Advisory Board and as an Independent Consultant has been engaged by the Basel Secretariat, UNEP, ERM, the OeKO Institute and Pure Earth. During the last 40 years Brian has worked in every continent except Antarctica and no less than 51 different countries.

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Mr Mark Stevenson – Director, Global Lead Technologies

Mark Stevenson has been involved in the lead smelting and battery industry for the past 41 years. His career has covered all facets of primary and secondary lead research and production and battery development working in numerous roles over these years. He is currently the Technical Director for Global Lead Technologies and holds numerous positions throughout the world including Chairman of the Asian Battery and Secondary Lead conferences.

Darren Nelson – Director, Anglesite Management, Australia

Darren Nelson is Chemical Engineer, graduating from the University of Newcastle with first class honors in 1996. Darren spent the early part of his career working in primary lead and zinc smelters with a focus on blast furnaces, zinc roasters and metal refining. Since 2007 Darren has focused on the secondary lead field, working at Australian Refined Alloys Sydney and Melbourne facilities before moving in 2010 to manage the operations at the engitec plant of Enirgi Power Storage in Wagga Wagga. Darren has expertise in all facets of process operations, including business economics, process improvements, factory expansions and obtaining government approvals.

Darren retired in 2019 and now operates a consulting engineering business, Anglesite Management.

Mr Farid Ahmed – Principal Analyst Lead Markets, Wood Mackenzie Ltd

Farid Ahmed has spent his entire career in the metals industry. After some years in production and technical roles, he transitioned into the commercial world of lead with the advantage of being able to combine his specialist background with the wider business needs of a technical and commodity-based product. In 2005 he founded a business consultancy focusing on the metals industry and on lead in particular. Farid joined Wood Mackenzie in 2105 as Principal Analyst Lead Markets.

Dr Athan Fox – Chief Executive Officer, Ever Resource Ltd, UK

Athan is an entrepreneur with a PhD degree in Chemistry from the University of Cambridge. He is also a part-qualified patent attorney and former technology transfer professional.

In 2020, he co-Founded Ever Resource Ltd in the UK to scale up and commercialise the lead battery recycling innovation which span out of Cambridge University in 2016. The technology, which has been demonstrated at 5 tonnes per hour continuous production of leady oxide, manufactures battery-ready oxide via a hydrometallurgical process that reduces the carbon footprint by (an average of) 85% and waste outputs by at least 90%. Between 2016 and 2020, Dr Fox helped secure more than £3 million GBP towards the scaling up and commercialisation of the technology.

In 2021, Ever Resource licensed the leady oxide recycling technology in the territories of UK, Spain and USA. In partnership with the University of Cambridge, the technology has been improved further and a range of nano-oxides including alpha oxide, beta oxide, red lead and lead sesquioxide are now produced.

Also in 2021, Dr Fox and his team and partners secured more than £1.8 million GBP to scale up and commercialise innovative technologies for the recycling of lithium-ion batteries. These projects are supported by Formula E, the electric vehicle motorsport, and other partners including WMG (Warwick Manufacturing Group, UK) and Birmingham University (UK). The Ever Resource technology and innovation programme also includes recycling of alkaline and primary lithium batteries; nanostructured materials for nickel-zinc and zinc-air batteries; and hydrogen.

Dr A.K. Ola Hekselman – Research Associate, Imperial College London, UK

A.K. Ola Hekselman is a battery scientist working at Imperial College, London. In December 2017, she switched her research interest from next-generation materials for lithium-ion batteries to lead recovery from used leadacid batteries. In March 2019, Ola was awarded an Entrepreneurial Fellowship by the Faraday Institution to establish Solveteq — a spin-off company that pursues recycling the batteries via a solvent-based process.

Mr Mark Stevenson – Director, Global Lead Technologies

Mark Stevenson has been involved in the lead smelting and battery industry for the past 41 years. His career has covered all facets of primary and secondary lead research and production and battery development working in numerous roles over these years. He is currently the Technical Director for Global Lead Technologies and holds numerous positions throughout the world including Chairman of the Asian Battery and Secondary Lead conferences.

Sabrina Urgese – Sales and Marketing Assistant, STC S.r.l. Italy

Sabrina graduated in Languages and Cultures for Business in 2013 at the University of Urbino “Carlo Bo” (PU)- Italy. After 5 years of professional experiences abroad (Northern Ireland, Australia, England, Scotland etc.), she decided to return to Italy and started a new working adventure with STC as Assistant CEO in 2018. Since then, she has been gradually deepening her knowledge in the fascinating field of Used Lead Acid Battery Recycling and a year ago was assigned to the Sales and Marketing team.

Alberto Bergamaschini – Sales and Marketing Director, S.r.l. STC

After secondary school graduation in Industrial Chemistry in 1981 in Milan and a post-graduation specialization in Environmental Engineering, he started his career in the field of engineering, design, construction and management of environment protection plant (water, wastewater, air and waste treatment).
Since 2000, he is providing plants and technological solution to the battery recycling and secondary lead industries initially as Project Manager and, since 2010, in the commercial department of engineering companies. In 2019, with more than 20 years of consolidated experience in this field, he accepted a new professional challenge and joined STC as Sales and Marketing Director.

Francesco Scura – Process Engineer, STC S.r.l.

With his graduation in Chemical Engineering in 2003 followed by a successful PhD in Chemical and Materials Engineering at the University of Calabria (Institute on Membranes Technology ITM-CNR), Francesco gained a wide experience in the field of non-ferrous metals, heat pumps, membranes operations and chemical and electrochemical industry equipment. After the publication of his PhD thesis in 2009 entitled “Engineering of Membrane Systems for gaseous separations” on the design of membrane gaseous separations systems and membrane catalytic reactors, he was immediately selected by STC as Head Process Engineer and subsequently also nominated Official Supervisor of R&D Department.

Rosina Iannelli – Process Engineer, STC S.r.l.

In 2017 Rosina obtained the master’s degree in chemical engineering at the University of Calabria with a brilliant thesis, both theoretical and experimental, on the study of the fluid dynamics of radial flow packed bed bioreactors for the engineering of bone tissue (with subsequent publication).
During the thesis elaboration phase, she developed a great interest in the pharmaceutical and biotechnological sector. Immediately after her graduation, she started her career as Process Engineer in STC Srl where she had the opportunity to specialize in the designing process of lead acid battery recycling plants and water and wastewater treatment systems.

Giorgio La Sala – Chief Executive Officer, STC S.r.l.

The brilliant graduation in Chemical Engineering at University of Calabria in 1995, was only the beginning of the successful career of Giorgio La Sala: he initially had the opportunity to work for UOP MS SpA., Joint venture between Allied Signal and Union Carbide (Reggio Calabria facility).In 1997, he was nominated the Head of innovative processes at the PASTIS-CNRSM Science and Technology Park in Brindisi. After working for TECPRO Srl (Bologna) as R&D Director, Giorgio founded STC Srl in 2001 with a group of young engineers and has been holding the position of CEO and technical manager since then.