Launch of the New York Circular City Initiative

Oliver has 20 years’ experience as a corporate sustainability advisor, helping multinational enterprises manage the risks and capture growth opportunities arising from the sustainability agenda. He is also a Senior Associate of the University of Cambridge’s Programme for Sustainability Leadership, and teaches on the University’s Postgraduate Certificate in Sustainable Business. He is a recognised expert on sustainable economic models (lead author of 'An Economy That Works' report for the Aldersgate Group), sustainable community development and launched a local currency to promote local trade in Lewes, Sussex.

Tim joined Freshfields in 1999 and has been a partner since 2002. He has advised a wide range of Asian, European and US multinational corporations on cross-border M&A, private equity and joint ventures. He serves on the Board of the New York City Economic Development Corporation as Chair of the Governance Committee, appointed by the Mayor of New York City; and is a Trustee on the Boards of the New York Public Radio and the New York Public Theater. He previously served as the vice-chair of the Legal Services Committee of the American Chamber of Commerce in Japan, where he worked as an investment banker and lawyer for 11 years. As global partner for client sustainability, Tim leads Freshfields’ global sustainability team which comprises leaders from the firm’s transactional, regulatory and dispute resolution practices to advise clients on environmental, social and governance (ESG) matters. He also leads the firm in its partnership with clients, public policy makers and regulators in their joint effort to tackle the broader range of ESG issues impacting business and society.

James Patchett has spent his career building stronger cities through investments in affordable housing, innovation, and 21st century infrastructure. In his current role overseeing job growth and economic development for the City of New York, James taps into his deep experience in real estate, finance, government, and urban planning. During his tenure, he has overseen some of the city’s most ambitious projects, including launching a citywide ferry system, developing Mayor de Blasio’s 100,000 jobs plan, and optimizing NYCEDC’s 60 million square feet of real estate. Prior to his appointment as NYCEDC President in 2016, James served as chief of staff to Deputy Mayor for Housing and Economic Development Alicia Glen, where he helped oversee more than 25 city agencies and played a pivotal role in preserving thousands of affordable homes. Before moving to City Hall, James was a vice president in Goldman Sachs’ Urban Investment Group, where he spent seven years providing equity and debt to projects ranging from commercial developments to housing to charter schools. James currently serves on the board of the Prospect Park Alliance, the non-profit organization responsible for running and maintaining one of Brooklyn’s most beloved greenspaces. James holds a BA in Economics from Amherst College and an MBA from Stanford University. He lives in Brooklyn with his wife and their two young children.

Joey Bergstein joined Seventh Generation in 2011 and, together with the Seventh Generation team, has been transforming its business, more than doubling revenue during this time, while fulfilling the company’s mission to incite a consumer revolution that nurtures the health of the next seven generations. Following the sale to Unilever, Joey has been appointed CEO. Growth is accelerating as is the company’s ability to impact millions of people around the world. A graduate of University of Western Ontario’s Richard Ivey School of Business, Bergstein began his career at Procter & Gamble where he held marketing leadership roles over the course of ten years across North America and in Europe. Since then, his career turned to beverages where Joey served as VP Global Business Development and then VP Marketing at Molson and finally at Diageo where as Senior Vice President of Global Rum, Joey led a global team that doubled the rum business to over $1 billion, transforming Captain Morgan into the fastest growing premium spirit brand in the world.

Joke leads Circle Economy's Circular Jobs Initiative. The programme uncovers how the circular economy changes the world of work, and what it takes to ensure the circular transition is positive for work and workers. Joke started at Circle Economy as a public sector consultant on circular city development, and grew to focus on the social issues related to environmental sustainability. In previous roles, she worked as a researcher on inclusive urban planning in Guayaquil, Ecuador, and on green employment in Dublin, Ireland

Kate Daly is Managing Director of Closed Loop Partners' Center for the Circular Economy, an innovation center for research, analysis and collaboration to advance the transition from a linear to a circular economy. Prior to joining Closed Loop Partners, Kate served in New York City government for more than a decade, most recently as Senior Vice President at the NYC Economic Development Corporation, launching business development programs to create jobs in cleantech, fashion, tech, media and advanced manufacturing. Kate previously served as the Executive Director of the NYC Landmarks Preservation Commission.

Tom Szaky is founder and CEO of TerraCycle, a global leader in the collection and repurposing of complex waste streams. TerraCycle operates in 20 countries, working with some of the world’s largest brands, retailers and manufacturers to create national platforms to recycle products and packaging that currently go to landfill or incineration. In May 2019 TerraCycle launched Loop, a circular shopping platform that enables consumers to shop for household products in durable, reusable packaging. Loop is available in Paris, France, the UK and the 48 contiguous U.S. states, and is a key step in helping to end the epidemic of waste that is caused by 'single- use' consumption. In 2021, Loop will become available in Canada, Japan and Australia. Tom and TerraCycle have received hundreds of social, environmental and business awards and recognition from a range of organizations including the United Nations, World Economic Forum, Schwab Foundation, Fortune Magazine, Time Magazine and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. Tom is the author of four books, “Revolution in a Bottle” (2009), “Outsmart Waste” (2014), “Make Garbage Great” (2015) and “The Future of Packaging” (2019). Tom created, produced and starred in TerraCycle’s reality show, “Human Resources” which aired on Pivot from 2014-2016 and is syndicated in more than 20 foreign markets on Amazon and iTunes.