Averda appoints its first sustainability chief

Samer Kamal, chief sustainability officer at Averda. (Photo: Averda)

Samer Kamal, who previously founded and headed up sustainability and digitalization specialist Bee’ah Group, will be responsible for speeding up the company’s ‘Renew24’ strategy, which focuses on sustainability and driving a circular economy.

The strategy aims to reduce the amount of waste sent to landfill, increase the secondary value derived from collected waste and to help companies and governments meet their carbon emissions targets.

Samer will also help infuse “sustainable and impact thinking” into Averda’s corporate culture and its activities.

Malek Sukkar, CEO, said: “I’m thrilled to welcome Samer to Averda, and to our senior leadership team. Samer’s experience and approach make him an excellent choice to drive our transformation towards more sustainable products and technologies, and to support our customers with innovative sustainable initiatives which will have a positive and lasting impact on the environment.

He added: “As an experienced leader, he will add depth to our executive core at a time when the company is poised for serious growth.”  

A toxicology and pharmacology graduate of the University of Toronto, Samer has spent over 20 years working on sustainable projects across North America, the Middle East and Africa.

During this time, he served as a consultant advisor for New York University, Air Miles and Nestlé, helping them to align their “commercial aspirations with their responsibility to society and the planet”.

“He is well-respected in the waste management industry and is an established regional thought leader on the future of sustainability in business,” said Averda.

According to Averda, Samek has also supported waste strategies and sustainability initiatives and has invested and advised environmental start-ups and private equity funds. Most recently he worked on a PET (polyethylene terephthalate) recycling project in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, for Veolia Middle East.

Samer said: “I am very pleased to be joining the Averda team as their chief sustainability officer.

“It’s a pivotal moment for the industry and the company as we navigate the changing role of the waste sector in light of global governmental and corporate climate commitments, shifting consumer expectations, and the clear need for climate action in the emerging markets in which Averda operates.

“The countries where Averda works are disproportionately exposed to the impacts of climate change and Averda has embraced the exciting mandate to become a leader in delivering sustainable waste management solutions,” said Samer.