Mr. GAO Yang (Kevin) is an international senior expert on green development and circular economy, and Deputy Director of the Green and Recycled Plastic Supply Chain Working Group (GRPG). Since 2016, Mr. GAO has been engaged as an external policy expert by the European Commission and relevant Chinese governmental agencies, to work on specific projects and reports on sustainable development and provide policy recommendations on China-Europe cooperation on green development and circular economy. For instance, EU-China Cooperation on Circular Economy, Plastic Pollution Prevention and Control in China-Principles and Practice, Zero-waste City Initiative, URBAN-EU-CHINA project, EC-Link project, and China-Europe Water Platform, among others.
Previously, Mr. GAO worked in a variety of international organizations, including but not limited to the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, European Union Chamber of Commerce in China, and International Chamber of Commerce, with the focus on policy advocacy and public affairs for topics of environment, energy, carbon, circular economy, quality and safety, standardization, urbanization, cybersecurity, investment and business environment, international disputes resolution, among others. Mr. GAO is also an international lawyer and used to work at top-tier law firms in China and the United States, providing tailor-made legal consultancy services and solutions to compliance.

Shanghai Re-mall Environmental Protection New Materials Co.,Ltd. / Shanghai Re-poly Environmental Technology Co.,Ltd. Co-founder

China Plastic Recycling Association of CRRA, Deputy Secretary-General

Shanghai Polytechnic University, Master tutor

Dr. Xiong has a Senior Engineer, Ph.D. in Materials Science from the Chinese Academy of Sciences.

Dr. Xiong was awarded Outstanding Innovation and Entrepreneurship Talent by the Zhangjiang National Innovation Demonstration Zone in 2021 and was selected by the INSPIRO Fellowship as 50 outstanding tech entrepreneurs globally initiated by the UNDP and CDHT.

She has been committed to innovating the technologies for recycling environmentally-friendly plastics and promoting the legitimate use of environmentally friendly recycled plastics. She has participated in the formulation of national standards for recycled plastics (the first drafter of the national standard for recycled ABS materials) and authorized more than 40 relevant national patents.

Jet Chang joined TOMRA in Oct 2017 and is responsible for circular economy business development in China. Before that, he worked 8 years for several international and domestic companies in the environment industry such as Haldor Topsoe China, Poten Environment and Derun Environment (a joint venture by Suez and Chongqing Water Assets Management Co.). From 2004-2011, he served as a senior commercial officer at the Embassy of Denmark in China for 7 years.

Jet holds two master’s degrees from Northwestern Polytechnic University and Nanyang Technological University, respectively.

• Founder of Ele.me re-lab (sustainable innovation lab)
• Former Design Director at Ele.me
• Former Automotive Designer at Volkswagen Germany
• 15+ Years of Experience in the Product Design Industry.
• 5+ Years Experience in the Circular Economy field

Ed Zhao is Senior Vice President and Asia Managing Director of Milliken & Company, headquartered in South Carolina, United State of America. Milliken is a leading, privately-held, technology-based company with businesses in the performance material, floor covering, chemical, and medical markets. Ed is based in Milliken Asia Pacific regional headquarters in Shanghai, China, responsible for Milliken’s Asia operation.

Prior to joining Milliken, Ed received a B.S. in Polymer Chemistry from the University of Science and Technology of China and a PhD. in Organic Chemistry from the Georgia Institute of Technology. Ed has been with Milliken for 25 years, holding a variety of technical and business leadership positions, including Director of R&D for global chemical business, Director of Sales, and Region Manager of Asia chemical business. He was appointed to Milliken Asia Managing Director in 2011, where he oversees all Milliken businesses in Asia. Ed is a member of The American Chamber of Commerce in China and a member of the American Chemical Society.