A voice for the industry

Olivier FRANCOIS worked for GALLOO Group from 2000-2024.  As a Market Development Officer, he was in charge of new businesses and environmental affairs. Olivier studied chemical engineering at ESCOM (Paris, 1979) and completed his PhD in the same field at UTC (Université de Technologie de Compiègne, France) in 1992. He worked in various fields including recycling and energy businesses, touching on recycling of nuclear material from power plant and waste-to-energy management (expert in exhaust gas treatment processes). Olivier serves as Chairman of the International Affairs Committee of FEDEREC (the French Federation of Recycling Enterprises), and Chairman of the International Environment Council, BIR (Bureau of International Recycling). Olivier FRANCOIS is President of Recycling Europe since March 2022.

Alicia GARCIA-FRANCO is a lawyer with over 20 years of experience in the recycling sector. She has been Secretary General of the Spanish Federation of Recovery and Recycling (FER) since 1994, currently holding the position of Director-General. Additionally, she has been member of both the Ferrous & Non-Ferrous Metals boards of Recycling Europe. Moreover, she is a member of the Board of SIGRAUTO (Spanish Association for the Environmental Treatment of End-of-Life Vehicles) and CONFEMETAL (Spanish Metal Confederation), expert in European standardisation procedures for waste electronic and electric equipment, and former expert for the development of end-of-waste criteria. Alicia GARCIA-FRANCO is Vice President of Recycling Europe since 2014.

Cinzia Vezzosi graduated in Foreign Languages from the State University of Milan and in 1996  she entered OVERMET GROUP, where, as Board Member and Managing Director of one of the Companies of the Group, she first landed in the world of metal trading, metal recycling and waste procedures. In 2004 she founded ZETAMET, a company for metal trading on exclusive basis, and soon became a Member of ASSOFERMET (Italian Association of Metal Recovery and Recycling Enterprises). Since 2013 she is Member of the Price Commission for ferrous and non-ferrous metals at the Chamber of Commerce of Milan. She was elected President of ASSOFERMET METALS Division in 2015 and in 2016 joined EURIC Board as EFR President. She was (formerly) EuRIC President from March 2019 to March 2022 and since April 2022 she sits in the Board of AIM (Italian Association of Metallurgy). In May 2024 she was elected President of ASSOFERMET.

Peter Hodecek has worked in international waste management and recycling since 1990, holding positions at FCC (formerly .A.S.A.), Energie AG Oberösterreich Umwelt Service (formerly AVE), and Kovosrot Group across several EU Member States, especially in Central and Eastern Europe. He is currently a Member of the Executive Board at Scholz Austria Group. He holds a Ph.D. from the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, and an MBA from the Joseph Schumpeter Institute. He is an Associate Professor at the Montanuniversität Leoben and the University of Applied Sciences in Vienna. In 2021, he became President of the Society for the Certification of Specialized Waste Management Companies and chairs the “Waste Management Legislation” working group at the Austrian Chamber of Commerce. Peter has supported Recycling Europe since 2017, joined its Board in 2019, and was elected Vice President in March 2025.

Sebastian Will (born 1980) has been working at Heinz Will GmbH & Co. KG since 2010.  As lead buyer, he is in charge of business affairs. Sebastian studied business and international management at Otto-von-Guericke University (Magdeburg, 2005) and graduated as Diplom Kaufmann. He started to work in the metal recycling industry as trainee and later buyer at DEUMU GmbH (Peine) a subsidiary of Salzgitter AG. In 2010 Sebastian returned to the family business in Bavaria, managing business for both Heinz Will GmbH & Co. KG and Mehring GmbH (since 2012) ever since. In 2011, Sebastian joined bvse e.V. ferrous scrap branch as a delegate. He is currently vice chairing the branch, as well as member of bvse’s  executive committee as treasurer. In March 2025 Sebastian joined Recycling Europe’s presidency as vice president and treasurer.

Julia joined Recycling Europe in December 2018. She is a fully qualified lawyer in Germany and holds a Master of Laws (LL.M.) from George Mason University in Virginia. In addition to her studies in the United States, she interned at the World Bank’s Legal Vice Presidency in Washington DC and previously worked in a Brussels-based consultancy advising multinational companies on environmental, health and safety (EHS) matters. At Recycling Europe, Julia focusses on regulatory, policy as well as legal issues of importance for the recycling industry. She took over as Secretary General since April 2024.

Maria joined Recycling Europe in July 2021. With a background in Chemical Engineering and an MBA from the University of Malaga (Spain), she previously worked as a project coordinator at the University of Malaga for nearly five years, contributing to projects on managerial excellence and internationalisation. At Recycling Europe, Maria is responsible for the Plastics branch as well as for managing all technical and regulatory issues for the recycling industry, including the new Circular Economy Act.

Zoi joined Recycling Europe in 2023 after several years in Brussels as a journalist and communications professional specialising in environmental policy. At Recycling Europe, she now leads strategic communications for Europe’s recycling industry, bridging storytelling, policy, and design to strengthen the sector’s public voice. She holds a Bachelor’s in International Relations and a Master’s in Energy Policy and Governance in the Mediterranean. Fluent in Greek and English, Zoi also speaks intermediate French, Spanish, and Dutch.

Loïc Brocard holds a double master’s in Political Science and International Relations from Science Po Strasbourg and Jagiellonian University, Krakow, as well as a Master’s in European Interdisciplinary Studies from the College of Europe, Natolin. He has gained valuable experience through internships at the French National Assembly and the European Parliament, focusing on parliamentary affairs. Fluent in French and English, Loïc also speaks intermediate Spanish and Polish. At Recycling Europe, he oversees the Construction and Demolition Branch, taxonomy, and green public procurement.

Philippe joined Recycling Europe in April 2024, bringing over five years of experience as an EU public affairs consultant at Portland Communications in Brussels, where he advised private companies and trade associations on circular economy issues. He holds Master’s degrees from the College of Europe (Natolin), Sciences Po Lille, and the University of Münster. Fluent in French and English, Philippe also speaks intermediate German and Polish. At Recycling Europe, Philippe is in charge of the Textiles Branch (Recycling Europe Textiles).

Lorraine joined Recycling Europe in September 2025 as Policy Advisor. She holds a double Master’s degree in European Law from the University of Bochum (Germany) and the University of Tours (France). Prior to joining Recycling Europe, she gained experience in Brussels working at European Aluminium, Water Europe, and in a public affairs consultancy, where she developed expertise in EU climate, energy, and environmental policy. At Recycling Europe, she is responsible for the Recycling Europe Paper branch and works on key regulatory files such as the Waste Shipment Regulation, the Basel Convention, and the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism.

Veronica joined Recycling Europe in August 2024. She holds a Master of Science in Green Management, Energy, and Corporate Social Responsibility from Bocconi University and a Bachelor’s in International Relations and European Institutions. Before joining Recycling Europe, Veronica gained extensive experience in European environmental and sustainability policy, working as Environmental Manager for the Confederation of the European Paper Industries, as a sustainability policy expert for two Brussels-based consultancies, and at the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) liaison office. Fluent in English, Italian, Serbo-Croatian, and French, Veronica now leads the work of Recycling Europe’s two metal branches, advancing the priorities of European steel and nonferrous metals recyclers on key topics like the End-of-Life Vehicles Regulation, the Critical Raw Materials Act, the Batteries Regulation, and the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive.

Gabriel joined Recycling Europe in October 2024. He holds a Master of Science in Chemistry from the University of Siegen (Germany). Before joining Recycling Europe, Gabriel worked as a research assistant at the University of Siegen and later at MSD Animal Health in the Netherlands, where he specialised in analytical method development and validation and led the Packaging Characterisation Laboratory. Fluent in English and Spanish, he also has an intermediate level in German and French, At Recycling Europe, Gabriel leads the Mechanical Tyres Recycling branch (Recycling Europe Tyres) and provides scientific support on chemicals across other branches.

Isabelle Radovan joined Recycling Europe in June 2024. She holds a Master’s degree in European Affairs from Sciences Po Lille and the University of Münster and is fluent in German, English, and French. Before joining Recycling Europe, Isabelle gained experience working on circular economy policies, including the Ecodesign Regulation (ESPR), through traineeships at the European Commission and the European Parliament. At Recycling Europe, Isabelle focuses on assisting with the work of the two metal branches, Recycling Europe Ferrous Metals and Recycling Europe Non-Ferrous Metals, and is also responsible for Recycling Europe’s ship recycling working group.

Yasen Naydenov joined Recycling Europe in September 2025. He holds a Bachelor’s in International Relations from the University of Essex, with a focus on environmental politics. Prior to joining Recycling Europe, Yasen worked as a Programme Manager for a US-based education start-up Synthesis and as a Project Coordinator at the European Cancer Organisation in Brussels. He is fluent in English and Bulgarian and has intermediate proficiency in French. At Recycling Europe, he is working on the SOPHIA project, an EU-funded Horizon Europe initiative aimed at implementing advanced digital solutions to improve the reuse, repair, and recycling of end-of-life solar panels across the full value chain.

Monica joined Recycling Europe in July 2025. She holds an Executive Master’s in Events Management and a Bachelor’s in Public Relations and Communication. Before joining Recycling Europe, Monica worked in human resources and gained experience in administrative support and coordination. A Portuguese native, she is fluent in French and English. At Recycling Europe, Monica oversees daily administrative operations, office management, and all logistics for Recycling Europe-hosted events. She organises the team’s travel for meetings and conferences, manages and analyses Recycling Europe’s budget, and coordinates membership activities.