Full Name
RENÉ VAN BERKEL
Job Title
Senior Expert (Circular Economy)
Company
United Nations Global Compact
Speaker Bio
René VAN BERKEL PhD is a leading international sustainability, innovation and industrial development professional with 35 years’ experience in: resource efficiency and circular economy; responsible business; and associated policy and strategy.

Dr Van Berkel works as Senior Expert (Circular Economy) focused on Southeast Asia and is international faculty at the School of Global Studies, Thammasat University (Thailand). He co-convenes the ASEAN Circular Economy Business Alliance, launched in July 2024.

Dr Van Berkel completed 15+ years in leadership roles for United Nations Industrial Development Organization, with postings in India, Indonesia and Austria. Priorly, he worked in academic institutions, including over 7 years as Professor of Cleaner Production at Curtin University of Technology (Australia) and over 10 years in various applied research and leadership roles at University of Amsterdam (The Netherlands).

Dr Van Berkel is an interdisciplinary environmentalist by education with a PhD in Environmental Science from the University of Amsterdam.
RENÉ VAN BERKEL