Mariam Ansari and Brindha Roberts

Averda, a leading end-to-end waste management, treatment and recycling company in emerging markets, has appointed Mariam Ansari and Brindha Roberts, as Director of Plastics Recycling and Group Director of Sustainability, respectively. The company said these global appointments reflect their strategic focus on fostering the circular economy in the emerging world as well as its commitment to staff diversity at a senior level.

A Durban native holding a master’s degree in Chemical Engineering, and a graduate of University of Stellenbosch Business School, Brindha Roberts’ career has seen her hone her skills at Mondi Packaging, Sappi and Kimberly-Clark before bringing her expertise to Averda. Brindha has been the company’s Head of Sustainability in South Africa since 2017 and is now promoted to run strategic sustainability initiatives across all Averda’s nine countries of operation.

Mariam Ansari will lead the company’s expansion in the plastics recycling sector, working with the solutions and innovation team, business development executives and external partners to identify and develop opportunities to grow the company’s plastics recycling portfolio. Mariam holds a master’s degree from Warwick Business School, UK. She joined the Averda Academy Programme in 2010 and has since steadily progressed through a series of increasingly senior roles across the business, including managing the company’s operations in the UAE and Qatar and, most recently, as Head of Special Projects.

“Sustainable methods of waste management, within a broader circular economy, in the emerging world is Averda’s raison d’etre and I am proud to work for such a strong values-led company. It’s also uplifting to work for a company so supportive of women in leadership roles within the waste management sector, which is still very male-dominated,” Brindha commented.

“Plastic remains one of the biggest nemeses of our planet’s sustainability. I am excited to be leading Averda’s plastics recycling team with a clear vision to move away from today’s linear take-make-waste model, and fundamentally rethink the way we use and reuse plastics. I truly believe that Averda’s unwavering commitment to create a circular economy for plastics will make a genuine and long-lasting difference in the lives and environment of the communities we serve,” said Mariam.