Dubai, UAE | 21 October 2026 | Crowne Plaza Dubai – Deira by IHG
Dubai will welcome plastics manufacturers, recyclers, technology providers, brand owners, policymakers, investors and sustainability leaders for PolyNext Awards and Conference Dubai 2026 on 21 October 2026. The in-person event will be held at Crowne Plaza Dubai – Deira by IHG, Salah Al Din St, Deira, Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
Running from 9:00 AM to 7:00 PM (GMT+4), the conference brings together professionals working in plastics, recycling, sustainable packaging and the circular economy. The event portal lists 17 sessions, including keynotes, panel discussions, networking breaks and the PolyNext Awards, which recognise people and organisations helping move plastic recycling and circular economy solutions forward.
A Message from Our CEO
PolyNext Awards and Conference Dubai 2026 is intended to give the polymer and materials industry a place to discuss where innovation, sustainability and business strategy meet. By bringing recyclers, manufacturers, technology providers and policymakers into the same conversation, the event aims to encourage practical ideas, recognise strong work and create partnerships that can help advance a more circular plastics economy.
— Draft message attributed to Anas Jawed, CEO, Next Business Media
PolyNext Awards and Conference Dubai 2026: A Full Day of Industry Discussions
The programme looks at the challenges and opportunities facing the plastics value chain, from supply-chain resilience and plastic footprint measurement to recycled-content standards, advanced recycling methods, sustainable packaging and circular business models. The 17-session agenda begins with opening remarks and continues through presentations, discussions, opportunities to connect and the awards ceremony.
Conference Agenda — 21 October 2026 (Confirmed Sessions)
9:00 AM – 9:10 AM | Opening Remarks
Anas Jawed, CEO, Next Business Media, will open the conference and introduce the day’s focus on the practical issues shaping plastic recycling and the circular economy.
9:10 AM – 9:40 AM | Ensuring Business Continuity in the Face of Supply Chain Disruptions in Plastic Recycling Ecosystems
Vikas Chhajer, CEO, Gemcorp Recycling & Technologies Pvt. Ltd, will address how recycling businesses can respond to market and supply-chain disruption by protecting operations, diversifying sources and building longer-term resilience.
9:40 AM – 10:10 AM | Plastic Footprint Methodology — How a Global Standard Can Incentivize Reuse & Recycling Efforts
A session examining how a shared approach to measuring plastic footprints could encourage reuse and recycling.
10:10 AM – 10:50 AM | Coffee Break & Networking
An opportunity for participants to meet and continue conversations.
Featured Speakers
The source event listing names 26 confirmed speakers, with backgrounds spanning recycling, packaging, polymer manufacturing, waste management, environmental sustainability and circular economy policy. Their experience includes the following:
Anas Jawed — CEO, Next Business Media
Anas Jawed founded and leads Next Business Media and serves as Conference Chair for the Dubai event. His work covers business events, technology and digital solutions. Through Next Business Media, he helps connect industry professionals through conferences and platforms in areas such as plastics recycling, artificial intelligence, agriculture and energy.
Rachida Semail — Partner, Keller and Heckman LLP
Based in Keller and Heckman’s Brussels office, Rachida Semail advises multinational businesses on EU food law, food-contact materials, packaging rules and international product compliance. Her work includes packaging waste and recycling, single-use plastics, food labelling and product safety, as well as navigating complex regulatory requirements and market-entry decisions in Europe and beyond.
Fausto Tazzi — General Manager, Romana Group of Companies
Fausto Tazzi has more than 25 years of executive experience across Europe, the Middle East and Asia, particularly in circular packaging and extended producer responsibility (EPR). As Co-Founder and Senior Advisor of PRO Vietnam, he helped establish the country’s first authorised packaging recycling coalition, which now brings together more than 30 local and multinational companies. Before joining Romana Group of Companies in Dubai, he led several Nestlé Waters markets and worked on water stewardship and sustainable packaging initiatives.
Reham Mohamadein — PhD, Technical Support Manager, Elsewedy Polymers
Dr. Reham Mohamadein brings over 20 years of experience in polymer formulation, compounding and materials science to her role at Elsewedy Polymers. She holds a PhD in Materials Science and works on sustainable materials, mechanical recycling and recycled-polymer solutions that improve product performance and manufacturing efficiency, supporting resource-efficient plastics in Egypt, across MENA and internationally.
Dr. Abdullah Mohammed Alsahly — Researcher of Manufacturing Sustainability Performance; Member, Al-Ahsa Chamber; Development and Continuous Improvement Manager, AlSehly Trading & Manufacturing Co.
With a PhD in Production Methods and Sustainability from Brunel University of London, Dr. Abdullah Mohammed Alsahly focuses on manufacturing sustainability, operational improvement, resource efficiency and organisational development. He is also an international sustainability speaker and management trainer, sharing perspectives on resilient supply chains, business continuity and circular practices in plastic recycling.
Priyanka Jha — Director, Advance Plastic Chips Manufacturing LLC
Priyanka Jha has more than 12 years of experience in banking, finance and the plastics sector. At Advance Plastic Chips Manufacturing LLC, she has helped introduce environmentally focused processes and recycling technologies while developing industry partnerships. Under her leadership, the company has earned ISO 14001, ISO 45001, ISO 9001, Global Recycle Standard (GRS) certification and Ecolabel approval.
Sven Jacobi — Founder, MBRC the ocean
Sven Jacobi founded MBRC the ocean to turn ocean-bound plastic into useful products while supporting marine conservation. Since May 2020, the initiative has grown to more than 250 cleaning hubs and a network of over 10,000 volunteers and collectors. He also started MBRC the children, an environmental education programme, and MBRC the trees, which supports afforestation and long-term sustainability. He brings over 20 years of experience in business development, marketing and partnerships.
Naeem H. Mady — VP RMA & Global Business Development Regulatory Market Access USA, Intertek Assuris
Naeem H. Mady has more than 50 years of experience in analytical chemistry and regulatory compliance. As a Vice President at Intertek Assuris, he oversees teams advising on international chemical regulations, food-contact compliance and recycling supply-chain management. He is also a published author and regular conference speaker whose work has contributed to regulatory guidance for chemicals, plastics and packaging.
Luis Gómez Prieto — Plant Manager, Los Cantiles Organic Waste Treatment Centre, PreZero España
Luis Gómez Prieto oversees daily operations at the Los Cantiles Organic Waste Treatment Centre in Spain. His background covers waste treatment, resource recovery, biogas and biomethane projects, and operational improvement, with a focus on recovering value from organic waste through outputs such as compost and renewable energy.
Andrea Trolese — General Manager, B&A Waste Management
Andrea Trolese has more than 14 years of experience in environmental services, business development, strategic advice and contract management in the UAE. As General Manager of B&A Waste Management, he works with circular technologies, including upcycling, waste-to-energy and end-of-waste approaches, while guiding partnerships and resource-efficient waste infrastructure projects.
Rémi Cesaro — Founder & Director, Zero Waste City
Rémi Cesaro helps large commercial and industrial facilities reduce waste and use resources more efficiently. His engineering and sustainability work covers packaging design and waste management. Through Zero Waste City, he draws on experience in New Zealand, Australia and Singapore to help organisations take a more joined-up approach to waste reduction and circular operations.
Le Anh — Sustainability Director, DUYTAN Recycling
Le Anh holds a master’s degree from Maastricht University in the Netherlands and leads sustainable development work and external partnerships at DUYTAN Recycling. He has helped build collaborations with major brands, industry partners and associations, aligning sustainability initiatives with business priorities and wider circular economy goals.
Harbinder Singh — Chairman, YES Full Circle Solutions
Harbinder Singh has more than 35 years of experience in environmental services across 15 countries, including leadership roles with Averda, SUEZ, Sembcorp and Veolia’s predecessor CGEA. He has helped develop recycling and waste-to-resource initiatives in the Middle East and now leads YES Full Circle, a social enterprise connecting climate action with efforts to reduce income inequality. His qualifications include an LLB (Hons) from the University of Manchester, an MBA from the University of Chicago and Chief Sustainability Officer certification held since 2017.
Tariq Rashid Alsuwaidi — Director, New Economy Department, UAE Ministry of Economy and Tourism
Tariq Rashid Alsuwaidi leads the UAE’s New Economy Department and serves as Secretary-General of the UAE Circular Economy Council. He brings government organisations, businesses and international partners together around circular economy policy, green growth, sustainable production, recycling, circular logistics and green procurement. He has master’s degrees in Business Analytics and Economic Studies and has completed executive programmes at Harvard Kennedy School and Cambridge Judge Business School.
Abhijeet Chaudhary — Senior Waste & Resource Management Consultant, Egis
Abhijeet Chaudhary leads the Waste Management Design Engineering and Performance Division at Egis in the GCC, which he helped establish. Over nine years, he has advised on major waste-to-energy, material recovery and recycling projects and led more than 30 waste audits across seven GCC cities to improve resource management and support circular economy development.
Dr. Eng. Nawal Alhanaee — Director, Future Energy Department, UAE Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure
Dr. Eng. Nawal Alhanaee heads the UAE Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure’s Future Energy Department, working on energy innovation and sustainability. Her experience spans engineering, municipal projects, facilities management, urban planning, public-sector innovation and future foresight. She holds degrees in Civil Engineering and Urban Planning and is pursuing a PhD in Architecture and Sustainable Built Environment at the British University in Dubai.
Amit Grover — Founding Partner & CEO, Grover & Company
Amit Grover has more than 26 years of experience across brand marketing, management consulting and venture capital. He is Founder and Managing Partner of Grover & Company and General Partner at Grover Impact Ventures, where he focuses on intangible assets, particularly intellectual property. His career includes senior roles at ITC Ltd, Lavazza Coffee and Pernod Ricard, alongside board, advisory and mentoring work supporting innovation and entrepreneurship.
Sunanda Ishwara Kadam — Regional General Manager, India & Middle East, Intertek Assuris
Sunanda Ishwara Kadam has spent more than 20 years helping businesses in South Asia and the Middle East understand chemical, environmental and food-contact regulations. At Intertek Assuris, her areas of focus include packaging sustainability, restricted substances, risk assessment and supply-chain management, with an emphasis on incorporating compliance and sustainability into product development and cross-border trade.
Mohammad Ishaq — Sourcing Manager, Ravago Recycling Middle East
Mohammad Ishaq has more than 12 years of experience in recycling, waste management and circular economy work across the UAE and Middle East. He manages sourcing and supplier relationships for plastic raw materials at Ravago Recycling Middle East, with particular attention to PET recycling. His expertise in supply-chain improvement, commercial operations and responsible sourcing supports stronger material recovery systems.
Nima Vakili — Founder and CEO, Safa BioWorks
Nima Vakili leads Safa BioWorks, which is developing what the source describes as MENA’s first integrated platform chemicals manufacturing operation using regional agricultural feedstocks, beginning with date palm biomass, to make bio-based chemicals. He previously founded Chemplax LLC, a US-based biopolymer processing facility. His work combines industrial bio-based chemistry, feedstock innovation and the development of local sustainable chemical production in the UAE.
Tobias Lind — CEO, Thevinyl AB
Tobias Lind is CEO and Sustainability Director at Thevinyl AB, where he works on company growth, PVC compounding innovation and lower-carbon, circular materials. He holds a Master of Science in Chemistry from Chalmers University of Technology and an MBA from Blekinge Institute of Technology, combining technical training with business leadership.
Mike Thompson — Owner and Co-Founder, Blu Sky Technical Services Ltd
Mike Thompson specialises in recovering and reprocessing PET and PP needle-punch carpets from commercial and industrial sites. He helps develop and apply Blu Sky’s VeriPur process, which addresses contamination, material consistency and traceability to produce reliable recycled compounds and contribute to ESG reporting.
Dirk-Jan Kootstra — Founder and Managing Director, Quattra-P
Dirk-Jan Kootstra has more than 25 years of experience in polymers, composites and advanced manufacturing. He founded Quattra-P and also serves as COO and Head of Manufacturing at Biome Renewables. His work in design-for-manufacture, industrialisation and international supply chains helps take new technologies into production. Earlier in his career, he led advanced rotor-blade manufacturing engineering at General Electric and obtained patents relating to thermoplastic composite blades.
Vikas Chhajer — CEO, Gemcorp Recycling & Technologies Pvt. Ltd
With more than two decades of experience in resource recovery and circular supply chains, Vikas Chhajer leads Gemcorp’s plastics recycling operations in India while working on sustainability and strategy at Gemini Corporation. His focus includes scalable recycling infrastructure, traceable material flows and packaging made with recycled plastics. He has also contributed to discussions at Climate Week NYC, the World Economic Forum and initiatives addressing plastic pollution.
Kaavyanjali — Member, Healing Al Hajar (NGO)
Kaavyanjali brings more than eight years of experience in data-led marketing and go-to-market strategy across the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, Oman, Kuwait and India. Her work centres on marketing analytics, performance marketing and execution, helping brands make effective use of resources and deliver measurable results in competitive markets.
Saeed Al Shamsi — Chairman, EXHub Holding
Saeed Al Shamsi focuses on strategic investment, international capital, cross-border partnerships and emerging technologies. As Chairman of EXHub Holding, he has helped structure more than $10 billion in consortium-led opportunities and strategic ventures across AI, infrastructure, energy and global commodities. He also chairs the AI20 Global Alliance, which convenes policymakers, investors and industry leaders to discuss AI governance, emerging technologies and future economic frameworks.
Connecting Recycling Innovation With Business Impact
Across the programme, a common theme is how circularity works in practice: securing feedstocks, navigating supply-chain uncertainty, improving recycling technologies and packaging design, responding to regulation and measuring sustainability results. The range of speaker experience reflects those commercial, technical and policy questions, with Next Business Media hosting the event and providing the Conference Chair.
Networking, Awards and Industry Engagement
Attendees will be able to connect during dedicated networking breaks. According to the event portal, paid passes also provide access to an attendee directory, forum, one-to-one chat and networking connections. The portal offers routes for organisations and individuals interested in speaking, exhibiting, sponsoring, becoming media partners, joining as thought leaders or committee members, or submitting PolyNext Awards nominations.
The day will conclude with the PolyNext Awards Ceremony, recognising companies, projects and professionals contributing to progress in plastic recycling, sustainability and circular economy development.
Event Details
Event: PolyNext Awards and Conference Dubai 2026
Date: 21 October 2026
Time: 9:00 AM – 7:00 PM (GMT+4)
Venue: Crowne Plaza Dubai – Deira by IHG
Address: Salah Al Din St, Deira, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Join PolyNext Dubai 2026
For recyclers, manufacturers, brand owners, technology providers and sustainability professionals, the Dubai conference brings expert perspectives, practical discussions and opportunities to meet others working on the future of plastics. The day’s conversations and awards will focus on the progress needed to make recycling and circular business approaches more effective and scalable.
