MiaoMiao Xiao is a Senior Research Engineer at Ingenia Polymers Corp., where she leads research and development initiatives on proprietary additive masterbatches for film and flexible packaging applications. She holds a Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from the University of New Brunswick, along with a master’s degree in Polymer Processing Engineering and a bachelor’s degree in Polymer Material Science and Engineering from East China University of Science and Technology.

Dr. Xiao brings a broad and in-depth expertise in polymer science and engineering, with research spanning masterbatch development, polymer modification, polymer processing, reactive extrusion, and polymer synthesis. Her work is driven by a commitment to advancing the performance and functionality of polymer materials while enabling sustainable innovation in packaging. With a strong passion for developing novel products that contribute to the circular economy, she strives to bridge scientific discovery with industrial application to create solutions that support both customer needs and environmental goals.

Arturo Ciklik has been proudly leading Folmex for the past 18 years, driving its mission to design and manufacture high–value, sustainable flexible packaging solutions for a wide range of end markets, including food, pet food, fabric & home care, feminine care, adult care, and health care.

During his tenure, Folmex has become one of Mexico’s leading flexible packaging converters, earning both national and international innovation awards from organizations such as DuPont, Dow, the World Packaging Organization, and the Mexican Packaging Association.

In 2018, Arturo co-founded Instapouch, a flexible packaging converter that offers minimal MOQs and rapid delivery times thanks to its digital printing capabilities.

Arturo holds a BA degree from Universidad Iberoamericana in Mexico and an MBA from Harvard Business School in the United States. Before joining Folmex, he held various marketing positions at Procter & Gamble for four years.

Andrey’s role at Siegwerk is global business development lead for coatings for films, based in Siegburg, Germany. Over 7 years of experience in the plastic packaging industry.  Former application development engineer at ExxonMobil Chemical. Led projects on circular economy, recyclable inks and de-inking technologies for printed packaging at Siegwerk. Contributed to industry standards (e.g. DIN) and packaging recycling initiatives (RecyClass /CEFLEX). He holds a Ph.D. in Technical Chemistry from RWTH Aachen, Germany and a Chemistry Master’s degree from the University of St. Andrews, UK.

English Version

Roberto holds a degree in Chemistry from the University of Salamanca and a PhD in Organic Chemistry from the Polytechnic University of Valencia.

He began his professional career at CIDETEC, an R&D center focused on technology transfer to industrial partners and the development of new materials and processes with applications in key sectors. After more than ten years working in basic and applied R&D, he joined the Constantia Flexibles group, where he has been a part of for the past six years.

Since 2018, he has worked as "Laminates Innovation Manager" dedicated to the Pharmaceutical sector, responsible for one of the two "Product Centers of Excellence" within the Constantia Flexibles Pharmaceutical division.

He leads a team comprised of development engineers, applications engineers, regulatory engineers, and sustainable engineering professionals with the goal of developing high-quality, innovative solutions that meet the needs of the market and its customers.
He is co-author of more than 30 scientific articles published in prestigious international journals and six patents (one of which is for industrial exploitation).

Spanish Version

Roberto es licenciado en Química por la Universidad de Salamanca y Doctor en Química Orgánica por la Universidad Politécnica de Valencia.

Comenzó su andadura profesional en CIDETEC, centro de I + D enfocado a la transferencia de tecnología a socios industriales y al desarrollo de nuevos materiales y procesos con aplicaciones en sectores clave. Tras más diez años trabajando en I+D básica y aplicada se unió al grupo Constantia Flexibles del que forma parte desde hace 6 años.

Actualmente y desde 2018 trabaja como “Responsable de Innovación en Laminados” dedicados a Farmacia, siendo responsable de uno de los dos “Centros de Excelencia de Producto” dentro de la división de Farmacia de Constantia Flexibles.

Dirige un equipo formado por ingenieros de desarrollo, ingenieros de aplicaciones, regulatorio e ingeniería sostenible con el objetivo desarrollar soluciones innovadoras de alta calidad, que cumplan con las necesidades del mercado y de sus clientes.
Es coautor en más de 30 artículos científicos publicados en revistas de prestigio internacional y en 6 patentes (una de ellas en explotación industrial).

Mauricio is an Industrial engineer with 19 years of experience working in multinational flexible packaging companies, focused on delivering positive results through effective leadership, continuous improvement skills and outperformance mindset. He aims to :

• Promote sustainable packaging solutions, flexible packaging recycling and PCR content.
• Customer business growth through innovation
• Standard packaging portfolio optimization / simplification

Tom began his journey in the biopolymer space commercializing PHA technology with Metabolix, and in 2008 joined Plantic Technologies as their President of International Business.  Chartered with the growth of thermoplastic starch technology for high barrier applications, he launched a number of partnerships and agreements to move the technology forward. 

Following Kuraray’s acquisition of Plantic Technology in 2015, Tom was appointed the Director of Sales & Commercial Development for the Plantic™ offering.  He has held a number of commercial, managerial and technical positions within the industry, spent 10 years as a University faculty, has published several papers and chapters on polymer processing and screw design, and has provided expert testimony in a number of cases involving market analysis, patent or trade secret infringement, un-fair trade practices and product liability. 

David Craggan, Commercial Vice President of the Americas at Futamura, has over 15 years of leadership in the flexible packaging industry, driving growth through strategic sales and marketing. His background with leading snack food brands has given him a strong understanding of commercial and operational dynamics. He brings valuable expertise at the intersection of innovation, sustainability, and market demand, with a focus on bio-based and compostable packaging. His knowledge of regulatory trends and environmental impacts allows him to guide organizations on compliance and consumer expectations. A committed advocate for sustainable transformation, he supports the transition to circular packaging solutions that balance business objectives with environmental responsibility.

Vicente Ferrer Megias graduated from Tecnológico de Monterrey as an Electronic Systems Engineer.

He is a visionary leader in the LDPE recycling industry, boasting an outstanding track record of managing companies dedicated to sustainability and reducing plastic waste in the environment. With over 20 years of industry experience, he has consistently demonstrated his passion for driving positive change and successfully guided Omnigreen in achieving its environmental and business objectives.

He has assembled a senior management team at Omnigreen that enables the company to implement levels of control uncommon in the recycling world. This has facilitated the successful completion of various environmental certifications, such as Zero Pellet Loss, Post-Consumer Recycling Certificate, Zero Waste to Landfill, as well as several ISOs, among others. He has laid the foundation for a solid and robust Comprehensive Management System, capable of attending to the needs and safety of all employees.

His innovative approach, commitment to ethical business practices, and dedication to the environmental cause have allowed Omnigreen to flourish and make a significant impact in the battle against plastic pollution. His inspiring leadership continues to set the standard for the industry, demonstrating how sustainability and business can coexist harmoniously.

Daniel has a degree in Economics from the University of Buenos Aires (Argentina), a Master of Science from the London School of Economics (UK) and a PhD in Economic Development from the Graduate Institute of Geneva (Switzerland).

He has more than 20 years of experience in topics related to macroeconomic, industrial, and regional analysis in Latin America. Currently, Daniel is the Chief Economist at Deloitte Spanish Latin America, as well as the Economic Advisory Leader.

Dr. Gerardo Teran is a profesional with  17 years of experience in the plastic industry, managing technical areas like R&D, Engineering, Innovation and technical service. He is currently the  Application Development and Technical Service Director for the Latin America region at Lyondellbasell. He holds a PhD in Marerials Science from the Universiry of Barcelona and has a Project Management Postgrade from the Polythecnic University of Catalunya.

Englsh

Adrian is an industrial designer with studies in business development, sustainable development, and circular economy, and is currently pursuing a master's degree in socio-environmental projects. He is director of flexible packaging at ECOCE and coordinator of Circular Economy at the Universidad del Medio Ambiente. He worked for more than 20 years in the Mexican manufacturing industry, leading various projects.

Spanish

Adrian es diseñador industrial con estudios en desarrollo de negocios, desarrollo sostenible, economía circular y actualmente cursa una maestría en proyectos socioambientales. Es director de empaques flexibles en ECOCE y coordinador de Economía Circular en la Universidad del Medio Ambiente. Trabajó por más de 20 años en la industria manufacturera mexicana dirigiendo diversos proyectos.

Eric Appelman has joined Aduro on the 1st of September as its Chief Revenue Officer.

Eric, 60, is a Dutch national, was trained as a chemical engineer, and brings 35 years of experience in the chemical industry in a variety of disciplines and companies. After 3 years with Unilever working on processing edible oils, he switched to Unilever’s chemicals business (later acquired by ICI), working with renewable chemicals in technical-commercial and customer-facing roles for 12 years. Next he was technical director at Sigma Coatings, the second largest European paint company until its acquisition by PPG, for the Marine & Protective coatings business. Eric subsequently became Executive Vice President at Swedish chemical multinational Perstorp, accountable for innovation, market development and corporate strategy, for 8 years. After that he had non-executive roles at some startup companies and spent 6 years as CTO and Marketing & Sales Director at Brightlands Chemelot Campus, a unique and highly successful industrial environment in the Netherlands where more than 100 companies and more than 3000n professionals work on scaling the material and process technologies for the chemical industry of the future (with obviously a lot of focus on electrification, recycling and biogenic raw materials).

Eric met Aduro at the Brightlands Chemelot Campus and was immediately captivated by its unique technology, which offers decisive  advantages versus more traditional recycling technologies, by eliminating the need for costly posstreatment to remove unsaturation and heteroatoms, by accepting more contaminated, hence more affordable and available input streams, by a lower energy consumption, and by lower losses to char and fuel gas.

Dr. German Ruiz Mendez is the Director General for Sustainable Urban Environmental Development and Performance,
Secretary of Environment and Natural Resources (SEMARNAT) of the Mexican government.

Germán Ruiz Méndez holds a Ph.D. in Political and Social Sciences from the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), a Master’s degree in Government and Public Affairs, and a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science and Public Administration. He has built a solid career in public policy design, particularly at the municipal and federal levels, having worked with institutions such as the National Institute for Federalism and Municipal Development (INAFED), the Secretary of Government, the Secretary of Health, the Secretary of Public Education, and SEMARNAT.

He was awarded 3rd Place in the INAP 2017 Prize for his doctoral research on local development models, and he has served as a lecturer and speaker both in Mexico and abroad. In addition, he actively participates in academic networks such as IGLOM, INAP, SOMECE, and REMINEO.

His current work focuses on the implementation of the National Waste Policy and the Circular Economy, leading the Directorate-General for Sustainable Urban Environmental Development and Performance at SEMARNAT. Under his leadership, key programs for integrated waste management have been promoted, positioning him as a leading voice in Mexico’s transition toward more sustainable systems.

English Version

Montserrat Galindo Alvarado is an experienced professional with more than 20 years of experience in the field of medical devices, specializing in Market Access.

Montserrat has held key roles in leading companies in the industry. She currently serves as Senior Manager of Public Affairs, Market Access & ESG for Baxter Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean.

In addition, Montserrat was Vice President of Supply at CANIFARMA for the period 2023-2025 and has represented national and transnational companies before various authorities, including the General Health Council, UNOPS, and SHCP.

Prior to her current position, Montserrat held the position of LATAM Market Access Manager at 3M Mexico, where she accelerated commercial penetration and developed access strategies based on inter-institutional and institutional inclusion. She has also played a prominent role in coordinating promotional campaigns and marketing strategies. She was Chair of the AMID Access Committee for the period 2020-2022.

She graduated with a degree in Electronic Engineering, with an emphasis on biomedical engineering, from the National Autonomous University of Mexico. She holds a Master's Degree in Business Administration from EUDE Business School. She has two diplomas from Tecnológico de Monterrey: one in Marketing and the other certifying her as a High Performance Executive. She also completed an Executive Program in Government Affairs endorsed by the Ibero-American Bar Association of Legal Professionals, in conjunction with ISPOR.

Spanish version

Montserrat Galindo Alvarado es una experimentada profesional con más de 20 años de experiencia en el campo de dispositivos médicos, especializada en Acceso al Mercado.

Montserrat ha ocupado roles clave en empresas líderes en la industria, Actualmente, se desempeña como Gerente Senior de Asuntos Públicos y Acceso para Baxter México, Centroamérica y el Caribe.

Además, Montserrat fue vicepresidenta de Abasto en CANIFARMA para el periodo 2023-2025 y ha representado a empresas nacionales y trasnacionales ante diversas autoridades, incluyendo el Consejo de Salubridad General, UNOPS y SHCP.

Antes de su posición actual, Montserrat ocupó el cargo de Gerente de Acceso al Mercado LATAM en 3M México, donde aceleró la penetración comercial y desarrolló estrategias de acceso basadas en la inclusión interinstitucional e institucional. También ha tenido un papel destacado en la coordinación de campañas promocionales y estrategias de marketing. Fue Titular del Comité de Acceso de AMID en el periodo 2020-2022.

Es egresada de la carrera de Ingeniería Electrónica, con énfasis en ingeniería biomédica, por parte de la Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México. Cuenta con una Maestría en Administración de Negocios por parte de la EUDE Business School. Tiene un par de diplomados del Tecnológico de Monterrey: uno de Marketing y el otro que la certifica como Ejecutivo de Alto Desempeño. Y culminó un Programa Ejecutivo de Government Affairs avalado por la Barra Iberoamericana de Profesionales en Derecho, en conjunto con ISPOR.

Juliana Lugo brings over 10 years of experience working with FMCG's in the development of inclusive and sustainable value chains. She currently serves as Director of Sustainable Business Development at HyperESG, where she leads the design and operation of recycling collection chains based on market-driven operational and financial logic, driving competitive recycling across Latin America. Her approach combines technical expertise with a strategic understanding of social, economic, and regulatory contexts to structure solutions that connect sustainability with business outcomes.