Baraa Afandi

Over 18 years of experience in recycling industries, beginning in commercial leadership for trading solid waste and recycled materials, progressing to operations management of waste segregation and large-scale recycling facilities, and more recently leading business development, technical and feasibility assessments across multiple waste streams and circular economy.

Business Development Manager – Circular Economy Projects at Marubeni Corp. (2024-09 – 2026-05)

• Developed US$30+ million business cases for waste management integration, based on waste value stream.
• Supported feasibility studies, technical due diligence, on-ground market survey and competitors' analysis.
• Assessed feedstock availability, collection model, operation layout, and basis of design data.
• Engaged regulators and relevant stakeholders to identify incentive opportunities and carbon credit monetization.

Business Development Engineer – Compounding at MESC PVC Plant (2021-11 – 2024-08)

• Leveraged plant capabilities to expand the product portfolio and revenue streams, achieved 50% sales growth.

Operation Manager – Food Grade Recycled Plastic at Creative Recycling Co (2018-11 – 2021-07)

• Led a multidisciplinary sales team at a 8,000 MT/Month recycling facility, and GCC's sole producer of R-PET.
• Initiated commercial waste collection plan, leveraging operational assets, overseeing logistics operations.
• Successfully, converted a loss-making business into profitability through optimizing operation value chain.
• Established MoUs with international potential partners and Initiated first export sales to Europe & Asia.

Production Manager – Solid Wastes Segregation (Plastic, Metals, Paper) at Alyusra Factory (2012-09 – 2018-10)

• Led the expansion set up, layout, process design, and commissioning of a solid waste segregation facility.(MRF)
• Managed daily planning and downtime, technicians and maintenance teams with 100+ workforce personnel.
• Successfully improving recovery rate continuously, by restructuring process plan, workforce, and sorting splits.
• Further margin improved through efficiency by 20%, optimizing process layout, utility, and workforce allocation.
• Integrated a downstream production of multiple sustainable products, relaying on recovered materials.
• Managed service contracts, ensuring HSE, quality, regulatory compliance, and S&OP alignment.

Sales Manager – Solid and Petrochemicals Wastes at Arabian Ladina (2002-04 – 2009-04)

• Identified, evaluated, and traded various types of solid wastes (plastic, metals, papers) by 8,000 MT/Month.
• Monitored market trends and global pricing platforms to develop optimal sales and procurement strategies.
• Engaged with client's troubleshooting, technical and commercial requirement, possible alternatives.
• Successfully, achieve 300% sales growth, geographic expansion, and building long term supply agreements.

Bachelor in Chemistry – Applied Science University (1997 – 2001)