The Bureau of International Recycling (BIR) has announced the appointment of Ms. Olatz Finez as its new Trade and Environment Policy Officer at the Brussels secretariat. Olatz brings over six years of professional experience in European policy, legal research, and advocacy. She previously worked at the Delegation of the Basque Country to the EU, where she focused on sustainability policies, the UN SDGs, and the EU Green Deal. She also contributed to the European Ombudsman and the European Environmental Bureau, strengthening her expertise in industrial pollution prevention, the EU Chemical Strategy, and critical raw materials policy.
A native of the Basque Country in Spain, Olatz holds a degree in Law and International Relations from Bilbao and a specialization in human rights law with a focus on climate and environmental issues from Leiden University. Fluent in Basque, Spanish, English, and French, she is also learning Italian and German.
According to BIR Trade and Environment Director Alev Somer, Olatz will oversee ferrous, stainless, critical raw materials, and shredder-related work, while monitoring policy across the EU and Latin America. She is expected to play a pivotal role in strengthening BIR’s advocacy efforts. Members will meet her at the World Recycling Convention & Exhibition in Bangkok this October.