BIR Welcomes Olatz Finez as New Trade & Environment Officer

The Bureau of International Recycling (BIR) has announced the appointment of Ms. Olatz Finez as the new Trade and Environment Policy Officer, joining the advocacy team at the end of August.

Olatz brings over six years of professional experience in policy analysis, legal research, and strategic advocacy, having worked closely with European institutions. During her tenure at the Delegation of the Basque Country to the EU, she gained deep expertise in sustainability policies, particularly the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the EU Green Deal, while also producing detailed research reports on policy developments.

Her knowledge of environmental policy and governance was further enhanced during her time at the European Ombudsman. In addition, she served as a Policy Officer for the European Environmental Bureau, where she focused on industrial pollution prevention, the EU Chemical Strategy for sustainability, and critical raw materials policy.

Originally from the Basque Country, Spain, Olatz studied Law and International Relations in Bilbao, later specializing in human rights law with a focus on climate and environment issues at the University of Leiden. She is fluent in Basque, Spanish, English, and French, and is currently learning Italian and German.

Welcoming her to the team, Alev Somer, BIR Trade and Environment Director, said:
“We are very pleased to welcome Olatz to our advocacy team at BIR. As Trade and Environment Policy Officer, she will lead our work on ferrous, stainless, critical raw materials and shredders, while also overseeing policy developments across the EU and Latin America regions. With her strong legal background and experience in EU environmental law and international trade, Olatz will play a key role in supporting our members and advancing our industry’s priorities. We look forward to achieving new milestones together.”

BIR members will have the opportunity to meet Olatz at the upcoming World Recycling Convention & Exhibition in Bangkok this October.