WASTE MANAGEMENT THOUGHT LEADERS, KEYNOTE SPEAKERS & FUTURIST CONSULTING EXPERTS

Today’s Top 50 waste management thought leaders, futurist keynote speakers and consultant experts note that the field is undergoing a global transformation. It’s a byproduct of innovation, regulation, urbanization, and environmental urgency. Looking at the Top 50 waste management thought leaders list, from recycling and circular economy leadership to AI-powered sorting, sustainable urban planning, and industry-defining research, consulting experts are redefining how the world handles waste, resources, and environmental responsibility.

From global recycling CEOs to circular economy strategists, AI innovators, and urban-planning visionaries, SMEs and KOLs are driving the next era of business. Noted Top 50 waste management thought leaders and experts’ collective influence pushes communities and industries toward cleaner cities, smarter infrastructure, and more sustainable systems—proving that the future of waste is rooted in innovation, collaboration, and visionary leadership.

In any event, if you’re planning a corporate meeting, conference or convention event, start by looking at consulting services by Scott Steinberg, futurist celebrity keynote speaker and business strategist consultant to 3000 brands. A favorite Top 50 waste management thought leaders choice of event planners the world of, he’s written over 30 books including bestsellers on change management, leadership, AI, innovation and more.

All in all though, there’s no shortage to the myriad options that you can pick from if you need consultants or keynote speakers, even on short notice. A brief look at the Top 50 waste management thought leaders roster reveals as much.

Waste Management & Recycling Industry Keynote Speakers and Leaders

1. Scott Steinberg – Futurist Keynote Speaker and Consulting Expert to 3000+ Clients

2. Jim Fish – CEO, Waste Management

3. Jon Vander Ark – CEO, Republic Services

4. Estelle Brachlianoff – CEO, Veolia

5. Sabrina Soussan – CEO, SUEZ

6. Worthing Jackman – CEO, Waste Connections

7. Alan S. McKim – CEO, Clean Harbors

8. Cindy J. Miller – CEO, Stericycle

9. Azeez Mohammed – CEO, Covanta

10. Sal Coniglio – CEO, Recology

11. Tom Szaky – Founder & CEO, TerraCycle

12. Phil Rodoni – CEO, Rubicon

13. Matanya Horowitz – Founder & CEO, AMP Robotics

14. Timo Hänninen – CEO, ZenRobotics

15. Michael Allegretti – Chief Strategy Officer, Rubicon

16. Joe Vaillancourt – CEO, WasteFuel

17. Ron Gonen – Founder & CEO, Closed Loop Partners

18. Jeff Zients – Former Co-Chair, Recycling Partnership (public-private leadership)

19. Carlos Silva Filho – President, International Solid Waste Association (ISWA)

20. Patrick Dovigi – Founder & CEO, GFL Environmental

Urban Planning & Sustainable City Innovators

21. Janette Sadik-Khan – Urban Transport & City Infrastructure Leader

22. Brent Toderian – Urban Planning Expert

23. Jeff Speck – Walkability & Sustainable Infrastructure Planner

24. Mitchell Silver – Urban strategist and planning leader

25. Amanda Burden – Former NYC Planning Commissioner

26. Dan Doctoroff – Founder, Sidewalk Labs

27. Carol Coletta – Urban innovation and civic leadership expert

28. Peter Newman – Sustainability and resilient-cities scholar

29. Kate Orff – Landscape architect & environmental urbanism leader

30. Gil Penalosa – Founder, 8 80 Cities

Environmental Consulting, Policy & Circular Economy Leaders

31. Andrew Morlet – CEO, Ellen MacArthur Foundation

32. Inger Andersen – Executive Director, UN Environment Programme

33. Christiana Figueres – Climate and sustainability strategist

34. Naoko Ishii – Former CEO, Global Environment Facility

35. Johan Rockström – Sustainability scientist

36. Paul Polman – Business sustainability advocate and former CEO

37. Andrew Steer – President & CEO, Bezos Earth Fund

38. Ilham Kadri – CEO, Syensqo (materials & circularity leadership)

39. Peter Bakker – President, World Business Council for Sustainable Development

40. Mike Barry – Sustainable business and circularity strategist

AI, Technology & Data Analytics Leaders

41. Jensen Huang – CEO, NVIDIA

42. Gene Hall – CEO, Gartner

43. Karthik Rao – CEO, Nielsen

44. Satya Nadella – CEO, Microsoft

45. Thomas Kurian – CEO, Google Cloud

46. Daniel Zhang – Former CEO, Alibaba (smart-city & tech leadership)

47. Diane Hoskins – Co-CEO, Gensler (design & sustainability insights)

48. Andrew Anagnost – CEO, Autodesk

49. Jensen Harris – Co-Founder, Textio (responsible tech innovation)

50. Marc Benioff – CEO, Salesforce

As you can clearly see by now, global Top 50 waste management thought leaders come from all walks of life and backgrounds, but each is worth checking in with for fresh perspectives on the field.