Secretary General, MWE (Municipal Waste Europe)
Vanya Veras has more than 15 years of experience in waste management legislation, practices and systems. She is currently Secretary General of Municipal Waste Europe, the association which represents municipalities in their public responsibility and engagement in waste management services.
Vanya Veras is a multinational, multicultural individual who began her career in Brussels in 1996 with NGOs in the field of environmental protection and citizens' awareness, remaining in the field of environmental policy with Coopers' and Lybrand Europe which was followed by a year in the European Commission as project manager for the EMAS scheme and a further year as an external consultant on the EMAS HelpDesk.
In 1999, Vanya Veras joined FEAD, the private waste industry association and in 2000 at the age of 28, was nominated Secretary General of the organisation, a position which she held until 2005. During this time the association gained in recognition and reputation, adding new members and playing an important role in informing European waste policy.
After almost twelve years in Brussels, Vanya was offered the opportunity to return to her home country, Greece, with Coca-Cola Hellenic and there held the position of Environmental Affairs Manager for three years, learning a great deal about the practical functioning of various extended producer responsibility systems in the European Member States within the group's 28 countries and facilitating the transfer of knowledge between them. Opting to remain in Greece as a freelance consultant, Ms. Veras worked with several companies and local authorities, advising them on a variety of environmental issues, including the position of special advisor on waste management to the incumbent Mayor of Piraeus, Vassilis Michaloliakos.
With the benefit of this combined experience of the waste industry, the producer and the local authority, Vanya Veras is now leading Municipal Waste Europe through the revision of the waste legislation.