BIR World Recycling Convention & Exhibition in Singapore

General Assembly: Tom Bird elected new BIR President

At the 2019 General Assembly of the Bureau of International Recycling on Tuesday, 21 May 2019 in Singapore, the world recycling body elected its new President, the British national William T. Bird of Chiho Environmental Group.

A long-standing and very active member of the organisation, Mr Bird was approved by the General Assembly for a first 2-year mandate, which can be extended once.

In his opening address, he thanked his predecessor Ranjit Baxi for his excellent work during the past 4 years and expressed his gratitude to be at the head of such an important international organisation. “BIR is long established as the sole truly international recycling federation,” he said. “I am honoured to be serving its more than 750 member companies and national recycling federations in the coming years.”

Mr Bird is Chief Operating Officer of Chiho Environmental Group which is headquartered in Hong Kong and one of the world’s largest metal recycling companies. Prior to his appointment, Mr Bird had been BIR Treasurer and member of the organisation’s Executive Committee for three years. He has held several long-term positions in BIR leadership, including interim President of the Ferrous Division and Chairman of the Internal Audit Committee. He served also as President of EFR, the European Ferrous Recovery and Recycling Federation.

Mr Bird has more than 30 years’ extensive experience in metal recycling starting out in the family business The Bird Group and acting in senior positions in companies such as Liberty Metal Recycling, Van Dalen, and Sims Metal Management.