Edith Leeuta appointed as Fibre Circle CEO

Fibre Circle, the producer responsibility organisation (PRO) for the South African paper and paper packaging sector, has appointed Edith Leeuta as chief executive officer effective 1 May 2022.

“The Fibre Circle Board is delighted to welcome Edith to the team,” says Dinga Mncube, chairman. “Her vision, drive, passion for the environment and experience are what Fibre Circle needs to ensure that our children inherit a better environment.”

Echoing these sentiments, Leeuta adds, “We all have a role to play in leaving the earth a better place than what we found for future generations.”

Fibre Circle is responsible for the implementation of the extended producer responsibility (EPR) programmes, which includes the collection of fees from manufacturers and importers of paper products, and provides support in the development of sustainable, end-of-life programmes with a strong emphasis on re-use and recycling.

An equally important assignment is to provide support for the creation and development of small- to medium-sized businesses, with waste beneficiation and job creation as major objectives, particularly in rural areas.

Prior to joining Fibre Circle, Leeuta was employed as senior human capital business partner at Standard Bank.

She has also acted in both management and consultancy roles for several leading organisations, including Bidvest, Nedbank, First National Bank, PricewaterhouseCoopers, the Department of Science and Innovation, the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, and the Gauteng Provincial Legislature.

With a strong background in human resources and communications, she already has hands-on experience of working in areas related to her new role. She was instrumental in founding GR33N Africa, a not-for-profit organisation created to educate communities on sustainable environmental practices.

Another significant project was setting up and implementing the human resources and key stakeholder framework for a subsidiary of New GX Capital, the largest material recovery facility in Gauteng.

Leeuta is regularly asked to provide her insight on subjects like human capital development and environmental sustainability on radio stations 702, SAfm, YFM and Power FM. She also headed up human resources management for Power FM.

Moving forward, she will not only be working with the team at Fibre Circle but an incredibly wide variety of government and industry stakeholders, including municipalities, timber growers, paper and paper packaging producers, importers, processors, end users, environmentalists, and recyclers.