Catia Bastioli

​Catia Bastioli is the CEO of Novamont, an international leader in the bioplastics sector and in the development of biochemicals. Ms. Bastioli joined Novamont in 1991, initially as its technical director, before being appointed general manager and subsequently CEO. During her tenure as CEO she has transformed Novamont from a research center into a reference company in the field of Circular Bioeconomy. Ms. Bastioli started her career at Montedison, Italy’s largest chemical group, helping found the Fertec Research Center for renewable raw materials, with Fertec merging with Novamont in 1991.

Ms. Bastioli has been a member of important European Union working groups on climate change, the environment and renewable raw materials – such as the High-Level Panel on Decarbonization Pathways Initiative and the Mission Board on Soil Health and Food. She is the first inventor of about 80 patent families in the sector of biopolymers and transformation processes of renewable raw materials and was named European Inventor of the Year in 2007 for her inventions related to starch-based bioplastics between 1991-2001.

Ms. Bastioli served as the President of Terna Spa, the first grid operator for electricity transmission in Europe, from 2014 – 2020, is a former Board Member of the charitable Fondazione Cariplo, is the CEO of the Italian Cluster of Circular Bioeconomy SPRING and is the President of the Kyoto Club Association – a non-profit organization which raises awareness about the importance of the green and circular economy in order to reach the goals of the Paris Agreement.

Ms. Bastioli attended the University of Perugia in Italy and obtained a Master’s degree in Chemistry and a Master from the Business Management School Luigi Bocconi University in Milan, Italy. She was also granted an Honorary Doctoral Degree in Civil, Chemical, Environmental and Materials Engineering by “Alma Mater Studiorum” University of Bologna, Italy (2019), a Honoris Causa Degree in Business Economics by University of Foggia, Italy (2018), a Honoris Causa Degree in Materials Engineering by University of Palermo, Italy (2016) and a Honoris Causa Degree in Industrial Chemistry by the University of Genoa, Italy (2008).

In 2017 she was given the honorary title of Knighthood “Cavaliere del Lavoro” by the President of the Italian Republic Sergio Mattarella.