Tom Bird is BIR’s new president

Twenty-nine years ago, Tom Bird of Chiho Environmental Group attended his first BIR convention. ‘Three things have not changed ever since: my family, my football club and the strong relationship to BIR,’ Bird told the world recycling organisation’s conference in Singapore where he was elected the new president.

A ‘long-standing and very active member’ of the organisation, Bird was approved by the General Assembly for an initial two-year mandate that can be extended once more.

Baxi did a great job

Tom Bird succeeds Ranjit Baxi, who had been president of BIR for four years. The new president thanked his predecessor for his ‘excellent’ work during the past four 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.’

A dedicated recycler

Tom Bird is ceo of Chiho Environmental Group which is headquartered in Hong Kong and is claimed to be one of the world’s largest metal recycling companies. Prior to his appointment, he had been BIR treasurer and member of the organisation’s executive committee for three years.

Bird has held several leading long-term positions in BIR, including interim president of the ferrous division and chairman of the internal audit committee. He also served as president of EFR, the European Ferrous Recovery and Recycling Federation.

Longstanding expertise

Bird has more than 30 years’ 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.