Solving Common Packaging Data Management Challenges  

Patrick Wiedemann has been leading the RLG Group and its global subsidiaries as CEO since January 2012. An industrial engineering graduate, Patrick initially joined RLG as Chief Financial Officer in June 2010. Following RLG’s integration into the Reconomy Group, he also assumed the role of CEO for the Reconomy Comply Division, overseeing Reconomy Group companies Valpak and Noventiz, in addition to RLG. At RLG, Patrick has transformed the Group into a pioneering solution provider for reverse processes across the entire product lifecycle. He has expanded RLG’s core businesses in Europe and significantly increased the Group’s presence in the US, while also opening new markets in Latin America, China, India, Asia Pacific, and recently, Canada. Under his leadership, RLG has become a leading global player in its markets, positioning itself as a key enabler of Circular Economy Solutions for major organizations and governments. Before joining RLG, Patrick served as CFO at Data Modul AG, where he was also responsible for international business for over 10 years. Earlier in his career, he held various finance and controlling positions within the Hilti Group in Germany and China. Patrick holds a diploma in Industrial Engineering and Business Administration from the München University of Applied Sciences.

Rachael brings over 8 years of remarkable experience within the Extended Producer Responsibility space across North America. Rachael specializes in sales operations and mobilizing programs for post-consumer materials, ensuring that materials make it to secondary markets, closing the loop, and making strides toward enabling the circular economy. She has designed and implemented cradle-to-cradle/grave solutions and reverse supply chain infrastructure for hard-to-manage materials.  At RLG, Rachael leads producer compliance, ensuring clients are compliant within various programs and the downstream network meets the requirements of clients.  Rachael completed her undergraduate studies at McMaster’s DeGroote School of Business, is a Lean Six Sigma Green Belt (2019), and is a certified Project Management Professional (2023). In 2021, Rachael was one of the 40 recipients of the Waste360 40 Under 40 Award.

Leslie Griffith is the Senior Business Development Director at RLGA. In this role, he oversees the expansion of EPR compliance, data management, battery safety, and circular take-back across the Americas. Les has spent his career working with organizations to develop progressively more sustainable solutions to the management of end-of-life materials.  Prior to joining RLG, Les spent eleven years at Covanta most recently serving as the Business Development Director for the Healthcare Solutions division, providing a suite of services to healthcare PROs, take-back services to retail pharmacy and law enforcement, and environmental services to the healthcare sector and reverse distributors.