Australian biotech innovator Samsara Eco has appointed Dr Lars Kissau as its first General Manager of Asia, marking a significant step in its international expansion. Based in Singapore, Kissau will spearhead the launch of the company’s first 20,000-tonne nylon 6,6 plant in 2028, the first of a global fleet using Samsara Eco’s EosEco enzymatic recycling technology.

Kissau joins after two decades at BASF, where he most recently led the company’s net zero accelerator, driving low-carbon and circular economy technologies. His appointment strengthens Samsara Eco’s leadership team, which has recently expanded with senior hires including CIO Brock Thomas and Executive Director of Product Isaac Iverson.

“We’re rapidly scaling to meet market demand for low carbon, circular materials,” said Paul Riley, CEO and Founder of Samsara Eco. “Lars brings unmatched expertise to help us scale rapidly, and places us at the centre of the plastics supply chain. Having the best team with deep expertise like Lars will help us accelerate our path to commercialisation.”

Samsara Eco is pioneering infinite plastic and textile recycling using AI-crafted enzymes capable of breaking down mixed plastics and nylon into their base building blocks for reuse. With less than 10% of plastics and under 1% of textiles recycled globally, the company aims to rewrite these figures by embedding circularity into the value chain.

The company’s first industrial-scale recycling facility opened earlier this year in Jerrabomberra, Australia. Its upcoming Singapore hub will establish a six-person team over the next 12 months to support wider regional operations. The new nylon 6,6 plant, designed with engineering partner KBR, will anchor Samsara Eco’s push into large-scale circular production, supplying virgin-identical raw materials for the textile and plastics industries.

Commenting on his new role, Kissau said: “Samsara Eco’s technology is not a niche solution but one that can scale and create real-world change. Nylon and mixed plastics have historically been a challenge to recycle, which is why the company’s potential is so promising. The technology has the power to change the whole value chain of plastics, and with it, change industries.”

The expansion is further reinforced by Singapore’s strong biotech ecosystem and the presence of lead investor Temasek. While Singapore will serve as the regional hub, research and innovation will remain anchored in Australia.

Samsara Eco has secured over AUD $150 million in funding since launching in 2021, backed by Main Sequence, Woolworths Group, Temasek and other global investors. The company has also partnered with lululemon to create the world’s first enzymatically recycled nylon 6,6 product and recently signed a 10-year offtake agreement to supply 20% of the sportswear brand’s fibre portfolio.

www.samsaraeco.com