Zaynab Sadan

CEO

Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa11 yrs 11 mos experience
Most Likely To SwitchHighly Stable

Key Highlights

  • Expertise in circular economy and sustainability.
  • Strong background in policy and systems change.
  • Passionate about innovation and human-centered design.
Stackforce AI infers this person is a sustainability-focused policy expert with strong engineering and innovation skills.

Contact

Skills

Other Skills

Microsoft OfficeMicrosoft ExcelResearchEngineeringMicrosoft WordPowerPointAspen PlusChemical EngineeringChemistryMicrosoft VisioTeamworkPublic SpeakingData AnalysisCustomer ServiceLeadership

About

I am an engineer with a love for nature and yoga. I get excited about people finding their purpose and living their truth through their vocation and spiritual practices.  I am currently exploring policy and business interventions to catalyse the transition towards a circular economy for material value chains, with a focus on plastics. Alongside this I enjoy facilitation and skills-building in innovation and human-centred design methodologies. 

Experience

11 yrs 11 mos
Total Experience
2 yrs 9 mos
Average Tenure
5 yrs
Current Experience

Presidential climate commission

Presidential Climate Commissioner

Jan 2026Present · 4 mos

Wwf south africa

8 roles

Senior Technical Specialist: Policy & Systems Change

Sep 2025Present · 8 mos

Global Plastics Policy Lead

Promoted

Oct 2024Sep 2025 · 11 mos

Global Advocacy Specialist, Plastics Policy

Apr 2024Sep 2024 · 5 mos

Regional Plastics Policy Advisor, Africa

Aug 2023Dec 2024 · 1 yr 4 mos

Regional Plastics Policy Coordinator - Africa

Promoted

Mar 2022Jul 2023 · 1 yr 4 mos

Programme Officer: Circular Plastics Economy

Mar 2021Feb 2022 · 11 mos

Project Officer: Circular Plastics Economy

Oct 2019Mar 2021 · 1 yr 5 mos

Circular Plastics Economy Research Intern

Apr 2019Sep 2019 · 5 mos

Wwf

Member, WWF Global A-team for Innovation

Jan 2021Dec 2022 · 1 yr 11 mos

  • The Global A-team for Innovation is a group of individuals from across the WWF network who believe innovation is vital for WWF to achieve its conservation goals. Each committing part of their time to cultivate the innovation culture of WWF globally, regionally and locally. The role of the A-team is to empower WWF staff by building your capacity; facilitating culture change; inspiring you think out of the box; and support internal and external collaboration to connect with the innovation ecosystem.

Parliamentary monitoring group

Parliamentary Monitor & Editor

Oct 2018Dec 2018 · 2 mos · Cape Town Area, South Africa

  • Write and edit meeting reports for publication on the PMG website.

The ecobrick exchange

Environmental Education Workshop Facilitator

Jun 2018Nov 2018 · 5 mos · Cape Town Area, South Africa

  • Co-facilitated eco-bricking & zero-waste education workshops for various stakeholders including Old Mutual employees, Greenpop Festival Goers, and Eden District Community Members.

Cape africa

Graduate Engineering Intern

Sep 2017Oct 2017 · 1 mo · Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa

  • Research and proposal writing for process engineering projects including biofuels, distillery manufacturing and wastewater treatment.

University of cape town

4 roles

Assistant Lecturer: Chemical Engineering

Feb 2017Jul 2017 · 5 mos · Cape Town Area, South Africa

  • Prepared & delivered tutorial and consultation sessions to assist 3rd year undergraduate students in exam re-write.
  • Summer Bootcamp: Heat & Mass Transfer in Dynamic Systems
  • Winter Bootcamp: Mass Transfer in Separation and Reaction Systems

Senior Academic Teaching Assistant: Chemical Engineering

Jul 2016Nov 2016 · 4 mos · Cape Town Area, South Africa

  • Managed teaching assistant duties, facilitated and assisted in tutorial and consultation sessions, processed & marked assignments, invigilated tests & exams, handled course-related student queries.
  • 3rd year undergraduate: Heat & Mass Transfer in Dynamic Systems

Academic Teaching Assistant: Chemical Engineering

Feb 2016Nov 2017 · 1 yr 9 mos · Cape Town Area, South Africa

  • Facilitate & assist undergraduate students in tutorial and consultation sessions, marking assignments, invigilating tests and exams.
  • August – November 2017: 4th year, Chemical Engineering Project
  • March – July 2017: 4th year, Business, Society and the Environment
  • February – June 2016: 3rd year, Heat and Mass Transfer Interfacial Phenomena

Graduate Research Assistant: Centre for Catalysis Research

Nov 2015Jan 2016 · 2 mos · Cape Town Area, South Africa

  • Department of Chemical Engineering, Centre for Catalysis Research, HySA/Catalysis.
  • Project – Catalyst synthesis, characterisation and testing for propane combustion in air as well as in a mixture with a realistic composition of fuel cell anode off-gas, in a fixed bed reactor and microchannel reactors. Additionally, starting up a three-stage fuel processor (steam reformer, water gas shift reactor, and selective methanation reactor) using a propane feed as well as catalyst synthesis for the Selective Methanation reactor.

Art of living international center, bangalore

Green Projects Intern

Jun 2016Jul 2016 · 1 mo · Bangalore, India

  • Assisted with implementation of ISO 22000 Food Safety Management Standards in the community kitchen;
  • Implementation of Health & safety signage and procedures in Plastic-to-Diesel chemical plant and Boiler Room areas;
  • Assessment and design of campus Recycling Bin System;

Womeng (women in engineering)

University Ambassador Program Facilitator and Fellowship Liaison

Mar 2016Nov 2016 · 8 mos · Cape Town Area, South Africa

  • Ambassador Program Facilitator: dealing with communication & organisation of WomEng ambassador program
  • Communications & Logistics: dealing with communication and logistics regarding WomEng Fellowship Week July 2016

Unilever

Supply Chain Intern

Jun 2015Jul 2015 · 1 mo · Pietermaritzburg Area, South Africa

  • Supply Chain, Manufacturing: Tea Factory
  • Project – Tracking and quantifying business waste (packaging and raw material) in the Tea factory, used World Class Manufacturing (WCM) tools (5G, 5W + 1H, and Root Cause Analysis - 5 Why), gained insight into supply chain functions, developed professional networks and problem solving skills

Shell

Product optimization and trading intern

Dec 2014Jan 2015 · 1 mo · Cape Town Area, South Africa

  • Insight into Product Optimization, Trading and Supply logistics, manufacturing simulation and planning, Hydrocarbon deal-making, fuel pricing, and transport logistics; attained networking & professional liaison skills

Chevron

Process Engineering Intern

Jun 2014Jul 2014 · 1 mo · Cape Town Area, South Africa

  • Project – Air Cooler Heat Exchange modelling & simulation using HTRI and Aspen; exposure to process monitoring & optimization methods knowledge on refinery operation and safety procedures; data gathering and analysis; international liaison and developing professional relationships

Private

Academic Tutor

Jun 2012Sep 2015 · 3 yrs 3 mos · Cape Town Area, South Africa

  • 1st year: Engineering Mathematics and Physics
  • Grades 8 -12: Mathematics and Physical Sciences.
  • Development of time management, teaching and mentoring skills.

Education

University of Cape Town

Master of Science (MSc) — Chemical Engineering

Jan 2016Jan 2018

University of Cape Town

Foundation Programme in Design Thinking

Jan 2017Jan 2017

University of Cape Town

Bachelor of Science (BSc) including Honours — Chemical Engineering

Jan 2012Jan 2015

SHAWCO Shine Saturday School

Jan 2010Jan 2011

Good Hope Seminary

Matric Certificate

Jan 2007Jan 2011

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