Laurent Birry

Laurent holds a Ph.D. in Chemistry from the Université de Sherbrooke (2005) and spent four years working on hydrogen fuel cells in Canadian research institutes. He joined Rio Tinto in 2010 as a researcher at the Arvida Research Centre, where he became the technical expert in cathode waste (spent pot lining, SPL) treatment. He has led several continuous improvement projects, involved in several by-product valorization initiatives, and actively participates in international activities related to the management of SPL and other residues from the aluminum industry.

Since 2020, he has served as Principal Adviser for Zero Waste at Rio Tinto Aluminium, overseeing the R&D portfolio focused on the treatment and valorization of waste from the aluminum production chain, particularly SPL and bauxite residues.