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Salomé Galjaard
Deputy Program Manager Circular Economy at City of Amsterdam
Salomé Galjaard is a prominent figure in the field of urban development and sustainability, serving as the Deputy Program Manager for the Circular Economy at the City of Amsterdam since October 2019. Her journey into this critical role was sparked by her insightful research and paper focused on circular urban development. This work laid the groundwork for her involvement in crafting the city’s ambitious circular strategy for 2020-2025, which encompasses a robust program consisting of over 200 projects and activities set for 2020-2021. The strategic plans, which include a comprehensive monitoring system to track material flows within the city and a distinctive donut-portrait visualizing the city’s dynamics, were officially launched in April 2020. Currently, Salomé is deeply involved in executing these initiatives, all while navigating the complexities posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, which further underscores the pressing need for resilience against unforeseen challenges. Salomé firmly believes that adopting a circular economy approach, which promotes more localized resource circulation, will contribute significantly to building a more sustainable and future-proof urban environment.
Prior to her tenure with the City of Amsterdam, Salomé Galjaard amassed over a decade of experience at the international design and engineering firm Arup. Her background in Industrial Design Engineering, with a specialization in Interaction Design, positioned her well for a variety of roles within the company. In the latter half of her career at Arup, she centered her work around Digital Fabrication technologies, exploring their impacts on design practices, the intricacies of collaboration within the value chain, and the potential changes these technologies could prompt on construction sites. Her interests also span integrated urban development, wherein she seeks to foster value creation at the intersections of traditional and emerging disciplines, thereby opening avenues for innovative visions, strategies, and technologies. Salomé is particularly enthusiastic about the transformative potential of the Circular Economy, recognizing that it demands a multifaceted (cross-)sector transition, a challenge she eagerly embraces.
A passionate advocate for social and environmental sustainability, Salomé describes her work as tackling broad and open technical challenges. She dedicates herself to developing integrated solutions for society, highlighting her commitment to Systems Thinking as a framework for addressing complex ecosystems. Salomé’s strengths lie in her ability to innovate from a blank slate, her creativity and distinctiveness in problem-solving, her visionary perspective, and her fervor for facilitating change effectively and energetically. Her expertise and insights have made her a sought-after speaker at international conferences and universities, providing her with platforms to engage in meaningful discussions on global challenges and expand her worldview. Salomé identifies with the concept of a 'chaos pilot,' demonstrating her independent thought and adaptability in navigating the intricacies of her field.
