Rob Kaplan

Board Member

Rob has played a key role in the establishment of The Circulate Initiative and serves as a Board Member. He is the Founder and CEO of Circulate Capital, the leading circular economy investment management firm in high-growth markets. He established Circulate Capital in 2018 to invest in partnership with global brands and institutional investors into solutions that deliver financial returns, advance the circular economy, fight climate change, and prevent the flow of plastic waste into the ocean. Circulate Capital currently manages the largest portfolio of recycling companies in Asia.

Prior to Circulate Capital, Rob co-founded Closed Loop Partners, an innovative platform for impact investing, sustainability, and the circular economy in North America. As Managing Director, Rob oversaw strategy, new business model development, and day-to-day operations.

Previously, Rob spent 10 years leading sustainability initiatives in the consumer goods and retail industries. As Director of Sustainability at Walmart, he was responsible for sustainable packaging, customer engagement, the Consumables business, and the goal to eliminate 20 million metric tons of greenhouse gas from the supply chain. Previously, at Brown-Forman, he helped lead corporate responsibility for spirit brands, such as Jack Daniels.

Rob has also served as State Communications Director for Fight Crime: Invest in Kids California and as a political consultant for M&R Strategic Services in Washington, DC. Rob received his MBA from the University of California, Berkeley where he studied marketing, corporate responsibility, and social entrepreneurship and a BA in political communication from the George Washington University.