LEGO Owner KIRKBI Appoints Craig Arnold as Head of Circular Plastics

LEGO Group holding company KIRKBI’s climate investment arm KIRKBI Climate announced the appointment of Craig Arnold as Head of Circular Plastics and a member of its leadership team, as the company plans to significantly increase investments in circular plastics.

According to KIRKBI Climate, the new appointment forms part of the firm’s move beyond traditional investing and taking a more active role in building and scaling companies that can help solve global climate challenges, with Circular Plastics as a major area of investment.

KIRKBI Climate’s Circular Plastics strategy focuses on investing across the value chain to scale recycling and reuse solutions. The company said that it plans to invest DKK 10 billion (USD$1.5 billion) over five years across Circular Plastics, Energy Transition, and Land Sustainability.

Anupam Bhargava, CEO of KIRKBI Climate, said:

“Craig brings a combination of deep industry knowledge and hands-on experience building and transforming businesses. He understands the plastics value chain, the technology and the commercial realities of the industry. This is exactly the kind of experience we need as we plan to increase our investments in Circular Plastics, develop partnerships, and take a much more active role in building and scaling businesses.”

Arnold joins KIRKBI from plastics and chemicals producer Borealis, where he served as Executive Vice President for Polyolefins, Base Chemicals (HC&E) and Circular Economy Solutions, with responsibility for the company’s plastics and chemicals businesses and advanced its circularity strategy. Previously, Arnold held executive leadership positions at silicon metal and ferroalloys producer Ferroglobe and spent over 20 years with multinational Dow Chemicals.

Arnold said:

“I have spent my career in the plastics and chemicals industry, and I have seen both its value and the scale of the waste challenge. KIRKBI Climate combines long-term, patient capital with a systems approach to investing, which I believe is key to scaling circular solutions. I look forward to contributing to this important mission.”