David Katz

David Katz is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Plastic Bank, an internationally recognized social fintech addressing both poverty and plastic pollution. His idea has enlivened an opportunity for the world to gather and exchange plastic for money, social benefits, and beyond. Today, Plastic Bank empowers over 550 collection communities with more than 40,000 members in the Philippines, Indonesia, Brazil, Egypt, Thailand, and Cameroon. Katz’s leadership has helped guide businesses of all sizes to reduce their environmental footprint, promote a circular economy, and support communities.

Katz has been named one of the world’s most compassionate entrepreneurs. He is the recipient of the United Nations Lighthouse Award for Planetary Health, recipient of the Paris Climate Conference Sustainia Community Award, recipient of the Ernst & Young Lifetime Achievement Award, recipient of The Globe and Mail: Report on Business Magazine’s Changemakers Award, and named the Entrepreneur Organizations, Global Citizen.

His humanitarian work has earned him international recognition. Katz has been featured in hundreds of international news and investigative articles, including BBC, CNN, Time Magazine, Forbes, Fast Company, Business Week, and National Geographic. He can be found at TED.com, is featured in award-winning documentaries, and starred in an international reality television show.

Katz is a steward of the earth and a champion for the poor.