HÉLDER ROCHA
Yanbu
Summary
Environmental and waste management executive with 18+ years across GCC and Europe, combining strategy, engineering, operations, and regulatory governance. Led complex waste and environmental infrastructure transformation programs from executive decision-making through technical delivery and field implementation. Directed major capital investment planning, execution, and commissioning outcomes.
Overview
20
20
years of professional experience
Work History
Environmental Lead - Waste Strategist
Royal Commission for Jubail & Yanbu (RCJY)
01.2024 - Current
- Led strategic planning and regulatory interpretation, establishing industrial waste governance that ensured compliance and sustainability in a major industrial environment.
- Developed waste lifecycle strategies and long-term capacity plans, aligning infrastructure requirements with regulatory standards and circular-economy objectives to enhance resource efficiency.
- Evaluated treatment technologies and industrial waste trends, ensuring compliance with hazardous and non-hazardous waste regulations to mitigate environmental impact.
Chief Operations Officer (COO)
Wasteserv Malta Ltd
01.2021 - 01.2024
- Managed national municipal, organic, clinical, hazardous and non-hazardous waste operations and infrastructure, ensuring compliance and operational excellence.
- Directed landfill, MBT, anaerobic digestion, thermal treatment and autoclave facilities, guaranteeing performance, compliance and effective asset management.
- Executed infrastructure planning and operational transformation, facilitating cross-functional coordination across national waste-management operations.
Regional Project Director
GEMS
01.2017 - 01.2021
- Directed industrial waste and wastewater operations, enhancing treatment processes in DAF, biological treatment, and pretreatment facilities.
- Led business restructuring, SOP deployment, ERP integration, P&ID requalification and commissioning/operational readiness.
- Strengthened process performance and H2S risk management through improved hazardous-gas controls and environmental compliance measures.
Project Manager
RAL International Company
01.2013 - 01.2016
- Managed landfill lifecycle operations, ensuring compliance with HSE regulations while overseeing cell development, compaction, cover, landfill gas, and leachate management.
- Designed and optimised leachate collection and recirculation systems; led rehabilitation of asbestos disposal cell to enhance site safety and environmental compliance.
Contract Manager
Ecoambiente SA
01.2007 - 01.2010
- Managed municipal and industrial waste collection, optimising fleet performance and ensuring hazardous waste compliance.
- Led certification processes for ISO 9001, ISO 14001, and OHSAS 18001 and implemented GIS-based route optimisation to enhance operational efficiency.
Education
Graduate Diploma (Master's Equivalent) - Environmental Engineering
Bragança Polytechnic Institute
Portugal01-2005
Skills
- Waste strategies
- Circular economy planning
- Governance compliance
- Landfill engineering and closure
- Resource recovery
- Capital and operational planning
- Operational readiness and commissioning
- Stakeholder relations and engagement
- Leadership development
KEY MANAGEMENT ACHIEVEMENTS
- National Operations Led national-scale waste management across multiple waste streams.
- €755M Infrastructure Program Led development of a major environmental infrastructure investment portfolio.
- 300+ Employees Directed multidisciplinary teams across operations, engineering, HSE and compliance.
- Organizational Transformation Drove restructuring, governance, SOP standardization and ERP integration.
KEY TECHNICAL & PERFORMANCE METRICS
- +19% Treatment Throughput +10% landfill diversion
- +75% Landfill Compaction 0.74 ? 1.30 t/m³
- +109.7% Electricity Generation AD/biogas: 3.1 ? 6.5 GWh/year in 3 years
- 62% ? 69% Plant Availability ?12% facility downtime
- ?9% OPEX Process & resource-efficiency optimization
ADDITIONAL EXPERIENCE
- Operations Manager | Gandara Lda - Portugal | 2011?2012
- Health & Safety Officer (OSHA Level 5) | S. Sebastian Hospital - Portugal | 2006?2007
WASTE & ENVIRONMENTAL TECHNOLOGIES
- Biological Treatment MBT, Anaerobic Digestion (AD), Composting
- Recycling & Material Recovery MRF, RDF Production
- Energy Recovery Landfill Gas (LFG), CHP
- Thermal Treatment Rotary Kiln
- Clinical Waste Treatment Autoclave, Microwave
- Hazardous Waste Pretreatment, Stabilization/Solidification (S/S)
- Wastewater Treatment DAF, SBR, Evaporation, Ozonation, Fenton Oxidation
- Resource Recovery Oil Recovery Systems
- Soil Remediation Thermal/Infrared Treatment
- Separation Technologies Decanters, Disc Filters, Centrifuges
SELECTED CAREER PERFORMANCE
- Improved treated-effluent quality compliance to 73%.
- Reduced chemical reagent consumption by 8% through co-treatment optimization.
- Improved leachate collection efficiency by 80% and extended landfill operational life by 6 years.
- Increased profitability from 2% to 19% within three years.
- Achieved 85% municipal and 90% industrial collection efficiency; reduced operational dead time by 78%.
INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCE
- GCC & Europe
Timeline
Environmental Lead - Waste Strategist
Royal Commission for Jubail & Yanbu (RCJY)
01.2024 - Current
Chief Operations Officer (COO)
Wasteserv Malta Ltd
01.2021 - 01.2024
Regional Project Director
GEMS
01.2017 - 01.2021
Project Manager
RAL International Company
01.2013 - 01.2016
Contract Manager
Ecoambiente SA
01.2007 - 01.2010
Graduate Diploma (Master's Equivalent) - Environmental Engineering
Bragança Polytechnic Institute