Since 1998, Eric Schweitzer is the CEO of the Berlin-based recycling company ALBA (since January 2011, ALBA Group plc & Co. KG). Born in Malaysia in 1965, he studied business administration at Freie Universität Berlin and obtained his doctorate in political science in 1990. In the same year he joined ALBA and has been active in the waste management industry ever since. Between 1999 and 2003 he acted as Vice-President of the European Federation of Waste Management Industry and from 2003 until 2006 as Vice-President of the Federation of German Waste Management Industry. Additionally, Dr. Schweitzer was the President of the Berlin Chamber of Commerce and Industry (IHK) (2004-2016) and became acting President of the Association of German Chambers of Commerce and Industry (DIHK) in March 2013.