With a rapidly changing climate, a team of experts have assembled to meet the challenges of the growing waste problem.
Executive Team
Our executive team is a powerhouse of seasoned professionals with diverse, cross-continental experience in Norway, the US, Europe, and Asia. Driven by a knowledgeable Technical Advisory Board, we are poised and ready to revolutionize the resource recovery and manufacturing industries with our cutting-edge solutions.
CEO, Founder
Nick Narsavidze —
Nick Narsavidze, a seasoned entrepreneur and former Head of Research and Development at U.S. Science & Technology, has made a significant impact in the fields of sustainability and technology. He founded two innovative companies focused on environmentally sustainable textile manufacturing processes. Nick utilized his expertise in business development and product design to identify profitable opportunities in waste-to-manufacturing through the plasma gasification process, surpassing traditional waste management and waste-to-energy systems.
Chief Engineer
James Santoianni —
Mr. Santoianni, is a plasma gasification expert with comprehensive experience in thermal process engineering. James was awarded 9 patents in the areas of plasma gasification, syngas generation, and alternatives to metallurgical coke. He also created simulation tools for heat & material balances, refractory design & vessel sizing for projects utilizing biomass, MSW, and other waste feeds. He is currently operating in a consulting capacity at Refacture. James has a Bachelor of Engineering with a Concentration in Mechanical Engineering from the Stevens Institute of Technology in Hoboken, New Jersey. He is also Six Sigma Black Belt certified.
CCO, Co-Founder
Ådne Tveit —
With over 30 years of professional experience, Mr. Tveit possesses a unique combination of engineering, entrepreneurial, internationalization, and business skills. He has held a number of commercial and managerial positions in the computer and software industry including positions at IBM and Oracle. He has since founded his own business focusing on digitalization of business processes. Mr. Tveit holds a M. Sci. (sivilingeniør) degree from Ohio State University.
Chief Strategy Officer
Sunny Landeros —
Ms. Landeros has over 23 years of marketing experience in various senior leadership roles around the world. Key specialties include branding and advertising, strategic partnerships, PR, communications, and digital strategy including social media. Sunny recently served as Chief Marketing Officer and Brand Strategist for Husary Group and ExecuJet/Luxaviation. Ms. Landeros earned her Bachelor of Business Administration in Marketing from Texas Tech University and is currently a contributing editor for Forbes.
Commercial Advisory Board
Our Commercial Advisory Board comprises top experts in business strategy, market expansion, sales optimization, and commercial partnerships.
Co-Founder
Per Kristian Knutsen —
Per Kristian brings a wealth of expertise and accomplishment to the table, with a distinguished career spanning both operational and managerial roles. As a co-founder of Refacture AS, he contributed to its foundation before transitioning from the startup world. Previously, he held the position of CFO for a specialized military logistics company at Wilhelmsen for 17 years. Per Kristian holds a Master’s degree in Economics from NHH, the Norwegian School of Economics.
Lead Advisor, Capital & Commercialization
Tim Woodcock
Tim advises Refacture on capital formation, project development, and commercialization. With 14 years of experience at SolarCity, EnergyNest, and Equinor, he has managed projects ranging from $30k to $7B. Tim has invested in eight companies and one fund, and facilitated two platform acquisitions for Equinor. Currently, he advises a DevCo-as-a-service and incubates a private equity fund for industrial climatetech projects. Tim lives in Oslo with his wife, two kids, and vitamin D supplements.
Senior Advisor, Strategic Growth
Nadeem Hussain —
Nadeem has a robust background in UK law, having practiced as a litigation lawyer. Over the last twenty years, he has excelled in business, holding senior management roles across various sectors, including energy, technology, and investments. As Executive Advisor, Business Development, Nadeem brings exceptional commercial leadership experience and a proven track record of building and executing growth strategies in both startups and large enterprises. He holds a Bachelor of Law degree from Liverpool University.
Senior Advisor, Executive Coaching
Bill Harris —
Bill Harris is a seasoned executive coach and advisor, specializing in leadership development, marketing strategy, and business transformation. Currently serving as an Executive Coach at Startuplab, Aleap, and Norway Health Tech, he helps high-achieving executives unlock new potential and drive significant organizational change. Bill has extensive experience in PR, direct marketing, and business analysis, having facilitated workshops for prominent organizations like Microsoft and Equinor. He holds a Bachelor’s degree from Oregon State University in Business Administration and Management.
Technical Advisory Board
Refacture’s board is comprised of the world’s leading scientists and engineers in the fields of plasma technology, civil engineering, gasification technology, waste management, and bioinformatics.
Chief Scientist
Louis J. Circeo, Ph.D., PE —
Dr. Louis J. Circeo is known as the world’s leading expert on plasma gasification and has been involved with its research since its formation in 1971. In 1990, he established the plasma applications research program at Georgia Tech. The program was directed toward engineering and environmental applications of plasma arc technology for the treatment and energy recovery of municipal and hazardous/toxic wastes. Dr. Circeo is a registered professional engineer, he holds a Ph.D. in Civil Engineering with Nuclear Engineering Minors from Iowa State University.
Chief Plasma Expert
Alexander Rutberg, Ph.D. —
Alexander Rutberg is a highly accomplished expert in the field of plasma technology. He holds a PhD in Plasma Physics from the Institute of Electrophysics and Electroenergetics of the Russian Academy of Science and Master’s degrees in Mechanical Engineering from St. Petersburg State Polytechnic University. He has a proven track record in the design, assembly and testing of plasmatrons for waste gasification and metal recovery. Rutberg demonstrated the successful acceptance of the first commercial plasma waste gasification facility in Taiwan and the analysis of a hazardous solvent gasification system. With numerous technical papers to his credit, Rutberg is recognized as a leading figure in the field of plasma technology.
Chief Biochemist
Biswarup Mukhopadhyay, Ph.D. —
Dr. Biswarup Mukhopadhyay is a professor of the Virginia Tech Bioinformatics Institute. With over 2,438 citations, Biswarup is one of the leading researchers in the fields of biochemistry, microbiology engineering, bioinformatics, and bioenergy production. Biswarup is in discussions with the team to establish a technology for microbial electricity generation with key enzymes already identified. He has a Ph.D., in microbiology from the University of Iowa, a B. Tech in Biochemical Engineering from Jadavpur University, and an honorary B.S. in Chemistry from the University of Calcutta.