Sponsored content - Saudi energy minister to inaugurate the 16th Annual GPCA Forum in Riya

HRH Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman Al-Saud, Saudi Arabia’s minister of energy (pictured above), will deliver the inaugural address at the 16th Annual Gulf Petrochemicals & Chemicals Association (GPCA) Forum, which will be held in Riyadh for the first time on 6-8 December 2022. Hosted by SABIC, this year’s forum will be held under the theme ‘Chemistry in Action: Shaping a Sustainable Future.’ The minister will also lead the inaugural panel discussion with other Gulf energy ministers.

The GPCA was established in 2006 to represent the downstream hydrocarbon industry in the Arabian Gulf. Today, the association voices the common interests of more than 250 member companies from the chemical and allied industries, accounting for over 95% of chemical output in the GCC. The industry is second largest manufacturing sector in the region, making over $108 billion worth of products every year.

Also launched in 2006, the Annual GPCA Forum has established itself as the premier event for the global and regional chemical industry. This year, it is set to attract over 2,500 delegates from more than 600 companies in 91 countries.

“The Annual GPCA Forum arrives at an important time, as the chemical industry contends with some of its most critical challenges and opportunities yet,” said Dr Abdulwahab Al-Sadoun, secretary general of the GPCA. “Climate change, food insecurity and economic upheaval are converging to create a future that looks increasingly uncertain.” “With a fantastic speaker line-up, we hope to shed light on how the chemical industry can continue to provide solutions to global challenges, the role of innovation and digitalisation in helping to achieve this, and what plans companies have got in place to meet their commitment towards sustainability and decarbonisation.”

The forum’s programme this year includes various events, such as a ministerial panel with regional energy ministers, one plenary address, two keynote sessions, two inaugural sessions, and four leadership dialogues. The welcome address will be delivered by Eng. Abdulrahman Al-Fageeh, chairman of the GPCA and acting CEO of SABIC.

Chemical industry leaders, including Amin Nasser, president and CEO of Saudi Aramco; Dr Martin Brudermuller, chairman of the board of executive directors, at BASF; Peter Vanacker, CEO of LyondellBasell; and Conrad Keijzer, CEO of Clariant, will participate in sessions discussing vital topics such as how the chemicals sector can thrive in the era of sustainability and decarbonisation. Other industry leaders to speak at the forum, include:

* H.E. Mohammed A. El-Kuwaiz, chairman of the board at the Capital Market Authority of Saudi Arabia

* Ken Grahame, managing director and head of global chemicals investment banking at Goldman Sachs

* Mutlaq Al-Morished, CEO of Tasnee

* Hazeem Al-Suwaidi, CEO of Borouge

* Olivier Thorel, vice president of chemicals and hydrogen at Aramco and board member at SABIC

* Eng. Fahad Alajlan, president of the King Abdullah Petroleum Studies & Research Centre

* Abdulrahman Shamsaddin, CEO of SABIC Agri-Nutrients

* Dick Richelle, chairman of the executive board and CEO at Royal Vopak

The forum’s Leadership Dialogues will shed light on some of the most pressing issues impacting the chemicals sector today, including clean energy transition; turning the ESG theory into action; shaping future chemicals supply chains; and innovation in the agri-nutrient industry.

Contact:

Dima Horani

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