The Gulf Petrochemicals and Chemicals Association (GPCA), the voice of the chemical industry in the Arabian Gulf, announced that its 14th annual GPCA Forum is set to take place on 3-5 December 2019 at the Madinat Jumeirah, Dubai. His Excellency Dr. Mohammed bin Hamad Al Rumhi, minister of oil and gas, Oman, will be inaugurating the forum and will deliver the inaugural address this year.
Building on its reputation as the foremost chemical industry gathering in the Arabian Gulf, the conference program includes a prestigious speaker line-up comprised of senior industry leaders representing some of the world’s largest chemical firms, including Yousef Al-Benyan, CEO, SABIC and Chairman, GPCA, who will present the opening remarks, Bob Patel, CEO, LyondellBasell and President of the International Council of Chemical Associations (ICCA), who will deliver the keynote address, Karen McKee, President, ExxonMobil Chemical Company, Saori Dubourg, Member of the Board of Executive Directors, BASF, and Eelco Hoekstra, Chairman Executive Board and CEO, Royal Vopak.
With the IEA’s forecast that chemicals will be the largest force in global oil demand growth, investment in downstream chemical opportunities has increased dramatically and is projected to continue to grow steadily for the next decades to come. The GCC is emerging as one of the leading regions globally in the production and export of chemicals, as regional players focus on formulating new and existing partnerships at home and abroad, investing in high growth markets, and building their critical mass to increase the industry’s competitiveness.
Held under the theme ‘Winning through Strategic Partnerships’, the Annual GPCA Forum will shed light on USD 14.2 billion worth of mega projects and M&A deals that took place in the Arabian Gulf over the last 12 months, including the USD 9 billion Amiral project by Saudi Aramco and Total presented by Jean-Jacques Mosconi, SVP, Refining and Petrochemicals, Total, the USD 2.2 billion Sipchem-Sahara merger presented by Saleh Bahamdan, CEO, Sahara International Petrochemicals Company, and the downstream integration of Oman Oil Company and Orpic, which is estimated to produce USD 3 billion in returns over its period of implementation, presented by Musab Al-Mahruqi, Group CEO, Oman Oil and Orpic Group.
Other esteemed speakers include Darren Davis, CEO, Ma’aden and Christian Kullmann, Chairman of the Executive Board, Evonik Industries, who will discuss the different partnership scenarios and unlocking growth opportunities through innovation and sustainability, respectively, in addition to Adam Sieminski President of King Abdullah Petroleum Studies and Research Center (KAPSARC).
Dr. Abdulwahab Al-Sadoun, Secretary General, GPCA, commented, “With change-making deals such as Saudi Aramco’s USD 10 billion initial public offering, billed as the largest IPO in history, and its acquisition of a 70% stake in SABIC, the Arabian Gulf region has dominated global headlines, making the Annual GPCA Forum the place to be this December to obtain first hand intelligence about the latest developments shaping global and regional markets, inform your business strategy and build long lasting strategic partnerships.”
He added, “Starting from humble beginnings in 2006, the forum has emerged as the largest chemical gathering of senior industry leaders in the Arabian Gulf, consistently attracting over 2,000 delegates from over 50 countries across the globe, offering an unparalleled platform to gain exclusive insight into current and future business trends, meet with senior industry executives from some of the largest chemical firms globally and uncover new ways of stimulating business growth. Uniquely positioned in one of the central logistics hubs globally, the forum has successfully connected East and West, serving as an exclusive getaway to chemical markets globally.”
Building on its success in 2018, the forum will feature new masterclass series on a range of topics such as trade in a protectionist environment, the importance of human capital for fostering business competitiveness and the future outlook of the petrochemical industry, as well as seminars on the global chemicals market, innovation, disruptive technologies and the future of plastics.
