Agenda

Curtain raiser video and welcome by master of ceremony

Welcome remarks

Ministerial address

Al-Rowad: GPCA Legacy Awards ceremony

Exhibition inauguration and networking break

CEO keynotes session: A view from the global chemical industry: Scaling up for clean energy transition

Lunch

Solutions XChange:

The chemical industry has come a long way since its origins in the 19th century. It has seen many changes in technology, operations, and business models over the years. The pace of change is only increasing! Through these sessions, we bring to you an interactive knowledge sharing platform that will focus on solutions to some of the common challenges we face.

Location: Exhibition area

Click here for more info, https://www.gpcaforum.com/solutions-xchange/

GPCA Procurement Symposium– Facilitated by Kearney

Location: Main plenary

Click here for more info, https://www.gpcaforum.com/gpca-symposium/

Registration and welcome coffee

Welcome address

The hidden climate champion – Harnessing the chemical industry’s potential in fostering a sustainable world

The industry is facing several challenges and the transition towards a circular economy and achieving climate neutrality are two areas of great importance. The chemical industry can act as a key enabler for the decarbonization of many other industries.  It presents significant potential towards a low-carbon society in creating innovations with partners throughout the value chains of other sectors.

Found across a vast range of modern products, chemicals are part of the fabric of our societies. As much as 96 percent of everything that is produced needs chemicals, which means that, when chemical products become more sustainable, there is a huge multiplier effect. Through this session, chemistry is a recognized enabler for the circular society and is involved in cross-sectoral arenas to find the answers to tomorrow’s problems. Our speaker will touch upon the following:

• The current state of play
• Role of technology in enabling a low-carbon society
• Enabling the Hydrogen Economy and the prospective role of renewables in the Chemical Industry
• What steps are your company or the industry taking to achieve this?
• What are the main barriers and the enablers for the green energy transition?
• Looking forward, how can we anticipate the chemical industry to evolve?

Executive panel: Industry consolidation in chemicals – Evolving during uncertain times

The chemicals market worldwide is already grappling with myriad challenges. Some are fundamental, most notably the moral and regulatory push towards more sustainable practices. Others are more immediate – plummeting demand, disrupted supply chains, falling stock prices, and a changing competitive order. The chemical industry began to consolidate in the 1990s, affecting developed countries. Chemical industry consolidation is likely to develop with the commodity chemicals, agro-chemicals, and construction chemicals industries leading the way. About 20% of industry revenue has changed ownership due to M&A activity over the last decade. Sustainability, technology, and large-scale consolidation are all becoming increasingly important factors in determining how acquisitions are made. Trade restrictions, evolving political climates, and regulatory requirements all play a role in determining how chemical mergers and acquisitions progress.

Speakers will address the M&A landscape and discuss:

• What are the key value drivers for buyers?
• Cross-regional transactions and their notable advantages
• The growing influence of ESG considerations in M&A decisions
• How influential are carve-outs in driving chemicals M&A activity?
• How can chemical companies engage in successful and value-creating transactions?

Leadership dialogue 1: Future of trade and investments – An engine or impediment for sustainability?

Trade and cross-border investment are crucial drivers of economic growth and development, yet, support for international economic cooperation falters, and existing rules and institutions are strained. There is also a vital need for countries to intensify environmental and climate action. As such, conversations are shifting towards aligning trade and investment with the Sustainable Development Goals. It is incumbent on trade policy-makers to show they can take action on important environmental goals. We will bring together a trusted network of partners and experts from around the world, with a special focus on

• In uncertain times, how can chemical trade continue to support the development agenda and investment facilitation, while addressing the world’s sustainability imperatives?
• What role can the chemical industry play in helping to modernize the WTO?
• How can trade governance be reimagined and redefined to create sustainable, resilient and equitable companies, economies and societies?

Lunch break

Solutions XChange:

The chemical industry has come a long way since its origins in the 19th century. It has seen many changes in technology, operations, and business models over the years. The pace of change is only increasing! Through these sessions, we bring to you an interactive knowledge sharing platform that will focus on solutions to some of the common challenges we face.

Location: Exhibition area

Click here for more info, https://www.gpcaforum.com/solutions-xchange/

GPCA Procurement Symposium – Facilitated by Kearney

Location: Main plenary

Click here for more info, https://www.gpcaforum.com/gpca-symposium/

Registration and welcome coffee

Welcome remarks

Keynote session: Building upward momentum – A 2023 global macroeconomic outlook

Moving into the end of 2022, the global economy was struggling with slowing growth in several major economies around the world. The path forward this year marked the start of the shift from scaled, global, and efficient production to sustainable, resilient, and increasingly regional production pathways.  Chemical industry executives had to find the balance between navigating these immediate challenges and positioning for longer-term growth with technological innovation, evolving customer preferences, and supply chain resilience. Through this session, let us look at the macroeconomic indicators of the global economy heading into the coming year: volatile energy prices, higher costs, and fracturing of trading patterns amid geopolitical tensions.

1. Global inflation – Given the global nature of the industry, weaknesses in key markets will have a sizable impact,
2. The interlocking challenges facing the world: the war in Ukraine, high food and fuel prices
3. The true cost of a low carbon future and the transition to renewable energy
4. Emerging ESG innovations and the future of sustainable finance
5. Is Asia poised to drive economic growth

Leadership dialogue 2: Enabling material transformation through innovation

Chemicals and materials are ubiquitous in a modern-day lifestyle. Today’s chemical industry has the unique ability to transform natural resources into formulated products and materials that provide better solutions, differentiation and innovation to both customers and consumers.

Chemical customers are driving and shaping demand, as they increasingly seek more sustainable and/or circular products. Chemical producers can play a crucial role in effectively tackling climate change and for chemical producers to operate in an evolving global geopolitical landscape, there will be a strong need to make fundamental changes. Chemical companies will likely have to plan for numerous challenges, ranging from global inflation to oil price volatility. Thus, causing a strategic shift in the products it manufactures. The industry will need to fundamentally change the way it pursues innovation in order to take advantage of tomorrow’s growth opportunities. Through this session let’s explore trends that will influence the direction of the industry:

• Are current approaches to innovation sufficient for the objectives of tomorrow? What are the policies that will deliver this while protecting consumers?
• How are feedstock prices, energy demand, supply chain, and end-market demand, affecting the appetite for strategic buyers?
• How can innovation play a key role in material transformation to ensure sustained growth?
• How are digital technologies empowering materials innovation to expedite low-cost formulations?
• From lab to market: Is it possible to utilize existing assets to scale-up new materials’ production?

Closing Keynote – Transforming the Industry: The role of AI in Chemistry

The petrochemical industry has long been a cornerstone of the global economy, supplying the raw materials for countless products that we rely on every day. From plastics and fertilizers to pharmaceuticals and textiles, the reach of petrochemicals is vast and varied. However, as the world continues to grapple with the challenges of climate change and resource scarcity, there is a growing need for the industry to evolve and embrace more sustainable and efficient practices. One of the most promising avenues for achieving this transformation is through the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into the field of chemistry.AI has the potential to not only streamline existing processes but also to unlock new avenues for innovation and discovery. Through this session we will look at how the adoption of AI in the petrochemical industry will be essential in ensuring a more sustainable and prosperous future for all.

Closing remarks

Lunch