GPCA Research and Innovation Conference to bring industry leaders together in Al Khobar

The Gulf Petrochemicals and Chemicals Association (GPCA) will host the eighth edition of its Research and Innovation Conference in Al Khobar from September 16 to 17, marking the first time the event will be held in Saudi Arabia.

The conference will take place at Le Méridien Al Khobar under the theme “Innovation that Delivers: Empowering Research and Talent for Tomorrow.” It will examine how research, emerging technologies and talent development can support innovation across the chemical and petrochemical industry.

The two-day programme will bring together representatives from industry, academia and government to discuss ways to strengthen innovation capabilities and translate research into industrial applications.

Industry and government leaders on opening day

The first day will feature an opening plenary by Ahmad O. Al-Khowaiter, Executive Vice-President of Technology & Innovation at Aramco, while Dr. Majid Algwaiz, Deputy Minister of Development and Project Management at Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Energy, will deliver a ministerial address.

Dr. Waleed Al-Shalfan, Vice-President for Corporate Sustainability at SABIC T&I and Chairman of GPCA’s Research and Innovation Committee, will deliver the welcome address. Dr. Thorsten Loehl, Vice-President of Science & Engineering at Borouge International, will also give a keynote on fostering innovation with purpose.

The programme will include a future walk-through by Mahdi Aladel, CEO of Aramco Ventures, titled “From Vision to Action: Powering the Innovation Playbook for the GCC’s Chemical Future”.

A strategic panel will examine how research can be translated into industrial impact, with participation from Dr. Afrah Aldawsari, General Manager of the Refining and Petrochemical Technologies Institute at King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology; Dr. Abdulrahman Al-Farraj, General Manager of Corporate Technology at TASNEE; and Mohammad Essamuddin Ibrahim, General Manager of Research & Innovation at Sipchem.

Another leadership dialogue will focus on collaboration between industry, academia and government. Speakers will include Dr. Haleema Al-Amri, Senior Director of the Energy Innovation Observatory Department at the Ministry of Energy; Prof. Saad F. Alafnan, Chairman of the Department of Chemical Engineering at King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals; and Dr. Mohammed Al-Hazmi, General Manager of Chemicals, Technology & Innovation at SABIC.

Focus on AI and advanced technologies

The second day will focus on technologies, strategies and intellectual capital expected to influence the next phase of chemical innovation.

Dr. Alexandra Zakharova, Partner and KSA Chemicals Leader at McKinsey & Company, will deliver a keynote titled “Roadmap to the Future of Chemical Innovation: Lessons from Global Leaders”.

The programme will also include a strategic discussion on the role of advanced computing and artificial intelligence in scientific research, examining how these technologies are changing research processes and supporting new approaches to innovation.

GPCA Secretary General Mater Aldhafeeri said the conference would provide a platform for researchers, technology specialists, academics, industry leaders and talent to exchange ideas and develop partnerships.

“As the GCC’s chemical and petrochemical sector continues to evolve, world-class research, technology, academia, industry and talent will converge to accelerate the industry’s transformation,” he said.

He added that the conference would support dialogue and collaboration around innovations expected to shape the sector’s future.