The Gulf Petrochemicals and Chemicals Association (GPCA), the voice of the chemical industry in the Arabian Gulf, is proud to publicize that His Excellency Dr. Mohammed bin Hamad Al Rumhi, Minister of Oil and Gas, Oman, will deliver the inaugural address at the 14th Annual GPCA Forum set to take place on 3-5 December 2019 at the Madinat Jumeirah, Dubai.

Building on its reputation as the foremost chemical industry gathering in the Middle East, the conference program includes a prestigious speaker line-up comprised of senior industry leaders representing some of the worlds 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 IEAs forecast that chemicals will be the largest force in global oil demand growth, investment in downstream chemical opportunities has augmented dramatically and is projected to endure to grow progressively 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 upsurge the industrys 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 respected speakers include Darren Davis, CEO, Maaden and Christian Kullmann, Chairman of the Executive Board, Evonik Industries, who will discuss the different partnership scenarios and unlocking development chances 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 contracts such as Saudi Aramcos 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 get first hand intelligence about the latest developments determining global and regional markets, inform your business strategy and build long lasting strategic corporations.

He added, Starting from humble beginnings in 2006, the forum has emerged as the largest chemical meeting of senior industry leaders in the Arabian Gulf, consistently attracting over 2,000 delegates from over 50 countries across the globe, offering an unmatched platform to gain exclusive insight into current and future business trends, meet with senior industry executives from some of the largest chemical firms internationally 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 international chemicals market, innovation, disruptive technologies and the future of plastics.

To register your interest, visit https://gpcaforum.net/register/