The 17th Annual Gulf Petrochemicals and Chemicals Association (GPCA) Forum, hosted by QatarEnergy, gets underway in Qatar National Convention Centre, Doha, this week from 3-6 December 2023. Saad Sherida Al-Kaabi, Minister of State for Energy Affairs and President and CEO, QatarEnergy, and Prince Abdulaziz Bin Salman Al-Saud, Minister of Energy, Saudi Arabia, delivered a Ministerial address on 3 December 2023, and inaugurated the Exhibition.

In his Ministerial address to the forum, Saad Sherida Al-Kaabi welcomed holding the GPCA Forum in Qatar for the first time and said: “Since its establishment in 2006, the Gulf Petrochemicals and Chemicals Association has worked diligently to build a strong GCC chemical industry. With more than 250 member companies from the chemical and allied industries, GPCA is focused on dealing with the most important challenges and trends impacting the use of petrochemical products.”

Al-Kaabi also welcomed the event’s focus on energy transition issues saying: “This year’s event provides a valuable platform to discuss strategic priorities such as driving operational excellence, advancing new technologies, and enhancing production efficiency.

Prince Abdulaziz Bin Salman Al-Saud, Minister of Energy, Saudi Arabia, added: “As the COP28 commences, it is important to recognize that the petrochemical sector is also a crucial element in the global campaign to reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions (GHG). The petrochemical industry is often under scrutiny for environmental concern, but it has emerged as a driving force in fostering positive changes in the fight against climate change.”

Salim bin Nasser bin Said Al Aufi, Minister of Energy and Minerals, Oman, delivered an Incoming host address on 3 December, announcing Oman as the official host of the 18th Annual GPCA Forum, set to take place in December 2024. He vowed to take the actions and learnings from this year’s forum edition as well as previous ones and address them at next year’s edition, which is going to be held for the first time in Muscat, Oman.

“This industry has transformed the way we live and is going to contribute positively going forward towards the energy transition as we produce renewable energy from turbines, solar and other forms of renewables. The petrochemical industry is there to contribute and is going to be an extremely important pillar. The next forum should continue that journey and make the voice of the industry even stronger,” Al Aufi told delegates.

Eng. Abdulrahman Al-Fageeh, CEO, SABIC and Chairman, GPCA, opened the Forum on 3 December, highlighting the role of the industry in addressing challenges.

“The Annual GPCA Forum takes place at a crucial time for the chemical and petrochemical industry, as we contend with important challenges that will shape the industry’s future for decades to come. As ever, the chemical industry needs to remain resilient in the face of ongoing challenges and invent new avenues for growth – where chemistry is an essential solution provider to the challenges the world faces. Innovating for the future, catering to the growing demands of our customers, and successfully navigating a world that’s more complex than ever before, will be a key imperative for the industry in 2024 and beyond,” said Eng. Al-Fageeh.

Held under the theme ‘Mobilizing Chemistry for Impactful Transformation’, the Forum continues until 6 December, featuring Dr. Mohammed Al-Mulla, MD & CEO, QAPCO and Vice-Chairman, GPCA, who welcomed delegates on 4 December, and Dr. Paul Gruenwald, Global Chief Economist, S&P Global Ratings, who delivered a Keynote session about macroeconomic outlook in 2024.

Karen McKee, President ExxonMobil Product Solutions, ExxonMobil; Adriano Alfani, CEO, Versalis; and Jean-Marc Gilson, President and CEO, Mitsubishi Chemicals, participated in a special CEO keynote session alongside Dr. Fernando J. Gómez, Head, Resource Systems and Resilience; Member of the Executive Committee, World Economic Forum, who moderated the discussion and delivered a teaser presentation.

Leading regional and global chemical CEOs, including Peter Vanacker, CEO, LyondellBasell, Nadia Al Hajji, CEO, PIC, Tom Crotty, Group Director, Ineos, Paul Smith, MD – Global Head of Chemicals, Citi, and Mutlaq H. Al-Morished, CEO, Tasnee, are among the speakers who will share their insights throughout the event.

The 5th GPCA Legacy Award “Al-Rowad”, the GPCA Procurement Symposium, the inaugural Solutions Xchange, Sustainability District, and the 2nd edition of the GPCA Youth Forum are some of the key features at the forum this year that delegates will have the opportunity to enjoy.

Dr. Abdulwahab Al-Sadoun, Secretary General, GPCA, commented: “At this year’s Annual GPCA Forum we’ve continued our focus on delivering unrivalled quality of networking, thought leadership and content for our delegates and members, and so far, attendees’ response has been overwhelmingly positive. I would like to thank our host QatarEnergy for their hospitality and support to make this happen.

“As the chemical industry continues to be faced with new challenges and opportunities, our aim has been to facilitate the partnerships and collaboration needed to mobilize the industry around alignment and concrete action on issues such as sustainability, trade, circular economy, plastics waste management and so much more. Now in its 17th year, the Annual GPCA Forum, GPCA’s flagship event, has served as the ideal platform to deliver on this objective with confidence and I wish everyone a productive time during this year’s forum.”