GPCA
Opens its 7thResearch and Innovation Conference in Dubai Today
The conference is taking place on26-27Septemberat the Address Sky View
Hotel, Dubai, UAE
Dubai, United Arab Emirates,26 September 2022 – The 7th edition of the Gulf
Petrochemicals and Chemicals Association (GPCA) Research and Innovation
Conferencehas started todayat the Address Sky View Hotel, Dubai, UAE under the
theme ‘Catalyzing A Sustainable Future with R&I’. After a short pause due
to the COVID-19 pandemic, GPCA’s only event of its kind dedicated to chemical
research and innovation in the region hasreturned to Dubai, opening its doors
to senior decision makers from private and public organizations, value chain
stakeholders, industry leaders and academia from the Arabian Gulf and other
leading nations in the innovation field.
Delivering the welcome remarks in the
morning today, Dr. Bob Maughon, EVP, Sustainability, Technology &
Innovation and Chief Technology and Sustainability Officer, SABIC, and
Chairman, R&I Committee, GPCA, called on the industry to invest in research
and innovation for a more sustainable future. “You won’t deliver sustainable
solutions without what our industry produces. (…) Whatever solutions we deliver
will have an impact on the UN Sustainable Development Goals,” he said. Dr.
Maughon added that for the industry to achieve its goals by 2030, collaboration
is going to be key. He concluded by calling upon industry players to work more
closely with other stakeholders, their peers, and colleagues, to build
cross-value chain relationships, and foster collaboration between areas that
have not traditionally been an area of focus.
Next on stage was AbdulmohsenAlmajnouni,
Advisor to the President, King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology
(KACST) and Member, Core Development Team, RDIA, who delivered a plenary
address on the role of regulators in enabling a globally competitive chemical
industry. Almajnouni presented on the recently formulated Research, Development
and Innovation Authority (RDIA) and its roadmap to achieve the national
research, development and innovation (RDI) targets set by Saudi Arabia’s Crown
Prince Mohammed bin Salman. One of them is growing the kingdom’s R&I
expenditure from 0.6% currently to 2.5% by 2040. To achieve this, Almajnouni said,
the Kingdom needs to boost the availability of skilled people across the RDI
value chain; it must createcohesive funding programs with world-class budgets;
and break down pre-existing regulatory barriers in Saudi Arabia to promote and
induce public and private innovation.
In the second plenary address of the day,
Dr. Kevin Cullen, VP of Innovation, King Abdullah University of Science and
Technology (KAUST), shared learnings from industry and academia collaboration.He
urged for better university-industry collaboration and engaging in more
strategic partnerships. This, he said is the key to creating new jobs, developing
new products and services, growing the R&I sector’s contribution to GDP,
and driving up the revenue and profit of companies in the region.
The second day of the conference
continues tomorrow on 27 September, when Dr. Moayyed Al- Qurtas, Advisor, GPCA
R&I Committee, will deliver the welcome address to delegates arriving form
the region and the world. Attendeeswill also enjoy a plenary address entitled
‘Learnings and innovations from the medical industry during the pandemic’ by
Dr. AbdelaliHaoudi, Head R&D Strategy and Business Development; Managing
Director, Medical Biotechnology Park, King Abdullah International Medical
Research Center (KAIMRC). Another feature on tomorrow’s program includes a masterclasson
the shift to new circular business models and the growth opportunities for the
chemical Industry. The masterclass will be moderated by Dr. Mabrouk Ouederni,
Product Development and Innovation Manager, QAPCO, and feature leading experts
from the industry: Dimitri Daniels, Leader, Circular Economy Business EUR,
SABIC; Dr. Jihane Ball, Corporate Director for Circularity, Dow; and Thales
Crivelli, Sustainability Manager,Borouge.
Dr. Abdulwahab Al-Sadoun, Secretary
General, GPCA, commented: “I wasdelighted to welcome the R&I community to
Dubai this morning for another edition of the GPCA Research and Innovation
Conference after a three-year pause following the outbreak of the coronavirus
(COVID-19) pandemic. The insights, case studies and lessons learned shared by
the speakers and guests made this edition worthwhile attending for senior
industry leaders from both the region and the world. I look forward to
welcoming the GCC’s knowledgeable community of chemical researchers, academia,
industry experts and students for Day 2 tomorrow to discuss the challenges and
opportunities facing the industry and how to position it for a more profitable
growth through R&I.”
The 7thedition of the GPCA Research
and Innovation Conference hosted the 2ndGPCA Innovation Competition which
recognized three undergraduate and three postgraduate university students from
the Arabian Gulf in first, second and third place for their innovative research
project. The top five shortlisted students were provided with one-of-a-kind
opportunity to present their innovative ideas in front of delegates comprisingglobal
and regional industry leaders, the jury membersand academia. Now in its 2nd
edition, the GPCA Innovation Competition was launched to bridge the gap between
industry and academia in line with GPCA’s efforts to foster an innovation
culture in the Arabian Gulf.
To learn more, visit: www.gpcaresearch.com/
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ENDS -
About the Gulf Petrochemicals & Chemicals
Association
The Gulf
Petrochemicals and Chemicals Association (GPCA) was established in 2006 to represent
the downstream hydrocarbon industry in the Arabian Gulf. Today, the association
voices the common interests of more than 250 member companies from the chemical
and allied industries, accounting for over 95 percent of chemical output in the
GCC. The industry makes up the second largest manufacturing sector in the
region, producing over USD 108 billion worth of products every year.
GPCA supports the
petrochemical and chemical industry in the Arabian Gulf through advocacy,
networking and thought leadership initiatives aimed at helping member companies
to connect, share and advance knowledge, contribute to international dialogue,
and become prime influencers in shaping the future of the global petrochemicals
industry.
Committed to providing
a regional platform for stakeholders from around the world, GPCA manages six
working committees – Plastics, Supply Chain, Fertilizers, International Trade,
Research and Innovation, and Responsible Care – and organizes six world-class
events each year. The association also publishes an annual report, regular
newsletters and various other industry reports.
For more information, visit www.gpca.org.ae.
Contact:
Dima Horani
Tel: +971 4 451 0666
Ext 109
Slavka Atanasova
Gulf Petrochemicals and Chemicals Association
P. O. Box 123055,
Dubai,
United Arab Emirates
E: slavka@gpca.org.ae
Tel: +44 7561 525126
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