Third Annual GPCA Forum to Debate the Impact of the Global Financial Crisis on the Petrochemicals Industry

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- The global financial crisis will be a key topic for discussion as industry leaders gather at the Third Annual GPCA Forum, which is organized by the GPCA and co-organized by Chemical Week, on December 2 – 4, 2008 at Atlantis, The Palm, Dubai, UAE.

Attendees at the Middle East’s largest petrochemicals conference will have much to discuss as the global economic crisis has exacerbated the cyclical decline which was already forecast for late 2008. Several global producers are reporting year-over-year demand declines of 20% or more and prices have plummeted by 50% - 70% for products such as ethylene, aromatics and some polymers.

A dedicated session at the GPCA Forum on December 3, titled “The Financial Crisis: Where Does the Global Chemical Sector Go from Here?” will be led by Hassan Ahmed, Managing Director, HSBC Securities (USA) Inc. The impact of a steep downturn in the petrochemical cycle will also be addressed as part of other sessions throughout the program agenda.

“We are very pleased with the world class agenda we have developed for this year’s GPCA Forum,” said Mohamed Al-Mady, Vice Chairman & CEO, Saudi Basic Industries Corporation (SABIC). “No other Middle East petrochemicals event delivers the scope and depth of content on the most pressing issues facing our marketplace, especially the turmoil in financial markets around the world.”

The GPCA Forum offers a comprehensive program of timely, relevant general sessions that have been designed to address the issues affecting today’s global petrochemicals industry.

Sessions on day one (DECEMBER 3) include Meeting Energy and Feedstock Needs for the Region, led by Adbulla Bin Hamad Al-Attiyah, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Energy and Industry, Qatar; Chairman and Managing Director, Qatar Petroleum; Managing Growth: Where Are the New Global Feedstock Sources? led by Jeffrey Lipton, CEO, Nova Chemical; The Energy Challenge: Implications for the Middle East and the Global Chemical Industry, led by Ben van Beurden, Executive Vice President, Shell Chemicals. Two breakout sessions are also being offered on Human Resources and Supply Chain.

Sessions on day two (DECEMBER 4) include – Managing Growth and Competitiveness in a Cyclical Industry, led by Abdulrahman Jawahery, Board Member, GPCA; General Manager, Gulf Petrochemical Industries Co. (GPIC); The New Trend in China’s Petrochemicals Market, led by Li Xihong, President/Economics and Development Research Institute, Sinopec; The Role of Green Technologies in a Global Chemical Environment, led by Jose Carlos Grubisich, CEO, ETH Bioenergia S.A.; The Future of Chemicals in the Middle East, led by Florian Budde, Director, McKinsey & Company, Inc.; The Emergence of Iran’s Petrochemical Industry and its Role in Driving Regional Growth, led by Mohammad Ali Zardbani, National Petrochemical Company (NPC).

For the latest event information and to register, please call +1 (212) 621-4978 or visit www.chemweek.com/GPCA08. For Hospitality Suites, please contact Dana Carey at dcarey@chemweek.com or +1 (212) 621-4972.

About the Gulf Petrochemicals & Chemicals Association

The GPCA was founded in March 2006. The GPCA aims to put its resources together to enhance the role of the region in international debate and policy making vis-a-vis petrochemicals and chemicals, to facilitate regional cooperation, and to ensure that growth is both sustainable and socially responsible. GPCA’s mission is to offer its members networking opportunities through various plat-forms to meet and share knowledge; exchange opinions and experiences and advocate the development, growth and prosperity of the petrochemicals and chemicals industry and related businesses in the Gulf. Additional information is available at www.gpca.org.ae.

About Chemical Week

Chemical Week, part of Access Intelligence, LLC, is the world's leading source of news and analysis for key professionals concerned with the chemicals, petrochemicals, specialty chemicals and related industries. Chemical Week information is available face-to-face, daily, weekly and 24/7 via our websites, weekly print magazine, newsletters, custom publications, online buyers' guides, and conferences. Additional information is available at www.chemweek.com.