Session Details

David Badal is the Managing Director and Global Head of Chemical at Morgan Stanley. David joined Morgan Stanley in 2013. He spent 14 years as a Chemicals Investment Banker at JPMorgan. Prior to JPMorgan, David was a Chemical Engineer, managing the day-to-day operations of two chemicals facilities for Monsanto at its Chocolate Bayou facility in Alvin, Texas for 4 years. David received a B.S. in Chemical Engineering at Washington University in St. Louis with cum laude honors. He completed his MBA from the University of Chicago Graduate School of Business.

Dr. RB Balaji Chief Industry Advisor, Global Manufacturing and Co-Lead Green Hydrogen Hub International Finance Corporation

RB leads the IFC’s efforts in shaping the transformation of the Manufacturing Industry to reduce its environmental footprint while sustainably producing the critical products needed for everyday life. RB is passionate about development and dedicates about half of his time in IFC to developing Manufacturing in Africa. RB joined IFC in 2012 after a long career in the Chemicals Industry in R&D, Technology Development, Technology Marketing, Licensing and Technology Transfer, IP Management, and Corporate Strategy. As Chief Industry Advisor to the Global Chemicals and Fertilizers Investment portfolio of IFC, he guides the investment teams and decision-making committees throughout the lifecycle of IFC’s investment including Business Development, Due Diligence, Project Execution and Portfolio Supervision. He has lived and worked in four countries and has done business in over 50 countries. Current areas of focus:

Decarbonization solutions for heavy industries such as energy efficiency, green hydrogen, flared gas reduction, renewable and bio-energy incorporation
Circularity and Resource Efficiency in Manufacturing
Fertilizers, agrochemicals, and climate smart agriculture for food and climate security
Bio-derived and bio-degradable chemicals to reduce global dependence on fossil fuels
Sustainable and sensible deployment of green hydrogen
Paris Agreement alignment leadership for IFC investments in Manufacturing

RB holds a Ph.D. in Polymer Science from the U. of Akron, Ohio, an M.S. in Chemical Engineering from the U. of Connecticut, and a B.Tech. in Chemical Engineering from the U. of Madras, India. He has published his research in several scientific journals and presented at various academic and industry conferences; he also holds many patents for his work on specialty polymer films.

Sudipta Bhattacharya Chief Technology Officer & Chief Executive Officer North America Adani Group

Sudipta Bhattacharya is the Group’s Chief Technology Officer and the Chief Executive Officer for North America. He manages several of the global new Business Development initiatives, Innovation and Strategic Communications initiatives. The Adani Group is currently India's fastest growing conglomerate. As CTO, Mr. Bhattacharya leads the Group’s digital transformation and is responsible for digital businesses and functions that span Information Technology, Analytics, Operational Technology, Cybersecurity and Next Generation Data Centers. The technology team at Adani is also building the world’s largest industry cloud platform, setting up an AI & Cybersecurity Lab to expand the group's foray into adjacent technology businesses. As CEO (North America), Mr. Bhattacharya is responsible for the Adani Group’s International business development activities including building partnerships and joint ventures with global companies. Prior to the Adani Group, Mr. Bhattacharya was CEO of the Invensys' Controls and Automation Technology business units, having conceptualized and then led the internal merger of four of the Invensys divisions to form Invensys Operations Management, later acquired by Schneider Electric in 2013 for $5.2 billion. Prior to Invensys, Mr. Bhattacharya was Senior VP for SAP's Supply Chain Management, Manufacturing and Engineering product portfolios that had combined revenues of $3 billion.

Elizabeth Carlson Chief Sustainability Officer Tricon International Ltd

Elizabeth Carlson is Tricon Energy’s Chief Sustainability Officer, focused on developing and driving the company’s sustainability strategy and initiatives. Her background is in corporate responsibility, economic development, and environmental and social impact in both non-profit and private sector organizations with experience across the Americas, Europe, Africa, Middle East, and Asia. She participates in various industry and multistakeholder collaborations, including the Alliance to End Plastic Waste, Vinyl Sustainability Council, and Together for Sustainability and currently volunteers as the Chair of the Sustainability Subcommittee for Houston's 2026 World Cup efforts.

Before joining Tricon, Elizabeth worked in sustainability-related roles on construction and engineering projects in the oil, gas, and mining industries. She holds a B.A. in International Studies and Russian from the University of North Carolina and a M.Phil in Development Studies from the University of Cambridge.

David Clark Vice President Sustainability Amcor

David leads Amcor’s global sustainability agenda. He works closely with the global packaging company’s research-and-development and innovation functions to integrate more sustainable design and social responsibility into Amcor’s product development and innovation processes. He is active in Amcor’s global sustainability partnerships with the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, Ocean Conservancy, and others. He leads the company’s program to achieve its Global Commitment to develop all of its packaging to be recyclable or reusable by 2025, to increase the use of recycled content, and collaborate to drive up rates of recycling around the world. David is chair of the Plastic Recycling Corporation of California, serves on the board of The Recycling Partnership, and is an Aspen Institute First Movers Fellow. David holds a B.S., Physics, from the University of Michigan and an MBA from Pepperdine University.

Adrian Cooper CEO Oxford Economics

Adrian Cooper is responsible for coordinating and managing Oxford Economics' global economic analysis, forecasting and consultancy activities, and overseeing its global team of over 450 professionals including 300 economists and analysts. He has led Oxford Economics' work on a wide array of consultancy projects, ranging from policy advice to government departments in Europe, the US, Africa, and Asia to detailed analysis of the economic impact of particular industries and investment proposals. Adrian spent the first seven years of his career with HM Treasury, England. During this time, he worked on the analysis of tax and other economic policy changes as part of the preparations for the UK Budget. He was also the coordinator of the government's macroeconomic forecast for two years. Prior to joining Oxford Economics in 1994, Adrian was UK economist for James Capel & Company, responsible for analysing and forecasting the UK economy for institutional investors, as well as briefing Capel's own traders. Adrian was educated at the University of Bristol, England, where he gained a first-class degree in Economics; and at the London School of Economics and Political Science, England, where he achieved a distinction in the MSc in Economics and won the Ely Devons prize for outstanding performance in the degree examinations.

Greg Dooley Business Director Stolt Tankers

Greg Dooley is Business Director of Stolt Tankers USA, Inc. He has worked with Stolt Tankers for 25 years in a variety of chartering and trading roles in the USA, Singapore, Australia and the Netherlands. He holds a bachelor’s degree from Duke University and a master’s degree from State University of New York Maritime College.

Gordon Fairclough World Coverage Chief The Wall Street Journal

Gordon Fairclough is the world coverage chief for the Wall Street Journal, a position he’s held since 2017.

Drawing on his extensive experience in foreign posts, he directs the Journal’s coverage outside of the United States. He was previously the Journal’s politics and economy editor for Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. From 2013 to 2016, Fairclough was the Journal’s South Asia bureau chief. He was part of the Journal’s team in China that won the 2007 Pulitzer Prize for International Reporting. He has also had postings in the Prague, Seoul and New York.

Fairclough earned his bachelor’s in history from Yale University and a master’s in international economics and foreign policy from the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies.

Jérome Filéni Head of Chemicals HSBC Investment Bank

Jérome is heading the chemicals franchise for HSBC Investment Bank globally and has been a chemicals banker for the past 25 years. He started his career in Europe and subsequently moved to the Middle East where he has continued to cover the industry. He relocated to London in 2012 and has since been involved in many landmark M&A and IPO transactions in the sector for large corporates and private-equity investors. He graduated from ESCP and is a CFA Charterholder

Maximilian Grasserbauer Senior Vice President Circular Economy OMV

Max Grasserbauer is the Circular Economy director of OMV’s Chemicals & Materials division. Max graduated from the University of Technology in Vienna, Austria, with a degree in Mechanical Engineering in 1995 and an MBA from Open University, UK, in 2000. He started his career in refinery operations, followed by 20 years of senior leadership roles in areas such as fuels and petrochemical sales, M&A and business development in Europe as well as MEA. In 2020, Max began to apply his extensive experience to OMV’s chemical recycling activities in order to help OMV establish a leading position in the renewable and circular economy. Today he leads a broad portfolio of circular economy initiatives and projects striving to re-invent essentials for a sustainable living.

Peter R. Huntsman Chairman of the Board, President and Chief Executive Officer Huntsman Corporation

Peter Huntsman is Chairman, President and CEO of Huntsman Corporation, a publicly traded global manufacturer and marketer of differentiated and specialty chemicals with 2023 revenues of approximately $6 billion. Huntsman Corporation operates more than 60 manufacturing, R&D and operations facilities in approximately 25 countries and employs approximately 6,000 associates within our continuing operations. In addition, Mr. Huntsman is the Chairman and CEO of the Huntsman Cancer Foundation (“HCF”). HCF raises funds and supports the ongoing research, treatment and educational programs of the world renowned Huntsman Cancer Institute. He is also CEO of the Huntsman Foundation, a private foundation focused on cancer care, mental health, homelessness and a variety of other projects to improve society. Mr. Huntsman is involved as a member on various executive boards and councils. He and his wife are the parents of eight children and have 19 grandchildren

Greg Ip Chief Economics Commentator and Deputy Economics Editor The Wall Street Journal

Greg Ip is chief economics commentator and deputy economics editor for The Wall Street Journal. He writes about U.S. and global economic developments and policy in the weekly Capital Account column and in Real Time Economics, the Wall Street Journal’s economics newsletter, and helps guide the newspaper’s economic coverage. From 2008 to January, 2015, he was U.S. economics editor for The Economist, based in Washington, D.C. Greg has won or shared in several prizes for journalism. He is the author of “The Little Book of Economics: How the Economy Works in the Real World” (Wiley, 2010) and “Foolproof: Why Safety Can Be Dangerous and How Danger Makes Us Safe,” (Little, Brown, 2015). A native of Canada, Mr. Ip received a bachelor’s degree in economics and journalism from Carleton University in Ottawa, Ontario.

Dewey Johnson Senior Vice President, Global Head of Chemical Market Analytics Chemical Market Analytics by OPIS

Dewey Johnson is Senior Vice President & Global Lead of Chemical Market Analytics by OPIS, a Dow Jones Company (“Chemical Market Analytics”). IHS Markit Global LLC (“IHS Markit”) was acquired by S&P Global in February 2022. As part of the merger, IHS Markit Base Chemicals was spun off and separately acquired by Dow Jones and renamed “Chemical Market Analytics” in June 2022. Dewey is responsible for the global business, including insight and research covering the major chemical value chains, including Aromatics and Fibers, Olefins and Derivatives, Inorganics (chlor-alkali, vinyls, and soda ash), Plastics and Polymers, and Syngas Chemicals (methanol, acetyls, and ammonia). Dewey is based in Houston. Prior to Chemical Market Analytics, Dewey joined IHS Markit (through legacy CMAI) in 2009. His experience in the petrochemical industry covers all aspects of the business- financial, commercial, operations, research, strategy design and business planning, business development, and consultancy. Before IHS Markit, he was with Eastman Chemical Company, where he spent more than 25 years in strategic and commercial roles with various business groups and corporate functions. Dewey held management positions in commercial development, global sourcing, P&L for key businesses, market development, and market & strategic analysis of chemical markets and businesses. Dewey has led multiple complex engagements in strategy development and execution, global sourcing of Aromatics & olefins derivatives and industrial gases, business simulation & game theory and dynamic modeling, sales/ marketing, and business development. Dewey received BS and MS engineering degrees from Tennessee Technological University and Virginia Polytechnic Institute. He also earned an MBA in General Management. Dewey has been a frequent guest lecturer at MIT Sloan School of Management, UVA Darden School of Management, and SUNY at Albany School of Public Policy.

dewey.johnson@chemicalmarketanalytics.com

Yvonne van der Laan Executive Vice President, Circular and Low Carbon Solutions LyondellBasell

Yvonne van der Laan is executive vice president, circular and low carbon solutions for LyondellBasell, a leader in the global chemical industry creating solutions for everyday sustainable living. Prior to this appointment, van der Laan served as director, Olefins and Optimization Olefins and Polyolefins (O&P) Europe for LyondellBasell. Before joining LyondellBasell, she served as vice president, Industry and Bulk Cargo Business at the Port of Rotterdam, Netherlands. She has more than 20 years of experience in the chemical industry in several commercial and business leadership roles with SABIC and DSM. Van der Laan holds a Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Mastricht in the Netherlands and a Maîtrise en Sciences Economiques from the University of Rennes I, France. She has held several board positions at LyondellBasell, including chair of Basell Polyolefins GmbH Supervisory Board and board member of Petrochemicals Europe.

David Maher Director of Business Development, Americas Large Projects Linde

David Maher is the Director of Business Development for the Americas Large Projects division at Linde based in Houston, TX where he oversees origination and development of clean hydrogen and carbon capture hubs in the Americas. David has developed partnerships and projects with across the chemicals industry on decarbonization and sustainability initiatives. David previously worked at ExxonMobil, where he built global experience in Gas Treating & LNG across business development, technologies, and projects. David then transitioned into clean hydrogen and carbon capture technology development for commercialization of clean gas monetization pathways before joining Linde where he has continued his passion for decarbonizing industrial value chains. David holds a B.Sc. in Chemical Engineering from Rice University and an MBA from the University of Texas.

Chris Matthews Editor, U.S. Energy The Wall Street Journal

Chris Matthews leads The Wall Street Journal's U.S. energy coverage from the Journal's bureau in Houston. Chris oversees a team of reporters covering all facets of U.S. energy, including oil and gas, renewables, electrification and the energy transition. He also writes about those industries and issues, with an eye for big-picture stories. Chris has worked at the Journal for more than a decade and previously covered major oil companies, including ExxonMobil and Chevron, as well as shale producers, LNG exporters, and petrochemical companies. He also covered white collar crime, law enforcement and courts in New York and wrote about the U.S. Justice Department's corporate law-enforcement efforts in Washington.

John Mathew Vice President, Business Development Chemical Market Analytics by OPIS, a Dow Jones Company

John Mathew is Vice President of Business Development at Chemical Market Analytics by OPIS, a Dow Jones Company. John Mathew joined Chemical Market Analytics by OPIS, A Dow Jones Company, as Vice President (Business Development) starting May-2023. John will be part of the leadership team within CMA and will be based in the Dubai office. John comes with more than three decades of diverse experience in the hydrocarbon downstream industry value chains across the petrochemicals and the oil & gas industry. Prior to joining CMA, John served as the Vice President (International Business Development) within ADNOC's downstream directorate. Having worked with several industry leaders, such as Basell Polyolefins, Saudi Aramco & ADNOC, John comes with extensive global experience and functional competencies within the chemicals industry. John holds a Master of Marketing Management degree and a Bachelor's degree in Chemical Engineering.

Sanjay Moolji Global Business Director - Polymers Tricon Energy Ltd.

Mr. Sanjay Moolji is the Global Business Director of Tricon Energy Ltd for their Polymer business and the Global Product Director & Head for their polypropylene business and is based out of Houston, Texas in the USA. He has been with Tricon Energy Limited since July 2009 and has been a key member and architect of Tricon polymer business Globally. Prior to his current assignment, he was the General Manager for Exports of Reliance Industries Limited for Polymers Sector. In Reliance he had been in International marketing for polymers in various positions including overseas assignments in Indonesia and China. Sanjay had his early education in India and is an Economics Graduate from the Calcutta University and has more than 35 years of Global experience of Sales & Marketing and Product management experience in a spectrum of industries ranging from Polymers, Industrial Chemicals, Consumer Durables, Pharmaceuticals and Bulk Drugs. He is widely traveled and has participated in various international forums and conferences as speaker.

Lars Eirik Nicolaisen Senior Partner and Deputy CEO Rystad Energy

Lars Eirik Nicolaisen has been with Rystad Energy since 2008 and is currently deputy CEO and senior partner, residing in Oslo, Norway. He holds a M.Sc from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology. He has wide experience as an adviser in facilitating strategy processes with stakeholders in the energy industry including energy companies, suppliers and investors/banks. The Energy Transition has been a red thread in this work. Nicolaisen has a particular foothold in the offshore Oil and Gas industry and hereunder a core client base amongst the offshore drillers. He is a seasoned speaker and represents the firm on a wide array of industrial topics at external events.

Mark Roberts Chief Operating Officer SPI Marine

Mark Roberts is the Group Chief Operating Officer of SPI Marine, the most experienced shipping services provider in the chemical supply chain. Mark is responsible for all aspects of the group, including strategy, business development, projects-S&P, market data and analytics. Prior to joining SPI, Mark was a main Board Director of Clarksons, co-lead of their chemical tanker business and founding member of their Sea/Maritech technology platform. Mark joined Clarksons in 2010 as an analyst and established a leading market intelligence presence in the chemical tanker field. Mark started his career at Bloomberg, having obtained a first-class honours degree from Sheffield, UK. Mark is the CEO of CKB Fleet, which provides the highest quality chemical tanker fleet data and analytics in the industry. Mark is also the Co-Founder and Executive Chair of Delphi Vision, a tech start-up providing next-generation investment analysis tools for the maritime industry.

Rohit Rathod Senior Oil Market Analyst Vortexa

Rohit is a Senior Oil Market Analyst at Vortexa, contributing his expertise to research, analytics and market intelligence with a focus on crude oil and products in the Americas. Prior to joining Vortexa, Rohit has been a Crude Desk Analyst at TotalEnergies Trading & Shipping in Houston. Rohit holds a M.S. in Energy Management from New York Institute of Technology.

Avi Salzman Senior Writer Barron's

Bio coming soon

Warren Wilder Independent Non-Executive Director Petronas Chemical Group

Warren William Wilder is currently a Director at Texas Petrochemicals LP and an Independent Non-Executive Director at PETRONAS Chemicals Group Bhd.

He previously held positions such as Chief Executive Officer & Managing Director at Lotte Chemical Titan Holding Bhd., President, CEO-Polymer & Crackers at Reliance Industries Ltd., and Director at ICO, Inc. He also has experience as a Director at Fujian Refining & Petrochemical Co., Ltd., Sadara Chemical Co., and Union Pacific Corp. Additionally, he served as Vice President-Hydrocarbons at Koch Industries, Inc., Principal at Exxon Mobil Corp., Senior Vice President-Olefins at Westlake Corp., and Vice President-Chemicals at Saudi Arabian Oil Co. He was also President Commissioner at PT Lotte Chemical Titan Tbk and Vice President-Chemicals at Saudi Aramco Jubail Refinery Co.

Peter Young CEO & Managing Partner Young & Partners

Mr. Young manages Young & Partners and is actively involved in client transactions and financings. Under his leadership, Young & Partners established and has maintained its position as a leader in the industry. Young & Partners was founded in 1996. Prior to 1996, Mr. Young was head of the global chemical industry investment banking groups at Lehman Brothers, Salomon Brothers and Schroders. Early in his career while with Bain & Co., Mr. Young provided strategic advice to major life science and chemical companies and was a senior investment officer of J.H. Whitney & Co., the venture capital and private equity firm. Mr. Young has been a strategic and financial advisor to a wide variety of leading life science and chemical companies globally with regard to strategic financial advice, mergers, acquisitions, restructurings and capital raising. Mr. Young received an M.B.A. from the Harvard Business School (Baker Scholar with Highest Distinction), an M.S. in Accounting from New York University and a B.A. in Economics from Yale University. He is a Certified Public Accountant, a Chartered Global Management Accountant and member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the New York State Society of Certified Public Accountants.

Plenary Day

Session Details

Plenary Day

David Badal

Dr. RB Balaji

Sudipta Bhattacharya

Elizabeth Carlson

David Clark

Adrian Cooper

Greg Dooley

Gordon Fairclough

Jérome Filéni

Maximilian Grasserbauer

Peter R. Huntsman

Greg Ip

Dewey Johnson

Yvonne van der Laan

David Maher

Chris Matthews

John Mathew

Sanjay Moolji

Lars Eirik Nicolaisen

Mark Roberts

Rohit Rathod

Avi Salzman

Warren Wilder

Peter Young

David Badal Managing Director, Global Head of Chemicals Morgan Stanley