Speakers

Christian Bouigeon CEO Humens Group

Christian Bouigeon has been the Chief Executive Officer of the Group Humens (Novacarb, Novabay and Novabion) since September 2024.

He has 30 years’ experience in heavy industry, mainly in mineral chemistry. He began his career as a researcher, then moved on to industrial roles followed by marketing/commercial roles. Next he spent 20 years as CEO on international perimeters for 10 activities of the same Group.

Convinced of the value of passing on knowledge, as others have done for him, he tries to find time to support small businesses and teach at the university.

Christian Bouigeon holds a Physico-Chemistry degree of ESPCI Paris – PSL, a Master of Analysis and a Master of Business Management.

James Bryne Global Procurement Director Ardagh Glass Packaging

James joined Ardagh Group in 2012 through an International Management program, working across both Metal and Glass divisions worldwide, focusing on operational improvements and functional development projects.

Before joining Ardagh Group, James worked for CRH, one of the world’s largest building materials companies, in their Corporate Development team, focusing on M&A transactions that drove growth.

For the past three years, James has led the Procurement function for Ardagh Glass Packaging Europe and has global responsibility for managing all Direct Raw Materials for Ardagh Glass Packaging.

He holds a BA in Economics and an MSc in Strategy and Project Management from Smurfit Business School at University College Dublin.

David Schmidt COO & Member of Management Board Qemetica

David A. Schmidt, Chief Operating Officer and Member of the Management Board at Qemetica since September 2024, is an accomplished executive with extensive experience leading large-scale transformation projects in the chemical and petrochemical industries. At Qemetica, he is responsible for the operational activities of all business units and drives operational excellence in critical areas such as procurement, IT, and overall business efficiency. His career includes key leadership roles such as Vice President and Director of Integrated Supply Chain Transformation at Nouryon, where he successfully supported a major private equity acquisition and significantly improved the performance of numerous production facilities. Notable highlights also include his role as Director of Transformation at BP, where he led a comprehensive program that generated approximately $400 million in savings, and his earlier tenure at Ineos, where he managed the restructuring of the specialty polymers business while developing and executing global commercial strategies. David’s expertise spans supply chain management, mergers and acquisitions, and operational excellence across both the public and private sectors.

Jason Sutton CEO Invica Industries

Jason Sutton is the CEO of Invica Industries, a company built on a commitment to environmental responsibility and decarbonisation. With a clear focus on delivering sustainable products to domestic, commercial, and industrial markets, Invica drives innovation through pioneering technologies and product development.

Jason is passionate about embedding sustainability into business strategy, ensuring it shapes both product design and the company’s commercial approach. His expertise spans multiple sectors, including filtration and purification, smokeless and renewable solid fuels, and construction materials.

With more than two decades of experience, Jason has consistently championed innovative practices that unite industry excellence with environmental responsibility—proving that the two can thrive together. Leveraging a strong background in finance, he has steered Invica Industries toward advanced carbonisation technologies that deliver practical, forward-looking decarbonisation solutions for customers.

Lola Gonzalez Senior Research Analyst, McCloskey by OPIS

Lola is a seasoned journalist with over two decades of experience, who now specialises in energy markets and commodity price reporting. Since 2021, she has served as a Senior Researcher and Analyst for OPIS McCloskey, focusing on thermal coal markets in the Atlantic Basin, with a particular emphasis on Colombia, Europe, and Morocco.

Throughout her career, Lola has conducted high-profile interviews with influential figures, including Colombia’s President Gustavo Petro, former Ministers of Energy and Mines Irene Vélez and Diego Mesa, and Spain’s Minister of Ecological Transition Teresa Ribera. Her extensive background in journalism includes more than 17 years of contributing to top-tier publications in Spain, where she was also a regular participant in political and economic talk shows on national television.

Luis Garcia Pohlenz Global Upstream and Circularity Lead Heineken

Luis brings over 18 years of experience in corporate finance, commodities risk management, and procurement. Luis joined Heineken in 2018, and is currently leading upstream materials procurement, with a particular focus on achieving Heineken’s Brew a Better World goals (Carbon Neutrality and Circularity).

Throughout his career, Luis has managed large-scale global and regional procurement across various categories such as aluminum cans, cansheet, steel, PET bottles, sweeteners, and has led multiple global procurement transformation programs. He has worked with major FMCGs like Coca-Cola Femsa, AB InBev, and Nestlé.

Luis holds a BA in Financial Management from Tec de Monterrey, a master’s in Finance from ITAM, and a Product Marketing and Consumer Behaviour Specialization from Northwestern. He is based in Amsterdam.

Gözde Morkoç Sustainability Director Şişecam

Gözde Morkoç serves as the Sustainability Director at Şişecam, where she leads the company’s global sustainability strategy development. Her work spans decarbonization, circularity, and water management across operations in 14 countries, and includes overseeing disclosures and partnerships.

Before joining Şişecam, she held multiple roles at PepsiCo where she focused on policy, corporate affairs, sustainability strategy implementation and social impact and managed cross-functional sustainability initiatives. Her earlier experience includes research and advisory work in sustainability and environmental markets, including at the Chicago Climate Exchange.

Gözde holds a Master’s degree in International Relations and Energy and Environmental Policy from Johns Hopkins University SAIS and a Bachelor’s degree in Economics from Northwestern University. She is based in Istanbul.

Benita Dreesen Senior Analyst Europe Renewable Energy OPIS a Dow Jones Company

Since 2021, Benita Dreesen has led European price and market reporting for OPIS, covering solar, hydrogen, carbon, marine fuels, and more. She heads the European section of the OPIS Global Solar Markets report and is a frequent speaker on renewable energy.

With over 25 years of international experience, Benita brings deep expertise in energy markets, sustainability, and regulatory reporting. Her background includes roles at Argus Media, the UN Environment Programme, and contributions to The Economist, with a focus on energy transition and environmental policy across Europe, Asia, and Africa.

Joel Geny Global Head of Sales and Marketing Kandelium Care GmbH

Joel Geny is the Global Head of Sales and Marketing for Kandelium Care GmbH. He has a deep understanding of the detergent market, washing habits and formulation trends.

He began his career when he joined Procter & Gamble in 1997 in Brussels as a laundry powder product development manager for EMEA and later evolved into a formulation designer for laundry unit dose (solid tablets and liquid pouches). In 2009, he started at Solvay as a technical manager supporting FMCGs in developing and qualifying detergent formulations containing bleaching ingredients. In 2021, he moved into a commercial role as a key account manager for peroxides after Solvay sold its European sodium percarbonate production facility.

He graduated in 1997 from the University of Houston with a Ph.D. in Chemistry.

Aleksandra Krauze Expert McKinsey & Company

Aleksandra Krauze is an Expert at McKinsey & Company. She holds a master’s degree in geology and has over eight years of experience as a mining analyst, with a focus on lithium and supporting clients across all continents and throughout the battery value chain. Aleksandra is responsible for McKinsey’s MineSpans Lithium platform, a proprietary database that covers a wide range of lithium mining and refining assets, including hard rock, brines, and clays. Her work provides insights into global supply, demand, cost structures, and sustainability in the lithium industry. She also leads McKinsey’s lithium market perspective, a comprehensive outlook on trends shaping the sector over the next decade.

Etienne Galan President, Soda Ash & Derivatives Global Business Unit Solvay

Etienne Galan serves as President of the Global Business Unit Soda Ash & Derivatives (SA&D) since December 2023 and is a member of Solvay’s Global Leadership Team.

Etienne joined Solvay in 2015 as Senior Vice President in charge of SA&D Strategy.
He then took on operational responsibilities within the GBU, first in the Seaborne Soda Ash Business where he notably developed the GBU’s sales and logistics footprints in fast growing Latam and Asian markets, and eventually managed the Global Soda Ash Business leading the teams to achieve record results in 2022 and 2023.

Aashish Tyagi Director Gold Plus Float Glass Pvt. Ltd

With a legacy of strategic foresight and operational excellence, Mr. Aashish Tyagi serves as the Chief Procurement Officer at Gold Plus Group, India’s second largest and first “Made in India” float glass manufacturing company. A key pillar in the organization’s leadership team, Mr. Tyagi plays a pivotal role in driving supply chain resilience, cost optimization, and supplier innovation. His deep understanding of procurement dynamics and commitment to self-reliance has helped strengthen Gold Plus’s position in both domestic and global markets.

A Graduate from UK, under his leadership Gold Plus has built a robust and agile supplier ecosystem, aligned with quality, sustainability, and efficiency goals. Strategic sourcing initiatives have enabled capacity expansion while ensuring cost competitiveness and supply security. The procurement function has been transformed to support environmentally responsible manufacturing and digital supply chain practices.

Mr. Tyagi blends traditional relationship-driven values with modern procurement strategies, making him a respected leader in the Indian manufacturing and glass industry. He is known for engaging directly with suppliers, forging long-term partnerships, and fostering collaboration that delivers mutual growth and innovation. Beyond business, Mr. Tyagi is committed to: Promoting ethical sourcing and supplier development. Supporting local and underprivileged businesses, aligning with the Make in India vision. Driving ESG goals through sustainable procurement practices.

Anaïs Voy-Gillis Strategy and CSR Officer Humens Group

Anaïs Voy-Gillis is the Strategy and CSR Officer at the Humens Group. She joined the company in November 2023, with a strong commitment to driving its decarbonisation efforts forward.

Previously, she worked as an Associate Director at a consulting firm, where she led projects on organisational restructuring, industrial performance enhancement, and strategic foresight.

Anaïs holds a PhD in geography, with research focused on the challenges of reindustrialisation in France and European industrial policy. In addition to her role at Humens, she is also a research associate at the University of Poitiers.

Maria Laura Filippello CEO Grupo Euroamérica

María Laura Filippello is a distinguished leader in the international trade and logistics sector, currently serving as the CEO of Grupo Euroamérica, a leading private economical group in Argentina dedicated to port terminal activities and multimodal solutions.

With extensive experience in supply chain management, maritime operations, and trade logistics, she plays a pivotal role in optimizing the movement of key commodities, including soda ash, across global markets.

Prior to her current role, María Laura held executive positions at Panalpina World Transport, Damco and Maersk line from A.P. Moller Group, overseeing operations across many Latin America countries such as Argentina, Uruguay, Chile, Bolivia and Paraguay. Her leadership in these organizations has driven strategic growth, efficiency, and enhanced client solutions in logistics and transportation.

With a strong commitment to fostering innovation and sustainability in global trade, María Laura actively participates in international forums and industry events, sharing insights on logistics trends, infrastructure development, and supply chain optimization.

Humberto J. Rocha Carbon and Biodiversity Editor OPIS a Dow Jones Company

Humberto J. Rocha is a Carbon and Biodiversity Editor based in London, focusing on the carbon compliance markets in the European Union and the United Kingdom and the growing voluntary biodiversity credit market. A journalist with nearly a decade of experience, Humberto primarily focuses on covering the dynamics of the compliance carbon markets in Europe. He covers daily and weekly price assessments, conducts webinars and writes features ranging from the gulf between the U.K. and EU carbon prices and the potential linkage between these two carbon markets. Additionally, he covers policy developments and pricing trends in the voluntary biodiversity credit market from projects around the world.

Humberto joined OPIS in the summer of 2022 after covering energy policy and federal and state legal cases in the United States for Law360 at the news agency’s Houston and London offices. He has also worked in international outlets including Japan’s The Yomiuri Shimbun, local news at Hearst Connecticut Media, and Forbes. Humberto speaks fluent Spanish and French and has a bachelor’s degree in Social Studies with a focus on Latin America from Harvard University and a master’s degree in Latin American studies from the University of Oxford.

Harry Chapman Senior Analyst Chemical Market Analytics

Harry Chapman is the Senior Analyst on the Soda Ash team as part of the Inorganics team. Since joining the company in 2024, he has provided continuous support for soda ash research and analytics.

Harry focuses on market research, regularly contributing updates and analysis of market changes for all regions of the world along the soda ash chain. His contributions extend to authoring sections of the Global Soda Ash Monthly report and supplement and ensuring clients receive up-to-date and in-depth insight into the industry. 

Prior to joining Chemical Market Analytics, Harry gained more than a year and half of valuable industrial experience post-graduation. During this time, he worked for Wychem, a division of Ascensus Specialties, where he played a pivotal role in the production of fine chemicals for pharmaceutical, electronics and specialized applications.

Mr. Chapman holds a Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry from the University of East Anglia. He is currently based out of the London office.

Sanjay Shah Executive Director, Consulting Chemical Market Analytics by OPIS

Sanjay Shah is an Executive Director of the consulting team at Chemical Market Analytics (by OPIS, a Dow Jones Company).

Sanjay is responsible for leading project execution, guiding market and commercial analytics assignments, and building and developing consulting teams. He has around 25 years of experience in bespoke consulting in chemical, petrochemical, refining and energy sectors gained through a range of functional and management roles with Worley Consulting and Mott MacDonald.

With a strong record of delivering business and project performance and developing consulting teams, Sanjay’s consulting experience is primarily focused on the chemical and petrochemical sectors with an emphasis on market/pricing analysis, commercial, strategy, M&A due diligence and financial analysis carried out through single client studies for corporates, governments, investors, financial institutions and multi-lateral agencies in the Middle East, Europe, and Asia.

Sanjay’s experience in the market, pricing and commercial analysis include developing integrated market supply-demand and pricing models and comprehensive financial and economic scenario models covering a wide range of commodity chemicals, petrochemicals (including steam cracker, PDH, MTO/MTP plants), refineries, GTL plants and gas distribution projects.

Before consulting, Sanjay gained a strong industrial and technical background through his experience in R&D, production, and marketing in a large chemical manufacturing unit. He holds a postgraduate degree in organic chemistry and business administration and is a certified management consultant.

Sanjay is based in London, United Kingdom.

Raheel Shafi Vice President, Consulting Team Lead Chemical Market Analytics

Raheel serves as the Vice President for Global Consulting at Chemical Market Analytics.

Raheel has over 25 years of experience working in the downstream and petrochemicals sectors. During this time, he has held numerous technical and commercial positions in operating companies and, more recently, within consulting, where he has spent the last 11 years.

His background spans refining and petrochemical process technologies, product markets, and operations, enabling him to provide astute and valued advisory services across the refinery petrochemical interface and beyond crude to chemicals.

He has provided advisory services over the entire petrochemical asset lifecycle from concept and feasibility study of grassroots complexes at major national master plan level as well as for NOCs and consortia. Similarly, he has completed numerous brownfield technical and commercial advisory projects looking at new value chains, increased business agility and increasing overall plant capacity for a wide variety of clients.

He has also supported both greenfield and brownfield projects through the project finance stage, providing services to lenders and ECAs. From an organic growth perspective, he has developed strategies around future business direction supporting divestments relating to the sale of assets and growth through sell-side due diligence from both a technical and commercial advisory perspective. Specifically, Raheel has supported more than 75 billion dollars in transactions in the petrochemical space.

Alasdair Warren Chief Executive Officer WE Soda

Alasdair Warren is the Chief Executive Officer of WE Soda, based in London, having been appointed in November 2019 and having previously served as a non-executive board director.

Prior to joining WE Soda, Mr. Warren served as the Head of Corporate and Investment Banking for the European, Middle East and Africa region at Deutsche Bank, based in London.

Prior to that, Mr. Warren was an investment banking Partner at Goldman Sachs in London for 11 years, serving in a number of roles, including the Global Head of Financial Sponsor Coverage, the Head of European Equity Capital Markets and Derivatives, and the Co Head of UK Investment Banking.

Mr. Warren holds a BSc (Hons) in Geology from the University of Nottingham.

Arthur English Chief Executive Officer G2 Ocean AS

Arthur was appointed Chief Executive Officer of G2 Ocean in January 2020 having fulfilled the role of Chief Commercial Officer since the formation of G2 Ocean in May 2017. Arthur has 35 years of shipping experience in commercially focused roles in the breakbulk, dry bulk, terminal, combination carrier and tanker sectors. Over his career Arthur has lived and worked in Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and Africa.

He holds a BSc (Hons) in Agricultural Economics, an MBA from the University of Nottingham and is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Shipbrokers.

Rock Bian Associate Director, China Soda Ash Chemical Market Analytics by OPIS

Rock Bian is the Associate Director of the China Soda Ash Research and Analysis at Chemical Market Analytics.

With over 20 years of experience, Rock is an essential resource within the business for understanding and insights into the soda ash sector of the inorganic chemical industry.

Rock works closely with the soda ash industry in China, providing support and guidance throughout the product chain. His focus includes oversight of the mainland Chinese section of soda ash reports and primary input and insight for the world soda ash analyses.

Rock has over 20 years of experience in chemical industries. He started his career as an engineer and project manager for a leading chemical engineering design institute in China. He supported and handled various engineering, design and construction projects in China and Tanzania. Rock also has extensive experience in soda ash and hydrogen peroxide with Solvay and FMC (now Genesis) and successfully led the development of a greenfield hydrogen peroxide plant. Before joining Chemical Market Analytics, Rock had a role in strategic planning and business development for Sinochem International, where he led market research for new business opportunities and planned the subsequent relevant venture developments.

Rock holds a Bachelor of Chemical Engineering degree from Zhengzhou Engineering College and a Master of Business Administration from Nanjing University.

Carlo Barrasa Vice President, Energy Insights Team Lead Chemical Market Analytics by OPIS

Carlo Barrasa is the Vice President of Energy Insights at Chemical Market Analytics

In this role, Carlo stewards the development of energy market content to help Chemical Market Analytics’ clients navigate the complexities of the oil, gas & natural gas liquids markets. Previously, Carlo led the North American Light Olefins service, which provides clients with valuable insights into the regional market dynamics of cracker feedstocks, ethylene, and propylene.

Before joining Chemical Market Analytics, Carlo was a Senior Strategy Advisor at Anadarko Petroleum, where he was responsible for guiding the company’s market strategy for its natural gas liquids business. After beginning his career in various downstream and chemical roles with ExxonMobil, Carlo held senior consulting and research positions at IHS Markit legacy companies PFC Energy and CMAI.

Marguerite Morrin Executive Director, Global Soda Ash Service Lead Chemical Market Analytics

Marguerite Morrin is the Executive Director of Global Soda Ash Service Lead at Chemical Market Analytics.

Marguerite Morrin is the Executive Director of Soda Ash research at Chemical Market Analytics (CMA). Marguerite launched the Global Soda Ash Market Advisory Service (MAS) in 2008. Before launching the soda ash MAS, she held various responsibilities in the Inorganics value chain, including European chlor-alkali and vinyls market coverage, where she helped develop MAS.

Marguerite’s area of focus is the Soda Ash Market Advisory Service. With over 30 years of research experience in the chemicals sector, Marguerite is a key CMA resource with respect to analysis and insights about soda ash markets. She works with the global soda ash team to understand and keep track of soda ash market developments and provide CMA clients with insight and critical analytics that facilitate decisions. Marguerite also organizes the CMA annual World Soda Ash Conference.

Marguerite holds a Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry from University College Dublin, Ireland and a postgraduate diploma in Business Studies from UCD Smurfit Business School, Dublin. She is currently based out of the London office.

Nick Kovics Vice President, Global Chemical Research Lead & Inorganic Chemicals Team Lead Chemical Market Analytics by OPIS

Nick Kovics is the Vice President of the Global Inorganics team at Chemical Market Analytics.

Nick Kovics serves as the Vice President of Global Inorganic Chemicals at Chemical Market Analytics, which includes Chlor-alkali chemicals, Vinyls, Bleaching Chemicals, and Soda Ash.

Nick brings over 25 years of chemical industry experience to the Chemical Market Analytics Inorganic Chemicals insights team. He was promoted to his current role in 2024, where he leads twenty analysts who research, forecast, and report on chlor-alkali chemicals, vinyls, bleaching chemicals, and soda ash from five global locations. Previously, Nick held a variety of roles in the Inorganics value chain at Chemical Market Analytics, including leading the Chlor-alkali, Bleaching Chemicals, and Battery Materials advisory services.

Nick held various functional roles in several companies before joining Chemical Market Analytics. He began his career as a process engineer in the chlor-alkali sector at Canadian Occidental. Nick next moved into the energy sector as a field engineer with Schlumberger Canada cementing and hydraulic fracturing services. He transitioned from oil and gas to new energy and spent a decade in the hydrogen fuel cell sector in technical, commercial and financial roles. Nick continued in the electrochemical industry by joining Canexus (now Chemtrade) and held commercial leadership roles in chlor-alkali and sodium chlorate marketing.

Nick is originally from Canada and holds a Bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of British Columbia and an MBA from Simon Fraser University. He is a registered Canadian Professional Engineer and a Canadian Chartered Professional Accountant. He has resided in Houston, TX, since joining Chemical Market Analytics in 2017.

Hasan Copur Associate Director, Global Soda Ash Chemical Market Analytics by OPIS

Hasan is the Associate Director of the Soda Ash team at Chemical Market Analytics.

Hasan is an associate director within the inorganics team and has expertise in the global Soda Ash Market Advisory Service. Over 15 years in commercial roles, Hasan has acquired international chemical industry experience while holding various sales and business management roles. He engaged in diverse sectors using inorganic chemicals as raw materials and helped develop a portfolio of global clients.

During his time with the company, he has provided soda ash market coverage for each region of the world, offering insight and intelligence across the soda ash value chain, emphasizing Europe and the Indian subcontinent.

Hasan spent over ten years with Sisecam, a global glass and soda ash manufacturer, managing international sales activities for their chemicals group in its multiple locations. He spent four years in China, leading the regional business. Before joining in 2021, he spent three years working in trading in the UK, overseeing a range of basic chemicals and metals in the international markets.

Hasan holds a Bachelor’s in Economics from Istanbul University and an MBA from Yeditepe University. He joined the company in 2021 and resides in London, UK.