Market Briefing @ APIC 2023

17th May 2023 The Chancery Hall. Pride Plaza Hotel Aerocity

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Conquering Market Turbulence

Agenda

2:00 pm

Registration & Networking

The Chancery Hall, Pride Plaza Hotel

2:30 pm

Chemical Market Fundamentals: Is the future better or worse?

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

Petrochemical markets have been buffeted for several years by extremely strong forces including: COVID related trends, logistics constraints, energy price volatility, and geopolitical upheaval. 2023 begins with pessimistic expectations for key global economies, continued energy and political uncertainty, and overcapacity in many significant chemical markets. At the same time, the industry has been challenged to become more sustainable. Overcoming adverse market conditions, addressing decarbonization and plastics circularity while continuing to deliver shareholder value are the industry’s defining challenges.

2:50 pm

Olefins – Navigating market turbulence

Mike Park, Director, Asia Olefins

Unprecedented olefin capacity additions have led to global oversupply, particularly in Asia. While low-cost producers are expected to be in a better position to handle trough market conditions, all regions are expected to see depressed margins for an extended period of time. The key questions will be how long the downcycle will last in each ethylene and propylene market, how the market will react during the duration of the downcycle, and how the market will restructure. These topics and more will be discussed.

3:10 pm

The two worlds of Methanol

Mike Nash, Vice President, Global Syngas Team Lead

Current methanol feedstocks are almost exclusively natural gas and Chinese coal. Demand growth in the last ten years has been largely driven by MTO, with strong fuel growth. But with growth into fuels and MTO declining, future demand will be driven more by traditional chemical derivatives, with methanol into marine fuel a wildcard. The industry is now beginning its decarbonization journey, with some consumers looking to purchase green, not grey methanol. Chemical Market Analytics will look at the likely evolution of the methanol industry over the next decade, and the implications for pricing, supply-demand, trade, and the types of companies participating in the market.

3:30 pm

Panel Discussion

Moderator: Dewey Johnson, Senior Vice President, Global Head of Chemical Market Analytics
3:45 pm

Navigating the market volatility & unpredictability

Utpal Sheth, Executive Director, Asia Plastics & Polymers

Global Polyolefins business is battling unprecedented macroeconomic challenges. Weak demand recovery in China, geopolitics leading to high energy prices, supply chain dynamics, and Stagflation are just a few of these factors affecting demand for polyolefins. Unprecedented polyolefin capacity additions are further exacerbating the supply–demand chasm. We will discuss the impact of these dynamics on new capacity additions, short to medium-term supply, demand outlook, cost, price, and margins.

4:05 pm

Inorganics: Powering through the recession

Gordon Kuo, Associate Director for the Global Chlor-alkali/ Vinyls

Chlor-vinyls capacity overbuild translated to generally poor industry returns in the first two decades of this century. However, the capacity tide has changed. While some petrochemicals are facing near-term excess capacity challenges, chlor-vinyls demand roared back after the COVID recession, revealing that demand had fundamentally grown into the previous excess capacity and elevating returns to re-investment levels. But the party was short-lived in some parts of the globe as the twin demons of high energy costs and inflation-induced interest rate hikes attacked European electricity prices and global construction demand, respectively. This discussion will explore the near- and mid-term projections for the global chlor-alkali and vinyls industries, with commentary on special considerations by region that are expected to steer the course of these two related markets as they power through the challenges of a potential new recession

4:25 pm

The Refining and Aromatics

Ashish Pujari, Vice President, Aromatics and Fibers

Aromatics products directly impact the costs, margins, and supply-demand positions of multiple downstream industries such as styrenics, nylon, polyester, polyurethanes, and phenolics. As the global gasoline market comes off the back of a strong 2022, will 2023 be similarly strong and how will it affect aromatics feedstock availability in the short, medium, and long term? With additional new capacities coming up in mainland China, how will the China demand recovery story pan out for downstream derivatives and what will this mean towards self-sufficiency for the largest market in Asia today?

4:45 pm

Panel Discussion

Dewey Johnson, Senior Vice President, Global Head of Chemical Market Analytics
5:00 pm

Closing and Networking

APIC 2023 Market Briefing Speakers

Dewey Johnson

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

Dewey is Senior Vice President with Dow Jones and Global Lead for the Chemicals practice within Chemical Market Analytics by OPIS, a Dow Jones Company.

Dewey leads a team of 250+ subject matter experts with deep knowledge and experience within the chemical sector globally. Chemical Market Analytics offers unmatched global coverage of the Base Chemicals space covering almost 350+ chemistries through subscription services and consulting (bespoke research) offerings to our clients. The CMA practice presently covers Energy & Feedstocks, Olefins & Derivatives, Aromatics & Fibers, Inorganics (chloralkali, vinyls and soda ash), Plastics & Polymers, Syngas (methanol, acetyls and ammonia) chemicals, Sustainable chemistries (carbon, hydrogen, various chemicals) and plans to extend into newer areas.

Dewey has two master’s degrees in environmental engineering & business management respectively. He has enjoyed a distinguished career with Eastman Chemical Company across multiple roles and functions for one and a half decades. In 2009, he joined Chemical Market Associates Incorporated (CMAI) and has been in the chemical market intelligence and research space ever since. From the acquisition of CMAI by the erstwhile IHS Markit to the present acquisition by Dow Jones, Dewey has been in senior leadership positions within the organization and has a deep understanding of the business.

Dewey has worked extensively with chemical industry stakeholders across Asia, the Middle East, Europe, and the Americas, covering industry leadership, the financial sector, and policymakers. Dewey has led multiple engagements with chemical industry clients globally in strategy development and execution, analysis of chemicals markets and business portfolios, and due diligence analysis in the M&A space.

Dewey is a frequent lecturer at MIT Sloan School of Management, UVA Darden School of Management and SUNY at Albany School of Public Policy. He is based out in Houston, Texas, United States of America.

Gordon Kuo

Gordon Kuo Associate Director, Asia and India Subcontinent Vinyls Chemical Market Analytics by OPIS

Gordon Kuo is the Associate Director of Asia and India Subcontinent Vinyls at Chemical Market Analytics.

Gordon Kuo is the Associate Director of Vinyl Research for Asia and the Indian Subcontinent at Chemical Market Analytics. He specializes in the polyvinyl chloride (PVC), vinyl chloride monomer (VCM), and ethylene dichloride (EDC) markets in Asia and the Indian subcontinent. He has over 12 years of experience and an in-depth understanding of the vinyls industry.

Within the Asia region, Gordon works closely with chlor-alkali and vinyls industry participants. He provides regional market coverage for Asia and the Indian subcontinent in the Global Vinyls Report. Gordon has in-depth experience and understanding of Asian EDC and VCM trade dynamics and provides strategy analyses for regional vinyls market participants. Additionally, he has experience researching Asian sodium chlorate and hydrogen peroxide while supporting the Global Bleaching Report.

Before joining Chemical Market Analytics, Gordon held multiple roles in USI Group in Taiwan, including salt, ethylene, EDC procurement, VCM sales, VCM and PVC production and operation management, marketing and cost analysis, and integrated vinyls business strategy development.

Mr. Kuo holds a Master’s in Chemical Engineering from the National Taiwan University, China. He joined Chemical Market Analytics in 2019 and is currently based out of the Singapore office.

Mike Nash

Mike Nash Vice President, Global Syngas Team Lead | Americas Acetyls Lead Chemical Market Analytics by OPIS

Mr. Mike Nash is the Vice President for Syngas Chemicals (including the methanol and acetyls practices) at Chemical Market Analytics.

He works with a global team of regional consultants and overlays their analyses with a global perspective. His responsibilities include the weekly World Methanol Report and monthly World Methanol Analysis, including the weekly and monthly Global Acetyls Market Reports and the related World Analyses for Methanol, Acetyls, and Formaldehyde.

Before joining the IHS Markit base chemicals business (now known as Chemical Market Analytics) in September 2012, Mr. Nash worked for BP’s petrochemicals division for 19 years preceding a two-year stint in Total’s UK fuels business. He performed various commercial roles within BP, in international business management, marketing, project management, and logistics, based in London, Duesseldorf, and Kuala Lumpur. His last role in the Total UK was the Logistics Director for Specialties.

Mr. Nash holds a Master of Arts in English Language and Literature from Edinburgh University, UK, and a Master of Business Administration from Kingston University, UK.

Mike Park

Mike Park Director, Asia Olefins and Derivatives Chemical Market Analytics by OPIS

Mike Park is the Director for Asia light Olefins and propylene derivatives at Chemical Market Analytics. 

Mike Park is a research and analyst director for Asia Light Olefins in the Chemical Market Analytics Singapore office. Mike has contributed various Market Advisory Services and World Analysis of Chemical Market Analytics for hundreds of global clients since 2017.

Mike currently covers the ethylene and propylene market in Asia. Still, his coverage is not limited to the Asia light olefins and includes various propylene downstream products, including acrylic acid, acrylates, SAP, MMA, oxo alcohols, and plasticizers. His distinguished career has spanned more than 17 years in the petrochemical and chemical industries.

Before joining Chemical Market Analytics, Mike worked at LG Chem in South Korea for ten years, responsible for selling and marketing olefins derivative products.

 

Ashish Pujari

Ashish Pujari Vice President, Asia Aromatics & Fibers Chemical Market Analytics by OPIS

Ashish Pujari is the Vice President of Aromatics and Fibres at Chemical Market Analytics in Singapore.

Ashish Pujari is the Vice President for Aromatics and Fibers in Asia. He has over 30 years of experience in the petrochemical industry, mainly focused on the polyester and raw material value chain, which stretches from project design, operations, sales & marketing and business development. Over the past 15 years, he has focused on market research and consulting for the polyester and raw material industry. He is responsible for providing thought leadership to the sector and guiding our long-term forecasts.

Ashish works with the Asian petrochemicals industry and coordinates support across the value chains. His current products of focus are Paraxylene, terephthalic acid (PTA) and Polyester, covering the regional dynamics and guiding the global outlook. He also actively continues to focus on sustainability developments in the polyester sector. Ashish has also been instrumental in launching several reports, including the pricing reports for Aromatics in Asia and the Global Polyurethanes & Feedstock report.

Ashish joined CMAI in 2009, with a responsibility to cover the Asian PX and polyester markets and has taken additional responsibilities through our transition to Chemical Market Analytics. Before joining CMAI, Ashish worked for Reliance Industries Ltd. (RIL) in India and was leading the M&A activity in the polyester sector at the time of his exit in 2009. Ashish joined RIL as a fresh engineer in 1994 in the project design and construction group and later progressed to operations. He also worked in sales & business development, becoming the North India regional sales lead for raw materials.

Ashish holds a Bachelor of Engineering (Polymers & Chemical) from the University of Pune, India, as well as an Executive Management diploma from the Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore.

 

Utpal Sheth

Utpal Sheth Vice President, APAC Plastics & Polymers Chemical Market Analytics by OPIS

Utpal Sheth is the Vice President of APAC Plastics & Polymers at Chemical Market Analytics

Utpal joined the Dubai office of CMAI (now Chemical Market Analytics) in October 2007 to cover the plastics (PE, PP, PVC) market in the Middle East and Indian Subcontinent. He moved to Singapore in 2014 and is currently the service leader of three market advisory subscription services: The Global Plastics and Polymers Report – Asia, Middle East and India, the Asia PE Report, and the Asia PP Report.

He has brought a wealth of industry knowledge to Chemical Market Analytics through multiple stints along the plastics value chain. He supports the Circular Plastics Service of Chemical Market Analytics, which provides deep insights into the rapidly evolving sustainability issues in the Plastics Business. He also contributes to Consulting Studies and Long-Term Supply, Demand & Price Outlook for the Asian markets.

Utpal began his career at Reliance Industries in India’s Sales and Marketing Division. He started as a field sales executive and was the Regional Head of Polyethylene Business when he left after 12 years. Subsequently, he moved to Dubai to lead the region’s Polyethylene Sales Team of Qatar Petrochemicals.

Utpal graduated with a Bachelor of Engineering (specialization in Plastics) and a Master of Business Administration (specialization in Marketing).

Location
The Chancery Hall
Pride Plaza Hotel
Aerocity, New Delhi

APIC Market Briefing Registration

Presented by Chemical Market Analytics

Chemical Market Analytics by OPIS, a Dow Jones company, provides stakeholders in the global chemical industry with next-generation analytics, deep insights, future outlooks and price discovery to improve operational efficiency. The company offers short- and long-term market coverage for more than 200 core building-block chemicals via Market Advisory Services (MAS), World Analysis (WA), Circular Plastics Service, Chemical Advisory Service and educational and networking conferences such as World Chemical Forum.

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