Syngas Chemicals

Julian Ahlers Director, Acetyls Chemical Market Analytics by OPIS

Julian Ahlers is the Director of Acetyls at Chemical Market Analytics.

Julian Ahlers is the director of acetyls at Chemical Market Analytics. He is based in Hamburg. His current focus is the acetyls industry in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and the Indian Subcontinent. His responsibilities include the weekly and monthly Global Acetyls Market Reports and primary input and support for the World Acetyls Analysis.

Before joining the IHS Markit base chemicals business (now known as Chemical Market Analytics) in July 2017, Mr. Ahlers had a six-year career with Helm AG in Hamburg. At Helm, he served as a product manager responsible for global acetic acid. Mr. Ahlers is a wholesale and foreign trade economist with a Bachelor of Business Administration.

Andrei Akzhigitov EMEA Methanol Director Chemical Market Analytics by OPIS

Andrei Akzhigitov is the Director of the Mathanol at Chemical Market Analytics.

Andrei Akzhigitov is the EMEA Methanol consultant for Syngas Chemicals at Chemical Market Analytics. His responsibilities include the weekly World Methanol Report and monthly World Methanol Analysis,  focusing on the EMEA region.

Before joining Chemical Market Analytics in February 2024, Andrei Akzhigitov worked for over 20 years with well-known companies in the chemical sector, such as Evonik, Brenntag, Metafrax, and Sibur. He has a rich history of working on diverse methanol projects, optimizing supply chains, handling trade, spearheading derivative production, and engaging in R&D. His career has led him to work in cities like Moscow, Hanau, and Amman. Mr. Akzhigitov has a Master’s in Chemistry from Lomonosov Moscow State University in Russia and has also completed a marketing program at Mannheim Business School in Germany.

Maia Dolan Director, Methanol Chemical Market Analytics by OPIS

Maia Dolan is the Director of Methanol with the Syngas Chemicals Team at Chemical Market Analytics

Based in New York, Marisabel (Maia) is a Director of Methanol for Chemical Market Analytics by OPIS (CMA), A Dow Jones Company in the Americas. She has more than 18 years of experience in Market Intelligence in the petrochemical industry. She has managed and led teams of research analysts in domestic and international chemical
studies involving market research, economic evaluations, technology assessments, and strategic plan development and analysis.

Before joining CMA, Maia worked at S&P Global, delivering strategy, sustainability, and analytics with a focus on plastic recycling and low-carbon production processes. She also
worked as a Senior Consultant for NexantECA, authoring industry-leading reports focused on economic, pricing, and technology trends and developments in areas of interest to the chemical
and allied industries.

A Honduran native, Maia received a B.S. and M.S. in Chemical Engineering from Manhattan University.

Leshan Hou Director, Asia Acetyls Chemical Market Analytics by OPIS

Leshan Hou is the Director for Asia Acetic Acid and its derivatives at Chemical Market Analytics.

With over 20 years of experience in the chemical industry, Leshan is a key resource for the Acetyls business development and deep insight into the Acetyls industry.

In Northeast and Southeast Asia, he works closely with the methanol team and other market players, bringing support and insight to clients. His current area of focus includes the ‘Global Acetyls Monthly Report’ and primary input and insight for the World Acetyls analysis.

Before joining HIS in 2012, he worked as a chemical consultant at China National Chemical Information Center, focused on the China chemical market, and completed hundreds of consultant projects, including market research, feasibility study and long-term company planning in the chemical industry for clients worldwide.

He has a Master’s in Fine Chemicals degree from Beijing Technology and Business University and a Bachelor’s in Chemical Engineering degree from Qingdao University of Science and Technology.

Shreya Kansara Principal Analyst Chemical Market Analytics by OPIS

Shreya Kansara is a Senior Research Analyst with the Syngas team at Chemical Market Analytics.

Ms. Kansara is responsible for maintaining and updating the global data files including the econometric models. She also provides support to the team for various analyses, client queries, presentations, publication of the Weekly and Monthly reports, and the World Analysis. Before taking on her current role in 2018, she worked as a business analyst for the President of a prominent Chemicals company in India. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering and an MBA in Marketing from the University of Mumbai, India.

Xiaomeng Ma Director, Asia Methanol Chemical Market Analytics by OPIS

Xiaomeng Ma is the Director of Asia Methanol at Chemical Market Analytics

Xiaomeng is an experienced researcher with a strong track-record working experience in the industrial sectors spanning from petrochemical markets, and specialty chemical industries to energy and fuel industries. Xiaomeng Ma’s current focuses are on methanol-related industries.

She is skilled in project assessment, building and implementing business strategies, and creating economic models. She has a strong professional background with a Masters in Engineering and a realistic understanding of the opportunities and challenges in the Asia chemical industry.

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.

Carl Roache Director, Ammonia and Urea Chemical Market Analytics by OPIS

Carl Roache is the Executive Director of Ammonia and Urea at Chemical Market Analytics.

Carl Roache is the market director of ammonia and urea at Chemical Market Analytics (CMA). He joined the company in 2024 and leads analysis and pricing globally from London, UK.

Before joining CMA, Mr. Roache was EuroChem’s global business development manager for NPK fertilizers, based in Dubai, UAE. From here, he coordinated global NP/NPK sales from the company’s 1.2mn t/yr Antwerp plant. Before this, he was EuroChem’s Asia NPK business development lead, based in Singapore, where he developed and executed an NPK growth strategy, widening commercial territory and facilitating increased sales.

Mr Roache has also worked for price reporting agencies within the fertilizer sector in the UK and Asia, including spells as global nitrogen and potash lead (ICIS) and Europe and Asia regional editorships (Argus Media). He has completed executive strategy, financial analysis, and management training, as well as a first-class honors degree in American and English History from the University of East Anglia, UK.

Mr Roache is an NCTJ/NCE qualified newspaper journalist, starting his career with Northcliffe Media group in the UK.