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 Director, EMEA Methanol Chemical Market Analytics by OPIS

Andrei Akzhigitov is the EMEA Methanol Director 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 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. Andrei 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.

Michael Samueli Executive Director, Ammonia and Urea Chemical Market Analytics by OPIS

Michael Samueli is the Executive Director for Ammonia-Urea within Syngas Chemicals at Chemical Market Analytics by OPIS, a Dow Jones company.

Michael is the Executive Director of Ammonia-Urea and leads the Global Ammonia Analysis service at Chemical Market Analytics, by OPIS. He is responsible for the monthly Global Ammonia Analysis report, the capacity databases, including the low-carbon project database, along with the wider long-term supply and demand balances.

He has covered ammonia, urea and other downstream products, especially including nitrate and sulphate markets, since 2018. Prior to this, Michael worked on other petrochemical markets, including methanol at S&P Global. He has also previously covered debt capital markets.

He holds a Master of Arts in Financial Journalism from City University, London.

Maia Dolan Director, Americas 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 19 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.

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’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

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

Mike Nash is the vice president of Syngas Chemicals, which includes methanol and acetyls, at Chemical Market Analytics. He works with a global team of regional consultants and overlays their analyses with a worldwide perspective. His responsibilities include the weekly World Methanol Report and monthly World Methanol Analysis, as well as 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 before a two-year stint in Total’s UK fuels business. He held various commercial roles within BP, including international business management, marketing, project management, and logistics, based in London, Duesseldorf, and Kuala Lumpur. His last role in Total UK was logistics director for specialties. Mr. Nash holds a Master of Arts in English language and literature from the University of Edinburgh and an MBA from Kingston University, both in the United Kingdom.

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.

Leshan Hou is the director for acetic acid and its derivatives in Northeast Asia and Southeast Asia 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 has 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 IHS in 2012, he worked as a chemical consultant at the China National Chemical Information Center, focusing on the Chinese chemical market, and completed hundreds of consulting projects, including market research, feasibility studies, and long-term company planning in the chemical industry for clients worldwide.

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