The Gulf Petrochemicals and Chemicals Association (GPCA) will host the eighth edition of its Research and Innovation Conference for the first time in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, bringing together industry, government and academia to examine the future of innovation in the chemical sector.
The two-day conference
will take place on September 16-17, 2026, at Le Méridien Al Khobar under the
theme, “Innovation that Delivers: Empowering Research and Talent for Tomorrow.”
The event will focus
on how organizations can strengthen innovation cultures, develop future-ready
talent and deploy emerging technologies to tackle industry challenges.
The opening day will
feature a plenary address by Ahmad O. Al-Khowaiter, Executive Vice President
for Technology & Innovation at Aramco, alongside a ministerial address from
Dr. Majid Algwaiz, Deputy Minister of Development and Project Management at
Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Energy.
Dr. Waleed Al-Shalfan,
Vice President for Corporate Sustainability at SABIC T&I and Chairman of
GPCA’s Research and Innovation Committee, will deliver the welcome address.
Dr. Thorsten Loehl,
Vice President for Science & Engineering at Borouge International, will
give a keynote on fostering innovation with purpose.
The programme will
also feature a future-focused session by Mahdi Aladel, CEO of Aramco Ventures,
titled “From Vision to Action: Powering the Innovation Playbook for the GCC’s
Chemical Future.”
A strategic panel will
explore ways to translate research into industrial impact, with participation
from representatives of KACST, TASNEE and Sipchem.
The conference will
conclude its first day with a leadership dialogue examining collaboration among
industry, academia and government.
Speakers will include
representatives from Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Energy, King Fahd University of
Petroleum and Minerals, and SABIC, highlighting the importance of cross-sector
partnerships in accelerating innovation and building the chemical industry of
tomorrow.
Day 2 of the conference will focus on the
technologies, strategies, and intellectual capital that will shape the future
of chemical innovation.
The day will begin with a keynote address
titled “Roadmap to the Future of Chemical Innovation: Lessons from Global
Leaders” delivered by Dr. Alexandra Zakharova, Partner and KSA Chemicals
Leader, McKinsey & Company.
Building on this foundation, a strategic
panel will explore how advanced computing capabilities and AI are
revolutionizing scientific research.
Mater Aldhafeeri, Secretary General, GPCA, commented: “As the GCC’s chemical and petrochemical sector continues to evolve, world-class research, technology, academia, industry and talent will converge to accelerate the industry’s transformation. We are proud to announce the return of the GPCA Research and Innovation Conference to provide a valuable platform for dialogue, bringing together the region’s leading minds to share ideas, forge strategic partnerships, and shape the innovations that will define the industry’s future.” -OGN/TradeArabia News Service
