The global financial crisis will be a key topic for discussion as industry leaders gather at the third annual GPCA Forum.

The event is being organised by the GPCA and co-organised by Chemical Week from December 2 to 4, 2008, at Atlantis, The Palm, Dubai.

Attendees at the Middle East’s largest petrochemicals conference will have much to discuss as the global economic crisis has exacerbated the cyclical decline which was already forecast for late 2008, said an official.

Industry leaders will focus on ways of tackling the difficult times ahead even as several global producers report year-over-year demand declines of 20 per cent or more.

One of the speakers on the opening day, managing director, HSBC Securities (USA) Inc, Hassan Ahmed will make a thought-provoking presentation titled “The Financial Crisis: Where Does the Global Chemical Sector Go from Here?”

The impact of a steep downturn in the petrochemical cycle will also be addressed as part of other sessions throughout the program agenda.

“The world-class agenda that we have developed for this year’s GPCA Forum delivers the scope and depth of content on the most pressing issues facing our marketplace, especially the turmoil in financial markets around the world,” said secretary general of GPCA Abdullah S Bin Zaid Al Hagbani.

“This GPCA Forum offers a comprehensive program of timely, relevant general sessions that have been designed to address the issues affecting today’s global petrochemicals industry.”

 Chairman of GPCA and vice-chairman and CEO, Sabic, Mohamed Al-Mady will make the welcome address to the delegates on the inaugural day. – TradeArabia News Service