Chemical R&D Infrastructure as Competitive Strategy | Momentive | CIEX 2026

Chemical R&D Infrastructure as Competitive Strategy: How Momentive Is Building the Backbone for a Divided World

Thanos Yiagopoulos, CTO, Momentive

Thanos Yiagopoulos leads the global technology organization at Momentive Performance Materials — a network of more than 500 R&D professionals operating across multiple geographies, regulatory environments, and increasingly complex market conditions. With prior leadership roles at LyondellBasell and SABIC, he brings a perspective shaped by the full arc of what it takes to build R&D capability that actually scales.

That experience informs a sharp point of view on one of the industry’s most pressing infrastructure challenges. At CIEX North America 2026, Yiagopoulos will address how chemical companies can integrate lab automation, electronic lab notebooks, pilot systems, IP, and documentation workflows into a single, coherent digital backbone — one that holds together across a divided world, not as an IT initiative, but as a strategic foundation for faster collaboration, sharper decisions, and measurable innovation performance.

CIEX: Without giving too much away – what is the core message of your session and what would you like delegates to remember?

Thanos: The core message of my session is that the chemical industry is reaching an inflection point. We are operating in a world shaped by geopolitical fragmentation, cost pressure, supply chain volatility, and increasingly uneven regional dynamics. In that environment, digital transformation can no longer be treated as a series of disconnected tools or isolated IT projects. It has to be approached as a strategic redesign of how innovation happens across R&D, operations, and the broader enterprise. For me, that means rethinking digital infrastructure in relation to collaboration, governance, knowledge flow, and competitiveness in a more multipolar world.

What I would like delegates to remember is that digital infrastructure is a source of competitive advantage. The rapid emergence of more accessible AI and digital capabilities now gives chemical companies an opportunity to be much more deliberate and differentiated. The key question is no longer whether we digitize, but how we build the right digital backbone to accelerate innovation, strengthen collaboration, and create value in a way that fits our business model and strategic ambition.

CIEX: What motivates you to join CIEX this year – and where are you most looking to learn from peers at this event?

Thanos: CIEX is one of the few forums where chemical industry leaders come together to discuss innovation not only as a scientific or technical topic, but as a business, organizational, and strategic challenge. That is especially important today, because many of the questions we face are no longer about whether change is needed, but about how to make the right trade-offs under real-world constraints. I am expecting an environment where those conversations can happen openly and constructively among peers who understand the complexity of the industry.

What I am most looking to learn from others is how they are translating ambition into execution. I am interested in how peers are prioritizing capital, modernizing aging infrastructure, using AI beyond small pilots, and rethinking operating models in a more fragmented global environment. I am also keen to hear how others are balancing regional resilience with global collaboration, because that is one of the defining tensions of our time. These are very real leadership challenges, and I value forums like CIEX because they allow us to benchmark, challenge assumptions, and sharpen our own thinking.

CIEX: How do you see the boundary conditions of innovation shifting in the specialty chemical industry and what are you doing to ensure you stay relevant?

Thanos: The boundary conditions of innovation in specialty chemicals are becoming much broader and more demanding than they were even a few years ago. In the future, the most attractive opportunities will increasingly sit at the intersection of regulatory compliance, sustainability, differentiated performance, and a much deeper understanding of evolving customer and market needs. Innovation can no longer be driven only by technical possibility; it must also be aligned with speed, cost competitiveness, application relevance, and the ability to scale. At the same time, infrastructure in many mature economies is aging, and that puts additional pressure on companies to modernize while continuing to deliver reliably in the present.

To stay relevant, we are focusing on two dimensions. First, we benefit from a globally distributed operating model, which gives us the ability to place capability, talent, and decision-making closer to where growth, customers, and technical opportunities are emerging. Second, we are investing in digital infrastructure and AI not as stand-alone initiatives, but as enablers of faster collaboration, better foresight, and more effective product and process development across our technology organization. In my view, relevance in this industry will increasingly come from the ability to combine technical depth with organizational agility, regional responsiveness, and a more connected digital foundation.

CIEX: Where is AI enabled innovation already moving a hard business metric, and where is it still not delivering?

Thanos: We are already seeing positive impact from AI in areas such as formulation development, new space exploration, and intellectual property scouting. These are use cases where the link to value creation is becoming increasingly tangible, because they support faster identification of opportunities, more effective screening of solution spaces, and stronger guidance for material development. In addition, AI is beginning to improve individual productivity across the organization as it becomes more democratized, even if that is sometimes harder to measure directly. Over time, I expect the greatest value to come from its integration into development cycles, design of experiments, and increasingly agentic workflows that reduce transactional effort and help technical teams spend more time on higher-value work.

Where AI is still not delivering consistently is in manufacturing and broader operational environments, where data fragmentation, legacy systems, and aging physical infrastructure create significant barriers. In these areas, the problem is rarely the algorithm alone; it is the surrounding operating context. Human adoption and trust are also critical factors, particularly in environments where people need to see reliability, interpretability, and practical value before changing established ways of working. So while AI is already showing promise, the lesson for me is clear: sustainable impact will come only when digital tools are connected to the realities of process, infrastructure, and people.

CIEX: How are you approaching sustainability priorities alongside broader economic and commercial considerations? OR where have you had to draw the line on sustainability because the economics didn’t hold?

Thanos: Our decarbonization agenda remains in place, and our commitment to sustainability has not changed. What has evolved is our level of focus and discipline in how we pursue it. We have become more deliberate about identifying the areas where sustainability can create clear value for both us and our customers, rather than treating it as a broad-based effort with equal intensity everywhere. In practice, that means aligning sustainability priorities more tightly to market segments, product lines, and applications where the value proposition is strong enough to support adoption and where customers recognize and are willing to pay for the benefit being created.

That shift has made our approach more pragmatic and, in my view, more effective. It allows us to concentrate resources where sustainability and commercial value reinforce each other, which increases the likelihood of scale and impact. There are of course areas where the aspiration is strong but the economics are not yet mature enough to justify broad deployment, and in those cases discipline is important. For me, sustainability in specialty chemicals has to be both principled and commercially grounded. It is not about stepping back from ambition, but about ensuring that ambition is translated into durable business outcomes rather than symbolic activity.

CIEX: Looking ahead, what factors and capabilities will define competitive advantage in the chemical industry over the next few years?

Thanos: One of the clearest sources of competitive advantage will be the ability to modernize physical and digital infrastructure in an integrated way. Companies that successfully connect manufacturing, R&D, quality, supply chain, and commercial processes through a digital backbone — while using AI in a targeted and business-relevant manner — will have a significant advantage. That said, this will not be a one-size-fits-all journey. The right model will depend on each company’s scale, portfolio, regional footprint, and strategic priorities. I also believe AI will play an increasingly important role in knowledge retention, particularly as a large amount of tacit industrial expertise begins to retire over the coming years. 

Beyond that, I see five defining capabilities. First, differentiated technical depth linked to real customer problems and faster commercialization. Second, globally connected but regionally effective operating models. Third, talent — not only attracting new capabilities, but also renewing and transferring deep industrial know-how. Fourth, capital discipline and the ability to invest selectively in the capabilities that truly matter. And finally, leadership that can redefine the role of chemistry itself as digital fluency becomes part of the profession. The companies that win will not be the ones with the most initiatives, but the ones with the clearest strategic choices, the strongest execution, and the courage to evolve before external pressure forces them to.

Hear Thanos Yiagopoulos at CIEX North America 2026

His session — “Connecting Innovation in a Divided World: Building the Digital Backbone for Global Chemical R&D” — goes directly at the question senior R&D and technology leaders are sitting with: how do you unify fragmented systems, data, and teams into a digital infrastructure that actually accelerates innovation when your operations span multiple geographies and your world is pulling in different directions.

September 9–10, 2026 | Indianapolis

That question sits at the centre of CIEX North America — a two-day executive exchange where senior leaders from 3M, Dow, Eastman Chemical, Honeywell, Huntsman, Albemarle, Momentive, Cabot, and AmSty,  work through the strategic and operational realities shaping the industry’s next cycle.

What you will leave with:

  • A framework for integrating R&D systems — lab automation, ELN, pilot, IP, and documentation — into one connected backbone
  • Practical models for improving data quality and cross-disciplinary collaboration across geopolitical and regulatory constraints
  • Direct exchange with CTOs, CDOs, and VPs of Innovation navigating the same pressures

No sales pitch. No theory. Just the conversations that move the needle.

[Secure Your Place →]

Operationalizing Innovation at Industrial Scale | AmSty

Operationalizing Innovation at Industrial Scale: How AmSty Competes and Wins in a Commoditized Market

Venki Chandrashekar, President and CEO, AmSty

In the lead-up to CIEX North America 2026, we are sitting down with practitioners who are driving change from inside the business, not just advising on it.

Venki Chandrashekar is President and CEO of AmSty, one of the largest producers of polystyrene and styrene monomer in North America. Before taking the helm at AmSty, he held senior roles at Chevron Phillips Chemical, LyondellBasell, and Equistar — a career built at the hard edge of commodity chemicals, where margin is fought for in basis points, and differentiation is earned, not assumed.

It is that kind of hands-on operating experience that shapes Chandrashekar’s view on what actually drives competitive advantage. In a commoditized environment, the constraint is rarely imagination. It is execution discipline, cultural alignment, and the organizational rigor to treat innovation as a core business process rather than a strategic initiative that lives above the operational fray. What follows is a conversation about what this actually looks like — inside a mature industry, under margin pressure, with circularity and AI no longer optional on the agenda.

CIEX: Without giving too much away – what is the core message of your talk and what would you like delegates to remember?

Venki: Meaningful growth comes from how well you execute significant goals and projects. When you approach every part of the business with that mindset, even a mature industry offers significant opportunity to create value.

To achieve this goal, we must put a sense of energy and purpose back into how we operate, even in a mature industry. At AmSty, we compete in a space that many would describe as well-established, even commoditized. What keeps us energized is the constant pursuit of differentiation—being intentional about how we buy, make, move, and market our products.

For us, innovation cannot be a one-time event; it is embedded in a culture that promotes continuous improvement. This involves strengthening operational discipline as a foundation; shifting from volume-led growth to performance-driven outcomes; building reliability, agility, and circularity into how we operate; and consistently unlocking value at every step of the value chain.

CIEX: What motivates you to join CIEX this year?

Venki: CIEX brings together leaders who are not just talking about innovation, but actively operationalizing it. What differentiates winners in our industry is the ability to translate ideas into consistent, scalable outcomes. CIEX creates the opportunity to engage with peers across sectors who are tackling similar challenges: how to embed innovation into daily execution, how to move faster without compromising reliability, and how to create value in disciplined ways.

For me, it is also an opportunity to both share and learn through exchanging perspectives on what is working, what is not, and how we collectively raise the bar for industrial performance.

CIEX: Where are the opportunities to benefit from innovation at industrial scale 

Venki: Innovation happens faster and more effectively when built on a foundation of strong operational discipline and enabled through the right partnerships with customers, suppliers, or technology providers. It also helps to align decision-makers by providing the key definition of success.

AmSty, in a competitive and somewhat commoditized environment, finds value by redefining success in how well we perform rather than the volume we produce. That includes margin resilience, asset productivity, and customer-centric differentiation. Embedding advanced analytics into decision-making allows us to improve reliability, optimize systems, and respond faster to market shifts. Whether through cost efficiency, product differentiation, or smarter commercial strategies, the goal is sustained value creation.

Sustainability is integrated into how we operate rather than as a separate function. Reliable operations reduce waste, and advancing circular solutions creates new pathways for growth while meeting evolving stakeholder expectations.

CIEX: What are the challenges that keep innovation from scaling up?

Venki: One of the biggest challenges is the gap between ideation and execution. Many organizations generate strong ideas, but struggle to scale them consistently across complex operations.

Barriers can include:

  • Lack of operational alignment – Innovation initiatives that are not tightly linked to core business priorities tend to lose momentum.
  • Insufficient discipline in execution – Scaling requires repeatability, accountability, and rigorous follow-through.
  • Cultural resistance to change – Organizations that are optimized for stability often find it difficult to embrace the agility required for innovation.
  • Fragmentation of efforts – Without a clear framework, innovation can become siloed rather than enterprise-wide.

Ultimately, scaling innovation requires treating it with the same rigor as any other core business process—clear objectives, measurable outcomes, and strong ownership.

CIEX: What is the value proposition for Innovation at Scale in an otherwise commoditized world?

Venki: In a commoditized environment, it is about shifting the conversation from price to performance. To do that, we need to show improvement in how reliably we deliver, how efficiently we operate, and how effectively we partner with customers to solve their challenges.

Innovation at scale allows us to compete not just on what we produce, but also on how we produce it, how we deliver it, and the value we create across the ecosystem. Innovation at scale is possible only through collaboration

In that sense, even in a mature and commoditized industry, there is significant room to differentiate. That is what keeps us energized.

Hear Venki Chandrashekar at CIEX North America 2026

His session at CIEX North America, “Operationalizing Innovation at Industrial Scale“ — goes directly at the question most chemical executives are sitting with: how do you embed innovation into the operating model when the business cannot afford to slow down to do it.

September 9–10, 2026 | Indianapolis

That question sits at the centre of CIEX North America — a two-day executive exchange where senior leaders from 3M, Dow, Eastman Chemical, Honeywell, Huntsman, Albemarle, Momentive, and Cabot work through the strategic and operational realities shaping the industry’s next cycle.

What you will leave with:

  • Frameworks for scaling innovation beyond the pilot stage
  • Peer-tested models for margin resilience and operational performance
  • Direct exchange with CTOs, CDOs, and VPs of Innovation navigating the same pressures

No sales pitch. No theory. Just the conversations that move the needle.

[Secure Your Place →]

Scaling Chitosan in Chemicals: How Advanced Formulation Is Unlocking Industrial Applications

Scaling Chitosan in Chemicals: How Advanced Formulation Is Unlocking Industrial Applications

Craig Kasberg, CEO, Tidal Vision

Despite its well-known properties, chitosan has seen limited adoption in core chemical industry applications.

At CIEX North America 2025, Craig Kasberg, CEO of Tidal Vision, outlined how advances in extraction, formulation, and delivery are enabling this widely available biopolymer to move beyond niche use cases and into core chemical industry applications. The discussion highlights how greater control over material properties is translating into more consistent performance—and opening new pathways for integration across established industrial systems.

You can explore the full executive summary from the presentation below.

Moving Beyond the Constraints of Conventional Chitosan

Chitosan’s behavior in industrial systems is highly dependent on how the material is processed and characterized. Variability in molecular weight, composition, and degree of functionalization has made reproducibility a persistent challenge—particularly outside controlled settings.

As noted in Craig’s session:

“Not all chitosan is created equal.”

This challenge is central to the approach presented by Tidal Vision, which focuses on controlling and standardizing the material across its full variability range. While the material itself is not new, the ability to reliably tailor its behavior for specific industrial conditions is what is now enabling broader application.

Functional Properties Driving Industrial Relevance

Chitosan’s relevance stems from a combination of properties that are difficult to replicate in a single material. Its cationic charge allows it to interact effectively with negatively charged particles, particularly in separation and binding processes, while its biodegradability aligns with increasing industry focus on sustainable and circular solutions.

Beyond this, its biological functionality introduces an additional layer of value. As a plant elicitor, it can trigger natural defense and uptake mechanisms, giving it a more active role in biological systems compared to conventional materials.

Within the framework presented, these properties are not viewed in isolation, but as variables that can be engineered and combined depending on the application. Key characteristics include:

  • Cationic charge enabling strong particle interaction
  • Biodegradability supporting sustainability targets
  • Biological activity influencing plant response and uptake
  • Flexibility in formulation across different molecular structures 

Water Treatment: Efficiency Gains Without System Disruption

One of the most immediate large-scale applications discussed is water treatment, where chitosan is used as a coagulant. In this context, it is being applied in place of traditional inorganic chemistries, particularly aluminum- and iron-based systems.

What stands out is not only the environmental profile, but the operational impact. Lower dosage requirements significantly reduce the volume of chemicals introduced into the system, which in turn decreases sludge generation and associated handling costs. Because chitosan operates at a higher pH compared to conventional coagulants, it also minimizes the need for corrective additives downstream.

These improvements collectively translate into a more efficient treatment process. In certain applications, particularly in food and beverage wastewater, removing inorganic inputs can also improve the quality of byproducts, enabling new options for reuse or upcycling that were previously constrained by contamination from metal-based chemistries.

Agriculture: Enhancing Input Efficiency Through Delivery Mechanisms

In agricultural systems, the application of chitosan is less about substitution and more about enhancement. Its role as both a carrier and a biological trigger allows it to improve how existing inputs—such as fertilizers and crop protection products—are delivered and utilized.

The material’s cationic properties support adhesion to plant surfaces, while its elicitor function activates plant defense and growth responses, which can indirectly improve nutrient utilization. This creates a more efficient pathway for nutrients and active ingredients, increasing the proportion that is absorbed rather than being lost to the surrounding environment.

The session also highlighted advances in formulation, including nano-encapsulation and foliar delivery systems. These approaches make it possible to apply nutrients in ways that were previously less effective, while maintaining compatibility with established agricultural practices. The result is a measurable improvement in input efficiency, achieved without requiring fundamental changes to how growers operate.

Expanding into Material Science Applications

Chitosan’s versatility is further reflected in its growing use across material science applications. Rather than acting as a standalone replacement, it is often introduced as an additive that enhances the performance of existing systems.

Its chemical structure supports improved binding and coating behavior, while its cationic nature contributes to properties such as increased char density in flame-retardant applications. This makes it relevant across a range of industries, from textiles and automotive materials to packaging and specialty coatings.

What is notable in these applications is the flexibility of integration. Because chitosan can be incorporated into existing formulations, allowing manufacturers to improve performance and sustainability profiles without requiring a complete redesign of their products or processes. This incremental approach lowers the barrier to adoption and shortens the path to commercialization.

From Raw Material to Application Platform

A consistent theme throughout the session was that the value of chitosan does not lie in the raw material alone, but in how it is engineered and applied. Achieving reliable performance requires a combination of controlled extraction, precise modification, and advanced formulation, supported by accurate characterization at each stage.

This effectively transforms chitosan from a single material into a broader platform that can be adapted to different industrial requirements. The same underlying biopolymer can behave very differently depending on how it is processed and delivered, enabling it to address a wide range of use cases across sectors.

More broadly, this reflects a shift in how innovation is being approached in the chemical industry. Competitive advantage is increasingly defined not just by the materials themselves, but by the ability to tailor, integrate, and scale them within real-world systems.

Key Takeaways for Industry Leaders

  • Chitosan is moving beyond niche applications as advances in formulation and characterization improve consistency at scale
  • Its combination of chemical and biological functionality enables both performance enhancement and more efficient delivery of active ingredients
  • In water treatment, it offers operational and cost advantages through reduced dosage, lower sludge volumes, and simplified process chemistry
  • In agriculture, it improves the effectiveness of existing inputs rather than replacing them, supporting more efficient nutrient use
  • In material science, it functions as a flexible additive that can enhance performance without requiring a full system redesign
  • Successful deployment depends on integrating material properties with application-specific formulation and delivery systems

Above is an AI- summarized overview of the video presentation shared by Craig Kasberg, CEO, Tidal Vision, at CIEX 2025.

Where These Strategic Questions Move From Theory to Practice

The themes explored here—material performance, formulation control, and the realities of scaling bio-based solutions—are no longer confined to R&D discussions. They are increasingly shaping strategic priorities across the chemical and materials sector.

CIEX North America 2026 is designed as a working forum for senior leaders addressing how emerging materials and technologies move from concept to commercial application. The focus is on the operational and strategic decisions required to scale innovation in real-world environments.

Join senior leaders in R&D, innovation, and sustainability for two focused days tackling:

  • Scaling new materials and technologies beyond the pilot phase
  • Embedding digital tools and AI into applied R&D workflows
  • De-risking innovation through effective collaboration and partnerships
  • Translating sustainability priorities into commercially viable solutions

Expect practical case studies, proven approaches, and direct exchange with decision-makers across the chemical industry.

📍 September 9–10, 2026 | Indianapolis, U.S.A. 

If you are shaping innovation strategy, R&D direction, or material development pipelines, this is where those conversations move from theory into practice.

Register now!

CO2 Circularity as a Growth Opportunity: How Evonik is Transforming the Chemical Industry

Evonik Pioneers CO2 Circularity to Drive Innovation in the Chemical Industry

Jean Vincent, Former Head of Research, Development and Innovation (RD&I), Americas, Evonik

Carbon dioxide is typically framed as a problem the chemical industry must solve. Increasingly, however, it is also being explored as a potential feedstock for future chemical production.

During the session “CO₂ Circularity as an Opportunity for the Chemical Industry” at CIEX, Jean Vincent, Former Head of Research, Development and Innovation (RD&I), Americas, Evonik, discussed how carbon capture, green hydrogen, and biotechnology could enable new circular production pathways.

Using Evonik’s Project Rheticus as an example, she illustrated how CO₂ conversion technologies are progressing from laboratory research toward pilot-scale industrial validation.

You can explore the full executive summary from the presentation below or watch the complete presentation recording via the link below.

📹 Watch the full Evonik presentation: [Link]

 

Rethinking Carbon: From Waste Stream to Industrial Building Block

Nature has always treated CO₂ differently from the way industry does.

Plants, algae, and marine organisms use carbon dioxide as a fundamental building block for growth through photosynthesis. Translating this concept into industrial chemistry is becoming an increasingly attractive pathway as the industry seeks alternatives to fossil-derived carbon.

The opportunity is significant.

Today, the majority of carbon embedded in chemical products still originates from fossil feedstocks. Increasing the share of circular carbon sources—whether captured CO₂, bio-based inputs, or recycled materials—represents one of the most important structural shifts required for the industry to meet long-term climate targets.

However, transforming CO₂ into viable chemical feedstock requires new technological platforms capable of converting a highly stable molecule into usable intermediates.

One emerging approach combines electrochemistry, biotechnology, and renewable energy.

Industrial Photosynthesis: Converting CO₂ into Specialty Chemicals

One of the most promising directions involves mimicking the logic of photosynthesis in an industrial environment.

Instead of sunlight powering biological conversion, electricity generated from renewable sources can be used to split water into hydrogen and oxygen. The hydrogen then becomes a key input for transforming captured CO₂ into new chemical molecules.

Evonik’s Project Rheticus represents a notable example of how this concept is being translated into practice.

The platform integrates three technologies:

• Electrolysis to generate hydrogen
• Carbon capture to supply CO₂ feedstock
• Fermentation to convert these inputs into longer-chain molecules

Within the fermentation process, specialized microorganisms convert CO₂ into organic acids through a multi-step biological pathway. These intermediates can then be further processed into specialty chemical building blocks.

The target molecules are not commodity fuels but higher-value chemical intermediates, including compounds used in coatings, cleaning formulations, thermal management fluids, and personal care products.

This strategic positioning reflects an important commercial reality: circular carbon technologies must find markets where customers are willing to pay for the value they create.

Scaling the Technology: Why Pilots Matter

As with many emerging chemical technologies, the challenge lies less in proving scientific feasibility than in demonstrating industrial reliability.

Evonik has therefore spent several years advancing the technology through pilot-scale validation. A fermentation reactor installed in Marl, Germany, has operated continuously for thousands of hours, producing small but meaningful volumes of product.

The objective of this phase is not production scale but process confidence—testing microbial stability, operational resilience, and downstream separation.

The next step would involve demonstration-scale infrastructure capable of increasing output by orders of magnitude. Achieving that milestone would require both public support and industrial partnerships.

This reflects a broader truth about CO₂ utilization technologies: no single company will scale them alone.

The Missing Piece: Green Hydrogen

Any CO₂ conversion strategy ultimately depends on the availability of low-carbon hydrogen.

Hydrogen provides the chemical reducing power needed to transform CO₂ into more complex molecules. Without it, carbon circularity at scale becomes extremely difficult.

However, hydrogen production technologies themselves are still evolving. Current proton exchange membrane (PEM) electrolysis systems are effective but rely on expensive precious metal catalysts.

Alternative approaches, such as anion exchange membrane (AEM) electrolysis, aim to reduce these costs by enabling different catalyst systems.

Advances in hydrogen technology therefore play a critical role in determining whether CO₂-based chemical production becomes economically viable.

Securing the Carbon Feedstock

Another challenge lies in sourcing the CO₂ itself.

While global emissions provide no shortage of carbon, capturing and concentrating it in usable form requires dedicated technologies. Chemical companies are exploring several complementary approaches:

• Membrane separation for biogas streams
• Chemical absorption systems for industrial emissions
• Direct air capture technologies
• Solid sorbents and advanced materials

Each pathway has different energy requirements, cost profiles, and scaling constraints. As a result, the future carbon supply landscape will likely involve multiple capture technologies operating simultaneously.

Why Collaboration Is Becoming the Industry’s Operating Model

Perhaps the most important insight emerging from CO₂ innovation efforts is that technology ecosystems matter as much as technology itself.

Carbon circularity requires the integration of multiple disciplines:

• Electrochemistry
• Biotechnology
• Process engineering
• Carbon capture technology
• Renewable energy systems

Few companies possess all these capabilities internally.

As a result, collaboration between chemical companies, startups, academic institutions, and industrial partners is becoming the dominant innovation model.

Industry platforms, startup accelerators, and research consortia are increasingly acting as innovation bridges, allowing large organizations to explore emerging technologies while sharing risk and expertise.

CO2 Circularity Will Require Many Solutions

One lesson emerging clearly across the industry is that there will not be a single pathway to carbon circularity.

Some technologies will rely on biomass.
Others will focus on recycling existing plastics.
Still others will convert captured CO₂ into new molecules.

Each approach addresses a different segment of the chemical value chain.

The long-term objective is not to replace fossil carbon overnight but to gradually diversify the sources of carbon entering chemical production.

In this sense, CO₂ utilization is less about eliminating emissions entirely and more about closing the carbon loop.

Strategic Implications for Chemical Industry Leaders

For R&D leaders and innovation executives, several practical lessons are emerging from early CO₂ circularity projects.

First, technologies must be developed with commercial end markets in mind, particularly in specialty chemicals where value creation can justify early adoption.

Second, pilot and demonstration facilities are essential for bridging the gap between laboratory discovery and industrial reality.

Third, innovation strategies must extend beyond internal R&D to include external technology ecosystems.

Finally, the future competitiveness of chemical companies will increasingly depend on their ability to secure alternative carbon feedstocks.

The Road Ahead

Carbon circularity remains an early-stage field. Many technologies are still progressing through pilot or demonstration phases, and large-scale economics are not yet fully proven.

Yet the direction of travel is becoming clearer.

As regulatory pressure intensifies and fossil feedstocks become less attractive long-term, the chemical industry will need new carbon sources to sustain growth.

CO₂—once considered purely a waste stream—may become one of them.

Where These Strategic Questions Move From Theory to Practice

The structural issues outlined above are not isolated operational matters; they are shaping board-level conversations across the chemical sector.

CIEX North America 2026 is designed as a working forum for senior leaders addressing disciplined portfolio governance, AI integration, capital efficiency, and sustainability-driven product design. It focuses on the operational realities behind these strategic imperatives.

Join us for two focused days with senior leaders in R&D, innovation, and sustainability across the consumer, industrial, and specialty chemical sectors — tackling:

• Scaling new technologies beyond the pilot phase
• Embedding AI and digital tools into real R&D workflows
• De-risking innovation through the right partnerships
• Turning sustainability targets into profitable product pipelines

Expect practical case studies from leading global brands, proven methodologies, and direct access to senior decision-makers across the chemical industry.

📍 CIEX North America | September 9–10, 2026

If you influence innovation strategy, R&D direction, or technology investment — this is where you need to be.

Register for CIEX 2026 now.

Evonik Pioneers CO2 Circularity to Drive Innovation in the Chemical Industry

Aligning R&D Capital With Future Markets: Arkema’s Horizon-Based Portfolio Strategy

Arkema’s Portfolio Management Strategy for Innovation Across Horizons

Innovation strategy in the chemical industry is often discussed in terms of breakthrough technologies, digital transformation, and sustainability targets. Yet in practice, much of corporate R&D effort remains concentrated on short-term business continuity.

Dave Moss, Director of Technology & Innovation, Arkema

During the session “Adding Elasticity To Innovation For Growth: Arkema´s Portfolio Management Strategy For Innovation Across Horizons” at CIEX, Dave Moss, Director of Technology & Innovation at Arkema, addressed a structural issue that many chemical organizations recognize but struggle to correct: the imbalance between near-term operational priorities and long-term innovation investment.

Drawing on prior experience, he described a business environment in which annual churn approached 30%, requiring the organization to generate equivalent levels of new revenue each year simply to maintain its position. Under such conditions, R&D resources become concentrated on immediate replacement activity, limiting capacity for longer-horizon innovation.

“That was Horizon 1,” Dave noted. “And that business isn’t with us anymore.”

You can explore the full executive summary from the presentation below or watch the complete presentation recording via the link below.

📹 Watch the full Arkema presentation: [Link]

Arkema´s Portfolio Management Strategy For Innovation Across Horizons

Presentation executive summary

The Compression of the Innovation Horizon

The traditional McKinsey three-horizon framework remains a useful reference point for structuring innovation portfolios. Horizon 1 typically addresses immediate product support and incremental improvements. Horizon 2 builds capability in adjacent technologies and emerging markets. Horizon 3 creates options for future businesses.

However, in Arkema’s markets, Moss emphasized that the timeframes associated with these horizons have shortened significantly. In his segment of the business, Horizon 1 may span zero to one year, Horizon 2 one to two years, and Horizon 3 two years and beyond.

Arkema’s presentation slides at CIEX 2025

This compression alters the risk profile. Organizations that delay Horizon 3 investment are unlikely to feel the impact in five years. They may feel it much sooner.

At the same time, business unit leaders are naturally focused on short-term performance. Horizon 1 supports today’s revenue. Horizon 3 requires protected investment without immediate return.

Without deliberate governance mechanisms, resource allocation tends to drift toward the near term.

“You can Horizon 1 yourself right out of busines,” Dave cautioned.

Structuring Horizon 2 and 3 Innovation: From Strategy to Execution

For Arkema, success in long-term growth depends on a disciplined approach to mid- and long-term innovation, or Horizon 2 and Horizon 3 projects. These initiatives are focused on emerging markets, adjacent technologies, and “out-of-the-box” opportunities where the company may not yet have full capability or commercial presence. To manage this, Arkema leverages Discovery Hubs and engages business unit stakeholders to generate and evaluate potential projects.

Arkema’s presentation slides at CIEX 2025

The process begins with a clear understanding of the playing field: market needs, application opportunities, and competitive technologies. Projects are then assessed for their potential to differentiate Arkema in the marketplace, with feasibility evaluated against internal capabilities. Where gaps exist, the company actively considers open innovation models, partnering with startups, universities, suppliers, and even select competitors to bridge capability gaps without incurring excessive capital or headcount requirements.

Once feasible projects are identified, they are screened for strategic fit, ensuring alignment with the company’s broader innovation strategy and targeted markets. Prioritization follows a value-driven approach, taking into account potential impact, resource availability, and technical risk. FTE allocations are mapped across business units and time horizons to avoid bottlenecks, ensuring that the company can advance the most promising initiatives efficiently.

This structured methodology not only ensures that Horizon 2 and 3 projects remain aligned with corporate objectives, but also provides transparency and accountability across global R&D operations. Visual tools, such as the horizon planning map, illustrate the allocation of resources, the stage of each initiative, and the integration of open innovation efforts, allowing Arkema to maintain flexibility while systematically pursuing growth options that secure long-term competitive advantage.

Portfolio Governance as Strategic Discipline

A recurring theme in the presentation was the distinction between portfolio management and project management.

Project management governs execution. Portfolio management governs direction.

Arkema’s presentation slides at CIEX 2025

Within Arkema’s framework, portfolio management serves to align R&D investment with future market positioning rather than current revenue concentration. The objective is to anticipate shifts in customer demand and technology requirements and ensure that capability development is synchronized accordingly.

This requires clarity around innovation pillars, market positioning, and internal capability assessment. Arkema conducts global portfolio reviews at least twice annually to maintain alignment across business units and geographies. These reviews provide visibility into resource allocation and ensure that Horizon 3 initiatives remain structurally supported.

Equally important is transparency around resource deployment. Moss described mapping full-time equivalent (FTE) allocations across business units and quarters. With multiple business units drawing from the same technical resource pool, bottlenecks are inevitable unless proactively managed.

By visualizing these allocations, Arkema can identify future constraints early and make informed decisions about reprioritization, collaboration, or external engagement.

This level of visibility transforms innovation strategy from aspiration into accountable investment management.

Open Innovation as a Resource Strategy

Arkema’s Horizon 3 approach also relies heavily on open innovation, though not in the conventional venture-capital model.

The company does not operate a corporate venture fund. Instead, it seeks structured partnerships that create value for both parties.

Arkema’s presentation slides from CIEX 2025

With startups, Arkema may provide analytical capabilities, laboratory infrastructure, or access to customers rather than direct capital investment. Such arrangements can accelerate technology development while minimizing capital intensity.

University collaboration forms a structured component of the company’s external innovation model. While funding doctoral research is standard practice across the industry, the focus extends beyond early-stage science to commercial translation. Academic innovations frequently face barriers in scaling and market access; established industrial relationships can provide the route-to-market and application validation required to convert laboratory research into viable product platforms.

Collaboration with suppliers and, increasingly, with competitors also plays a role. In a fragmented industry, one company may hold market access while another possesses complementary technical capabilities. Under carefully defined scopes, such collaborations can create value where independent efforts might stall.

In each case, the objective is not openness for its own sake but the efficient extension of Horizon 3 capacity without proportional increases in fixed cost.

Internal Visibility and Organizational Complexity

Large, diversified chemical companies face another challenge: internal fragmentation.

Moss acknowledged that even within Arkema, it can be difficult to maintain full visibility across global business units. In some cases, technical solutions to current challenges may already exist elsewhere within the organization.

Improving internal communication and knowledge sharing is therefore not merely an efficiency initiative. It is part of ensuring that existing capabilities are fully leveraged before external resources are pursued.

Stage-Gate and the Management of Risk

At the project level, Arkema applies a Stage-Gate framework to manage development risk. Project selection is addressed at the portfolio level; Stage-Gate governs execution once strategic alignment has been established.

Training is central to making this system effective. Project teams must understand gate expectations, and gatekeepers must align their evaluation criteria with the appropriate development stage. Without this shared understanding, governance processes can become counterproductive.

The objective is not bureaucracy but controlled acceleration — balancing speed with informed decision-making.

AI Integration: From Operations to Formulation

Artificial intelligence is becoming an increasingly important component of Arkema’s technology strategy, with applications spanning manufacturing, supply chain operations, and R&D.

Arkema’s presentation slides at CIEX 2025

At the manufacturing level, structured process data supports performance optimization and operational efficiency. In supply chain management, digital tools improve asset utilization, logistics coordination, and decision-making accuracy. These operational applications are already delivering measurable value.

R&D applications are more complex, particularly in formulation chemistry. Unlike simpler systems, Arkema’s products may involve six or more interacting components, requiring extensive, structured datasets to enable reliable predictive modeling.

Legacy data often lacks the consistency required for machine learning. Arkema’s response has been forward-looking: ensuring that new experimental data is captured in electronic lab notebooks and laboratory information management systems in formats suitable for future AI deployment.

Arkema’s presentation slides at CIEX 2025

The long-term objective includes predictive modeling of structure–function relationships and, potentially, toxicity and ecotoxicity profiles. If realized, such capabilities could fundamentally alter how sustainability considerations are integrated into product development.

Sustainability as Forward Design

Sustainability pressures continue to intensify across chemical markets. Rather than treating regulatory compliance as a late-stage requirement, Arkema is exploring how predictive tools might inform material design at the earliest stages.

The ability to anticipate environmental and toxicological impact during formulation would shorten development cycles, reduce regulatory uncertainty, and strengthen market positioning in sectors where environmental performance is increasingly scrutinized.

In this context, sustainability becomes a design parameter rather than an afterthought.

Structural Lessons for the Industry

Arkema’s experience illustrates a broader point relevant to chemical industry leadership. Long-term competitiveness is not secured through incremental optimization alone. It requires disciplined portfolio governance, transparent resource allocation, strategic external collaboration, and sustained investment in emerging capabilities such as AI.

Horizon 3 cannot be left to residual capacity. It must be intentionally structured and protected.

For organizations facing compressed innovation cycles, sustainability pressures, and digital transformation simultaneously, that discipline is no longer optional.

Where These Strategic Questions Move From Theory to Practice

The structural issues outlined above are not isolated operational matters; they are shaping board-level conversations across the chemical sector.

CIEX North America 2026 is designed as a working forum for senior leaders addressing disciplined portfolio governance, AI integration, capital efficiency, and sustainability-driven product design. It focuses on the operational realities behind these strategic imperatives.

Join us for two focused days with senior leaders in R&D, innovation, and sustainability across the consumer, industrial, and specialty chemical sectors — tackling:

• Scaling new technologies beyond the pilot phase
• Embedding AI and digital tools into real R&D workflows
• De-risking innovation through the right partnerships
• Turning sustainability targets into profitable product pipelines

Expect practical case studies from leading global brands, proven methodologies, and direct access to senior decision-makers across the chemical industry.

📍 CIEX North America | September 9–10, 2026

If you influence innovation strategy, R&D direction, or technology investment — this is where you need to be.

Shaping the Future of Chemical Innovation with Syensqo

Shaping the Future of Chemical Innovation with Syensqo

CIEX is a leading forum for chemical R&D, innovation, and sustainability leadership, bringing together senior executives and technical experts from companies such as Dow, Sumitomo Chemical America, Cabot, DuPont, 3M, Arkema, LanzaTech, Hexion, Schneider Electric, and many others shaping the future of the industry.

Among the standout sessions, Syensqo offered a rare look at how a forward-thinking materials organization is reengineering polymer discovery — transforming multi-million-molecule design spaces into commercial breakthroughs in months instead of years.

For chemical leaders focused on accelerating innovation, reducing R&D risk, and rethinking discovery pipelines, this session delivers a forward-looking perspective.

You can explore the full executive summary or watch the complete presentation recording via the link below.

📹 Watch the full Syensqo presentation: [link]

From Search to Design: How Syensqo Is Reframing the Economics of Polymer Discovery

For decades, polymer innovation followed a familiar logic: generate candidates, test them, iterate, and hope feasibility emerges before budgets collapse or timelines break. That model—rooted in experimental search—was expensive, slow, and fundamentally constrained by human bandwidth.

Syensqo presented a case that signals a structural departure from that paradigm. Their team demonstrated how AI-driven molecular screening, combined with physics-based simulation, is no longer just accelerating discovery—it is redefining what discovery means.

The Core Shift: From Experimental Search to Computational Design

Traditional polymer R&D operates as a narrowing funnel: chemists begin with a manageable subset of molecules, test experimentally, and progressively eliminate failures. This approach is inherently conservative—not by choice, but by necessity.

Syensqo reversed that logic.

Instead of starting small, their team began with four million molecular candidates. Using AI-based screening, they rapidly compressed that design space into a few hundred viable structures. Physics-based simulation then filtered those further—before any material was synthesized.

This matters because it fundamentally changes what R&D can explore.

Design space is no longer limited by laboratory throughput. It is limited only by how well the organization can define performance constraints and encode them into models.

This marks a shift from:

  • Trial-and-error → Constraint-driven design

  • Experimental filtering → Computational filtering

  • Iteration → Pre-validation

The 18-Month Result—and What It Actually Proves

Syensqo’s team moved from four million molecular candidates to a polymer meeting strict performance requirements in 18 months—including thermal stability, UV resistance, hydrolytic resistance, and optical clarity.

Without AI, they estimate this would have required five to six years—if it were pursued at all.

But the most important insight is not speed.

The project would likely not have been launched without these advanced AI modelling tools, which made the technical risk manageable.

This signals a deeper transformation: AI is not just compressing timelines—it is expanding what organizations are willing to attempt.

The New Bottleneck: Organizational Readiness, Not Technology

As computational tools mature, the critical constraint is no longer technical. It is structural.

They highlighted three realities chemical leaders must confront:

  1. AI expands design space by orders of magnitude
    But most R&D organizations are still structured to explore narrow, incremental territory.

  2. Simulation now filters candidates before synthesis
    Yet many workflows still privilege wet-lab validation over digital pre-screening.

  3. Data is no longer scarce—structure is
    Legacy datasets, unstructured notebooks, and disconnected systems prevent AI from learning effectively.

This creates a paradox in which the technology is ready, but most organizations are not.

Why This Is a Leadership Problem—Not a Technical One

The implications of this shift extend far beyond tools.

AI-driven discovery demands changes in:

  • Portfolio logic (what gets funded)

  • Risk models (what is considered viable)

  • Talent profiles (what skills matter)

  • Governance (how decisions are made)

If leadership continues to treat AI as a productivity layer rather than an operating model shift, the value will remain marginal.

The 2026 Reality: Feasibility Becomes the Differentiator

For years, speed was the primary competitive advantage in innovation.

That era is ending.

When everyone can move faster, speed becomes table stakes. What differentiates leaders is no longer how quickly they can execute—but what they can make feasible.

This example makes this visible.

Closing: The Strategic Question Leaders Must Now Ask

The real question for chemical executives is no longer:

How do we digitize our R&D?

It is:

What discoveries are we currently not even attempting—because our operating model makes them impossible?

Syensqo’s case suggests a new answer:
Many of those barriers are no longer technical, but they are organizational.

⚗️⚡Breakthrough innovation is harder. Budgets aren’t bigger. Expectations are.

Chemical leaders are under pressure to deliver faster commercialization, measurable sustainability gains, and smarter R&D execution — without increasing risk or cost.

CIEX 2026 is built for exactly that challenge.

Two focused days with senior leaders in R&D, innovation, and sustainability across the consumer, industrial, and specialty chemical sectors — tackling:

• Scaling new technologies beyond the pilot phase
• Embedding AI and digital tools into real R&D workflows
• De-risking innovation through the right partnerships
• Turning sustainability targets into profitable product pipelines

Expect practical insight, peer exchange, and high-value connections with the leaders solving the same problems you are.

📍 CIEX North America | September 9–10, 2026

If you influence innovation strategy, R&D direction, or technology investment — this is where you need to be.

Sustainability as Strategy: How PPG Powers Growth Through Chemical Innovation

Sustainability as Strategy: How PPG Powers Growth Through Chemical Innovation

Editor’s Note: Peter Votruba-Drzal is Vice President of Global Sustainability at PPG, where he drives innovation and sustainable growth across multiple markets. Peter will speak at CIEX 2025, held on September 17–18 in Indianapolis, U.S.A., alongside leaders from Dow, 3M, BASF, DuPont, and more. Below is a preview of the insights he’ll share at the summit.

Sustainability as Strategy: How PPG Powers Growth Through Chemical Innovation

Peter Votruba-Drzal, VP Global Sustainability, PPG

CIEX: Without giving too much away – what is the core message of your talk and what would you like delegates to remember?

Peter: From supporting communities where we live and work, to developing products and processes that help mitigate environmental impacts and solve our customers’ biggest challenges, PPG’s sustainability commitments contribute to the positive impact we achieve through our purpose and are a key enabler of achieving our growth strategy. 

The most important takeaway for attendees is how critical it is to leverage sustainability as a strategic imperative and business growth driver. We always say that we don’t have a sustainability strategy – we have a business strategy rooted in sustainability and productivity-driving operational excellence for PPG and our customers. Now more than ever, it’s important to collaborate with customers and suppliers to create value through sustainability. 

CIEX: What motivates you to join CIEX this year?

Peter: I feel passionate about the need to collaborate across the value chain to drive meaningful change and work toward collective sustainability targets that are good for business. At PPG, we believe in partnering with a variety of public and private entities to advance technologies and capabilities that create sustainable benefits for existing and future products and services. CIEX provides a venue to foster learning and collaboration.

CIEX: In what ways have emerging technologies most significantly transformed your R&D process over the past few years – and what impact has this had on speed to market?

Peter: At PPG, we aim to be our customers’ first choice partner for innovative paints, coatings and specialty products. Products that provide productivity and sustainable advantages for our customers are instrumental to our growth.

We define sustainably advantaged products using PPG’s internal methodology that validates product attributes and their contribution towards the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. While many of our products have sustainable attributes in their end-use that promote longevity of customer assets, we consider products sustainably advantaged when they contribute to improved environmental outcomes or provide relative improvements over industry benchmarks. PPG’s internal methodology of sustainably advantaged assessment is utilized not only for existing products but also throughout the new product development process. This development methodology alongside market pull has transformed value creation in the products we develop.

Machine learning is another technology that has begun to transform our research and development (R&D processes.  Routine laboratory tasks like color development, formula cost reduction, and accelerated weathering testing are all examples where machine learning is increasing the speed of our development and allowing our R&D resources to shift to more value creation activities. 

CIEX: What are the biggest challenges – and best practices- you’ve seen in scaling innovation from lab to market while staying aligned with business objectives?

Peter: In PPG’s markets, it is common that an invention in chemistry or formulation is needed to meet the market performance requirements.  In those cases, speed to market can be a challenge due to the discovery cycle. Utilizing a framework of product and technology roadmaps can provide the enterprise clarity on future technology needs. Investment in our teams’ capabilities enables the development of intellectual property, platform development of enabling technology, and internal expertise ahead of the needs within the product development organization. 

CIEX: Open innovation, customer responsiveness, and integrated supply chains are gaining traction. What partnerships or collaborations have been most impactful in driving sustainable growth for your business?

Peter: Partnerships with suppliers and applicators have been most impactful for PPG.  Leveraging strategic suppliers to develop customized raw materials accelerates product development by leveraging the strengths and capabilities of the supply base for innovative solutions.  Partnerships and pilot trials with applicators are extremely important upon scaling a technology from laboratory to end application.  Testing over a range of application variables to define the Process Failure Mode Effects Analysis (PFMEA) is critical to ensure a robust product and successful commercialization.

CIEX: Looking ahead, what do you see as the most critical capability chemical companies must develop to remain competitive in the next decade? 

Peter: I think it goes without saying that sustainably advantaged products and process innovations are the future in our markets. Customers are continually looking for technology that makes them more operationally efficient and delivers superior performance. Beyond customer expectations, regulatory pressures will also accelerate the transition to sustainably advantaged innovations, and companies must be prepared for this shift.

Alongside this, the use of digital tools to create operational efficiency both within your own operations and for your customers is of utmost importance. For example, PPG’s automotive refinish business is delivering share gain by introducing new technology that helps body shops realize efficiency, drive profitability and improve sustainability.

We have long delivered best-in-class technology with the award-winning PPG Envirobase waterborne system. More recently, we have focused on providing ways to make industry-leading platforms deliver more flexibility.   

Out-of-the-can technology solutions include the PPG LINQ™ end-to-end digital solution for global automotive refinish customers. The PPG LINQ ecosystem connects, automates, and digitizes the entire refinish process. It enables painters to modernize the repair processes using its interconnected digital hardware, software, and innovative services.

The PPG MOONWALK™ system, which is the company’s award-winning, automated paint mixing system for refinish body shops, marked the first of many customer-centric innovations that fall within PPG’s digital ecosystem powered by PPG LINQ. This industry-leading system is most notably recognized for its extreme colorimetric precision, significant economic benefits and increased labor productivity. PPG LINQ also features the PPG DigiMatch™ spectrophotometer; PPG VisualizID color visualization software; and the PPG MagicBox body shop assistant. To learn more about PPG LINQ, visit our website.

For more information about PPG, visit our website and most recent Sustainability Report.

CIEX: Thank you so much,  Peter! We look forward to hearing more from you at CIEX 2025!

Secure Your Spot at CIEX 2025 — The Leading Platform for Chemistry & Innovation

Be where senior R&D, innovation, and sustainability leaders from the consumer, industrial, and specialty chemical sectors come together to shape the future.

Now in its 11th edition, CIEX creates real value by uniting decision-makers, sparking collaborations, and facilitating partnerships that drive progress.

📅 September 17–18, 2025 | Indianapolis, U.S.A.

Join the community powering the future of chemistry — digital, sustainable, and collaborative. Gain exclusive insights, connect with peers, and take part in discussions that set the industry agenda.

🎟 It’s the last chance to register– grab tickets today! Register here.

Staying Ahead: How the Chemical Industry Can Remain Competitive Beyond 2030

Staying Ahead: How the Chemical Industry Can Remain Competitive Beyond 2030

In this article, industry leaders from LanzaTech, BASF, Evonik, Dow, DuPont, Syensqo, Arkema, PPG,  Cabot and more share what it takes to lead in a decarbonized, digital future.

The chemical industry is undergoing one of the most significant transformations in its history. To remain competitive beyond 2030, companies must fundamentally rethink how they operate, innovate, and deliver value in a rapidly evolving global economy.

Sustainability, circularity, digitalization, and talent development are no longer optional—they are the engines of growth and resilience. We asked thought leaders from across the industry who will participate in CIEX 2025  to share the critical capabilities that will define tomorrow’s winners.

Their responses make one thing clear: future competitiveness requires bold reinvention, not cautious optimization.

Circularity Is the New Value Driver

For decades, the industry has focused on linear models of production—extract, produce, dispose. This model is no longer viable in a world demanding sustainability and accountability.

“One of the most critical capabilities chemical companies must develop to remain competitive is the integration of circular supply chain principles,” says Jennifer Holmgren, CEO of LanzaTech. LanzaTech’s technology turns waste carbon into raw material, effectively giving emissions a second life. This isn’t just a climate solution—it’s a business opportunity. “This isn’t circularity for circularity’s sake,” Holmgren continues. “There is profit to be made in using our waste to create more product. Companies that invest early can capture more of the value chain, gaining a strategic edge and driving higher margins in a premium segment of the energy market.”

Jean Vincent, Head of RD&I Americas at Evonik, agrees: “The world is changing at a drastic pace. Companies must fully embrace not just the concept of sustainability, but also ways to bring it to reality while maintaining competitiveness.”

Peter Votruba-Drzal, VP Global Sustainability at PPG, reinforces this view: “We don’t have a sustainability strategy—we have a business strategy rooted in sustainability and operational excellence. Collaboration with customers and suppliers is essential to create value through sustainability.”

Sustainability Must Be Embedded in Strategy

To thrive in a low-carbon economy, companies need to embed sustainability into every level of their operations—from raw materials sourcing to manufacturing and product development. “Mastering a circular economy, sustainable renewable sourcing of raw materials, and low-carbon emission processes—along with digital and AI-driven innovation—are imperatives,” says Arthur Martin, VP R&D North America at Arkema. Peter Votruba-Drzal illustrates how this plays out in practice: “We define sustainably advantaged products through a rigorous methodology aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals. This approach transforms value creation and is embedded throughout the product development process.”

This approach goes far beyond compliance. Forward-thinking companies are treating sustainability as a competitive advantage, unlocking growth in new markets while aligning with the evolving expectations of regulators, customers, and investors.

A New Mindset for a New Era

For global chemical companies like BASF, the key to navigating future challenges lies in entrepreneurial thinking. “We need to sense how the world is changing and adapt quickly,” says Dr. Amit Gokhale, Director of Process and Chemical Engineering R&D at BASF. “That means adopting new technologies, building new business models, and increasing our tolerance for risk.” He emphasizes that collaboration—between companies, suppliers, customers, and even competitors—will be essential for reducing investment risk and accelerating the scale-up of next-gen solutions.

Patricia Hubbard, SVP and CTO at Cabot, agrees and stresses the importance of adaptability: “Companies must actively seek new information and design systems to evolve under uncertainty to stay competitive.” The CIEX 2025 conference will provide a great opporunity to hear successful case studies, find collaborators and develop new ideas. 

The Digital Leap: AI as a Strategic Capability

In the race to stay ahead, artificial intelligence (AI) and digital technologies are emerging as transformative tools—not just for productivity but for discovery, decision-making, and engagement. “Chemical companies need to adopt AI and build an AI culture,” says Mike Finelli, Chief Technology & Innovation Officer at Syensqo. “This includes leveraging AI for process optimization, accelerated discovery, and customer engagement. It’s imperative to remain competitive in an increasingly digital market.” AI allows R&D teams to reduce trial-and-error in labs, optimize supply chains, and customize products faster and more precisely than ever before.

“The tools available for understanding the science and evaluating the impact of materials are advancing at an unprecedented pace,” adds A.N. Sreeram, CTO and SVP of R&D at Dow. “Companies must stay at the forefront of rigorous analysis while being as nimble and responsive as possible.”

Talent, Trade-Offs, and the Innovation Engine

Technology alone won’t deliver transformation—people will. That means building a workforce ready to lead across sustainability, science, digital, and systems thinking. “Innovators will need to balance often conflicting trade-offs—performance, sustainability, resilience—with an increasing focus on speed,” says Marty DeGroot, VP Technology at DuPont. He emphasizes that innovation must now consider the full value chain and how decisions reverberate across complex ecosystems. “This will require access to modern capabilities and a strong emphasis on talent development and upskilling to use these capabilities effectively.”

Patricia Hubbard adds a crucial lens on timing innovation: “Timing is the hardest aspect of scaling innovation. The best practice is to keep options open, build flexible assets, and invest when customers are ready to scale. This approach helps de-risk growth while aligning with business goals.”

Reinventing the Future—Now

What does it truly mean to be competitive beyond 2030? It means developing low-carbon technologies and circular models—not as side projects, but as core business strategies. It means using AI not just to automate, but to accelerate invention. And it means empowering people across the organization to lead with curiosity, courage, and collaboration. “Chemical companies that invest early,” says Jennifer Holmgren, “can capture more of the value chain from feedstock to final product.”

The challenge ahead is clear—but so is the opportunity. The companies that act boldly today will not just survive tomorrow. They will lead it.

Powering the Future of Chemical Industry at CIEX 2025 Summit

CIEX is the leading platform for senior-level R&D, innovation, and sustainability professionals from the consumer, industrial, and specialty chemical sectors. Now in its 11th edition, CIEX is focused on creating value by bringing together the right people, fostering synergies, and actively facilitating connections among potential partners.

Join us on September 17 & 18, 2025,  in Indianapolis, U.S.A. and get exclusive access to the community powering the future of chemistry — digital, sustainable and collaborative!

🎟Register today to secure your spot!

Rethinking R&D in Specialty Chemicals: Insights from Arkema

R&D in Specialty Chemicals: How Arkema Is Driving Innovation

Editor’s Note: Arthur Martin is Vice President of R&D North America at Arkema, leading innovation in Advanced Materials, Specialty Adhesives, and Coatings. With over 25 years of experience and 22 U.S. patents, he brings deep expertise in specialty materials and product commercialization.

Arthur W. Martin, VP R&D North America, Arkema

Arthur will speak at CIEX 2025, held on September 17–18 in Indianapolis, U.S.A., alongside leaders from Dow, 3M, BASF, DuPont, and more. Below is a preview of the insights he’ll share at the summit.

CIEX: Without giving too much away – what is the core message of your talk and what would you like delegates to remember?

Arthur: There has been a continuous reduction in R&D spending as a percentage of revenue by most specialty companies over the last 20-30 years. Currently, most specialty companies spend approximately 2.7% on average across the three (3) horizons of innovation. This is a reduction from 10-15% previously spent in prior years. Therefore, it is incumbent for innovation leaders and executives to be creative in how they prioritize, select and valuate R&D technology programs in their innovation portfolio.

Elasticity in innovation gives an R&D organization the flexibility to adapt and respond quickly to changes in technology, market demand, and competitive pressure. Specifically, it enables the organization to shift resources dynamically to allocate talent, R&D investment, and tools more efficiently to high-potential projects or pivot when needed to scale innovation efforts by ramping up or scaling down R&D activities based on opportunities, risk, or performance feedback without major disruption.

In Arkema, accelerating the time-to-market by responding faster to emerging trends or customer needs gives us a competitive advantage. Empowerment of our R&D scientists to experiment more freely and take innovative risk can provide unexpected results that provide significant value.  Supporting a culture of rapid prototyping and learning allows multiple innovative pathways to be explored in parallel and finally resilience to failure to absorb setbacks and reallocate efforts without derailing the overall innovation agenda remains critical to the innovation process.

In short, elasticity empowers an R&D organization to remain agile, resilient, and competitive in a fast-changing environment.

CIEX: What motivates you to join CIEX this year?

Arthur: I’m motivated to join CIEX because they offer a unique space to collaborate with forward-thinking innovation leaders who are passionate about solving complex problems and shaping the future. CIEX is not just about generating new ideas and discussing new concepts in the innovation space, they’re about turning those ideas into real, scalable impact. I’m driven by the opportunity to learn from both other strategic and visionary leaders and contribute my own perspective to meaningful, future-focused initiatives. Being part of such a community helps me grow as a leader, stay ahead of trends, and continuously challenge myself to think creatively and lead with purpose.

CIEX: In what ways have emerging technologies most significantly transformed your R&D process over the past few years – and what impact has this had on speed to market?

Arthur: I have recently created an Emerging Technologies department over the past year. I am already experiencing a positive impact. I have developed a fail-fast mechanism and open innovation while having closer connection with the business units. The new technology platforms within Arkema utilize existing assets and are market and customer-focused, leading to faster time-to-market, better product-market fit, and smarter decision-making. 

I have created technology enablers through digital transformation and open innovation to shift from the linear process of execution to a more agile approach, faster iteration loops between teams (R&D, product, commercial), parallel development and testing rather than sequential handoffs, more customer focused, and market need approach to technology development delivering more value to the businesses. 

This approach has resulted in shortened development timelines and better alignment with changing business needs.

CIEX: What are the biggest challenges – and best practices- you´ve seen in scaling innovation from lab to market while staying aligned with business objectives?

Arthur: In my 25+ years of experience, I would not say I have seen it all, but I have experienced enough to view challenges from the landscape of opportunities. Here are some of my perspectives on the opportunities we have to create solutions: The gap between a promising prototype and a viable, scalable product often lacks funding, sponsorship, or a clear path forward, misalignment with core business goals: Innovations may be technically brilliant but not aligned with strategy, customer needs, or revenue models.

I have also experienced siloed operations in R&D, product, marketing, and commercial teams, often operating independently, leading to disconnects and delays.

Sometimes, technologists are overly optimistic to the challenges of scalability and not identifying risk and threats in the timely and intuitive manner they should, therefore, underestimating scale-up complexity where technical challenges, regulatory hurdles, supply chain issues, and customer adoption are often more complex than anticipated.

Let’s not forget the cultural impedance, resulting in Internal resistance to change or fear of cannibalizing existing products can kill innovation before it takes off.

Also, from company to company or business unit to business unit within one company, the lack of a repeatable process becomes the Achilles heel too often for organizations. They still rely on ad hoc innovation rather than a structured process for scaling from lab to market. The best practices such as stage gate process, agile innovation, design thinking and other innovation processes are often ignored.

CIEX: Open innovation, customer responsiveness, and integrated supply chains are gaining traction. What partnerships or collaborations have been most impactful in driving sustainable growth for your business?

Arthur: Open innovation, customer intimacy, and integrated supply chains are indeed critical to sustainable growth. In our business, the most impactful partnerships have been those that combined cross-industry collaboration with shared innovation goals. For example, we’ve worked closely with custom toll synthesis providers to develop novel material solutions that enhance supply chain agility. We’ve also partnered with key customers to co-create products tailored to adjacent and evolving market needs, allowing for faster feedback loops and improved customer satisfaction. Additionally, strategic alliances with sustainability-focused organizations have helped us reduce our environmental footprint while aligning with global ESG standards. These collaborations have not only strengthened our market position but also embedded long-term resilience into our business model.

CIEX: Looking ahead, what do you see as the most critical capability chemical companies must develop to remain competitive in the next decade? 

Arthur: Looking toward the future, I think there are several critical capabilities that must be realized or exemplified to have a competitive edge. They are mastering a circular economy, sustainable, renewable sourcing of raw materials and low carbon emission processes, digital and AI-driven innovation and ecosystem collaboration are imperatives. These are essential parameters to remain on the competitive path.

CIEX:  Thank you so much, Arthur! We look forward to hearing more from you at CIEX 2025!

Powering the Future of Chemical Industry at CIEX 2025 Summit

CIEX is the leading platform for senior-level R&D, innovation, and sustainability professionals from the consumer, industrial, and specialty chemical sectors. Now in its 11th edition, CIEX is focused on creating value by bringing together the right people, fostering synergies, and actively facilitating connections among potential partners.

Join us on September 17 & 18, 2025,  in Indianapolis, U.S.A. and get exclusive access to the community powering the future of chemistry — digital, sustainable and collaborative!

🎟Register today to secure your spot!

Driving Sustainable Innovation in Chemicals: DuPont’s vision

Driving Sustainable Innovation in Chemicals: DuPont on Decarbonization, Customer-Centric R&D, and the Next Generation of Innovators

Editor’s Note: Marty DeGroot is Vice President of Technology at DuPont, where he leads innovation across high-performance industries including healthcare, aerospace, electronics, and automotive. Marty will speak at CIEX 2025, held on September 17–18, 2025 in Indianapolis, U.S.A., alongside senior executives from 3M, BASF, Sumitomo Chemical, Arkema, Eastman, Syensqo, and more. Below is a preview of the insights he’ll share at the summit.

Marty DeGroot, VP Technology, DuPont

CIEX: Without giving too much away – what is the core message of your talk and what would you like delegates to remember?

Marty: At DuPont, we believe that our greatest impact on the world stems from our innovations, and that scientific advancement is essential for tackling the most pressing global challenges. Sustainable innovation is a core aspect of our philosophy as we work to provide products and applications that solve complex problems while also delivering meaningful sustainability benefits that align with customer expectations. 

While there are overarching themes—such as reducing harmful substances and decarbonizing—expectations and opportunities vary by industry. Therefore, engagement with our customers is essential to ensure we meet their unique needs. Innovators face a paradigm shift as they must now consider conventional value drivers (such as cost and performance) alongside a clearer articulation and quantification of those factors that enhance customer sustainability impact as part of the overall value proposition.

A comprehensive understanding of the impacts of decisions in new product and process development—and how these decisions assist customers in reaching their goals—is a crucial role for the modern innovator. Our recent focus on carbon fluency exemplifies this mindset. We have several examples across sectors like water, healthcare, automotive, and aerospace, where innovation has led to new solutions that meet stringent performance requirements while simultaneously creating a significant positive impact aligned with customer goals.

CIEX: What motivates you to join CIEX this year?

Marty: The rapid changes brought about by disruptive technologies, supply chain volatility, and the need for sustainable solutions have made innovation essential in addressing the complex challenges we face to ensure a thriving world. The CIEX event offers a valuable opportunity to engage with senior innovation leaders about various shared obstacles and challenges. It provides a platform to foster connections, learn from one another, and explore collaborations that can speed up the development of practical solutions.

CIEX: In what ways have emerging technologies most significantly transformed your R&D process over the past few years – and what impact has this had on speed to market?

Marty: The emergence and ongoing expansion of digital innovation capabilities are rapidly transforming how innovators tackle challenges. A connected lab infrastructure has been essential for enhancing data accessibility and facilitating the use of tools like machine learning and predictive analytics. These tools increase speed and productivity, allowing innovators to dedicate more time to high-value work. One of the most significant benefits has been enabling our formulators to use these tools to minimize the number of iterations needed to quickly arrive at viable solutions for customer end-use applications.

CIEX: What are the biggest challenges – and best practices- you’ve seen in scaling innovation from lab to market while staying aligned with business objectives?

Marty: One of the biggest challenges in innovation today is the increasing need to shorten innovation cycles to keep up with rapid changes and support customer roadmaps. As a company focused primarily on innovations close to the end user, we have observed a shift in the importance of speed as a crucial factor in helping customers implement solutions and maintain competitiveness. 

The greatest challenge in delivering quickly lies in early-stage innovation, where uncertainty is high. Best practices involve using lean innovation tools that facilitate rapid experimentation, allowing us to quickly reduce risk and ambiguity. In early-stage innovation, the most critical “experiments” often focus on customer desirability to ensure that innovation addresses the most significant and valuable challenges.

CIEX: Open innovation, customer responsiveness, and integrated supply chains are gaining traction. What partnerships or collaborations have been most impactful in driving sustainable growth for your business?

Marty: In today’s complex innovation landscape, building partnerships is essential for fostering speed and resilience in developing innovative solutions. Our most critical partnerships are with our customers, and some of our most recent investments focus on delivering first rapid prototypes that help to engage customers more quickly. This approach increases the likelihood of iterative cycles that ultimately lead to scalable solutions. By starting with a minimum viable product and involving customers in the development process, we enhance engagement and collaboration, which in turn helps us deliver resilient solutions. 

CIEX: Looking ahead, what do you see as the most critical capability chemical companies must develop to remain competitive in the next decade? 

Marty: Next-generation innovators will need to navigate multiple themes and balance the challenges of developing solutions while managing often conflicting trade-offs, such as performance, sustainability, and resilience, all with an increasing focus on speed.

To effectively address these challenges, innovators must consider how their decisions impact the entire supply chain and value chain. This means understanding and analyzing the interconnectedness of various processes and stakeholders involved. By doing so, they can drive innovation while ensuring that their operations are aligned with the broader economic and environmental considerations that influence their industry. This will require a significant focus on enabling access to modern capabilities and a strong emphasis on talent development and upskilling to utilize these capabilities and achieve impactful solutions effectively.

CIEX: Thank you so much, Marty! We look forward to hearing more from you at CIEX 2025!

Powering the Future of Chemical Industry at CIEX 2025 Summit

CIEX is the leading platform for senior-level R&D, innovation, and sustainability professionals from the consumer, industrial, and specialty chemical sectors. Now in its 11th edition, CIEX is focused on creating value by bringing together the right people, fostering synergies, and actively facilitating connections among potential partners.

Join us on September 17 & 18, 2025,  in Indianapolis, U.S.A. and get exclusive access to the community powering the future of chemistry — digital, sustainable and collaborative!

🎟Register before 3rd July and save $400 with early-bird pricing!

Driving Sustainable Innovation in Chemicals: DuPont on Decarbonization, Customer-Centric R&D, and the Next Generation of Innovators