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# CIEX North America – Chemical Innovation Exchange Conference - Accelerating Innovation Across the Chemical Value Chain, Chemical Innovation Exchange Conference

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## Pages
- [CIEX NA 2024](https://ciexsummit.com/photos/ciex-na-2024/): Wonder what CIEX looks like in action? Get a real sense of the conversations, connections, and energy shared by senior executives in R&D, innovation, and sustainability. CIEX NA 2025CIEX NA 2024CIEX NA 2025 Day 1CIEX NA 2025 Day 2Load more10 / 109Load more10 / 62CIEX NA 2024Load more10 / 333
- [Video](https://ciexsummit.com/video/): 2025 CIEX Summit Day 1 CIEX Summit Day 2 PPG Peter Votruba Drzal HOW PPG IS DRIVING GROWTH AND SUSTAINABLY ADVANTAGED INNOVATION THROUGH SUPP 2 views • 9 months ago Google Play Opening remarks from Chair 9 months ago Google Play LanzaTech Zara Summers REIMAGINING CARBON BUILDING A CIRCULAR & PROFITABLE CARBON ECONOMY WITH NOVE 9 months ago Google Play Opening remarks by Sibel Selcuk, EVP R&D & Amy Schumacher, CEO 9 months ago Google Play American Chemical Society Andrea Jacobs BRIDGING THE EXPECTATION GAP BUILDING A SCIENCE SMART AI ST 9 months ago Google Play Syensqo Ryan Murphy PIONEERING THE FUTURE HARNESSING NEW TECHNOLOGIES TO ADVANCE CHEMISTRY 1 views • 9 months ago Google Play Opening remarks from Merlien Institute 9 months ago Google Play Uncountable & UL Research Institutes Will Tashman & Akshay Talekar ACCELERATING MATERIALS DISCOVERY 9 months ago Google Play Albert Invent & Nouryon Nick Talken & Maryalice Belluscio ENABLING NEW BUSINESS MODELS WITH AI IN R& 9 months ago Google Play Panel Discussion CLEANER CHEMISTRY ENERGY INNOVATIONS SHAPING THE SECTOR 5 views • 9 months ago Google Play BASF Amit Gokhale HOW BASF IS ACCELERATING INNOVATION THROUGH EFFECTIVE COLLABORATIONS 1 views • 9 months ago Google Play Elsevier Frederik van den Broek GETTING THERE FASTER AND CLEANER THE PATH VIA HIGH QUALITY DATA AND 9 months ago Google Play Panel Discussion FROM LAB TO MARKET – CRACKING THE CODE FOR GREEN FEEDSTOCK SUCCESS 9 months ago Google Play Arkema Dave Moss ADDING ELASTICITY TO INNOVATION FOR GROWTH ARKEMA´S PORTFOLIO MANAGEMENT STRATEGY 9 months ago Google Play Opening remarks from Chair 9 months ago Google Play Opening remarks from Merlien Institute 9 months ago Google Play Evonik Jean Vincent CO2 CIRCULARITY AS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE CHEMICAL INDUSTRY 4 views • 9 months ago Google Play ×
- [CIEX in the Media](https://ciexsummit.com/news/): By Jonathan Katz
- [CIEX Whitepaper download](https://ciexsummit.com/ciex-whitepaper-download/)
- [CIEX Blog](https://ciexsummit.com/blog/): Chemical industry trends 2026 point to a familiar set of pressures — slower growth, geopolitical fragmentation, margin compression, and sustainability...
- [Photos](https://ciexsummit.com/photos/): Wonder what CIEX looks like in action? Get a real sense of the conversations, connections, and energy shared by senior executives in R&D, innovation, and sustainability. CIEX NA 2025CIEX NA 2024CIEX NA 2025 Day 1CIEX NA 2025 Day 2Load more10 / 109Load more10 / 62CIEX NA 2024Load more10 / 333
- [Sponsors](https://ciexsummit.com/sponsorship/): 100% of our delegates rated the service at CIEX as Excellent or Very Good!
- [Call for Speakers](https://ciexsummit.com/call-for-speakers/): The inaugural MRMW North America conference will be hosted in person on June 26-27, 2024 in Atlanta. MRMW brings together forward-thinking clients, innovative agencies and technology disruptors to discuss the latest trends and innovations driving the industry forward! Inspire us with your most innovative research, creative solutions, new methodologies and amazing success stories! We are looking for exciting client case studies, best practices and new methods that will inspire the audience in uncertain times. To be considered as our speaker, please follow these simple rules: – Submit original and new content, based on real case studies and projects – Agencies and suppliers must co-present with an End-Client/Brand* – Focus on new methodologies and fresh thinking – Provide a unique perspective and thought-provoking approaches – Bring your client along to co-present if you are submitting a case study – Choose an innovative presentation format Deadline: November 1, 2023 (Sorry! The Call for Speakers has expired!)
- [Terms & Conditions](https://ciexsummit.com/terms-conditions/): Terms & Conditions   By completing the registration form, I/we (the delegate/s) hereby agree to the following terms and conditions:   Cancellations and substitutions: Registrations incur a 50% liability once a booking has been made online, by fax, e-mail or post up to 21 working days before the event. There will be no refunds for cancellations received 21 working days or less prior to the event. Delegate substitutions are permitted from the same company if the registered delegate cannot attend. To receive a 50% refund, MERLIEN must receive your cancellation in writing by post. Refunds are subject to a U$75,- administration fee in addition to any cancellation charges.   Indemnity: It may be necessary to change the content, timing, venue or speaker line-up of the event, MERLIEN cannot be held liable for such changes nor for prior notification of these changes. Should there for any reason be any changes, or the event cancelled due to terrorism, war, extreme weather conditions, industrial action, acts of gods or any eventually beyond the control of MERLIEN, we shall endeavour to reschedule the event, but the customer hereby indemnifies MERLIEN and holds MERLIEN harmless from and against any and all costs, damages and expenses, including legal and medical fees which are incurred by the customer.   Video/Photography: Any person who attends Merlien's events grants permission to MERLIEN to record his or her audio/visual/ images, including but not limited to, photographs, digital images, voices, sound or video recordings, audio clips, or accompanying written descriptions, and, without notifying such person, to use his or her name and such images for any purpose, including advertisements for future programs and events. It is understood that this material will be used in a legitimate manner, both internally and outside this organisation and is not intended to cause any harm or undue embarrassment to the parties involved.   Privacy policy: The personal information obtained from this form will only be used for purposes relating to the conference. You may receive additional information regarding future events from MERLIEN. Your name and contact details may be passed on to conference delegates, sponsors or exhibitors.
- [Who Attends](https://ciexsummit.com/who-is-attending/): Who Attends Job Title Company CRO Cypris Ai Global Head of the Amine Platform R&D Evonik Associate Portfolio Manager-R&D The Heritage Group Senior Director, Strategic Solutions Envita Solutions IE&M Indirect Sales Senior Specialist Dassault Systèmes Senior Client Executive - Energy & Materials Dassault Systèmes Group Vice President, Global Technology Eastman Chemical Company Manager Polystyrene Technology Venture Director HG Ventures Global VP Performance Chemicals Wanhua Chemical Group President-Elect American Chemical Society Regional Sales Director, ADS Elsevier Strategic Engagement Manager, Global Pharma Elsevier Strategic Account Executive Quantinuum Sr. Director Special Projects The Heritage Group CEO AmSty Specialist Quanta Computer SVP, Chief Technology Officer Avient VP R&D/TS&D Industrial Solutions Dow BIOVIA Senior Sales Representative Dassault Systèmes Portfolio Management Huntsman Advanced Materials Senior Account Executive Cypris Ai Director of Biorefinery Technology and Processes FiberX CTO AVN Corporation Account Executive GetFocus Business Development Uncountable External Innovation & Adv. Mat. H. B. Fuller Global Director, T&I Enablement Celanese Corporation President & CEO ClimeCo VP Commercial Sustainability kelly.gilroy@univarsolutions.com Director - Additives & Functional Products Technol Eastman Chemical Company EVP, Finance & Business Development Monument Chemical President Tau9 Labs CEO Cypris Ai Chief Technical Officer Albemarle Business Director North America Wanhua Chemicals America VP Strategic Marketing and Innovation Huntsman Advanced Materials Chairman & CEO AVN Corporation Director of Consulting Quantinuum Executive Vice President - Business Development Asphalt Materials, Inc. PhD, Global Strategic Account Executive Albert Invent SVP, Communications and Marketing American Chemical Society CEO American Chemical Society Chief Executive Officer FORTA Corporation Director Artificial Intelligence - CAS American Chemical Society Research Chemist Perimeter Solutions Senior Manager Sumitomo Chemical America Business Development Specialist Marubeni America Corporation Regional Sales Director Elsevier Chief Operating Officer Citrine Informatics President & CEO SOCMA Executive Administrative Assistant Hexion Senior Director IRI Chief Strategy Officer FiberX Marketing Manager GetFocus President & CEO Hexion Enterprise Account Executive Basetwo CEO/Founder Halo.Science Technology Manager Department of Energy Key Account Director Wanhua Chemicals America Technical Service & Development Engineer Polystyrene Technology Senior Account Executive Citrine Informatics Partner and Practice Leader JM Search Senior Executive Editor American Chemical Society, C&EN Senior Manager Deloitte Senuir Supervisor-Analytical Research The Heritage Group Director, Custom Manufacturing – Solvents Monument Chemical Sr. R&D Engineer Milliken & Company President Sumitomo Chemical America, Inc. Sr. Technology Director, Reinforcement Materials Cabot Formulation Chemist Perimeter Solutions Director of R&D Perimeter Solutions Solution Engineer Basetwo AI Senior Manager Sumitomo Chemical America, Inc. Enterprise Account Executive Uncountable Portfolio Manager American Chemical Society Corporate Marketing Elsevier Senior Vice President - Strategy + M&A The Heritage Group Sr. Marketing Communications Leader Hexion Senior Supervisor - Chemical Research The Heritage Group Technical Executive - Energy & Materials Dassault Systèmes Head of New Product Development Kuraray Global Portfolio Leader, Chemicals and Industrials Schrödinger Vice President R&D Americas Air Liquide Vice President Sales and Supply Asphalt Materials, Inc. Industry Process Consultant Director - BIOVIA Dassault Systèmes Director of Enterprise Innovation The Heritage Group Sr Director - Chemical Industry Automation Honeywell Automation Solution Sales Manager, ADS Elsevier Sr. Technology Director, Carbon and Silica Technol Cabot Corporation Sr Director Innovation Milliken & Company President Monument Chemical CEO The Heritage Group Senior Research and Development Chemist Monument Chemical CEO Leaf Software Solutions EVP R&D The Heritage Group Corporate Scientist & Chief Science Advocate 3M Senior R&D Manager Solstice VP Global Product Development and Innovation UPM Adhesive Materials General Manager, Refining and Chemicals Honeywell Automation Chemical Industry Leader Rockwell Automation CEO Albert Invent Co-Founder and CRO Uncountable SVP and CTO Hexion Materials Data Scientists HB Fuller Head of Marketing GetFocus Managing Partner Sagentia Innovation CEO & Co-founder GetFocus Senior Director Enterprise Platforms AdvanSix Senior Technology Director, Scouting Cabot CRO,VP of Sales Uncountable Interim President CAS, a division of the American Chemical Society jon@albertinvent.com Albert Invent SVP, Society Programs American Chemical Society Enterprise Account Manager Citrine Informatics Digital Excellence Leader Milliken & Company President, Corporate Markets Elsevier VP of Sales Albert Invent VP - Plastics, Analytical and Scale-up Technology Eastman Chemical Company Vice President, Product Management CAS, a division of the American Chemical Society Chief Technology Officer Momentive Sustainability & Innovation Lead Stepan Company Principal Solutions Consultant CAS, a division of the American Chemical Society
- [Registration](https://ciexsummit.com/registration/): Get Your Ticket If you would like to pay via invoice / bank transfer please contact us at: alvin@merlien.org By booking your ticket you agree to our terms and conditions
- [The Center | The Heritage Group](https://ciexsummit.com/venue-travel-information/): CIEX North America will take place at The Center | The Heritage Group. The Center is a unique meeting space designed to facilitate discoveries and connections, where people and partners can come together to be engaged and inspired. It is designed in such a way to remove the traditional barriers to collaboration and facilitate a more relaxed environment.
- [Conference Agenda](https://ciexsummit.com/schedule/): In this interactive session, delegates will choose a roundtable to join. The roundtable will begin with a short and informal introduction by the roundtable host, followed by a facilitated discussion between all participants at the table. This is an opportunity to delve deeper into your chosen topic, and meet, network with, and exchange ideas with likeminded participants.
- [Speakers panel](https://ciexsummit.com/speakers/): Amy Schumacher is the Chief Executive Officer of The Heritage Group, overseeing the company’s portfolio of more than 50 companies and 6,000 employees. She is also a member of its board of trustees. Amy has been part of The Heritage Group family of businesses since 2008, when she founded Monument Chemical — THG’s specialty chemicals business — and served as Monument’s President and CEO for eight years. In that role, she was responsible for growing Monument from a small, Indianapolis-based business into a global company with operations in Europe and the US. In 2016, Amy transitioned to President of The Heritage Group and was appointed CEO in 2020, marking the fourth generation of Fehsenfeld family leadership. She graduated from Purdue University with a B.A. in Education and B.S. in Civil Engineering and received her M.B.A. from Massachusetts Institute of Technology. She serves on the boards of the Central Indiana Corporate Partnership, Calumet Specialty Products and the Purdue Engineering Advisory Council. Amy enjoys spending her free time with her husband, Jim, and her two daughters.
- [](https://ciexsummit.com/)

## Blog
- [The Chemical Industry in 2026: An Executive Briefing from the Leaders Redefining Competitive Advantage](https://ciexsummit.com/blog-post/chemical-industry-trends-2026/): Chemical industry trends 2026 point to a familiar set of pressures — slower growth, geopolitical fragmentation, margin compression, and sustainability commitments that still have to justify themselves financially. What has changed is where leaders are looking for advantage. For most of the industry's history, competitive edge came from what a company could invent: a better molecule, a stronger patent position, a more efficient process. That foundation has not disappeared. But it is no longer where the contest is being decided.
- [AI Plant Performance in Chemicals: Why the Bottleneck Isn’t Technology](https://ciexsummit.com/blog-post/ai-plant-performance-chemicals-ciex2026/): AI plant performance in chemicals starts with one deceptively simple problem: turning plant data into decisions that actually change outcomes — and for most organizations, the bottleneck is not the technology. Lewis Sweet, General Manager Global Refining and Chemicals at Honeywell, brings to CIEX North America 2026 a perspective shaped by working at the intersection of industrial technology and chemical plant operations across some of the world's most complex refining environments.
- [Innovation Pipeline Management in Chemical R&D: Why Ideation Needs to Be a Full Business Exercise](https://ciexsummit.com/blog-post/innovation-pipeline-management-chemical/): Innovation pipeline discipline is becoming one of the most pressing challenges in chemical R&D — not because organizations lack ideas, but because the conditions for generating them are quietly disappearing under the weight of near-term execution pressure. Jamie Cohen, Vice President of R&D, Industrial Intermediates & Infrastructure at Dow, brings to CIEX North America 2026 a practitioner's perspective from one of the industry's most complex R&D organizations.
- [Accelerating Process Technology Development: A Contract R&D Perspective From AVN Corporation](https://ciexsummit.com/blog-post/process-technology-development-ciex-avn/): Accelerating process technology development is one of the most pressing priorities in chemical R&D today — yet for most organizations, the constraint is not budget or headcount. It is how the work is designed. John P (Jack) Dever, CTO of AVN Corporation, brings to CIEX North America 2026 over two decades of experience at the intersection of process technology, advanced software, and applied sustainability — operating where the gap between lab innovation and commercial scale gets closed.
- [AI-Enabled Chemistry: How Hexion Is Moving Beyond the Commodity Model](https://ciexsummit.com/blog-post/ai-enabled-chemistry-hexion-ciex/): AI-enabled chemistry is reshaping how the chemical industry creates value — and the stakes have rarely been higher. Geopolitical uncertainty, changing customer expectations, and the pressure to move beyond commoditized products are forcing companies to rethink not just what they produce, but how they compete. Few leaders are moving faster on that shift than Michael Lefenfeld, President and CEO of Hexion, who since 2023 has been transforming the company from a commodity supplier into a technology-driven leader in advanced materials.
- [Supply Chain Resilience in Specialty Chemicals: What Leaders Must Build Before Disruption Arrives](https://ciexsummit.com/blog-post/supply-chain-resilience-chemicals-ciex/): For specialty chemicals companies operating across multiple regions and trade environments, supply chain resilience is no longer an operational consideration — it is a strategic design choice. Ahead of CIEX North America 2026 — September 9–10 in Indianapolis — we sit down with Marc Block, Global VP Performance Chemicals at Wanhua Chemical Group. He brings over two decades of experience building and scaling specialty chemical platforms across Asia, Europe, and North America.
- [AI Adoption in R&D: A Corporate Scientist Perspective from 3M](https://ciexsummit.com/blog-post/ai-adoption-in-rnd-corporate-scientist-3m/): AI adoption in R&D is reshaping how scientific organizations work — but few voices in that conversation come from someone who has spent over 30 years at the bench. Jayshree Seth leads generative AI use cases across 3M's research organization, holds 80 patents, and brings to CIEX North America 2026 a practitioner's perspective that is rare in the current AI debate.
- [Chemical R&D Infrastructure as Competitive Strategy | Momentive | CIEX 2026](https://ciexsummit.com/blog-post/chemical-rnd-infrastructure-momentive/): Thanos Yiagopoulos, CTO, Momentive
- [Operationalizing Innovation at Industrial Scale | AmSty](https://ciexsummit.com/blog-post/operationalizing-innovation-at-scale/): 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.
- [Scaling Chitosan in Chemicals: How Advanced Formulation Is Unlocking Industrial Applications](https://ciexsummit.com/blog-post/scaling-chitosan-chemicals-ciex/): Despite its well-known properties, chitosan has seen limited adoption in core chemical industry applications.
- [CO2 Circularity as a Growth Opportunity: How Evonik is Transforming the Chemical Industry](https://ciexsummit.com/blog-post/co2-circularity-as-a-growth-evonik/): Evonik Pioneers CO2 Circularity to Drive Innovation in the Chemical Industry
- [Aligning R&D Capital With Future Markets: Arkema’s Horizon-Based Portfolio Strategy](https://ciexsummit.com/blog-post/arkemas-strategy-across-horizons/): 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.
- [Shaping the Future of Chemical Innovation with Syensqo](https://ciexsummit.com/blog-post/ciex-2025-future-of-chemical-innovation/): 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.
- [Sustainability as Strategy: How PPG Powers Growth Through Chemical Innovation](https://ciexsummit.com/blog-post/sustainability-as-strategy-ppgs/): 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.
- [Staying Ahead: How the Chemical Industry Can Remain Competitive Beyond 2030](https://ciexsummit.com/blog-post/will-chemical-industry-stay-competitive/): 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.
- [Rethinking R&D in Specialty Chemicals: Insights from Arkema](https://ciexsummit.com/blog-post/rethinking-rd-in-specialty-chemicals/): 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.
- [Driving Sustainable Innovation in Chemicals: DuPont’s vision](https://ciexsummit.com/blog-post/driving-sustainable-innovation-dupont/): 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. 
- [Future of the Chemical Industry: Syensqo on AI, Quantum Computing & Robotics](https://ciexsummit.com/blog-post/future-of-the-chemical-industry-syensqo/): Mike: My keynote address will explore the transformative future of the chemical industry. It will highlight the industry’s exciting potential driven by the convergence of technologies like artificial intelligence (AI), quantum computing and robotics. I hope it will inspire attendees to embrace these technological advancements and seize the opportunity to pioneer the future of the chemical industry. 
- [Chemical Industry Innovation: How Dow Uses AI and High-Throughput R&D to Transform Materials Science](https://ciexsummit.com/blog-post/chemical-industry-innovation-dows-edge/): Editor’s note: A.N. Sreeram is Chief Technology Officer and Senior VP of Research & Development (R&D) at Dow. Leading the chemical industry innovation in his organization, he will be speaking at our upcoming CIEX 2025 Summit on Sep 17-18, 2025, in Indianapolis, U.S.A. He will be joined by CXOs and VPs of innovation and R&D from 3M, BASF, Sumitomo Chemical, Arkema, DuPont, Evonik, Eastman and many more. Below is a preview of what he will talk about at the summit. 
- [Reimagining Carbon: How the Circular Carbon Economy Is Transforming the Chemical Industry](https://ciexsummit.com/blog-post/circular-carbon-in-chemical-industry/): Jennifer: Carbon is in everything – we rely on it for countless aspects of our everyday lives. How we use carbon, how we transform it and how we dispose of it are all critical factors in establishing a profitable and circular carbon economy. LanzaTech’s technology has harnessed the power of biology and paired it with human innovation, revolutionizing what our carbon economy can look like. In my presentation, I will talk about how we can reimagine carbon not as something to get rid of, but as a tool to progress our everyday lives even more, deriving value and profit without the same wasteful side effects we see today. 
- [Revolutionizing the Chemical Industry: How Dow Is Embracing Digital Transformation](https://ciexsummit.com/blog-post/transformation-in-chemical-industry/): The 2024 CIEX North America conference in Indianapolis was an exceptional gathering of thought leaders, innovators, and professionals from the chemical industry. The conference fostered dynamic discussions on key trends and technologies shaping the future of chemical innovation, sustainability, and digital transformation. Among the standout sessions was a presentation by Narayan Ramesh, Senior Core R&D Director at Dow, who shared insights into how digital tools and data-driven strategies are revolutionizing Dow’s approach to materials science and sustainability.
- [Advancing Sustainability: The Role of Carbon Capture and Utilization – CCU in the Chemical Industry](https://ciexsummit.com/blog-post/the-role-of-ccu-in-the-chemical-industry/): As industries worldwide seek sustainable solutions to reduce carbon emissions, Carbon Capture and Utilization (CCU) is emerging as a game-changer. One of its most promising applications is methanol production, a vital component in numerous industrial and consumer products. By adopting CCU, we can move toward a circular carbon economy, minimizing reliance on fossil resources and significantly lowering emissions.
- [Exploring Digital Transformation’s Impact on Chemical Research with DOW](https://ciexsummit.com/blog-post/dows-insights-on-digital-transformation/): Read the short interview below to learn more about Rui's session "Impact of Digital Transformation on Research and Development".
- [Circular Economy: How Specialty Polymers Can Enable Sustainable Solutions – Insights from CIEX 2024 Speaker](https://ciexsummit.com/blog-post/specialty-polymers-in-circular-economy/): David: During the panel session my core message will focus on how specialty polymers can be a key enabler of the circular economy, but there are still some important challenges to overcome. I aim to emphasise how Syensqo is leading the way in developing advanced materials that not only replace traditional ones but also contribute significantly to sustainability efforts. I want delegates to remember that the chemical industry holds a pivotal role in this transition, and by innovating responsibly, we can create materials that support a more sustainable and circular future.
- [Pioneering Sustainable Innovation: Ashland’s Strategy for a High-Tech, Low-Carbon Future](https://ciexsummit.com/blog-post/pioneering-sustainable-innovation/): Ashland has launched exciting, new technology platforms aligned to our core that extend to secondary markets with new and differentiated capabilities to unlock organic growth for us and for our customers worldwide. We believe our platform solutions are applicable to CIEX because they bring “new to the world”, sustainable innovations, offering choice to customers, prospects and consumers in personal care, pharma, coatings and more. These technology platforms enable users to reshape global megatrends and respond to various regulatory landscapes. If CIEX C-level R&D, Innovation, and Sustainability experts aren’t familiar with them, or the capabilities they can bring, they should contact us to meet and learn more. 
- [Enhancing Domestic Supply Chains and Recycling Critical Battery Materials ](https://ciexsummit.com/blog-post/enhancing-domestic-supply-chains-and-recycling-battery-materials/): David: During my session at this year’s CIEX North America, I want attendees to understand the critical need for enhancing our domestic supply chain, ultimately becoming less reliant on foreign entities for critical materials and ensuring we work toward something that is sustainable for all parties in the supply chain.
- [Driving Sustainable Chemistry: Overcoming Challenges and Harnessing Opportunities in the Chemical Industry](https://ciexsummit.com/blog-post/driving-sustainable-chemistry/): Joel: Commercialization and adoption of sustainable chemistry are challenging given the incumbency of existing chemicals that are integrated into global supply chains, capitalized and whose uses have been optimized over decades. Add to this the fact that R&D and manufacturing CAPEX costs are high and value chains are reluctant to absorb the higher cost of more sustainable options.  Notwithstanding this, manufacturing value chains MUST transition to safer and sustainable chemistry – our very future depends on this.  We will discuss the investments, incentives, coordination, and collaboration needed to incentivize this transition and accelerate the market uptake of safer and sustainable chemistry.
- [Revolutionizing the Chemical Industry with Lubrizol](https://ciexsummit.com/blog-post/revolutionizing-the-chemical-industry/): Abhishek Shrivastava,VP Innovation & Decision ScienceLubrizol
- [Establishing a human-oriented framework to catalyze innovation](https://ciexsummit.com/blog-post/human-centric-design-to-drive-innovation/): Sibel: I have attended an Innovation Conference in the US. How they are incorporating design thinking and Artificial Intelligence was very inspiring. Not easy to wrap around but needless to say very inspiring.
- [The Green Energy Transition in the Chemical Industry](https://ciexsummit.com/blog-post/chemical-industry-green-energy-transition/): Dr. Andreas Kicherer is Vice President Sustainability at Brenntag Group. An award winning executive leader in sustainability management, corporate sustainability strategy development and implementation by developing and using quantitative assessment tools. More than 25 years of experience leveraging in-depth chemical industry expertise and exceptional insights to support and implement corporate vision of risk mitigation, greenhouse gas as well as plastic recycling strategy. Proven ability to successfully consult internal and external top-level executives and evaluate businesses to determine areas to improve and generate additional sales with sustainability. Demonstrated track record of leading international collaboration across multiple sectors and businesses to promote wide-spread cooperation on sustainability initiatives. Renowned public speaker and presenter with multiple published papers and books on various industry principles and sustainability methods. Consistently seeking areas for business enhancement.
- [Adaptation agility in a rapidly changing market by Dr. David Hatrick](https://ciexsummit.com/blog-post/adaptive-methods-rapidly-changing-market/): Dr David Hatrick: The key message is around creating agility in the innovation process. The requirements for new products are changing more rapidly than ever, with market needs and regulatory changes creating ever more complexity. In parallel, the time available for new developments is shrinking as customers demand new solutions at an ever-increasing rate. As an industry, we need to increase our agility to be able to adapt to changing circumstances whilst improving speed of delivery. This talk will look at the options & tools available to improve adaptability and improve speed of delivery.
- [From Challenge to Change: The Sustainability Journey of the Chemical Sector](https://ciexsummit.com/blog-post/chemicals-sustainability-barrier-ciex-europe/): CIEX: Without giving too much away – what is the core message of your talk and what would you like delegates to remember?
- [CIEX Europe 2023: Navigating the Future of the European Chemical Industry](https://ciexsummit.com/blog-post/ciex-navigate-the-chemical-industry-future/): CIEX: Without giving too much away – what is the core message of your talk and what would you like delegates to remember?
- [Redefining the Chemical Landscape: From Tradition to Sustainable Transformation](https://ciexsummit.com/blog-post/chemical-landscape-tradition-to-sustainable/): Walmir Soller is CEO of Braskem Netherlands BV, International Holding and Trading for Braskem SA, and VP Olefins/Polyolefins Europe and Asia, having under his responsibility the international trading of Feedstock, Chemicals and Polymers, Global Chartering, production sites in Germany (Polypropylene) and Netherlands (Recycling) and the Green Polyethylene Global business. Walmir Soller is a Chemical Engineer by the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro with MBA by the University of Michigan and has been working in the petrochemical industry for 32 years, being the last 22 years with Braskem in several leadership positions and businesses.
- [From Challenge to Change: How SMEs are Shaping the Future of Chemical Innovation](https://ciexsummit.com/blog-post/smes-future-of-chemical-innovation/): Marius Mühlenberg has been CEO of the LEVACO Chemicals Group, based at Chempark in Leverkusen, Germany, for about 2 years. LEVACO is a manufacturer of specialty process chemicals for agrochemicals, fiber production, cable industry and food production as well as for paper manufacturing and coatings. Today, Marius is primarily responsible for sales, production, R&D and supply chain. After studying economics and chemistry at the University of Passau, San Diego and the Technical University of Munich, Marius took his first steps at Clariant. However, he was soon drawn to medium-sized companies and, after various stations, finally to LEVACO Chemicals. LEVACO was founded in 2014 after several intermediate stops as a former part of the Bayer Group and is now part of the Diersch & Schröder group of companies.
- [Clean Energy – Evonik’s transition from fossil fuel](https://ciexsummit.com/blog-post/from-fossil-fuel-to-clean-energy/): Transitioning from fossil fuel to clean energy as a consequence of the current crisis
- [Partnership and collaboration through Open Innovation with Croda](https://ciexsummit.com/blog-post/collaboration-through-open-innovation-croda/): However, people have not been able to answer all the questions that surround the problems of climatic change. The urgency to fix the issue of the world is becoming intense considering the degrading effects of climatic changes. As a result, Open Innovation seems pivotal at this point.
- [Developing new business models and eco-design actions at Elkem](https://ciexsummit.com/blog-post/developing-new-business-models-and-eco-design-actions-at-elkem/): The annual CIEX conference is taking place again on October 5&6 in Frankfurt, Germany. In the run-up to the event, we are talking to some of our key speakers. In our latest blog, Louis Vovelle, at Elkem speaks about his company's climate roadmap, circular economy, the importance of open innovation and the need for increased agility.
- [Synthesis gas: A technology suite key to a low-carbon footprint production of chemicals](https://ciexsummit.com/blog-post/ciex-2022-syngas-interview-maurits-van-tol/): Maurits van Tol: Our world relies on chemicals – everything from cleaning products to jet fuel, food packaging to building materials. To tackle climate change, it’s vital that we decarbonise their production, decarbonising in the sense of us using non-fossil carbon sources and keeping carbon atoms “in the loop”. Synthesis gas or ‘syngas’, a key building block of many important chemicals and fuels, is the gateway to this decarbonised world.
- [Making sustainability a reality in the chemical industry | Clariant](https://ciexsummit.com/blog-post/make-sustainability-happen-chemical-industry/): Sustainability is the ultimate driver for innovation in the chemical industry. As the Earth continues to experience an environmental crisis whose deadline for solutions was yesterday, the industry must make sustainability happen today through circularity, innovation and collaboration. Consequently, one of the leading chemical players, Clariant, is making decisive moves to push the Sustainable Development Goals 12 and 13: responsible production and consumption, and climate change, respectively.
- [Game-changing collaboration at CIEX 2021](https://ciexsummit.com/blog-post/game-changing-chemical-innovation-ciex/): Innovation and close collaboration provided the platform for discussions at CIEX 2021. SCI CEO Sharon Todd gives her perspective on the two-day event.    
- [The road towards circularity and carbon neutrality at Braskem](https://ciexsummit.com/blog-post/the-road-towards-circularity-and-carbon-neutrality-at-braskem/): Walmir: Climate Change and Plastic Waste in circularity and carbon neutrality are on top of my priorities list. Therefore, I would like to take this opportunity to share how Braskem sees and addresses both subjects. Besides all the initiatives we are doing, participating in this event is an opportunity to promote the importance of innovation to get to carbon neutrality by 2050. In addition, it will also engage more companies and entrepreneurs in this endeavor.
- [Gaining competitive advantage with the circular economy](https://ciexsummit.com/blog-post/competitive-advantage-circular-economy/): Sustainability is the language of the future. So, if your business wants to gain a competitive advantage, it must enrol in the school of the circular economy. This was the key message of Richard Haldaimann’s presentation at CIEX 2020.
- [Smart manufacturing  – Leveraging on data-driven innovation](https://ciexsummit.com/blog-post/smart-manufacturing-leveraging-data-driven/): At the upcoming CIEX Europe 2019 conference on 9th – 10th October in Frankfurt, Germany, Jane Arnold, Executive Vice President and Head of Global Process Control Technology at Covestro will discuss data-driven innovation in her presentation “Smart manufacturing – Leveraging on data-driven innovation”. We have spoken to Jane about her topic of choice and her motivation for joining CIEX 2019.
- [BASF Aims To Contribute To The Circular Economy Through Efficiency, Smart Waste Management](https://ciexsummit.com/blog-post/basf-aims-contribute-circular-economy-efficiency-smart-waste-management/): The director of the Applied Sustainability group of chemical manufacturer BASF, Talke Schaffrannek, recently presented the corporation’s plan, policies and direction of sustainability efforts to BASF employees and associates.  In her address at the recent CIEX conference, she explained BASF’s commitment to contributing to a more sustainable model of general economic activity.