The conference took place this month at Le Méridien Al Khobar, Saudi Arabia
Al Khobar, Saudi Arabia – 30 September 2026: The next phase of industrial growth will depend not only on developing new technologies, but on the ability to translate innovation into impact, scale it effectively, and build the capabilities needed to sustain it, agreed speakers at the 8th Gulf Petrochemicals and Chemicals Association (GPCA) Research and Innovation Conference, which took place for the first time in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia from 16-17 September 2026 at Le Méridien Al Khobar.
Welcoming delegates on Day 1, 16 September, Dr. Waleed Ahmad Al-Shalfan, VP for Corporate Sustainability, SABIC T&I, and Chairman, Research and Innovation Committee, GPCA, highlighted the industry’s role as a key contributor to non-oil GDP, as the region accelerates its drive toward economic diversification. Government, legal professionals, industry and the wider innovation ecosystem have a crucial part to play in creating an enabling environment for innovation and intellectual property protection, Dr. Al-Shalfan noted.
Delivering a ministerial address, Dr. Majid Algwaiz, Deputy Minister of Development & Project Management, Ministry of Energy, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, highlighted the importance of academia-industry collaboration, technology roadmaps, global partnerships and industry-led scale-up in building competitive national technology capabilities. Dr. Algwaiz positioned government as an enabler of innovation, creating the frameworks, partnerships and ecosystems needed for developing technologies, while emphasizing the role of industry in scaling innovation.
Ahmad O. Al-Khowaiter, EVP – Technology & Innovation, Aramco, highlighted the need to connect robust R&D, commercialization, industrialization, and talent to turn innovation into lasting economic impact. The next frontier of innovation is scale, moving breakthrough technologies beyond the laboratory into commercial and industrial deployment, he noted. Dr. Thorsten Loehl, VP – Science & Engineering, Borouge International, echoed this sentiment in his keynote address, adding that the winners of the next decade will be those that can scale innovation faster and more effectively.
With the global AI market projected to grow from USD 347 billion in 2026 to USD 1.7 trillion by 2031, Mahdi Aladel, CEO, Aramco Ventures, explored opportunities for investment in AI and the role of venture-capital technology investments in creating competitive advantage.
As part of her keynote address on Day 2, Dr. Alexandra Zakharova, Partner and KSA Chemicals leader, McKinsey & Company, warned of a prolonged downcycle and persistent global overcapacity putting pressure on margins. Chemical companies will need to focus investment on high-impact opportunities while accelerating AI capabilities and regional collaboration to strengthen competitiveness, she said.
Held under the theme “Innovation that Delivers: Empowering Research and Talent for Tomorrow”, the conference brought together industry, government and academia to discuss the key gaps and enablers for scaling innovation as part of several panel discussions. As a major petrochemical hub, exporting 75.8 million tonnes of chemicals annually, speakers underscored the role of co-located public–private hubs in driving cost efficiencies and collaboration. In Saudi Arabia, Jubail Industrial City was highlighted as a leading example for the region and beyond.
Mater Aldhafeeri, Secretary General, GPCA, commented: “As technological, regulatory, and geopolitical forces reshape competitive dynamics, scaling innovation will be increasingly critical to creating value, responding to emerging challenges and maintaining competitiveness. At the same time, the industry must develop the capabilities required to move ideas from research to deployment and develop the talent needed to turn innovation into lasting industrial impact.”
To learn more, visit: https://gpcachem.org/conferences/ric/
– Ends –
About the Gulf Petrochemicals & Chemicals Association
The Gulf Petrochemicals and Chemicals Association (GPCA) was established in 2006 to represent the downstream hydrocarbon industry in the Arabian Gulf. Today, the association voices the common interests of more than 240 member companies from the chemical and allied industries, accounting for over 95 percent of chemical output in the GCC. The industry makes up the second largest manufacturing sector in the region, producing over USD 108 billion worth of products every year.
GPCA supports the petrochemical and chemical industry in the Arabian Gulf through advocacy, networking and thought leadership initiatives aimed at helping member companies to connect, share and advance knowledge, contribute to international dialogue, and become prime influencers in shaping the future of the global petrochemicals industry.
Committed to providing a regional platform for stakeholders from around the world, GPCA manages six working committees – Plastics, Supply Chain, Agri-Nutrients (Fertilizers), International Trade, Research and Innovation, and Responsible Care – and organizes six world-class events each year. The association also publishes an annual report, regular newsletters and various other industry reports.
For more information, visit www.gpca.org.ae.
Contact:
Dima Horani
Tel: +971 (4) 451 0666 Ext. 333
Slavka Atanasova begin_of_the_skype_highlighting
E: slavka@gpca.org.ae
Tel: +44 7561 525126
