Given the current economic and geopolitical volatility, how have you adapted your innovation strategy to remain resilient while still pushing boundaries?

In today’s environment of economic and geopolitical volatility, resilience is not just a necessity but a competitive advantage. At CPChem, we are holding true to our business strategies, without losing sight of our long-term ambitions.

We’ve prioritized flexibility and speed, empowering our teams to respond quickly to changing market dynamics while maintaining a disciplined approach to innovation. This means accelerating near-term solutions that enhance efficiency and reliability, while continuing to focus on safe and reliable operation of our cost-competitive assets, both positioning us well for future growth.

We are also strengthening our scenario planning and risk management, ensuring our innovation pipeline is robust across a range of potential outcomes. Whether it’s navigating supply chain disruptions or responding to shifting regulatory landscapes, we’re building adaptability into our processes.

Importantly, we’re leveraging digital tools and data-driven insights to make smarter decisions faster, from predictive maintenance in our plants to real-time collaboration across global teams. These capabilities help us stay ahead of disruption, unlock new opportunities and adapt to evolving customer priorities.

How are evolving customer expectations, especially around sustainability, circularity, and lowering emissions, shaping your product development and partnership strategies?

Evolving customer expectations around sustainability, circularity and emissions reductions reflect how we innovate, collaborate and deliver value at CPChem. Our customers are increasingly seeking high performance solutions that are sustainably conscious, and we aim to be the supplier of choice.

We have embedded sustainability into our product development strategy, which helps us design products that support circularity and lower carbon intensity.

Additionally, CPChem provides financial support for initiatives supporting circularity for plastics. A prime example is our investment in circularity through the Closed Loop Circular Plastics Fund, which helped our fund portfolio divert more than 80 million pounds of plastic waste from the environment or landfill in 2024.

Our collaborations are also evolving across the value chain, driven by the evolving expectations of our stakeholders. We are engaging more deeply across the value chain, collaborating with suppliers, customers and industry groups to accelerate progress. In 2024, our Golden Triangle Polymers facility, which is under construction in Orange County, Texas, directed more than USD 338 million to local businesses in the community.

These evolving expectations are not constraints but catalysts. They are pushing us to innovate faster, collaborate smarter and lead with intent. It’s how we are shaping the future of our industry and creating long-term value for all stakeholders.

What leadership principles and organizational practices are you prioritizing to foster a company culture that can thrive amid disruption and deliver long-term value?

First and foremost, CPChem has a strong culture of safety and reliability, and we continue to foster it. We are united in our goal to achieve zero personal injuries and process safety events.

Over the last 25 years, we have also cultivated a culture where leaders at every level are expected to communicate transparently, make decisions grounded in our core values and empower their teams to innovate and take smart risks. This is especially critical in times of change, where agility and trust are essential.

Organizationally, we are focused on collaboration and inclusion. We have invested in cross-functional teams and digital tools that help us work smarter and faster, breaking down silos and enabling real time problem solving. We also recognize that long-term value comes from diverse perspectives, so we aim to build an inclusive workplace where every employee feels heard, respected and inspired to contribute.

How is CPChem investing in talent development to ensure the next generation of leaders is equipped to drive innovation? What do you see as the key prerequisites for building a workforce that can thrive in a future defined by agility, and sustainability?

At CPChem, we care about our employees and invest in recruiting, developing and retaining top talent. From internships and graduate rotation programs to leadership training and personalized career planning, our goal is to equip the next generation with the skills, mindset and values needed to be successful.

We offer a range of development opportunities that blend on-the-job experience, formal instruction and mentorship. Our Graduate Rotation and Development program, for example, gives early-career professionals exposure to multiple disciplines, helping them build a broad foundation and discover their strengths.

We’re thrilled that this year’s Annual GPCA Forum is taking place for the first time in Bahrain. What do you hope to see at this year’s forum?

It is exciting to see the Annual GPCA Forum taking place in the Kingdom of Bahrain. I’m looking forward to connecting with industry peers to discuss how we can tackle shared challenges and unlock new opportunities.

Is there anything else that you would like to add?

As we navigate a rapidly changing landscape, our commitment to safe, reliable operations and collaboration remains steadfast. At CPChem, we believe that the challenges ahead are also opportunities, to rethink how we operate, how we collaborate and how we continue to create value. I’m optimistic about the future and confident that, together, we can build a more sustainable and resilient industry.