The Dow Chemical Company has appointed Zuhair Allawi as general manager for the Dow Saudi Arabia Company. 

Allawi previously held the role of senior commercial director in the Performance Materials Division, Dow Middle East & Africa.

In this new role, Allawi will serve as a focal point for government and community relationships and, with our partners, seek opportunities for new business ventures and interface as appropriate with Dow’s joint ventures in the kingdom. 

He will also support key partnerships and technical projects in Saudi Arabia, such as those at the Dow Middle East and Africa R&D Center at King Abdulla’s University of Science and Technology (KAUST). 

Allawi will be based at the company’s Al Khobar office in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia and will report to Markus Wildi, president of Dow Middle East and vice president of corporate development, Kuwait.

“Investing in country leadership is essential to capturing growth opportunities and establishing key relationships in our geographies,” said Geoffery Merszei, executive vice president and president of Dow Europe, Middle East & Africa.  “Zuhair’s appointment reflects the important role the Kingdom will play in Dow’s transformation and EMEA’s growth strategy.”

“Zuhair’s new role will help Dow establish the local presence and necessary dedication to support our partnerships in the kingdom,” said Wildi. “The company will benefit greatly from Zuhair’s deep understanding of the region, as well as his extensive commercial, technical and people management experience.  I am confident that Dow will continue to make momentous strides in Saudi Arabia under his leadership.”

Allawi’s appointment follows Dow’s announcement of the signing of the Joint Venture (JV) Shareholders’ Agreement for Sadara Chemical Company by Saudi Aramco president and chief executive officer Khalid A. Al-Falih and Dow chairman and chief executive officer Andrew N Liveris. Once complete, the JV complex will be one of the world’s largest integrated chemical facilities, and the largest ever built in one single phase.

Allawi has over 30 years experience with Dow beginning his career in Terneuzen, the Netherlands, as a trainee in the Middle East and Africa (MEAF) export department. Since that time he has held many positions across Technical Service & Development (TS&D) and commercial management including regional commercial manager for Plastics in East Europe & Greece, general manager of the Middle East PU-System House; sales director, Thermosets, PU-Systems & Epoxy for MEAF/India; and commercial director, Basic and Performance Chemicals for the India, Middle East and Africa region.  – TradeArabia News Service