Vice chairman and CEO of Sabic, Mohamed Al-Mady, has been retained as chairman of the region’s leading trade association, Gulf Petrochemicals and Chemicals Association (GPCA).

The unanimous decision to retain Al-Mady was taken after the election of the association’s new board of directors, which took place recently at the fifth GPCA’s Annual General Meeting in Dubai.

The eight founding members of the GPCA in 2006 – Sabic and Tasnee (Saudi Arabia), Equate and PIC (Kuwait), Qapco and QVC (Qatar), Borouge (Abu Dhabi) and GPIC (Bahrain) – are permanent members of the board.

Dr Abdulwahab Al-Sadoun, secretary general of the GPCA, said: “Al Mady is a prominent figure in the global petrochemical industry and we are deeply honoured that he will remain our chairman following the AGM elections. We are served by the widest cross section of industry experts in the Middle East, which illustrates the depth of knowledge and experience the GPCA brings to its members, as well as to the debates shaping our industry.”

New appointments to the board include Saud Rashed Al Shamsi, petrochemicals director of Adnoc; Abdulaziz Judaimi, vice president  at Saudi Aramco; and Musab Al-Mahrouqi, CEO of Orpic from Oman; were elected as new board members at the AGM. Al-Shamsi was elected vice chairman of GPCA.

The fifth AGM endorsed GPCA’s strategy to grow the association’s membership and better serve the interests of companies active in the oil and gas downstream sector. The strategy was developed by the international consultancy firm A T Kearney.

The association’s mission is to support the growth and sustainable development of the petrochemicals and chemicals industries in partnership with its members and other stakeholders.

GPCA achieves its mission and objectives though providing the right networking platforms to share knowledge and promote best practices.

Its annual forum is considered a flagship event on both regional and international levels, attracting at its sixth event last December close to 1,600 delegates. – TradeArabia News Service