GPCA 2018: 5 key themes from Dubai

Wood Mackenzie was delighted to participate in the 2018 GPCA (Gulf Petrochemicals and Chemicals Association) conference held in Dubai, UAE. The theme of this year's forum was "executing transformation and investing in growth". Several GCC governments are driving this agenda such as: UAE Vision 2021, Saudi Arabia Vision 2030 and Kuwait Vision 2035. The common themes are regional growth, innovation and diversification. At the same time, recent global developments have added complexity to investment considerations. These are including but not limited to: (i) volatile crude oil pricing, (ii) heightened trade tensions and (iii) growing trend of sustainability and recycling. This insight joins up our reflections over dozens of meetings and interactions with senior representatives of GCC companies.