Two winners from Saudi Arabia and the UAE were officially recognized during a special award ceremony on 8 December at the Madinat Jumeirah, Dubai

 The 3rd edition of the Gulf Petrochemicals and Chemicals Association (GPCA) Legacy Award “Al-Rowad” (الرّواد) was held on 8 December at the 15th Annual Forum at the Madinat Jumeirah, Dubai, UAE.

In a special award ceremony, GPCA recognized H.R.H. Prince Faisal Bin Turki Bin Abdulaziz AI-Saud, Advisor to the Saudi Royal Court (2018 – Present) and former Advisor to the Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources, as well as H.E. Yousef Omair Bin Yousef, former UAE Minister of Petroleum and Natural Resources (1990 – 1994).

The two dignitaries from Saudi Arabia and the UAE were bestowed with the GPCA Legacy Award “Al-Rowad” for their lifetime achievements and outstanding contributions to the growth and development of the chemical and petrochemical industry in their respective countries.

H.R.H. Prince Faisal Bin Turki Bin Abdulaziz AI-Saud served as Advisor to the Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources, Saudi Arabia, now Ministry of Energy from 1987 until 2018. In his role he played an instrumental role in utilizing Saudi Arabia’s natural gas resources as a lever to develop a national industrial base and allocate a percentage of it to the petrochemical, metallurgical, electricity and water desalination sectors. He also served as Vice Chairman of Saudi Arabia’s National Industrial Clusters Development Program (2007-2018).

H.E. Yousef Omair Bin Yousef acted as Group CEO of ADNOC and Secretary General of the UAE’s Supreme Petroleum Council from 1994 to 2011. He led the creation of Borouge, a joint venture between ADNOC and Borealis, and served as its Chairman from 1998 until 2011.

Yousef Al-Benyan, Vice Chairman and CEO, SABIC, and Chairman, GPCA, presented both winners with a trophy of recognition in front of a senior global and regional audience comprised of government officials, industry leaders and dignitaries from across the region. Upon receiving the Award H.R.H. Prince Faisal Bin Turki Bin Abdulaziz AI-Saud, thanked GPCA for this recognition and highlighted the role of the Kingdom’s leadership in developing the petrochemical industry in the country.

“The polices and decisions of the Kingdom’s leadership are the bedrock for the successful world-class gas and petrochemical industry in Saudi Arabia. From the 60s the Government started the utilization of gas for development of the economy. In the 70s it took the momentous decision to develop the Master Gas System and petrochemical industries. The 80s saw the development of the industry which was the primary beneficiary of this decision,” he commented.

“Developing the gas and petrochemical industry to new heights is at the heart of the Kingdom’s 2030 Vision and the Ministry of Energy, with the capable leadership of His Royal Highness Prince Abdulaziz Bin Salman Al-Saud, is making great progress in realizing that Vision,” he concluded.

H.E. Yousef Bin Omair, added: “I would like to thank GPCA for this award and wish a successful and productive future for the Association and its member companies. This recognition of my small contribution is on its own a reward, and I am grateful to all of you.”

Dr. Abdulwahab Al-Sadoun, Secretary General, GPCA, commented, “It is said that the achievements in life are successes you have attained, particularly those that you are proud of. The chemical community in the region represented by GPCA is both proud and grateful for the contributions of H.R.H. Prince Faisal Bin Turki and H.E. Yousef Bin Omair to developing a robust regional chemical industry.

“The testimonials we have received as part of this Award from global industry leaders are another powerful testament to their great qualities which have transcended the Arabian Gulf and touched people in Europe, in the US, and far beyond. We are confident that their contributions will serve to inspire many of the next generations to come, empower them to look towards a brighter future and carry their legacy into the next decades.”

He added: “I express my heartiest gratitude to the Members of the Legacy Award Committee for their outstanding contributions and commitment to ensuring we recognize the most deserving candidates each year.”

GPCA launched the Legacy Award in 2017 to honor the leaders of past generations who laid the foundations for a robust chemical enterprise in the six GCC states. By launching this initiative, GPCA aspires to make known the rich history of the GCC chemical industry and inspire current and future generations to walk in the footsteps of the industry’s founding fathers.

The selection of winners for the GPCA Legacy Award is governed by merit alone. The award follows a rigorous and transparent selection process based on a clearly defined criteria by an experienced and regionally inclusive Award Committee. The Committee is comprised of five esteemed chemical industry veterans from the GCC region and one member from the international chemical community.

To find out more about the GPCA Legacy Award, visit: https://gpcalegacy.com/

To learn more about the 15th Annual GPCA Forum, visit: https://www.gpcaforum.com/

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