Argus Methanol Forum

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IGP Methanol China president Alicia Yuan has led the company’s business development and relationship management efforts in China for nine years, and developed key connections with senior managers within China’s Top 100 chemical industry group. In the past, she has worked for international firms Randstad and Novo Nordisk, and led a national-level joint venture company to complete registration with one of the largest methanol and coal mining groups in China, directly communicating with the National Development and Reform Committee. She received a double major in applied chemistry and international trade and economics from Beijing Chemical University Read less

Becky Zhang works for Argus in a role of Asia petrochemical analyst, mainly covering Asia’s olefins and methanol markets. She has over ten years of real-time market editor work, familiar with chemical market dynamics particularly on China market and has wide industrial networks. She has also spent two years particularly in consulting service as a project manager focusing on China market and led projects in various industries, including refinery, olefins, polymers, coal and methanol. Becky is also a regular presenter at olefins and methanol conferences and forums. Becky is a chemical engineering graduate from East China University of Science and Technology, and holds two masters’ degrees in Environmental and Energy Engineering from the University of Sheffield (2001-2002) and Entrepreneurship from the University of Nottingham (2002-2003). Read less

Dave McCaskill has been invested in the petrochemical industry for over 35 years. Beginning his long career with Celanese Chemical in 1975, Dave started as a chemical engineer at their Pampa, Texas plant, and steadily progressed through a series of positions ranging from planning, supply chain, field sales and marketing within the organization. Noted positions included Business Manager Ethylene Oxide/Ethylene Glycol and the last several years with the company as Business Manager Methanol & Derivatives. In 2000, Dave moved into the consulting sector and worked with another leading industry consulting organization, heading their Global Methanol service for 10 years. Joining DeWitt & Company in 2010, as Vice President Methanol & Derivatives, Dave continues to be focused on all commercial aspects of the methanol industry—supply, demand, capacity, pricing, cost structure, etc. Dave graduated from the University of Kansas, with a degree in chemical engineering, in 1975. Read less

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Jimmy Levine is VP, Ethylene and Derivatives, based in Houston. He serves as Argus’ key subject matter expert in the ethylene and derivatives markets, develops detailed analysis of the US and global ethylene and polymers industries, and oversees preparation of Argus’ ethylene reports, including Argus Ethylene and Derivatives, Argus Olefins Outlook and Argus Ethylene Analytics. He also communicates unique insight to clients to help them understand these markets and any potential risks and rewards, and maintains forecasts and forward views of the markets so that clients can optimise their business results. Jimmy worked for 25 years at Dow Chemical, where he spent time managing global supply for the ethylene and olefins and derivatives business, six years in global business planning, and the second half of his tenure in global hydrocarbons, energy commercial, supply chain and olefins and polyolefins business optimisation. In 2011 he joined Cargill, where he helped build and manage a hedging business in ethylene, propylene, polyethylene and polypropylene. Jimmy has a BSc in chemical engineering from Mississippi State University and graduated summa cum laude. Read less

With over 20 years’ energy industry experience, Brian has bought, transported, stored, and sold Natural Gas, Crude Oil, and Natural Gas Liquids (NGLs) in each region of the United States.  With an extensive background in physical commodities, he also incorporates complex financial products to hedge risk, optimize upside, and capture value.  Beyond commercial commodity activities, he has provided vision and development for midstream projects – ranging from $10MM to $500MM.  Holding positions with upstream, midstream, downstream, and trading companies allowed Brian the unique perspective of varying roles in the value chain from production to consumption of Natural Gas, Crude, and NGLs.  In May-2019, Brian joined Sundance Energy, Inc. as their Vice President in charge of Gathering, Processing, Midstream, Commodity Marketing (Oil, Gas, and NGLs).  Sundance is a leading US oil and gas producer, with extensive experience and a strategy for sustainable, systematic expansion. With a strong asset base in the core of the Eagle Ford, Sundance has the expertise, cash flow, and operational efficiency to sustain long-term growth and liquidity.  Read less

Greg Dolan has held a variety of senior management positions with the Methanol Institute over the past 23 years. In June 2014, he was appointed as permanent CEO of the global methanol industry trade association, after serving as Acting CEO for four years. Mr. Dolan manages MI’s offices in Washington, Singapore, Brussels and Beijing, while directing international governmental relations, media relations, public education and outreach efforts. He has presented papers on methanol-related topics at over 100 international conferences, authored magazine articles, and written book chapters on the methanol industry. Mr. Dolan came to MI after spending a decade in a variety of public information positions in New York State, including the Department of Environmental Conservation, the Department of Transportation, and the Energy Research and Development Authority. Mr. Dolan holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from Boston University, and did extensive post graduate work in Political Communication at the State University of New York-Albany. Read less

Flessner has been chief sales officer since April 2019 at Navigance, whose software supports the digitalisation of chemical operations. Its adaptive data-driven optimisers quickly improve productivity and minimise resource consumption. In 2012-19, Flessner held major management positions at Switzerland-based Clariant, a global leader in specialty chemicals. From June 2016 he led the engineering services department for BU catalysts in Europe, the Middle East and Africa, and in 2017 started a project to develop a digital business concept to help chemical plants optimise productivity, which led to the founding of Navigance. From 2013 to 2016 he ran Clariant’s global methanol and hydrogen catalysts business within its syngas division. Read less

In his role as chief executive of Arihant Global, Hemal Sanghani represents Fortune 500 global energy majors such as SK Group, Eni/Versalis, Nynas (Neste Group), H&R Group, and Total Oil. He has served as head of India/South Asia for energy and petrochemicals with Fortune 500 giants such as South Korea’s SK Group and Tomen (now Toyota Group). With 25 years of experience in the energy and the petrochemicals trade, particularly on the Indian subcontinent, he has presented research at conferences and advises on sourcing and marketing strategy with a keen interest in geopolitics. Arihant Global advises Fortune 500 companies on how to navigate the complicated Indian and Middle East markets. Read less

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Roel Salazar, is the Methanol and Derivatives Consultant for Argus DeWitt. Roel is responsible for assessing US Methanol spot prices and monthly indexes. Roel is also instrumental in preparing the Annual Global MTBE Report and MTBE Monthly Outlook. Roel joined DeWitt & Company Inc. in 2005 as an Olefins Analyst supporting the Ethylene, Propylene, and Butadiene services. Mr. Salazar joined the Fuels and Octane team in 2011 and has steadily built key client relationships with US MTBE consumers, producers and traders while helping them analyze the global MTBE and Octane markets. Roel’s previous experience includes managing system development projects in several industries. His petrochemical experience includes working at one of Mobil’s ethylene cracker in Houston between 1996 -1997. Mr. Salazar holds an undergraduate degree in Information Systems from the University of Houston. Read less

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