Category Archives: Conferences

Here are my thoughts and opinions on some of the highlights from our surfactant conference held recently in Singapore. This was the 4th in Asia and the 11th in the series of conferences, produced by me and ICIS. It was the biggest and, in my opinion, the best yet. Opening up the proceedings, I gave some introductory remarks, building on my theme for 2014, which is “What have Surfactants done for us?” This of course, building on a classic sketch from Monty Python.

I was again honored to co-produce and chair the ninth surfactant conference in our series with ICIS. This time – the fourth World conference, held in New York at the Jersey City Hyatt hotel. The venue was packed with over 200 participants in the surfactant value chain. You will get a sense of the agenda here.

3rd ICIS Asian Surfactants Conference As we do periodically, I am happy to bring you a summary of what I think were the key points from the 3rd ICIS Asian Surfactants Conference in Singapore, November 14th and 15th. As you know, for the full benefit of these events, you just have to be there and I encourage you to join us at future surfactant conferences in Asia, Europe and the USA. In my opening remarks, we discussed the global surfactant supply chain and how different companies pursue strategies which depend on the specific part of the value chain that they occupy. We studied the latest update of the surfactant vertical integration grid and located a number of company groupings focused on very different sections of the business. We also discussed some recent company investments that highlighted their approach to vertical integration. Next up, Sarah Yarger Kienzle, managing partner of Linden Tree Partners gave a global updated of the surfactant market. One fascinating piece of data (for me) centered on the per capita consumption of surfactants for different regions of the world. The mature market consumption is dropping on a per capita basis, while emerging market are growing. The North American…

ICIS and Neil A Burns LLC co-produced the 3rd ICIS World Surfactants Conference in New York, May 16th and 17th. It was the 7th conference in this global series and by far the biggest and most impactful yet.

Dr. Who’s time-ship was much bigger on the inside than it appeared from the outside. So too our ICIS World Surfactant Conference in NYC on May 16/17th. It is in fact three conferences in one, built around three separate but complementary themes of economics, consumers and technology. Watch the video, download the flyer, register for the conference and we will see you in May.

ICIS and Neil A Burns LLC bring you a 3 in 1 Surfactants Conference, May 16th and 17th . This event embraces three essential themes to allow delegates to participate in three “summits”, comprising 19 speakers, around the following subjects which are critical to the surfactant industry:

Economics
Consumers
Technology

Over 100 friends and colleagues from throughout Asia spent one and a half days engrossed as we heard from some of the leading companies in the region share their knowledge and experience regarding the most dynamic surfactant market in the world.

In less than two weeks over 100 thought leaders from the European surfactant industry will gather in Budapest for the 1st ICIS European surfactant conference at the historic Meridien Hotel. Some big names from the surfactant and consumer product value chain will speak, like Unilever, BASF and Brenntag The one and a half day event will include over papers and networking covering a range of critical topics for the industry and enable networking at the highest levels in one of Europe’s most beautiful and dynamic cities.

On September 13th at Le Meridien Hotel in Budapest, Steve Holland, CEO of Brenntag, will speak at the ICIS European Surfactants Conference.

A review of the 2nd ICIS World Surfactant Conference, featuring speakers from leading companies in the surfactant value chain, like BASF, P&G, Solazyme, Oxiteno, Colgate and many others.

Malaysian Palm Oil Board organised an outstanding conference including detailed discussions of oleochemicals.

The first ICIS Asian Surfactants Conference, co-produced with Neil A. Burns LLC provided a high level forum for the exchange of ideas information for senior executives.

The CESIO Surfactant Conference in Vienna covered key developments in surfactants and particularly the emergence of biomass as a valid renewable piece of the surfactant value chain.

I was honored to chair the first ICIS World Surfactant Conference, which took place last week after about 7 months of planning between myself and the ICIS conference team. Based on the feedback I got from many people, whose counsel and opinion I value, the event was a success.