Davide Carrara

Ammonia Technology Leader
CASALE

Davide Carrara is Ammonia Synthesis Technology Leader at CASALE in Lugano, Switzerland. He graduated in Chemical Engineering from the Polytechnic University of Milan in 2010 and joined Casale that same year as a Process Engineer, later becoming Senior Process Engineer in the Syngas Department. Over his tenure he has contributed to proposals, revamping studies and the design of ammonia and methanol plants, and he now leads technology development and implementation for ammonia synthesis, overseeing technical strategy, process improvements and project support.

Joao Guilherme Dessi

R&D Coordinator
ENGEMASA Engenharia e Materiais Ltda.

Joao Guilherme Dessi holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Materials Engineering from the Federal University of São Carlos, where he is currently a PhD candidate. He has worked at ENGEMASA for eight years, specializing in the manufacturing of cast and centrifugally cast components, alloy development, and quality control. His current work focuses on high-temperature testing, failure analysis, and remaining-life assessment.
Since 2022, he has led the Research & Development Department, developing and optimizing alloys for extreme environments—carburizing, oxidizing, corrosive, and high-temperature conditions. He holds a patent in high-temperature alloys, has co-authored several articles in peer-reviewed journals, collaborates with universities on alloy-development projects, and provides technical training for future materials engineers.

Mathias Galetz

Director
DECHEMA Forschungsinstitut

Mathias Galetz studied Materials Science, after PhD in the field of tribology he joined the DECHEMA Research Institute in 2010 and focuses on research in the field of high temperature corrosion. He is a co-author of more than 200 scientific papers.

Zdeněk Kadlec

Head of Project Management Department
CASALE

Zdeněk graduated as a mechanical engineer from the University of West Bohemia in Pilsen in 1992. He has been part of CASALE since its establishment in the Czech Republic in 2016, following the acquisition of Chemoprojekt, where he built his career from 1992 as a piping designer, piping department manager, and later, from 2012, as project manager.

Between 2018 and 2021, he led the 1500 MTPD nitric acid plant project in Uzbekistan as Project Manager, Chief Project Engineer, and later as Field Engineering Manager, remaining on site through successful commissioning. He also served as Field Engineering Manager on a urea plant project in Russia.

Since 2022, he has been responsible for leading the Project Management Department, overseeing the execution of ongoing projects, and ensuring their smooth delivery. In 2024, he assumed responsibility for the EPC project “Modernization of the 450 MTPD Nitric Acid Plant in Ostrava,” scheduled for completion in summer 2026.

Wolfgang Kaltner

Regional Sales Manager
UNICAT Catalyst Technologies, LLC

Wolfgang Kaltner is a seasoned syngas professional with nearly 20 years of experience in the hydrogen and catalyst markets globally. Covering territories in Central Europe as Regional Sales Manager at UNICAT, he brings expertise in technical sales of catalysts and business development, drawing on senior roles from previous companies.

Adil Pervaiz

Project Engineer – Deputy Manager (Project Engineering)
Fauji Fertilizer Company Limited

Adil Pervaiz is a mechanical engineer with over 13 years of experience in fertilizer industry. His professional expertise encompasses the design of static equipment & piping, project management and execution, engineering assessment of plant modifications, and fitness-for-service evaluations of equipment and piping to ensure long-term operational integrity and plant reliability. Throughout his career, he has played a key role in numerous plant uprating and reliability improvement initiatives, contributing to enhanced service factors and operational performance. He has strong expertise in piping stress & flexibility analysis and specializes in addressing day-to-day plant challenges through the application of advanced engineering software. His work consistently supports safe, reliable, and efficient plant operations.

Hugo Rodrigues

Principal Consultant
Siemens

Hugo Rodrigues is a Chartered Chemical Engineer with a Master’s Degree in Chemical Engineering from Instituto Superior Técnico, Lisbon. With more than 10 years of experience, he leads the development of digital solutions for Predictive Emissions Monitoring Systems (PEMS) and Autonomous Process Plant Operations within Siemens’ Process Automation Software division. Prior to his current focus, he specialised in relief, blowdown and flare design, as well as process safety verification, applying rigorous process modelling and safety engineering to enhance compliance, reliability and environmental performance across the energy and process industries.

John Dowdle

Senior Research Scientist
Dow, Inc.

John Dowdle is a research leader and chemical engineer with experience in the development and application of gas purification technologies. His current research focuses on solvent-based processes for carbon capture in the energy and materials industries; his areas of interest include acid gas treating, gas dehydration, and carbon capture & storage.

Aruna Ramkrishnan

Chief Technology Officer
Copernic Catalysts Inc.

Aruna Ramkrishnan is the Chief Technology Officer and co-founder of Copernic Catalysts, and oversees the development and manufacture of breakthrough catalysts for the chemical industry. She has over a decade of experience in chemical engineering R&D and strategy and has held technical leadership positions at Linde and ExxonMobil. She has expertise in the development of emissions mitigation technologies like biofuels, hydrogen and carbon capture and has authored fifteen patents in the fields of sustainable materials and processes. She holds a B.Tech in Chemical Engineering from IIT, Bombay and a Ph.D in Chemical Engineering from the University of Minnesota.

Barinder Ghai

Director Technical Marketing and New business development
Alleima

Barinder J S Ghai is currently Director Technical Marketing and New Business development ,EMEA at Alleima based at Birmingham UK . This position is focused on leading  technical marketing organization within EMEA region and to extend the technical and application knowledge on a regional and global level. Barinder is leading  Biofuels/Bioenergy renewable sector globally within Alleima.   Barinder is steering committee member at Heat Exchanger world,Duplex world, Stainless Steel World, advisory board of IRPC and GDA Bahrain . Barinder has already presented papers at international conferences and also chaired many sessions.

Dr. Dominique Flahaut

Group Technical Director
PARALLOY Group

Dr Dominique Flahaut is a seasoned expert with 33 years of experience in the reformer tube metallurgy and production. After completing her PhD in Manoir, she started her career in Paralloy as Technical Manager, spent brief time at Schmidt + Clemens as a R&D consultant to come back as Technical Director of Paralloy during the last 15 years and she is now Technical Director of Paralloy Group.

Terje Bakken

Director Green Ammonia and Fertilizers
Atome PLC

Terje Bakken is a Norwegian citizen who joined the fertilizer industry with Norsk Hydro in 1988and has had different leadership positions around the world, including 8 years in Asia, 13 years in Brussels, 7 years in Yara’s Executive Team in Oslo and 6 years with Euro Chem’s Management Board in Zug, Switzerland. He has worked with ATOME PLC since the last 3 years, where he is responsible for ATOME’s green ammonia and fertilizer activity. His engagement with ATOME has focused the preparation for the company’s marquee CAN project in Villeta, Paraguay, which will be the first scaled up green fertilizer project in the world. Terje graduated with an MBA degree from School of Management, Bath University, England in 1985.

Dennis Rasmussen

Chief specialist
European Energy A/S

Mr Dennis Rasmussen has a process engineer background and 36 year experience in the petrochemical industry. Responsibilities with technology development, project management, contracting and execution of larger investment projects, process plant design and construction. Detailed knowledge and experience with several technologies such as hydrogen, ammonia, methanol,  electrolysis, catalytical oxidation, gas cleaning, biogas and munical waste.

Silvano Cimini

Engineer
Quality Engineering srl

Silvano Cimini holds a Master's degree in Chemical Engineering from University of L'Aquila (July 1998) and a PhD in Industrial Chemical Process from University of La Sapienza (January 2002). Since September 2004 he has worked at Quality Engineering s.r.l., advancing from Process Engineer (2004–2009) to Leader of Process Area (2009–2019) and currently Leader of Industrial Area (2019–present). His work focuses on process engineering for syngas, methanol and ammonia, along with environmental solutions, energy recovery and process optimization.

Archit Gupta

Manager - Technology Green Hydrogen & Derivatives
Adani New Industries Limited

Mr. Archit Gupta is a seasoned industry professional with over 13.5 years of diverse experience across the Oil & Gas and Power-to-X sectors. He currently serves as Manager -Technology (Green Hydrogen & its Derivatives) at Adani New Industries Limited (ANIL), India.
He began his career as a Process Engineer in the Oil & Gas sector, working with Foster Wheeler (now Wood Group) and Fluor Daniel. Over the span of a decade, he successfully delivered multiple projects across all project phases i.e., from Basic Engineering to Detailed Engineering as well as Comissioning. He moved into the emerging Power-to-X (P2X) sector starting with Scatec, 3 years ago. Currently at Adani, he is actively involved in the conceptualization and execution of projects in Green Hydrogen and its derivatives.

Bernhard Druffel

Product Manager
Uhde High Pressure Technologies

Bernhard Druffel is German, Diploma Engineer in Materials Science from the University of Dortmund (Germany) and has joined the Urea market in 2000, when he is working at Uhde High Pressure Technologies. After different roles in design, project management, sales and product development, Bernhard became Sales & Product Manager for the Uhde High Pressure Technologies Urea Group in 2011.

Jorge Aguerrevere Clements

Technology Manager
Siemens

Jorge Aguerrevere Clements is a Technology Manager for the Energy & Chemicals Industry Vertical at Siemens. He has 12 years of experience delivering software solutions for the process industry, working in R&D, engineering, and operations with a focus on the hydrogen industry. He is an expert in simulation and optimization, and how these technologies apply across the whole lifecycle of a chemical process. In his current role, Jorge is a technology manager for Advanced Process Control (APC) solutions, acting as a Solution Architect to help customers identify opportunities for using APC to improve their operations. 

Syed Aamir Abbas

Chief Technical Officer
Fauji Fertilizer Company Limited

Syed Aamir Abbas is the Chief Technical Officer (CTO) of Fauji Fertilizer Company Limited (FFC). He heads the Technical Division, Business Development, and Digitalization functions of the company, driving technology-led growth, strategic expansion, and operational excellence across the organization. He also serves as a Board Member of FFC Energy Limited and Foundation Wind Energy Limited, contributing to governance and strategic oversight in the energy sector. Aamir holds a Bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering from University of Engineering and Technology Lahore, a Postgraduate Diploma in Engineering Design from Technical University of Denmark (with distinction), a Master’s in Engineering Management from UET Taxila, and a Master’s in Business Administration from Lahore University of Management Sciences (with honors and gold medal). With over 30 years of professional experience, he has held a wide range of senior technical and leadership roles within FFC and has extensive international exposure, including assignments in France, Germany, Denmark, South Africa, Mozambique, Tanzania, and China. His expertise spans the full lifecycle of engineering projects, encompassing technical design, operations, commercial evaluation, and execution. He has a sound understanding of engineering projects from technical, operational and commercial perspective. Apart from handling core functions in different parts of the world, he has hands-on experience of joint venture management, business development, strategy and operational efficiency. Before joining FFC Aamir had a brief exposure in Pakistan Petroleum Limited (an E&P company) in operations.

Arun Anand

Lead Planning Engineer
Saudi Aramco

Arun is a professional engineer with over 23 years of industrial experience in planning, engineering, and design for the oil and gas industry. Currently, he serves as Lead Planning Engineer in Facilities Planning at Saudi Aramco, where he leverages his core expertise in techno-economic business evaluation to drive informed decision-making. Arun's leadership extends to the FEL 1 and 2 phases of projects, encompassing both upstream and downstream sectors, with a specialized focus on utilities systems. Throughout his illustrious career, Arun has accumulated a wealth of experience in process engineering, particularly in downstream process engineering, as well as expertise in Syngas, Hydrogen, LNG, and GTL Technology. His professional journey has taken him through esteemed organizations such as Hatch, Kellogg Brown and Root (KBR), Lummus Technology, and Reliance Industries Ltd, where he held various roles in the ladder of Process Engineering. Arun's commitment to professional excellence is evident in his impressive array of certifications, including Project Management Professional (PMP), Certified Sustainable Development Professional (CSDP), Certified Industrial Energy Professional (CIEP) and Certified Carbon Auditing Professional (CAP). Additionally, he is a practicing professional Engineer with the Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of Alberta (APEGA), demonstrating his dedication to upholding the highest standards of engineering practice.

Syed Aamir Abbas

Chief Technical Officer
Fauji Fertilizer Company Limited

Syed Aamir Abbas is the Chief Technical Officer (CTO) of Fauji Fertilizer Company Limited (FFC). He heads the Technical Division, Business Development, and Digitalization functions of the company, driving technology-led growth, strategic expansion, and operational excellence across the organization. He also serves as a Board Member of FFC Energy Limited and Foundation Wind Energy Limited, contributing to governance and strategic oversight in the energy sector.Aamir holds a Bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering from University of Engineering and Technology Lahore, a Postgraduate Diploma in Engineering Design from Technical University of Denmark (with distinction), a Master’s in Engineering Management from UET Taxila, and a Master’s in Business Administration from Lahore University of Management Sciences (with honors and gold medal).With over 30 years of professional experience, he has held a wide range of senior technical and leadership roles within FFC and has extensive international exposure, including assignments in France, Germany, Denmark, South Africa, Mozambique, Tanzania, and China. His expertise spans the full lifecycle of engineering projects, encompassing technical design, operations, commercial evaluation, and execution. He has a sound understanding of engineering projects from technical, operational and commercial perspective. Apart from handling core functions in different parts of the world, he has hands-on experience of joint venture management, business development, strategy and operational efficiency. Before joining FFC Aamir had a brief exposure in Pakistan Petroleum Limited (an E&P company) in operations.

Josef Sliva

Head of Investment Department
BorsodChem MCHZ, s.r.o

Josef Sliva is Head of Investment Dept. at BorsodChem MCHZ, s.r.o, graduated from the Technical University of Ostrava in 2012 in Power Machinery and Equipment. He has been working at BorsodChem MCHZ since 2015, first as a project manager and since 2024 as Head of the Investment Department. During his time at BorsodChem MCHZ, he has implemented a wide range of projects across various process units, including the revitalization and construction of new specialty amine plants, a new adiabatic nitrobenzene production plant, and others. As part of the Modernization of Nitric Acid Production project, he works as a project manager.

Alex Tuckett

Head of Economics
CRU

Alex Tuckett is the Head of Economics at CRU, where he leads the global economic analysis team, providing insights into macroeconomic and policy trends that influence commodity markets.

Alex has extensive experience in macroeconomics and policy evaluation gained at the Bank of England, UK Treasury and PwC. Alex holds an MSc in Economics from UCL.

Nilesh Patel

Head (Business Development)
Uni Abex Alloy Products Ltd

Nilesh oversees Business Development processes for centrifugal castings at Uni Abex as well as investment casting business within the group. With around 20 years of experience, Nilesh drives strategic growth, expands client relationships and works closely on strategic projects across the Group’s entire metallurgy division. His deep industry expertise and commitment to innovation make him a key force in enhancing market reach and delivering value across all metallurgy business lines.

John Oostveen

Business Development Manager
UreaKnowHow

John Oostveen has over 40 years’ experience in the design, construction and operation of chemical and fertilizer plants. He has worked with companies including DSM Netherlands, Sabic, Stamicarbon and AnQore, serving in roles from Shift Supervisor and Process Engineer to Project Manager, Product Manager and Sales Manager. John combines deep chemical-process expertise with practical operational insight across urea and ammonia projects and extensive experience with international contractors and suppliers. He is skilled in process safety and HAZOP and has led product-quality improvement, cost-reduction initiatives, dust and ammonia emissions control, and new product development. He regularly presents at industry events.

Xavier Llorente

Regional Sales Manager
UNICAT Catalyst Technologies, LLC

Xavier Llorente has more than 20 years of experience in the PSA, syngas catalyst chemical and steel industries. He has held leadership roles across sales, technical, marketing and business development, pairing deep technical knowledge with commercial acumen to drive growth and deliver customer-focused solutions. His cross-functional background enables him to translate complex engineering challenges into practical, scalable projects.

Dr. Achim Schaadt

Head of Department Sustainable Synthesis Products
Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE

Achim Schaadt is the Head of the Department 'Sustainable Synthesis Products' at the Fraunhofer ISE. Fraunhofer ISE, based in Freiburg, Germany, is Europe's largest solar energy research institute with more than 1,300 staff members committed to promoting a sustainable, economic, secure and socially just energy supply system based on renewable energy sources.After completing his PhD, he joined Fraunhofer ISE in 2005. He started as a project leader and successfully managed many industry-funded projects aimed at developing fuel processors for fuel cell systems based on various fuels, such as diesel, ethanol, and methanol. He established the Power-to-X and Life Cycle Assessment activities at Fraunhofer ISE.

Vaios Kitsos

Head of Technical Sales Ammonia Cracking
Thyssenkrupp Uhde GmbH

Vaios Kitsos is a Chemical Engineering graduate (Diplom-Ingenieur) from the University of Dortmund with over 24 years of experience at Uhde in diverse technical and commercial roles. He began his career as a process engineer, focusing on the design of methanol, hydrogen, and syngas plants. After several years in the furnace department and as responsible technology advisor at different construction sites, he transitioned into sales, driving business development and customer solutions. Today, as Head of Technical Sales for Ammonia Cracking and EnviNOx, he leads the commercialization of innovative cracking technologies, supporting sustainable and efficient solutions for clients worldwide.

Pedro Isaza

Technology Development Director
Solex

As Technology Development Director, Pedro guides Solex's innovation projects from concept to commercialization. He oversees the development of the company's advanced thermal modeling platforms, guides the experimental validation of new concepts and leads the deployment of prototypes for industrial use. Drawing on a rich, 15-plus-year career that includes pioneering technology projects at both Rivian Automotive and NOVA Chemicals, Pedro brings a multi-faceted approach to solving first-of-kind thermal challenges.

Amarnath Chanda Roy

Senior Technical Advisor
KBR

Kathryn Coxon

Business Development Manager
Johnson Matthey

Kathryn Coxon is a Business Development Manager at Johnson Matthey. With nearly seven years at the company, Kathryn brings a unique blend of technical expertise and commercial insight to the energy transition space. Her current focus is on advancing hydrogen technologies and forging strategic partnerships that accelerate the deployment of sustainable fuels.  She previously held roles across business development, engineering, and customer operations, including leading new product industrialisation efforts and supporting global manufacturing sites.   Kathryn holds an MEng in Chemical Engineering from the University of Sheffield and is passionate about driving low-carbon solutions. She has played a key role in collaborative initiatives such as the Johnson Matthey–Honeywell UOP partnership.   

Dieter Ulber

Hydrogen Technology Director
Air Liquide Global E&C Solutions Germany GmbH

Since the launch of the NH3 Cracking techno development in 2021, Dieter Ulber has been the Project Manager. He is responsible for Product Development in the HyCO Product Line and is based in Frankfurt.Dieter has a B.E. degree from Dartmouth College, New Hampshire, U.S. and a doctorate degree from the University of Technology in Aachen, Germany. He joined Lurgi GmbH in 1999 on the topic of entrained flow gasification of residues.Dieter held various positions, like Process Lead Engineer, Commissioning Engineer, Project Manager and Team Manager, in the field of H2 and syngas production via Steam Methane Reforming, Oxygen-based syngas processes and Electrolysis.

Mark Brouwer

Director
UreaKnowHow

Mark graduated in 1989 at the Technical University of Eindhoven at the faculty of Chemical Engineering. Mark further graduated the postgraduate continuing professional education Safety for Engineers in The Netherlands.After military service he joined DSM where he worked first seven years as a Process Engineer in an ethylene plant during which he was involved in several turnarounds and revamp projects. In 1996 he joined Stamicarbon as Licensing Manager Urea Revamps. Later he became Manager Stamicarbon Services responsible for all Stamicarbon’s activities in existing urea plants, such as After Sales, Plant Inspections, Debottlenecking Projects, Hardware supply projects etc. In these nearly fifteen years he did visit about one hundred urea plants worldwide and was involved in numerous revamp, relocation, debottlenecking and grass root projects.Since January 1, 2009, Mark Brouwer left Stamicarbon and started up UreaKnowHow.com. UreaKnowHow.com’s mission is to support, facilitate and promote the exchange of technical information in the nitrogen fertilizer industry with the target to improve the Safety and Performance of all nitrogen fertilizer plants worldwide.  

Ivan Tiunov

Applied Catalyst Technology Engineer
Clariant

Ivan Tiunov holds an M.Sc. in Chemical Engineering and a B.Sc. in Chemistry. Since 2019, he has worked in the chemical industry as an Applied Catalyst Technology Engineer at Clariant, providing technical support for ammonia, methanol, and hydrogen customers. Since 2022, his focus has shifted to energy-transition applications—particularly green methanol and ammonia cracking.

Mohsin Mukhtar

General Manager Production
Engro Fertilizers Limited

Mohsin Mukhtar is an accomplished operations and leadership professional with extensive experience in the chemical and process industries. A Chemical Engineering graduate, he has built a strong career across production, safety, and organizational development functions. His professional journey reflects deep expertise in plant operations, risk management, and performance improvement, with a consistent focus on operational excellence and sustainability. He has led major initiatives in safety culture enhancement, compliance strengthening, and capability development, contributing to improved reliability and long-term organizational effectiveness.

Mohsin Ali Afzal

Process Engineer
SIPCHEM

Mohsin Ali Afzal is an accomplished Process Engineer with over 13 years of experience in Syngas technologies, petrochemicals, and project execution. He has led major initiatives in process optimization, energy efficiency, sustainability, and decarbonization across Methanol, Hydrogen, and Ammonia facilities, delivering successful revamps and innovative solutions. Mohsin’s expertise spans process engineering, troubleshooting, simulation, performance monitoring, and process safety, enabling him to drive impactful improvements in plant reliability and efficiency. He holds a degree in Chemical Engineering and has presented internationally, collaborating with leading licensors, producers, and EPC partners to advance technical excellence in the nitrogen and syngas industry.

VK Arora

Director- Process Tech & Projects
Kinetics Process Improvements (KPI)

VK Arora is a Texas‑licensed professional engineer with more than four decades of experience in petrochemicals, refining, and syngas technologies. A chemical engineering graduate from IIT Delhi, he has worked on several dozen ammonia and methanol plant revamps worldwide and contributed to feasibility studies and significant project developments in Ethylene, Propylene, Acrylic acid, low-carbon ammonia, methanol, and integrated carbon capture. He holds three patents in ammonia process improvements and has served in senior roles at Lummus Technology, KBR, SABIC, Reliance, Technip, and KPI Inc. He has also been part of the Ethylene Producers Technology subcommittee since 2017. He remains committed to practical solutions, knowledge sharing, and advancing decarbonization across the industry.

Sadiq Usman Khattak

Section Manager (Inspection)
Engro Fertilizers Limited

Sadiq Usman Khattak is an inspection and asset integrity professional with nearly 14 years of experience in the fertilizer and process industries. He currently serves as Section Manager (Inspection) at Fauji Fertilizer Company Limited (FFC) – Port Qasim Plant, where he leads the Asset Integrity Section and is responsible for ensuring the safety, reliability, and integrity of critical plant assets. He was actively involved in the inspection, assessment, and rehabilitation of a 5,000-MT old ammonia storage tank at FFC PQ. He holds multiple API certifications and is also a member of the API Aboveground Storage Tank Standards Committee.

Jasper Stekelorum

Process Engineer
Yara Sluiskil B.V.

Jasper graduated in 2022 at the University of Ghent with a Master of Science degree in Chemical Engineering. After university he started working at Yara Sluiskil as process engineer in the Urea Department and is specialized in the urea solution process.

Pieter Vidts

Global Process Engineer Urea
Yara

In 2013, Pieter Vidts graduated with a Master of Science degree in Chemical Engineering from Ghent University. He began his career at Yara’s Project Office as a process engineer, working on several projects related to urea and ammonium nitrate. Most notably, he was involved in the Urea 8 UAS granulation plant in Sluiskil, the Netherlands, where he served as Licensor. In 2019, Pieter joined the urea department in Sluiskil as a senior process engineer. Since 2023, he has been working as a Global Process Engineer for Urea, supporting various Yara plants worldwide.

Dave Graham

Principal Research Engineer
Air Products

Dave Graham is a Principal Research Associate at Air Products, with global responsibility for advancing the company’s blue hydrogen and carbon capture technology portfolio.
Dr. Graham joined Air Products in 1999 and has led technology development programs in air separation, LNG, hydrogen production, and carbon capture. He also served on the global Operational Excellence team, developing innovative technologies to enhance the safety, reliability, and efficiency of Air Products’ worldwide fleet of operating hydrogen plants.
Dr. Graham earned a Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from the University of Illinois. He is a co-inventor on 12 patents and has authored 16 external publications.

Imtiyaz Ali

AGM- Engineering Research & Development
Uni Abex Alloy Products Ltd

Imtiyaz Ali is a materials engineering professional with over 14 years of experience in alloy development, specializing in corrosion-, heat-, and wear-resistant materials. He holds an M.Sc. in Materials Science and an M.Tech. in Process Metallurgy from the National Institute of Technology (NIT) Surathkal, India.He began his career in an integrated steel complex, where he gained extensive hands-on experience in steel melting, refining, and purification processes. Over the years, he transitioned into advanced alloy development, working with a wide range of engineering materials including 200- and 300-series stainless steels, duplex and super-duplex grades, and various heat-resistant alloys. His expertise spans improving material performance for demanding industrial applications. A committed professional in the field, he is an active member of the Institute of Indian Foundrymen (IIF), contributing to the advancement of foundry and metallurgical practices.

Rebecca Ruan

Analyst Nitrates Market Services
CRU

Rebecca joined CRU in October 2023 and is an analyst in the Fertilisers team, where she is responsible for research and forecasting on the low-emissions hydrogen ammonia market. Previously, she worked in the Base Metals team with a focus on copper costing and associated emissions calculations. She holds an MSc in Global Management of Natural Resources and a BSc in Chemical Engineering.

Muhammad Idrees

Ultron FZE

Muhammad Idrees is currently Executive Vice President, Engineering and Business Development, of Ultron FZE. Ultron FZE is engaged in private equity investments in fertilizer and petrochemical plants, as well as operating as a trade house for commodities, including nitrogenous and phosphatic fertilizers and petrochemicals. 

Previously he was working as the Chief Commercial Officer at Engro Polymer & chemicals Limited. Prior to this he was leading the Business Development department at Engro Energy Limited where he was responsible for scoping and developing new business opportunities for the energy vertical ranging from investments in renewables to cultivating opportunities in allied industries.

Idrees joined the Engro group in 2003 in the fertilizers business where he served in multiple roles gaining rich experience in project management, business development, human resources, and engineering amongst other departments. He has also worked as General Manager Construction projects at the mega-scale open-pit mining project of Sindh Engro Coal Mining Company (SECMC) where he was responsible for providing cost and governance oversight for the USD 845 million mine project.

During his tenure at SECMC, Idrees was also instrumental in developing various ancillary projects that were critical to the success of the Thar coal project such as the construction of the water resource management plan; construction of the resettlement village at New Senhri Dars in Thar (Sindh); development of the school and hospital network in Thar and other such key development initiatives.

Idrees also serves on the Steering Committee of the United Kingdom’s most prestigious conference – Nitrogen & Syngas of CRU and the Industry Advisory Board at Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS). He is also a published author in 11 international publications. In his free time, he likes to remain physically active and is a fitness enthusiast who likes to run and cycle.

Francesco Baratto

Head of the SynGas Department
CASALE

Francesco Baratto joined CASALE in 2004, where he worked initially as Process Engineer, mainly involved in the field of ammonia, methanol and its derivates. In March 2010 he was appointed Technology Development Section Manager, responsible for a group of people in the Research & Technology department with the duty of preparing technical proposal and feasibility studies and giving process support to the development of new technologies and optimization of existing ones. In December 2012 he was appointed Deputy Department Head of Syngas Process department, with particular duty of coordinating technical proposal and feasibility study activities. Since November 2018 he is head of Syngas Department in the Process Division. Mr Baratto graduated from Polytechnic University of Milan in Chemical Engineering in July 2004 and holds a Master of Science in Chemical Engineering from University of Illinois in Chicago (April 2004).

Aurelia Pipino

Fired Heaters Technology Manager
CASALE

Aurelia Pipino is a Technology Manager at CASALE, responsible for Fired Heaters, Ammonia Cracking, and SMR-based Hydrogen Plants. She brings over 20 years of experience in the design, detailed engineering, and execution of Hydrogen and Syngas plants, with deep expertise in furnace design for the petrochemical and refining industries. Between 2005 and 2014, she worked at Technip-KTI, gaining strong foundational experience in licensed technologies for Hydrogen and Syngas production. Ms. Pipino joined CASALE in 2014, focusing on technologies for Ammonia, Methanol, and Hydrogen production. Since 2019, her focus has sharpened to leading strategic initiatives for the development of customized furnace design solutions for the entire CASALE Technology portfolio. In 2023, she was appointed Technology Manager, also assuming responsibility for the Ammonia Cracking and SMR-based Hydrogen Plants technologies.

Torsten Brezina

Program Manager
Deutsche Gesellschaft fur Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH

Torsten Brezina has been serving as Director of the Secretariat of the Nitric Acid Climate Action Group (NACAG) within GIZ’s Climate, Environment and Infrastructure Division since early 2025. In this role, he drives the strategic coordination of international climate action within the nitric acid industry, focusing on reducing emissions and promoting sustainable industrial practices. From 2017, he was GIZ Cluster Coordinator for Climate, Water, and Energy in Central Asia, where he oversaw a diverse portfolio addressing climate change adaptation, the green economy—including renewable energy development—sustainable natural resource management, disaster risk reduction, and environmental policy dialogue with governments and stakeholders.
Since joining GIZ in 2001, Mr. Brezina has held various senior leadership roles, including Country Director in Uzbekistan and Head of Programmes in Central Asia, Russia, and Ukraine. These positions involved strategic planning, programme management, and fostering regional cooperation on sustainable development challenges.
With over 20 years of experience, Mr. Brezina brings deep expertise in sustainable development, regional collaboration, strategy formulation, and policy advisory. His work at the intersection of climate, natural resources, and economic development has given him a comprehensive understanding of the complex needs and priorities of diverse stakeholders, including the private sector and industry. He is particularly knowledgeable about the instruments and approaches that ensure economic viability in the green transformation, effectively balancing environmental goals with the imperatives of economic growth and business development.

Ermanno Filippi

Chief Technology Officer
CASALE

Chemical Engineer, started in Solvay, then joined CASALE in 1985 as Process Engineer. Involved in Projects related to revamping and New plants for Ammonia and Methanol production. Now responsible for the application and development of Technology in the Company.

Ignacio Fernández

CTO (Chief Technical Officer)
FertigHy

With 18 years of project management and engineering experience in large industrial and infrastructure projects in the fertilizers, energy and oil & gas sectors, Ignacio holds the position of CTO at FertigHy since 2023.His experience includes positions of corporate responsibility in project management where he was responsible for managing the execution and objectives achievement of turnkey projects in countries such as Morocco, Uzbekistan, Saudi Arabia or Spain.Ignacio brings to FertigHy strong knowledge and experience which combines conventional energy and petrochemical industry projects with energy transition projects related to hydrogen production or advanced biofuels.

Sergio Panza

Deputy Chief Technology Officer
CASALE

Sergio Panza graduated in chemical engineering from Polytechnic University of Milan in 1998. He worked over one year in the research field at ETH of Zurich. Since 2001 he is part of CASALE, initially working on ammonia, methanol and urea field. Responsible for plant revamping in different location such as Saudi Arabia, Trinidad and Tobago Australia and Russia as well as for brand new plants mainly located in China. His current position is Deputy Chief Technology Officer.

Dr. Mohamed Harb

General Manager
Abu Qir fertilizers and Chemicals Industries Co.

Marino Miccio

Sustainability Business Development Manager
BASF

Marino Miccio is the Sustainability Business Development Manager at BASF Process Catalysts. After earning his Master’s degree in Chemical Engineering, he began his industrial career with the Maire Tecnimont group, where he spent nine years in technology development. At BASF, Marino leads the development and commercialization of innovative catalysts that support the sustainability transformation in the energy and chemical industries. His current focus is on enabling green hydrogen production through renewable ammonia cracking, working closely with technology providers to demonstrate catalyst implementation up to commercial scale and build long-term innovation pipelines. 

Robert Kender

Senior Process Design Engineer
Linde GmbH, Linde Engineering

After finishing his PhD at Technical University of Munich in collaboration with Linde Engineering, during which he developed a digital twin for flexible air separation units, Robert joined WACKER Chemie AG as an Advanced Process Control Engineer in 2022. Other than implementing Model predictive control strategies, his focus was on the development of real time optimization solutions for chemical Verbund sites. In 2024 Robert joined Linde Engineering as Senior Process Design Engineer for Hydrogen & Synthesis gas plants. Besides classical tasks such as the design of SMR or ATR based hydrogen production plants his focus is on green ammonia production.

Bakhtiyor Sultankhodjaev

Deputy Head of Department
State Unitary Enterprise - Center for Comprehensive Examination of Projects and Import Contracts

Bakhtiyor Sultankhodjaev, born in 1985 in Uzbekistan, holds a Bachelor’s degree from the Tashkent Institute of Chemical Technology (2006) and a Master’s degree from the Mendeleev University of Chemical Technology of Russia (2008). His entire professional career has been devoted to Uzbekistan’s chemical industry. From 2008 to 2011, he worked at NavoiAzot, the country’s largest chemical plant, and from 2011 to 2018 at the state holding company “Uzkimyosanoat.” During this period, he supervised and promoted FS for construction and modernization projects. Since 2018, he has served at the Expertise Center under Ministry of Economy, evaluating industrial projects, including chemical and petrochemical ones.

Luca Amicucci

Process Engineer
Stamicarbon/ NEXTCHEM

Luca Amicucci obtained a B.Sc in industrial engineering and an M.Sc in chemical engineering at the Campus Bio-Medico University in Rome, Italy. He completed his master's thesis at Stamicarbon, investigating thermodynamics model for ammonia production. After successfully defending his thesis and graduating, Luca joined Stamicarbon as a Process Engineer in the Ammonia team within Launch — Stamicarbon's licensing of grassroot plants. With a robust background in chemical engineering, Luca has made active contributions to various projects and studies for ammonia, as well as other technologies at Stamicarbon, including urea, nitric acid, and sustainable nitrate fertilizers downstream.

Govhar Mammadova

Process Engineer
Stamicarbon/ NEXTCHEM

Govhar Mammadova obtained her B.Sc. and M.Sc. in Chemical Engineering in Azerbaijan. She began her professional career working for several years at the Ammonia and Urea Production Plant. Driven by a passion for engineering design and sustainability, Govhar pursued an Engineering Doctorate (EngD) in Process and Product Design at Eindhoven University of Technology in the Netherlands. After graduating, she joined Stamicarbon as a Process Engineer in the Launch team, bringing both operational experience and design insight.

Morteza Hadian

Process Engineer
Stamicarbon/ NEXTCHEM

Morteza Hadian earned both his BSc and MSc degrees in Chemical Engineering from Sharif University of Technology in Tehran, Iran. He began his research career at the University of Tehran (UT) and later continued at Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e). In 2023, Morteza successfully defended his PhD thesis at TU/e, which focused on the process development for the decomposition of methane into carbon nanofibers and hydrogen.From 2023 to 2024, Morteza worked as an R&D process engineer at Avantium in Amsterdam, Netherlands. Since 2024, he has been contributing to the development of nitric acid production technologies as a process engineer in the nitric acid team at Stamicarbon, Netherlands.

Liam Sheppard

Methane Pyrolysis Technology Manager
KBR

Liam Sheppard is the Technology Manager for Methane Pyrolysis at KBR, where he leads the development and commercialisation of advanced low-carbon hydrogen technologies. His role includes technical leadership and industry engagement to support the deployment of methane pyrolysis as a scalable hydrogen production route. Liam is a chartered Chemical Engineer with the IChemE, holding a master’s degree from Imperial College London. His career spans engineering and business development roles in the refining and syngas industries, bringing a broad perspective to the energy transition and clean hydrogen technologies.

Dr. Paul Butterworth

Research Manager, Economics & Sustainability
CRU

Dr. Paul Butterworth joined CRU in 2012 and, latterly, was responsible for CRU's analysis across the whole steel value chain, from raw materials through to finished steel, as well as CRU's Steel cost services, a comprehensive suite of cost models covering iron ore mining, coal mining, steelmaking and ferroalloys operations worldwide. He moved to CRU's newly-formed Sustainability team in August 2021 where he is working closely with clients and internally on carbon market and energy transition issues.   Dr. Paul Butterworth has 35 years' experience in the steel industry and sustainability, having worked for Tata Steel, Corus, British Steel and the International Iron and Steel Institute (now the WorldSteel Association) in a range of environmental, strategic, business development, planning and technical roles.   Paul holds an MBA from Warwick Business School, a Ph.D in Theoretical Chemistry and a BSc. Honours Chemistry degree from Manchester University. He is a Chartered Chemist and Member of the Royal Society of Chemistry (CChem MRSC).

Narayanan Valayaputtur

CEO
EBIC- EFC

A visionary CEO and C-Suite Leader with over 32 years of international experience steering multi-billion-dollar operations across the full energy value chain, including LNG, Refining, Petrochemicals, and Green Hydrogen/Ammonia. Currently CEO of Fertgilobe, Egypt, An Adnoc group Company, he delivers ~$0.5B EBITDA and is transforming assets to top-quartile performance, having spearheaded the world's first certified renewable ammonia shipment. His proven track record includes roles as Asset Director of a flagship LNG plant and Director of Projects & Engineering at a leading Singapore refining complex. He excels in board governance, driving operational excellence in high-risk environments, leading digital transformation (IIoT, Digital Twin), and managing CAPEX portfolios exceeding $450 million annually. Recognized with multiple industry awards for Reliability & Asset Performance, HSSE & Process Safety, projects & Turnaround delivery, and innovation.

Ahmed Al-Khalaf

Sr. Scientist
SABIC

Ahmed Al-Khalaf is a Senior Scientist in methanol technology, specializing in R&D, process innovation and technology evaluation. He has led projects on process optimization, technology due diligence, and feasibility assessments for large scale methanol plants. Ahmed’s work bridges research and industrial application, delivering practical solutions for process improvement and technology deployment.

Syed Muhammad Hassan Murtaza Gardezi

Unit Manager – Equipment
Fauji Fertilizer Company Limited

Syed M Hassan Murtaza Gardezi is an accomplished Mechanical Engineer with over 20 years of experience in asset integrity, reliability, maintenance, inspection, and corrosion management. Currently working at Fauji Fertilizer Company Limited as Advisor for Stationary Equipment, he specializes in risk-based inspections, root cause analysis, and turnaround management. Hassan has demonstrated expertise in managing stationary equipment maintenance and fabrication. He has also led the reverse engineering of spares.

Uma Sankar Khan

Technical Professional Leader - Process
KBR

Uma Sankar Khan is a seasoned heat transfer engineer with over 20 years of experience in heat exchanger design and currently works with KBR in Gurgaon, India. Throughout his career in the Heat Exchanger Department, he has gained extensive hands-on experience in designing proprietary heat exchangers, critical tags, conventional shell-and-tube heat exchangers, air coolers, condensers, and reboilers across a wide range of process technologies.He has designed heat exchangers for KSAAT, K‑COT, SCORE, ammonia technology, ROSE, phenol, refining, polycarbonate, and revamp projects, and has been actively involved in troubleshooting existing exchangers across different technologies. Uma is currently designated as Technical Professional Leader – Process at KBR’s Gurugram office, where he holds overall responsibility for the successful and timely completion of exchanger deliverables for grassroots and revamp projects, while ensuring that all outputs meet the stringent quality standards required by clients.

Michael Sehr

Senior Technician Production
Celanese / Near Miss Management

Michael Sehr began his career in the chemical industry at the Frankfurt Hoechst site in 1986. He trained in chemistry and in 1989 obtained the title Chemikant. Over the years he worked in chemical production, building a strong safety record and deep operational knowledge of production plants.His experience includes the start-up of a VAM plant in Nanjing, China, and an aldehyde-related operation in collaboration with the fire brigade in Belgium. He later earned the title Industriemeister (roughly equivalent to a Bachelor of Science), which led to supervisory roles in chemical production.After joining Celanese, he took on planning of turnarounds for VAM and Aldehyde plants. More recently he has expanded his portfolio to include digitization and the development/implementation of a digital riskanalyser, combining hands‑on production expertise with safety, turnaround planning, and digital risk analysis.<scribe-shadow id="crxjs-ext" data-crx="okfkdaglfjjjfefdcppliegebpoegaii" style="position: fixed; width: 0px; height: 0px; top: 0px; left: 0px; z-index: 2147483647; overflow: visible; visibility: visible;"></scribe-shadow>

Zubair Talha

Senior Process Engineer-Ammonia technology
YARA Belgium SA/NV

Zubair Talha is a Senior Process Engineer with expertise in Ammonia technology. Based at Yara’s Belgium office within Yara Technology and Projects, he supports global initiatives focused on decarbonization, energy efficiency, and process optimization, backed by strong experience in plant design, commissioning, and technical risk assessment.

lnderjeet Singh

Vice President - Technology, Green Hydrogen & its Derivatives
Adani New Industries Limited

Mr. lnderjeet Singh, a seasoned industry professional with over three decades of diverse experience in the fertilizer, chemical, and clean energy sectors, currently serving as Vice President - Technology (Green H2 & its Derivatives) at Adani New Industries Limited (ANIL), India.In his career, he has held senior leadership roles in projects related to green hydrogen, green ammonia, and large-scale chemical manufacturing units, executing both brownfield and greenfield assignments. He also has extensive overseas exposure, where he successfully executed major ammonia plant projects and technology integration initiatives.Mr. Singh is recognized for his expertise in technology integration and project execution.

Dr. Christian Renk

Global Head of TI Product Group Ammonia & Derivates of Nitrogen
thyssenkrupp Uhde

Christian Renk studied process engineering at the University of Karlsruhe (now the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, or KIT) from 1998 to 2003, earning his doctorate from the Karlsruhe Research Center in 2008. From 2008 to 2014, he worked as an engineer in Australia in various roles. Since 2014, he has held various positions at thyssenkrupp Uhde. As of October 1, 2025, he serves as the global “Head of Technology and Innovation Product Group Ammonia and Derivatives of Nitrogen”. He is responsible for products such as ammonia, ammonia cracking, and fertilizer.

Ahmad Hussain Iqtidar

Lead Process & Analytics
Engro Fertilizers Limited

Ahmad Hussain Iqtidar, PMP®, is Lead Process & Analytics at Engro Fertilizers Limited, where he spearheads Industry 4.0 and digital transformation initiatives across one of the country’s largest urea complexes. He has successfully delivered multi-million-dollar projects including enterprise process historians, asset reliability platforms, digital twins, real time optimizers, and advanced process control systems—driving measurable gains in efficiency, safety, and cost optimization. With expertise spanning AI/ML, data analytics, and industrial automation, Ahmad bridges IT and OT domains to operationalize data-driven decision-making. He holds a degree in Chemical Engineering and is a certified Project Management Professional (PMP®).

Matteo Mennella

H2 & Syngas Process Engineer
KT Tech S.p.A.

Matteo Mennella is a skilled Process Engineer in the H2 & syngas sector, currently contributing his expertise at KT Tech S.p.A. With three years of experience in hydrogen technology and process design, he has been actively involved in EPC projects and numerous proposals across various technologies, including steam methane reforming, auto-thermal reforming, and syngas production for ammonia and methanol plants. Holding a Master’s degree in Energy Engineering, Matteo is particularly passionate about the integration between power production and sustainable hydrogen technologies. His studies have explored the use of renewable electricity and biogenic feedstocks to produce syngas, to drive innovation toward a cleaner energy future.

Ilayaraja Karuppasamy

Senior Technology Proposal Manager- Ammonia Technology
Topsoe A/S

Ilayaraja Karuppasamy is a seasoned chemical engineer with over 17 years of experience in the ammonia industry. A graduate of Anna University, Chennai, he has held key roles including Production Engineer, Lead Process Engineer, Commissioning Manager, and Proposal Engineer. Currently, he serves as Senior Technology Proposal Manager at Topsoe A/S, Denmark, specializing in ammonia technology, green and blue ammonia integration, Ammonia cracking technology and energy optimization. He has extensive experience in feasibility studies, engineering design, and plant commissioning across multiple countries, and is actively involved in technology transfer and strategic consulting for carbon emission reduction and process improvement.

Benedikt Nowak

Project Manager, Research & Development
VDM Metals International GmbH

Benedikt Nowak works in the R&D department of VDM Metals as a project manager for more than seven years. VDM Metals is a manufacturer of corrosion-resistant, heat-resistant and high-temperature nickel, cobalt and zirconium alloys as well as high-alloyed special stainless steels from Germany. In the group alloy development of the R&D department he is responsible for the high temperature materials, this means the development of new materials, their industrial standardization, as well as working on material approvals and international funded research projects. Benedikt has studied physics and made his PhD in material physics at the German Aerospace Center in Cologne.

Ricardas Razgaitis

Business Development Manager
Badotherm

Ricardas Razgaitis is a business development manager with extensive experience in the nitrogen and fertilizer industry. Representing BADOTHERM- the Dutch solution provider, he helps end-users- urea, ammonia, hydrogen, nitric acid producers improve measurement reliability with advanced mechanical diaphragm seal systems in high-end materials such as Zirconium, Safurex® and other materials. Ricardas holds a Bachelor’s degree in Physics from Vilnius University. He attends various instrumentation and urea process workshops, provided by UreaKnowHow, Fertilizer Academy and other reputable organizations. In his free time, Ricardas enjoys reading about history, psychology, and philosophy. He is also an accomplished martial artist, holding a brown belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, and has competed in amateur boxing during his earlier years.

Hiroo Kunii

Process Engineer
Toyo Engineering Corporation

Mr. Hiroo Kunii is a process engineer at Toyo Engineering Corporation (TOYO), specializing in the development and application of proprietary urea technologies such as “ACES21” and the “Spout-Fluid Bed Granulation Process.” His responsibilities include process design, commissioning, and technology improvement for urea production projects. He holds a master’s degree in chemical engineering from Niigata University and has extensive expertise in urea process engineering.

Sean Yan

Product Manager, Blue H2
Air Products LLC

Sean Yan is the Blue Hydrogen Product Manager in Air Products’ Product & Project Development organization.  He is covering development of Blue H2 Plant Product based on AP’s technology portfolio in particular, with AP’s proprietary POx process and others.  Sean has 20 years direct experience in Hydrogen production, gasification, refining and related areas, including process design, commissioning & startup support, revamping, technology licensing, packaged equipment sales and Product Development lately.  Sean holds a Ph. D in chemical engineering from University of Utah.  

Khaled Elbassyouni

Process Engineer
Stamicarbon, Nextchem

Mr. Elbassyouni holds a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from Cairo university and a Master’s degree in chemical and energy engineering from the Otto-von-Guericke university of Magdeburg, Germany. Early interests were in chemical reaction engineering and quantum chemical simulations of homogenous catalysis. During his studies, Mr. Elbassyouni worked as a researcher at the Max Planck institute for dynamics of complex technical systems and upon graduation he worked as researcher and teaching assistant at the university of Aachen, Germany. Mr. Elbassyouni then obtained his engineering doctorate degree in 2019 from the technical university of Delft, The Netherlands. Afterwards, Mr. Elbassyouni joined Stamicarbon as a research and development engineer with focus on green ammonia process design, and is currently working as a process engineer for the design of grass-root urea plants.

Rolf Weiss

Senior Licensing Manager
thyssenkrupp Uhde Fertilizer Technology GmbH

After completion of his Diploma of Process Engineering at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Germany in 1992, Rolf Weiss had worked as process-, project- and sales-manager in diverse companies. From 2008 to 2019 he was self-employed projecting wind turbines.In 2019 he joined thyssenkrupp Uhde Fertilizer Technology in Dortmund, Germany as licensing and project manager for the UFT fluid bed urea granulation technology including the highly efficient scrubbing system.Additionally, he is product manager for urea product diversification which includes additives (UFT®Add) to produce automotive grade urea and a technology to increase the nitrogen use efficiency of urea granules.

Dr Hadi Nozari

Senior Process Engineer
Johnson Matthey

Dr Hadi Nozari is a Senior Process Engineer working on development of sustainable process technologies, with a particular focus on ammonia cracking. He has an extensive research and development background in the combustion systems of ammonia and hydrogen as low-carbon fuels for propulsion and energy generation applications, contributing to the advancement of cleaner and more efficient energy systems. 

Priyan Mistry

Business Development Manager
Johnson Matthey

Priyan is a chartered chemical engineer with experience in the syngas, gas processing and green hydrogen sectors. He is currently responsible for ammonia cracking technology licensing and catalyst business development for Johnson Matthey globally.

Neerav Chaudhary

Process & Furnace Engineering Vice President
ITT Engineering India Private Limited (ITTEIPL)

Neerav is having 28 years of experience in thermal & process design, proposal engineering, cost estimation, detail engineering, commissioning and troubleshooting of Fired Equipment (fired heaters / Steam Methane Reformers / waste heat recovery units) in EPC industry. Fields of experience include refinery, chemical, petrochemical projects with experience in hydrotreater, delayed coking, LNG, hydrogen and ammonia, particularly with fired heaters associated with these plants. He is currently spearheading the design development of Electric Process Heater in ITT Group. He has earlier worked with Heurtey Petrochem, Bechtel Corporation, KTI Technology and Larsen & Toubro before joining ITT Group.

Nathan Becuwe

Process Engineer
John Zink

Nathan Becuwe is a Process Engineer at John Zink, located in Luxembourg, where he has been contributing to the Process Burner Combustion Group since 2019. With a solid technical background in combustion technologies for the Oil & Gas sector, Nathan focuses on supporting the petrochemical market across the EMEAI region. He is actively involved in product development, testing, and more recently, ammonia cracking technology and ammonia firing. Known for his collaborative approach and commitment to innovation, Nathan strives to deliver solutions that meet the evolving needs of the industry while continuously learning and improving.

Dr. Christian Breuer

Global Technology and Application Manager
Heraeus Precious Metals GmbH & Co. KG

Christian Breuer studied chemistry at the Technical University of Darmstadt, where he also did his PhD in the field of Technical Chemistry. He joined Heraeus in 2009 and worked in various positions focusing on the development, application, sales and marketing of precious metal catalysts. In his current position as Global Technology and Application Manager, Christian is the technical lead in Heraeus Precious Metals’ global sales team for process and emission catalysts. With 20 years of experience in applied catalysis, Christian is an expert in gas purification, gas conversion and exhaust gas aftertreatment. One current focus of his work at Heraeus is on catalytic applications in the emerging hydrogen economy.

Govind Murali

Process Engineer
Toyo Engineering Corporation

Govind Murali has over 8 years of experience at Toyo Engineering Corporation Japan, with specialization in the syngas field. As a Process Engineer, his work spans feasibility studies, licensor BDP development, FEED, commissioning, start-up, and post-handover plant support along with technical sales activities for ammonia and methanol facilities. He has recently focused on green ammonia, low-carbon methanol, and green methanol projects, leading studies and developing process schemes to reduce carbon intensity in methanol plants. With expertise covering the full project lifecycle, from design to operation, he has been contributing to advancing sustainable solutions in the chemical and energy sectors.

Usman Suleiman Ubam

Process Engineer
Indorama Eleme Fertilizer and Chemicals Limited

Ubam, Usman Suleiman is a certified Engineer with COREN (R67526) and have over five (5) years of experience in natural gas–based ammonia production using KBR technology across Nigeria. He currently serves as a Process Engineer at Indorama Eleme Fertilizer and Chemicals Limited, where he leads operations, process optimization, and safety compliance for the ammonia plant.
Ubam, Usman Suleiman holds a B.Eng in Chemical Engineering from Ahmadu Bello University-Zaria, Nigeria. He has received advanced technical training from IFP School (France). His professional focus centers on plant reliability, process efficiency, and sustainable energy operations.

Sannan Aleem

Manager Operations Ammonia Manufacturing
Engro Fertilizers Limited

Sannan Aleem is a Chemical Engineering graduate &  an accomplished process and operations professional with over 10 years of experience in large-scale ammonia and urea manufacturing. He currently leads an Ammonia Manufacturing Unit at Engro Fertilizers, with responsibility for safe, reliable, and energy-efficient operations. A certified Six Sigma Green Belt (ASQ CSSGB), he has strong expertise in process optimization, troubleshooting, and plant commissioning.

Ali Haris

Manager Process Engineering
Engro Fertilizers Limited

Ali Haris is a Lead Process Engineer with over a decade of expertise in ammonia production, plant debottlenecking, and reliability improvements at Engro Fertilizers. Specializing in advanced simulation and major CAPEX execution, he has driven significant energy efficiency gains and is a recognized industry contributor.

Emir Zahirovic

Chief Technology Officer
Catmasters, LLC

Emir Zahirovic is the Chief Technology Officer and co‑founder of Catmasters LLC. Prior to founding Catmasters LLC, he held multiple roles at Haldor Topsoe (Topsoe) in Denmark and the USA, ranging from Catalyst Engineer and reactor internals development to Marketing Project Manager for hydroprocessing reactor internals.Throughout his career, Zahirovic has consulted for many major catalyst handling companies globally and has worked with OLI Systems as a European sales representative and specialist in computer simulation of water‑based chemical reactions.He holds multiple patents and a Master of Science in Chemical Engineering, specialising in computer simulations of chemical reactions, from Aalborg University, Denmark.

Ezekiel Nwafor Okereke

Process Engineer
Indorama Eleme Fertilizer and Chemicals Limited

Okereke Ezekiel Nwafor is a certified Engineer with COREN (R59780) and have over ten years of experience in natural gas–based ammonia production using KBR technology across Nigeria and India. He currently serves as a Process Engineer at Indorama Eleme Fertilizer and Chemicals Limited, where he leads operations, process optimization, and safety compliance for the ammonia plant.
Okereke Ezekiel Nwafor holds an M.Tech. in Chemical Engineering from Rivers State University, Nigeria. He has received advanced technical training from IFP School (France) and KRIBCO (India). His professional focus centers on plant reliability, process efficiency, and sustainable energy operations.

Tetsuo Yamamoto

Lead Process Engineer
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.

Mr. Tetsuo Yamamoto is working in the field of process engineering for 8 years. He obtained his diploma in applied chemistry and the following Master degree at Waseda University. During his career, he gained expertise in a broad field of applications, ranging from specialty chemical and fertilizer plants. In the recent past, he has been responsible for engineering and commissioning work for various fertilizer plant.

Rishika Chatterjee

Senior Solution Specialist
Topsoe A/S

Rishika Chatterjee is a Senior Solution Specialist at Topsoe, specializing in ammonia and methanol synthesis catalysts. She holds an MSc in Chemical Engineering and has over 13 years of experience in the chemical industry, spanning process engineering and catalysis. Rishika works across the full value chain, from collaboration with R&D on catalyst development to support in industrial operation. As a global technical expert, she assists customers in optimizing plant performance and troubleshooting operational issues, providing actionable recommendations that enhance reliability, improve energy efficiency, and support more sustainable production.

Michael Kiesel

Senior Implementation Manager Advanced Automation
Linde GmbH, Linde Engineering

Within Linde Advanced Operations Solutions Michael leads the implementation of AI powered Advanced Automation & Optimization solutions. Michael has more than 25 years of experience with design, commissioning and operations improvement of green, blue, and grey Hydrogen & Ammonia plants, as well as synthesis gas and petrochemical plants.With previous leadership roles in systems engineering, commissioning and advanced process control, driving innovative solutions specifically for Steam Crackers, Steam Methane Reformers, Ammonia plants and Electrolyzers Michael's expertise lies in managing complex interfaces with clients and partners for the implementation of novel cutting-edge process technology, Advanced Automation and Real Time Optimization solutions.

Mark Brouwer

Director
UreaKnowHow.com

Mark graduated in 1989 at the Technical University of Eindhoven at the faculty of Chemical Engineering. Mark further graduated the postgraduate continuing professional education Safety for Engineers in The Netherlands.
After military service he joined DSM where he worked first seven years as a Process Engineer in an ethylene plant during which he was involved in several turnarounds and revamp projects. In 1996 he joined Stamicarbon as Licensing Manager Urea Revamps. Later he became Manager Stamicarbon Services responsible for all Stamicarbon’s activities in existing urea plants, such as After Sales, Plant Inspections, Debottlenecking Projects, Hardware supply projects etc. In these nearly fifteen years he did visit about one hundred urea plants worldwide and was involved in numerous revamp, relocation, debottlenecking and grass root projects.
Since January 1, 2009, Mark Brouwer left Stamicarbon and started up UreaKnowHow.com. UreaKnowHow.com’s mission is to support, facilitate and promote the exchange of technical information in the nitrogen fertilizer industry with the target to improve the Safety and Performance of all nitrogen fertilizer plants worldwide.  

Charlie Stephen

Head of Nitrogen
CRU

Charlie joined CRU’s London office in July 2023 as a Senior Analyst to lead the Fertilizer Cost & Emissions Team. Charlie is a Chartered Chemical Engineer with a decade of experience working in engineering and operations functions within manufacturing plants in the Australian fertilizer industry.

Klemens Wawrzinek

Project Manager BD & Sales
Linde

Dr.-Ing. (PhD) at Institute of Fluid Mechanics, Friedrich-Alexander-University .Erlangen-Nuremberg after graduating as Dipl.-Ing. (MSc) Process Engineering at TU Berlin He now is more than 18 years with Linde, his actual position is Project Manager Business Development & Sales for Hydrogen & Syngas. Prior to this role his tasks as Lead Process Engineer for Hydrogen & Syngas spanned from project development & optimization over project execution to commissioning, start-up, and performance testing including polygeneration plants. Before joining Linde he worked with Enginion AG as R&D Engineer & Team Lead Thermodynamics.

Lisa Connock

Managing Editor, Nitrogen+Syngas Magazine
CRU Group

Florian Knaus

Manager Applied Technology
Umicore AG & Co. KG

Florian Knaus studied Chemistry at the Technical University of Darmstadt and completed his PhD degree in January 2022 with a focus in Technical Chemistry. In the beginning of 2021, he started his position as Applied Technology Manager at Umicore. Since then, he has been responsible for design and all technical questions regarding Umicore's ammonia oxidation catalysts. Additionally, he is in charge for the product development.

Manuel Prohaska

CEO
MPC2 e.U.

Manuel Prohaska holds a master's degree in Materials Science and a PhD in Corrosion Science from University of Leoben (Austria) and has joined the urea industry in 2011, when he started to work at BHDT. After different roles in sales and product development, Manuel became Managing Director in 2018. 1.5 years later he left BHDT and joined Schoeller ­Bleckmann Nitec (SBN). At SBN, he had a double role as Sales & Commercial Managing Director. In June 2022, Manuel founded his own company MPC² ; MPC² is specialized in conventional and advanced corrosion-testing methods and various, specific business consultancy services. 

Igor Makarenko

Chief Sales Officer
Solex Thermal Science

As Chief Sales Officer, Igor Makarenko is responsible for the strategic direction of global sales for Solex Thermal Science, a globally recognized leader in the heating and cooling of granular solids. Igor has extensive end-to-end experience developing turnkey cooling solutions in various fertilizer applications, with the past decade specializing in applications around the world that range from urea granules to potash.

Christian Schulz

New Business Development & Sustainability Manager | Global Chemical Catalysts & Adsorbents
BASF SE

Christian Schulz is New Business Development Manager at BASF, leading the market introduction of BASF’s of advanced reforming catalysts and X3D catalyst technology, an additively manufactured catalyst platform. With a background in chemistry and a Ph.D., he combines strong technical expertise with strategic business acumen. His work focuses on sustainable process technologies and syngas applications, driving customer validation,commercialization, and stakeholder engagement. Christian has over four years of experience in business development at BASF and previously managed international innovation projects. He is passionate about advancing catalytic technologies that enable more efficient and lower emission chemical production.

Mohammed Grerifa

Technical Marketing Manager
BASF

Mohammed Grerifa, currently a Technical Marketing Manager for Gas Treatment at BASF since 2016, possesses an impressive background in process engineering. Mohammed's academic journey began at the University of Science and Technology of Bab Ezzouar, Algeria, where he established a strong foundation in process engineering. Upon graduation, Mohammed embarked on his career as a project engineer, bringing his expertise to an ammonia revamp project. This role allowed him to expand his technical knowledge while honing project management skills, effectively balancing project requirements with timelines and budgets. Subsequently, Mohammed joined Fertial Spa as Principal Process Engineer. Here he mastered process optimization, troubleshooting, and leadership skills, further enhancing his engineering expertise. In his current role at BASF, Mohammed skilfully combines his technical prowess with a knack for marketing. He effectively communicates the advantages of gas treatment solutions to clients, showcasing his unique blend of engineering knowledge and marketing acumen. Mohammed's career path demonstrates his commitment to continuous learning, growth, and excellence in the field of process engineering. His diverse skill set, and experience make him an invaluable asset to the BASF team.

Andrea Zambianco

Low Carbon Solutions Product Development Manager
Saipem S.p.A.

Andrea Zambianco is a Chemical Engineer with 28 years of experience in Fertilizer and Syngas chain Technologies, with increasing responsibilities in the whole phases of the projects from design till start-up and project completion. He is Technical Manager and Project Manager of large-scale Fertilizer Projects and Project Manager for development of innovative solutions in the Carbon Capture and Energy Transition, currently responsible for the development of Low Carbon Solutions Products.

Laurent Prost

Head of HyCO Process Solution Development
Air Liquide Global E&C Solutions Germany GmbH

Laurent Prost is convinced of the key role of innovation in reducing greenhouse gas emissions inindustry. He is currently involved in the development and commercialization of a new ammoniacracking technology within Air Liquide Engineering & Construction.He worked over 20 years in R&D and Engineering in Europe and Japan where he developedinnovative solutions for the production, transportation and distribution of low-carbon hydrogen.Laurent holds a Master’s degree in Applied Mathematics and an MSc in Computer Science fromNational Polytechnic Institute of Grenoble, France. He followed an Executive Program on Innovationand Business Models at HEC, France.

Luca Edoardo Vigano’

Urea Technology Leader
Saipem S.p.A.

Luca enrolled in the faculty of chemical engineering at the Politecnico of Milan.After graduating in 2009 Luca joined Saipem where he started his career as a process engineer for Saipem’s Snamprogetti Urea Technology.Luca had the opportunity to interact with people of great experience both within Saipem and abroad, acquiring knowledge on the urea process itself and gaining experience in the related process, mechanical and site aspects of the job.Now Luca is technology leader for the Snamprogetti Urea Technology.

Alessandro Gullà

Sales Coordinator
A.W.S. Corporation SRL

Alessandro Gullà graduated with Bachelor's degree in Environmental engineering from Politecnico of Milan in 2003. In 2003 Mr Gullà started his career in a small engineering company located in Milan. After this he worked in companies manufacturing wastewater filters and dust filters from 2006 to 2010, before joining to AWS corporation srl. Mr Gullà is currently the Sales & Proposal Manager of wet electrostatic precipitators & mist eliminators in AWS Corporation srl, where he has been working since 2010.

Mohamed Mostafa Shams

Urea maintenance manager
Misr Fertilizers Production Company “MOPCO”

Mohamed Mostafa Shams has been involved with maintenance and maintenance management for 19 years. Earned a bachelor degree in mechanical engineering from Alexandria University, Egypt in 2006  and master of business administration “ MBA” in project management and started maintenance career with Misr fertilizers production company “Mopco” in 2007 as maintenance engineer responsible for construction activities of ammonia urea plant Mopco3.

• 2008-2010 maintenance engineer responsible for maintenance activities in ammonia plan Mopco 3  
• 2010-2016 senior maintenance engineer responsible for maintenance activities in ammonia plan Mopco 3  
• 2016-2019 urea maintenance section head for Mopco1and 2 Started 2020 until now worked as maintenance manager responsible for managing and following up Maintenance activities for Urea plants 1, 2 and 3.

Daniel Blanks

Senior Structural Integrity Engineer and Team Lead
Quest Integrity Group

Daniel Blanks is a Senior Integrity Engineer in the Advanced Engineering group at Quest Integrity, based on the Gold Coast, Australia. He has over twelve years’ experience in carrying out Fitness-for-Service (FFS) assessments across the oil & gas and chemical industries. Daniel’s focus is in utilizing numerical simulations to solve complex integrity problems, particularly those involving cracking in high temperature equipment.

Sayan Dasgupta

Head of Syngas
Air Liquide Global E&C Solutions Germany

Sayan Dasgupta is currently heading the Syngas team inside Syngas and Methanol product line inAir Liquide Global E&C Solutions, stationed in Frankfurt, Germany. Before joining Air Liquide, hewas working with Haldor Topsoe for more than 10 years. Sayan has graduated in ChemicalEngineering and has profound experience in traditional hydrogen, ammonia and methanoltechnologies. To address the momentum of current energy transition, Sayan’s current roleencompasses oxygen based technologies (Autothermal Reforming, Partial Oxidation coupled withCarbon Capture) for generation of low carbon syngas derivatives i.e. low carbon hydrogen andammonia. Besides technology navigation, Sayan also has experience of commissioning hydrogen,HyCO and ammonia plants including state of the art technology features like Gas-POx,Autothermal reforming, gas heated reforming and ammonia synthesis in series. With thecombination of strong technology know-how and commissioning experience, Sayan, with his teamis currently engaged in developing the right technology solutions for the rapid decarbonization ofthe global assets.

Leonardo Falbo

Senior Technology Process Engineer
Nextchem

Mr. Falbo is a Chemical Engineer with a decade of global experience in the chemical industry. As a Senior TechnologyProcess Engineer at Nextchem, part of the Maire Group, he is passionate about Green Technologies andaddressing Energy Transition challenges. With a robust technical background in catalysis and catalytic processes from hisPh.D. and Postdoc research in academia, his expertise spans multiple technologies, including syngas production,decarbonization of new or existing plants, and carbon dioxide reutilization through hydrogenation to produce chemicals andfuels.

Andrea Orsetti

Senior Technology Process Engineer
Nextchem

Andrea Orsetti is a chemical engineer fueled by curiosity and a drive for innovation. With solid experience in EPC companies specializing in refinery and petrochemical sectors, he has transitioned to the green sector to tackle carbon emissions reduction. Passionate about technology, he focuses on carbon capture and green hydrogen, believing in their transformative potential. Actively involved in projects for green ammonia and green methanol, Andrea embraces challenges as opportunities to create sustainable solutions. He focuses on developing new ideas and advancing cleaner energy technologies, aiming to accelerate progress toward environmental responsibility.

Matteo Fumagalli

Urea Technology Manager
Casale SA

Matteo Fumagalli is an Urea Technology Manager at Casale, graduated in Chemical Engineering from Polytechnic University of Milan in 2009.After graduation he worked five years as Process Engineer in a chemical plant. After a brief experience as process engineer in a chemical plant where he got acquainted with field operations of a chemical facility, in 2014 he joined the Urea process department in Casale. During its career as process engineer, he was involved in several projects ranging from conceptual studies till complex revamping projects of which he also supervised the start-up. Since 2022 he devoted himself to the strengthening and development of Casale’s urea know-how assuming the role of Urea Technology Manager, position which he currently holds. After graduation he worked five years as Process Engineer in a chemical plant. Since 2014 he is part of CASALE. His current position is Urea Technology Manager in the Urea & Melamine Process Department.

Christian Berchthold

Global B2B Marketing Manager Syngas
Clariant

Christian Berchthold has a Master of Science in Economics from the University of Hagen, Germany, with the major subjects being marketing and finance. Mr. Berchthold has over 6 years of international experience in the marketing field, such as trade marketing, brand management, public relations and communication, working for companies within the Juvenile industry, and Clariant. For 2.5 years, he has been working at Clariant and is responsible for the Global B2B Marketing Syngas. In his role, he oversees Clariant's Syngas marketing strategy and marketing mix to enhance the customer journey and experience through various channels such as events, public relations, communication material, and trademark management.

Mayank Patel

Industry Strategy Director, Chemicals
Siemens Industry Software Limited

Mayank Patel is a Chemical Engineer with more than 13 years’ experience on advanced process modelling and optimisation, with an emphasis on reaction and adsorption applications, helping companies make the best use of model-based solutionsfor all stages of design and operation. At Siemens, Mayank is developing and executing a strategy to grow Siemens process automation software business in the chemical industry by defining a go-to-market strategy, identifying gaps in offering to contribute to product development roadmaps and providing strategic input and high-level technical account management.

Timothy O’Connell

Marketing Manager
Johnson Matthey

Tim has worked for Johnson Matthey Catalyst Technologies business as Ammonia Market Manager since July 2023. In this role, Tim works across JM’s catalyst technologies business to drive performance and improvements for customers of our chemical catalysts for manufacture of Ammonia.  Tim previously worked in Johnson Matthey’s Clean Air business for 20 years. He worked in a variety of technology and customer-facing roles, including secondments to China and India, and development of new technologies to meet the requirements of our automotive customers as they developed their emissions control solutions to meet increasingly stringent emissions legislation.  Tim has a PhD in Chemistry from the University of Cambridge in the UK.

Lisa Krumpholz

Managing Director
Navigance

Lisa Krumpholz brings over 15 years of experience in catalyst technology, process optimization, and their real-world application in chemical production. She joined Navigance, a Clariant-founded digital solutions provider based in Munich, in 2019. In her role as Managing Director, Lisa works closely with customers and partners to drive digital transformation and unlock value from process data through AI-based services. Combining deep process expertise with practical change-management, she helps plants adopt advanced analytics and intelligent monitoring solutions. Lisa holds a Master’s degree in Chemical and Industrial Engineering from the University of Applied Sciences Münster.

Fabio Enrico Gianfranco Ferrari

Head of Carbon and Emission Reduction
NextChem Tech SpA

Mr Ferrari is a Chemical Engineer with 20 years of global experience in refinery and chemical industry, enthusiastic about Green Technologies to find answers to Energy Transition problems as Head of Carbon and Emission Department in NextChem, part of Maire Group. His expertise covers multiple technologies on syngas production and decarbonization ofnew or existing plants. He has worked for Casale designing Ammonia, Methanol, Nitric Acid and Complex Fertilizers plants. He has a strong technical background in Oil&Gas business from his experience in Foster Wheeler during which he has designed a wide range of process units on proprietary and licensed technologies.

Phil Ingram

Managing Director, Low Carbon Hydrogen
Johnson Matthey

Johnson Matthey produces technologies that reduce carbon emissions in fuel production, power generation and chemical processing. Phil leads the low carbon hydrogen and ammonia business for Johnson Matthey where he leads a team in delivering ‘blue’ hydrogen technology used for sustainable aviation fuel, e-fuels and electrolyser and fuel cell applications, and also using decarbonised ammonia as a fuel vector.  
Phil has spent almost 20 years in a variety of commercial roles largely focused on reducing carbon in hydrogen, ammonia and methanol production. 

Giovanni Manenti

R&D Engineer
ITT CH SA

Giovanni Manenti has spent more than 20 years, in engineering and manufacturing companies, in the design and product development for process heat transfer equipment. He has focused his activity on “hot & heavy” equipment like process gas boilers, transfer-line exchangers, waste heat recovery units, heaters, and syngas prototype equipment. Mr Manenti counts seven international patents on heat transfer technology and has a PhD in chemical engineering at Politecnico di Milano.

Lukas Rothermich

Global Market Segment Manager Chemicals & Petrochemicals
WIKA Alexander Wiegand SE & Co. KG

Lukas Rothermich obtained a B.Eng. in industrial engineering at the University of Mosbach in 2010. From 2010 until 2020 Mr. Rothermich worked as area sales manager for WIKA Alexander Wiegand SE&Co. KG. Being mainly responsible for supporting chemical- and petrochemical plant operators planning state of the art instrumentation solution upgrades during turnarounds and revamps in multiple units including H2/syngas production and related ammonia plants.  His broad experience is in Temperature, Pressure, Level, Flow and IIOT measurement solutions. Furthermore he assisted EPC accounts in instrumenting gas carrier ships and setting up hydrocarbon storage terminals. Since 2020 as Global Market Segment Manager Chemicals & Petrochemicals he is responsible to develop jointly with more than 12000 ambitioned WIKA colleagues smart sensing solutions for the dedicated stakeholders with high focus on Decarbonisation and Digitalisation.

Benjamin Mutz

Segment Lead Carbon Management & Renewables
hte GmbH

Benjamin studied chemistry and earned his PhD at KIT with a focus on CO₂ hydrogenation. He joined hte GmbH in 2018 as Project Manager in petrochemistry and later advanced to the Intermediates, Chemicals & Specialties segment. Currently, Benjamin is Segment Lead for Chemicals & Carbon Management at hte GmbH, where he leads a growing team of project managers and oversees high-throughput catalyst and process R&D projects for industrial clients—focusing on CO₂ conversion, syngas, hydrogen, bio-based feedstocks, and petrochemical applications.

Aleksandra Gavrilovic-Wohlmuther

Head of Research & Development
Christof Group SBN

Dr. Aleksandra Gavrilovic-Wohlmuther is currently serving as the Head of the R&D department at Christof Group SBN. After studying physics at the University of Novi Sad, she obtained her PhD in physical chemistry at the University of Vienna, investigating physical and chemical aspects in the development of novel metallic materials. 
Her scientific expertise in the fields of materials science and electrochemistry is reflected in numerous scientific publications and books. Since 2020, Dr. Aleksandra Gavrilovic-Wohlmuther has been committed to improving technologies and processes in the fertiliser industry by introducing innovations into the operation and monitoring of production processes, benefiting a wide range of stakeholders along the supply chain.

Lino Porro

Technology Manager Urea
Yara Belgium

Lino Giovanni Porro is Technology Manager for Urea at Yara, with over 32 years of experience in Urea Technology. He supports projects in the design phase and assists production plants with troubleshooting, debottlenecking, and performance improvements. Prior to Yara, he worked as a Process Engineer at Saipem and Tecnimont, and as Process Manager at Casale. He has contributed to the design, commissioning, and operation of both new and revamped urea plants, and holds several patent applications for innovations in the field. Lino earned his Master’s degree in Chemical Engineering from Politecnico di Milano in 1994.

Waqas Shehryar

Senior Process Engineer
SIPCHEM

Waqas Shehryar is a seasoned Process Engineer with over 15 years of experience in Syngas technologies, Petrochemicals and Projects. He has led multiple initiatives, process studies, and projects including process optimization, sustainability / decarbonization, energy efficiency across Methanol, Hydrogen & Ammonia While delivering successful Revamps and innovations. Waqas holds degree in Chemical Engineering with multiple international presentation and collaboration with leading licensors, producers and EPC firms. His expertise span in Process Engineering, Troubleshooting, Simulation & Performance monitoring, Process Safety, driving impactful engineering solutions.

Mark McKenna

Process Technology Manager
Johnson Matthey

Mark McKenna is a Senior Principal Process Engineer with over 30 years of technical and commercial experience in chemical, petrochemical and gas/syngas industries. He holds a Masters degree with distinction in Chemical Engineering from Queen’s University Belfast. His career to date covers work in research and development, front-end process design and process safety through to extensive experience in commissioning, plant operations and troubleshooting, and his current role with Johnson Matthey is as Syngas Technical Authority.

Marlen Weiß

Senior Process Engineer
thyssenkrupp Uhde GmbH

Marlen began her career as process engineer in the Research & Development department at Lurgi GmbH, where she worked on catalysts used in the methanol synthesis. In 2011, she joined Uhde GmbH as a Process Engineer for Ammonia, later becoming Lead Engineer in 2018, where she led global project teams and developed technical standards. She holds a degree as Diplom-Engineer (Master) in Process Engineering from the Technical University of Dresden.

Raimon Perea Marin

Technology Manager
KBR

Raimon has +15 years’ experience in the syngas and refining technology area, where he has developed several roles, from engineering to technical sales in ammonia, methanol, and hydrogen. Raimon has also provided professional services to the engineering and management consultancy industry in the Power-to-X area. In KBR Raimon holds a Technology Manager position in green Ammonia & Methanol, helping KBR’s clients defining plant configuration and activities required to close FID. Besides, Raimon leads commercialization and development activities for KBR’s green ammonia and methanol technologies.

Daniel Barnett

Vice President of Engineering
BD Energy Systems, LLC

Dan Barnett has more than 44 years experience in the execution of high-temperature furnace related work, focusing on steam-methane reformer furnaces for Hydrogen, Methanol, GTL, and Ammonia plants and steam cracking furnaces for Olefins plants. His experience includes both new construction and revamp upgrades of existing units and encompasses Group Management, Project Management, Project Execution, plant Operations and Start-up Advisory, and Technology Development. Dan is named in eight Patents related to high-temperature furnaces.

Ali Haider

Senior Process Engineer
Engro Fertilizers Limited

Ali Haider is a Senior Process Engineer with over 7 years of experience in fertilizer industry across Pakistan. Currently, he is working at Engro Fertilizers Limited for 2+ years with experience in Ammonia plant performance monitoring, troubleshooting, optimization and revamp studies. Previously, he worked for five years as Process Engineer at Corporate Technical Services department of Fatima Fertilizer Company in Pakistan looking after three fertilizer manufacturing facilities.

Rene Eckert

Lead Scientist
Clariant

Dr. Rene Eckert is currently the lead scientist at Clariant´s R&D facility in Heufeld, Germany. He specializes in chemistry and catalysis and leads research and development projects focused on ammonia synthesis and ammonia cracking while managing both a laboratory team and technical equipment. Dr. Eckert earned his PhD in Chemistry with magna cum laude honors in 2017 from Max-Planck-Institut für Kohlenforschung/Ruhr-Universität Bochum, where he researched Mechanocatalytic CO-PROX under Professor F. Schüth. His educational background also includes a Dipl. Ing. in Chemistry from Technische Universität Darmstadt (2012), with research focusing on Hydrogenolysis of Furfuryl Alcohol to 1,2-Pentanediol.

Shinya Fukuzawa

Deputy Manager
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Engineering, Ltd

Shinya Fukuzawa is working in the field of process engineering for 11 years. He obtained his diploma in applied chemistry and the following Master’s degree at the University of Tokyo. During his career, he gained expertise in a broad field of applications, ranging from CO2 recovery plant, Air quality control system(AQCS), specialty chemical and fertilizer plants. In the recent past, he has been responsible for engineering and commissioning work for various fertilizer plant.

Giovanni Genova

H2 & Syngas Technology Leader
CASALE

Giovanni Genova is Sustainable Technology Leader at CASALE, where he develops Green and Blue technology applications for ammonia, methanol and hydrogen. He graduated in chemical engineering from Milan Polytechnic in 2011 and joined CASALE that year as a Technology Engineer. Progressing through roles in the Syngas Process Department and later as Senior Process Engineer, he contributed to new-plant design, revamping for energy savings and CO2 capture projects for fertilizer and ammonia plants. In 2021 he was appointed Sustainable Technology Leader, focusing on low‑carbon solutions across ammonia, methanol and hydrogen projects.

Jan-Jaap Riegman

Product Development Manager
Technip Energies

Jan-Jaap holds Master’s degree in Chemical Engineering (2011) from Eindhoven University of Technology in the Netherlands.

After close to ten years of experience in process engineering throughout all stages of the project, for the past 5 years he focusses on development for T.EN’s hydrogen and syngas technologies. This both new technologies as well as improvements of the existing process through to the commercialization. Recently he is involved in the development and commercialization of HyNext by T.EN, Technip energies ammonia cracking technology. 

Filippo Colucci

Sales Director Syngas
Christof Group SBN

Filippo Colucci obtained a Master’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Engineering in Genoa, Italy, in 2000. His professional experience and expertise have been developed through a progressive career path, beginning in sales of welding equipment and subsequently consolidating within the energy sector, particularly in power generation and oil & gas, where he served as Country Manager based in India.In the fertilizer sector, he further strengthened his expertise by holding key roles such as Senior Sales Manager, Product Manager, and Sales Director within both licensor and equipment manufacturing organizations. In 2018, he joined Christof Group as Sales Director at Schoeller-Bleckmann Nitec (SBN). He later assumed responsibility for defining and leading the global fertilizer sales and marketing strategy for Christof Group, providing high-level direction to worldwide commercial activities.

Raquel Rodriguez

Research Scientist
Tubacex Innovacion, A.I.E.

Raquel Rodríguez, PhD in Material Science, is a Research Scientist in TUBACEX GROUP since 2011. Her expertise lies on the metallurgy of stainless steels and nickel-based alloys, as well as corrosion mechanisms. She is involved in the development of new materials and technologies for different applications (oil&gas, power generation, fertilizer and hydrocarbon processing industries), with also a strong focus on new developments for energy transition.  Before joining TUBACEX, she was a researcher in CEIT-BRTA.

Marco Van Graefschepe

Technical Process Owner Ammonia
Yara International ASA

Marco got his master’s degree in 1995 from the Technical University Eindhoven, Chemical engineering faculty. Joined Yara Sluiskil (NL) during the Revamp project of Ammonia C in 1996 and was as a process engineer later involved in plant follow-up, projects and turnarounds within Ammonia C/D/E. In 2005 he joined the Yara Ferrara (IT) Revamp project, responsible for the ESD/DCS upgrade part and participating in plant recommissioning. In 2006 he came back to Yara Sluiskil, within the Nitric acid & powerplants dpt. taking care of daily plants operation and involved in turnarounds + larger projects. In 2009 he moved with his family to Qatar, joining the QAFCO 5/6 expansion project as Head of Ammonia 5 and as such directly involved in construction, commissioning and operating the new 2300 mtpd ammonia plant. Later became Head of A5 & A6, then Head of Urea 3 & 4 and in 2020 he returned to Yara, at the Le Havre (FR) site as global expert NH3/Urea. One year later he became Technical Process Owner (TPO) Urea in 2021 and in 2022 he assumed his current role as TPO Ammonia, following up on all ammonia plants within Yara, supporting in case of plant issues, turnarounds, connecting sites, sharing best practices and facilitating the “NH3 community of practice” within Yara. Since 2025 back in Netherlands.