Angie Joe, vice president at Argus Media, leads the butadiene and crude C4 service. Her responsibilities include the price outlooks as well as supply/demand/trade balances. Angie’s expertise of almost two decades spans the entire value chain — from market analysis and forecasting to corporate development and project execution. Her previous roles include power provider and generator Entergy and Fusion Brokerage.
Mr. Hyde is a member of Chemical Market Analytics by OPIS a Dow Jones Company where he leads a group focused on analyzing markets related to C4 Olefins, synthetic and natural rubber, and tire raw materials. He has been consulting in this market since 2002. Hyde began his career with the Union Carbide Corporation in 1990 where he had various positions including production engineering, optimization, planning, and logistics. In 2000, he joined Texas Petrochemicals as a Business Analyst. In 2002, Hyde joined CMAI in the Olefins Consulting Practice with an emphasis on C4 Olefins and rubber, assuming responsibility for that practice in 2006. CMAI was sold to IHS in 2011 and later became IHS Markit. The Base Chemicals Group of IHS Markit, which includes the C4 Olefins and Elastomers Practice, was divested to News Corp in June 2022 and became Chemical Market Analytics by OPIS a Down Jones Company. He has published a number of papers on the Olefins and Elastomers industries as well as presented at numerous Olefins and Elastomers Conferences around the world. Hyde has B.S. and M.S. Degrees in Chemical Engineering from Brigham Young University and an M.B.A. from Tulane University.
Dave Witte is a senior executive and strategist with nearly 40 years of leadership across the global energy, chemicals, analytics, and industrial biotechnology sectors. As Co-Founder and CEO of BioVerde Tech LLC, he leads the company’s efforts for commercialization of methane-to-chemicals technology and has secured major federal awards and key technology transfers. Dave previously founded Witte Consulting, advising EPC firms, private equity investors, and analytics companies on growth strategy and energy-transition opportunities. His earlier career includes CEO of MBP Titan and a decade of executive leadership at IHS Markit overseeing a multi-billion-dollar portfolio. He is recognized for strategic insight, operational excellence, technological knowledge and unlocking commercial value in complex global markets.
Dr. Anil K. Bhowmick is a globally recognized authority in polymer science and engineering, with pioneering contributions to rubber technology, polymer nanocomposites, sustainable materials, and smart polymers. Educated at St. Xavier’s College, Kolkata and IIT Kharagpur, he advanced his research at the University of Akron before returning to IIT Kharagpur, where he rose to Professor of Eminence and held key leadership roles, including Director of IIT Patna. Since 2019, he has been with the University of Houston’s Cullen College of Engineering. At the Cullen College of Engineering, Dr. Bhowmick’s research interests include polymer nanocomposites and nanomaterials, thermoplastic elastomers and polymer blends, molecular dynamic simulation of polymers, new and novel sustainable polymers from renewable sources, polymer modi cation, rubber technology, failure and degradation of rubbers, adhesion and adhesives, waste rubber recycling, sustainable polymers from renewable sources, and self-healing and smart polymers. Dr. Bhowmick is the first Asian recipient of the ACS Rubber Division’s George Stafford Whitby Award and Chemistry of Thermoplastic Elastomers Award and has earned numerous honors including the Fred E. Schwab International Education Award (2019) and the Syed Husain Zaheer Medal (2020). He is a Fellow of the Indian National Academy of Engineering, Indian National Science Academy, and several other prestigious institutions.
Dr. Soumya Vinod is the Executive Director of the Rice Advanced Materials Institute (RAMI), where she plays a pivotal role in shaping the institute’s vision and impact. In this role, she drives program development, spearheads innovative initiatives, and builds strong partnerships across academia, government, and industry. She has a wealth of experience in idea generation, team leadership, and research management across diverse technology readiness levels in both industrial and academic settings., Soumya brings a unique perspective from both industrial and academic environments. Previously, she served as Director of Research and New Products at Clarkson Aerospace Corp, managing a multi-year collaborative program involving over 20 universities and sponsored by the U.S. Air Force. Earlier in her career, she worked as a Materials Scientist at Baker Hughes, developing advanced materials and technologies for downhole applications. Soumya earned her Ph.D. in Materials Science and NanoEngineering from Rice University and an M.S. in Electrical Engineering from the University of Hawaii at Manoa. Her academic excellence was recognized with the prestigious Nettie S. Autrey Fellowship, and she has authored several impactful publications contributing to the scientific community.
John Sherwin is a Smithers Information Project Director located in North America. John has over thirty years of experience delivering market research in a variety of settings. Before joining Smithers in 2024 he spent six years with Ernst & Young’s Center for Business Knowledge, and 19 years at the Freedonia Group as a manager and a director of their Custom Research group. He has experience in market forecasting, consumer research, value-chain, and competitor analysis. John has worked on a broad range of industries with a focus on packaging, chemicals, construction materials and other industrial markets. In his current role, John helps clients gather a deep understanding of their business goals. This is accomplished by developing in-depth research programs to provide visibility into markets and niches, gather insights, and provide an unbiased view of the key market challenges. These efforts allow our clients to evaluate their strategic plans and make decisions based upon credible data and analysis, supported by robust research conclusions and recommendations. John holds a bachelor’s degree from Ohio University and an MBA from Cleveland State University.
Michael Weidokal is one of the world's most sought-after speakers and is renowned for his ability to clarify even the most complex economic, geopolitical and strategic issues. For over 25 years, Michael has been speaking and writing on issues ranging from the outlook for the global economy to how organizations can succeed in a rapidly changing world. Michael is also the founder and president of ISA (International Strategic Analysis), one of the world's leading economic and geopolitical advisory firms. The World's Leading Economic and Geopolitical Speaker Over 500 live speeches in more than 35 countries - Over 400 online speeches