ICIS Chemical Business Dec 18, 2006-Jan 7, 2007

2006/12/15 PRNewswire

Who has most shaped and influenced the chemical industry worldwide?
At the risk of provoking huge debate ICIS publications ( http://www.icis.com/Publications/Publications.aspx ), part of ICIS ( http://www.icis.com ), the world's leading chemical information provider, have hand-picked 40 power players in and around the industry, and ranked them in terms of their influence on this multi-billion dollar industry. ICIS publications have included top politicians and environmentalists among global chemical industry leaders, and placed George Bush at number eight because his Middle East policies - especially on Iran - have largely been behind the sustained high oil prices that afflicted the chemicals industry this year and last.
"Bush's stance against global warming also leads us to place him as influential in the environmental arena, albeit negatively," state the London-based ICIS Chemical Business ( http://www.qssa.co.uk/reed/subcentre/default.asp?title=ecn ) and its New York-based sister, ICIS Chemical Business Americas ( http://www.qssa.co.uk/reed/default.asp?pubid=98 ).
Conversely, they celebrate governor of California, Arnold Schwarzenegger for leading the change in the US to cap greenhouse emissions and to promote the use of alternative energy. Weighing in at number 22 on the Top 40 ranking, he just tops 89-year-old entrepreneur Wang Yung-Ching, founder of the giant Formosa Plastics group, one of the world's biggest plastic makers. Former US vice president Al Gore gets 27th place for bringing "dramatic impact on the visibility " of climate change, beating a former investigative journalist Ma Jun who has emerged as one of China's most powerful environmentalists. Hu Jintao, president of the People's Republic of China and general secretary of the communist party of China takes 17th place for rapid growth markets for chemicals.

But who heads the top 10? 　Leading the list at number one is Jim Ratcliffe, group chairman of INEOS. He is considered by ICIS publications the world's most influential person in chemicals this year after his mega-acquisition of BP's Innovene petrochemicals business for US$9bn at the end of 2005. Ratcliffe, say ICIS publications, now controls one of the world's top five chemical players with sales of around $33bn. "Ratcliffe has been lauded for his innovative financing and his philosophy of rewarding employees with significant stakes in the company." Mohamed Al-Mady, vice chairman and CEO of SABIC follows, narrowly beating Wang Tianpu, 43-year-old president of Chinese giant Sinopec. Italian socialist MEP Guido Sacconi comes fourth for influencing European Commission policy on hazardous chemicals.

Penny Wilson, global editorial director of ICIS publications/broadcast (　http://www.icis.com/TV/TV.aspx?id=1114886), said the Top 40 were picked and ranked by an 85-plus journalist team worldwide. "The criteria for inclusion were straightforward. We list people who have made a significant impact on a company, policy, regulation or the way in which the chemical industry performs, at least this year. Hence politicians and environmentalists became highly significant," she said. Wilson added the Top 40 Power Players would be published annually.

Top 40 for 2006

1) Jim Ratcliffe, Group Chairman, INEOS
2) Mohamed Al-Mady Vice Chaiman & CEO, SABIC
3) Wang Tianpu, President, SINOPEC
4) Guido Sacconi, Member of the European Parliament (REACH 作成の最高責任者）
5) Peter Huntsman, President & CEO, Huntsman
6) Andrew Liveris, Chaiman & CEO, Dow Chemical
7) George W Bush, President of the US
9) Mukesh Ambani, Chaiman & Managing Director, Reliance Industries
10) Gunter Verheugen, VP of the EU (in charge of Indsutry and Enterprise)
11) Hugo Chavez, President of Venezuela
12) Charles Holliday, Chairman & CEO, DuPont
13) Hamad Al-Terkait, President & CEO, Equate Petrochemical
14) Bo Xilai, China's Minister for Commerce /Peter Mandelson, European Commissioner for Trade
(trade dispute of textile )
15) Stephanie Burns, Chaiman, President & CEO, Dow Chemical
16) Peter Elverding, Chairman of DSM (President of CEFIC)
17) Hu Jintao, President of China
18) Chinh Chu, Senior Managing Director, Blackstone
19) Jose Carlos Grubisich, CEO, Braskem
20) Hiromasa Yonekura, President, Sumitomo Chemical
21) Axel Claus Heitmann, Chairman, Lanxess
22) Arnold Schwarzenegger, Governor of California
23) Wang Yung-Ching, Founder, Formosa Plastics Group
24) Nance Dicciani, President & CEO, Honeywell Specialty Materials
25) Wolfgang Reitzle, Chaiman, The Linde Group
26) Jack Gerard, President, American Chemistry Council
27) Al Gore, former Vice President, USA
28) Prasert Bunsumpun, Chairman, PTT Group
29) Bob Slaughter, President, National Petrochemical & Refiners Association
30) Ryuichi Tomizawa, President & CEO, Mitsubishi Chemical
31) Joseph Acker, President, Synthetic Organic Chemical Manufacturers Association
32) Shyam/Hari Bhartia, Chairman/Co-Chaiman, Jubilant Organosys (India)
33) Michael Chertoff, US Secretary of the Dept. of Homeland Security
　　　(chemical-plant site security)
34) Hamad Rashid Al-Mohannadi, Vice Chaiman & GM, Qatar Petrochemical
35) Len Blavatnik, Founder, Access Industries (acquision of Basell)
36) Judith Hackitt, Implementation Director, CEFIC's chemistry for Europe project
37) Ma Jun, Chinese environmentalist
38) Jose Ricardo Roriz Coelho, Suzano Petroquimica
39) G J (Hans) Wijers, CEO, Akzo Nobel
40) Bahn-Suk Kim, President & CEO, LG Chem
41) Richard Branson, Founder, Chairman & CEO, The Virgin Group
42) Gholamhossein Nejabat, Managing Director, National Petrochemical Co., Iran
43) Patricia Woertz, President & CEO, Archer Daniels Midland
44) Craig Morrison, Chairman, President & CEO, Hexion Specialty Chemicals
45) Stacy Methvin, President & CEO, Shell Chemical LP