In this podcast, Hwee Hwee Tan, Ann Sun and Jady Ma will talk about the volatility of Asia acetic acid market and key drivers.

They also explored the cost difference and fundamental divergence between China and the rest of Asia.

Years of tough market conditions in the global chemical sector are changing recruitment practices with companies now taking fewer new hires and with a much clearer view of return on investment.

- Recruitment practices have sharpened as market conditions have become tougher

- Less roles on the market, but now greater clarity on return on investment (ROI)

- Better for companies and recruits to have more specifics on roles

- A lot of commercial roles still available

- Operational roles in Europe may be for efficiency projects/turnarounds/closing sites

- Asia operational roles focus on new plants or expansions

- A lot of M&A, business transformation roles

- Most successful hires are comfortable with ambiguity, flexible on geography

- Just say “Yes!” to new roles within your own company or externally to gain experience

In this ICIS Think Tank podcast, Will Beacham interviews Natasha Klymczuk,
managing director and founder of Kelham Partners.

Europe’s oxo‑alcohols and derivatives supply is assessed as ranging from balanced to tight in May. Upstream volatility, ongoing Middle East tensions and cautious market sentiment continue to shape market dynamics.

Spot price trends across the oxo‑alcohols chain are assessed as stable to softer in May compared with April, as weaker buying interest and cautious purchasing behaviour offset the impact of restricted supply and upstream volatility

Oxo-alcohols and butyl acetate reporter, Marion Boakye, joins acrylate esters editor, Mathew Jolin-Beech, and glycol ethers editor, Cameron Birch, to discuss current conditions along the oxo-alcohols value chain.