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HomeEventsTitle: "Chemicals from Renewable Materials: Exciting Opportunities”

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Title: "Chemicals from Renewable Materials: Exciting Opportunities”

Speakers:

Carols Cabrera    Bob Wedinger
 Carlos A. Cabrera,
 Executive Chairman
Genomatica
    Robert S. Wedinger
President and CEO
Rennovia

In the past 10 years, significant advances have been made in the development of fuels, chemicals and materials from renewable feedstocks. These for example, have included biodiesel from plant oils and algae, bioethanol and butanol from sugars and lignocellulose, plastics, and foams and thermosets from lignin and plant oils. These developments are important for two reasons. First, we are gradually depleting the oil and natural gas under the earth and it will be important to develop alternative raw material sources. Second, moving to the production of chemicals and materials from renewable materials has a positive effect on the environment. Third, nature produces about 170 billion tons of plant biomass annually, of which we currently use about 3.5 % for human needs. It is estimated that about 40 billion tons of biomass, or about 25 % of the annual production, would be required to completely generate a bio-based economy.

The speakers on this panel are both experts in the field and are the Chairman and the CEO, respectively, of two of the leading companies in the chemicals from renewable materials field. Each will give a brief presentation, followed by a fireside chat that will be led bv Peter  Young, President of Societe and Young & Partners.

About our Speakers:

Carlos A. Cabrera is the Executive Chairman of Genomatica, a leading biotechnology firm based in San Diego that develops and licenses bio-based manufacturing processes for the production of intermediate and basic chemicals.

Mr. Cabrera is a Distinguished Associate to the World Energy Consultancy FACTS and serves on the Board of Directors of the Gas Technology Institute. His fields of expertise include Energy, Chemicals, Strategy, Leadership, General Management and New Technology Development and Commercialization.

He was previously the Executive Chairman of Ivanhoe Energy, the founding President and CEO of the National Institute of Low Carbon and Clean Energy (NICE) based in Beijing, China, and President/CEO and then Chairman of UOP.

Granted nine patents by the U.S. Patent Office, Mr. Cabrera was inducted to the University of Kentucky Engineering Hall Of Distinction and honored with the Honeywell Corporation 2008 Senior Leadership Award, among several other distinctions. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Kentucky and a Master’s degree in Business Administration from the University of Chicago.

Bob Wedinger is CEO of Rennovia Inc., a specialty chemical company that focuses on the development of processes for the production of chemicals from renewable feedstocks. The company develops catalysts and processes for the production of chemical products from renewable feedstocks, such as biobased glucaric acid, biobased adipic acid, biobased hexamethylenediamine, and other building blocks for a range of functional materials, as well as biobased 1,6-hexanediol.

Bob has over 30 years of experience in the specialty-chemicals industry. After a post-doctoral research appointment at Harvard University, Bob joined FMC Corporation as a Discovery Chemist in the Agricultural Chemicals Group. He held a number of positions of increasing responsibility in the Specialty Chemicals Group of FMC before moving to Honeywell International (Allied Signal). At Honeywell, Bob rose from Director of Research to Vice President and General Manager of the Pharmaceutical Fine Chemicals business. Bob then served as Vice President and General Manager of the Consumer Products and the Performance Materials businesses at JM Huber. Bob was the Chief Business Officer and Group President, Performance Materials, at Chemtura Corporation, a $3.7 billion specialty-chemicals company. Bob earned a Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry from the State University of New York at Stony Brook.
When:
Wednesday, October 18, 2017, 11:30 AM until 2:00 PM
Where:
The Yale Club
Directions
 50 Vanderbilt Ave
New York, NY  10017

(212) 716-2100
Additional Info:
Event Contact(s):
Danielle J Fraser
203-763-9255 (p)
Category:
Monthly Luncheon
Registration is required
Payment In Full In Advance Only
$85.00
$60.00
$85.00