The Gulf Petrochemicals and Chemicals Association (GPCA), the voice of the chemical industry in the Arabian Gulf, announced today that H.E. Eng. Abdulaziz Al-Zamil (1942-2019), former Minister of Industry and Electricity, Saudi Arabia, will be recognized and awarded posthumously with the GPCA Legacy Award Al-Rowad ().

During the 14th Annual GPCA Forum on 4 December 2019 at the Madinat Jumeirah, Dubai Mr. Al-Zamil, who passed away in October this year, will be honored at a special award ceremony and bestowed with a trophy of recognition for his lifetime achievements and remarkable contributions for the development and growth of chemical and petrochemical industry in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and also in the wider GCC region

As one of the most prominent pioneers in the global and regional chemical industry, Mr. Al-Zamil was best known for becoming the first CEO and Vice Chairman of SABIC (1976-1983), the fourth largest chemical company in the world, and later on as Chairman of SABIC and Minister of Industry and Electricity of Saudi Arabia (1983-1995), for encouraging the development of the private industrial sector and working to expand and improve access to electricity throughout the Kingdom.

Mr. Al-Zamil served as Chairman of Al Zamil Group, Sahara International Petrochemical Company (SIPCHEM) and Al-Anma Bank, and was the recipient of numerous industry awards including the King Abdul Aziz Medal, 1984 and The Richard J. Bolte Sr. awarded for Supporting Industries, in 2015 by the Science History Institute (formerly Chemical Heritage Foundation). He obtained a Bachelors degree in Industrial Engineering and a Master's degree from the University of Southern California.

Dr. Abdulwahab Al-Sadoun, Secretary General, GPCA, commented, H.E. Abdulaziz Al-Zamil had rendered remarkable contributions for the advancement and creation of the chemical and petrochemical sector in the region, erected industry from the bases till laying the foundations for internationally viable and competitive national chemical enterprise. Demise of Mr. Al Zamil a true visionary and a leading pioneer resulted in deep saddened in chemical community in the region and global level. The 14th Annual GPCA Forum in Dubai is a dedicated award ceremony for paying tribute to his life and achievements.

I would like to extend my deep gratitude for the Legacy Award Committee which comprised of senior industry leaders from the regional and global chemical industry for their contribution and outstanding work for selecting award recipient of this year.

The GPCA Legacy Award Al-Rowad () and GPCA Legacy Initiative was launched in 2017 for recognizing the pioneers in chemical industry in the Arabian Gulf region. The Award honors individuals on biennial basis for their extraordinary contributions to strengthen and foster the chemical industry in one or more of the GCC states.

Dr. Ghazi Al-Gosaibi (1940 2010) Saudi Arabias Minister of Industry and Electricity (1976-1983) and first Chairman of Saudi Basic Industries Corporation (SABIC); Yousuf Al-Shirawi (1927 2004), Minister of Development and Industry, Bahrain; and Abdulbaqi Al-Nouri (1929 2010), former Chairman and Managing Director of Petrochemical Industries Company (PIC), Kuwait were the earlier recipients of the GPCA Legacy Award.

The 14th Annual GPCA Forum will take place on 3-5 December 2019 at Madinat Jumeirah, Dubai under the theme Winning through Strategic Partnerships.

To find out more about the GPCA Legacy Award, visit www.gpcalegacy.com