Digital Disruption - Reshaping the Chemical Industry Landscape
Session Summary: Delve into the transformative landscape of the chemical industry in our panel discussion, "Digital Disruption: Reshaping the Chemical Industry Landscape." As digital technologies modernize traditional operations, supply chains, and product development, it's imperative to understand both the associated challenges and opportunities.
Discussion Points:
Adapting Operations and Supply Chains: Discover strategies for optimizing production processes, reshaping supply chain management, and enhancing safety and sustainability practices through digital technologies.
Data-driven Decision Making: Learn how digital tools are empowering informed decision-making, driving innovation, and improving operational efficiency.
Overcoming Challenges: Gain insights into overcoming barriers to digital adoption, including workforce training, and infrastructure upgrades.
Stakeholder Engagement and Market Expansion: Explore how digitalization is enabling closer stakeholder relationships, personalized experiences, and fostering expansion into new markets.
Through engaging discussions and real-world examples, our panelists will offer valuable insights and actionable strategies for navigating the digital disruption reshaping the chemical industry. Join us to stay ahead in this rapidly evolving landscape.
This Session is Sponsored By:
Harcros
Speakers
Lauren Scott
Moderator
With a strong background in STEM, Lauren seeks to incorporate value engineering and risk-based process improvements into chemical operations. She has earned a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from the University of Tulsa, a master’s degree in civil engineering from the University of Kansas and is a licensed environmental engineer. When she isn’t traveling the country visiting Harcros sites in her role as their Director of Operations, she spends her time weightlifting, taking long walks with her corgi, and finalizing her wedding arrangements for December of this year.
Mara Jorgensen
Mara Jorgensen is a distinguished technical leader, serving customers in the chemical manufacturing, agriculture, and trading industries. As an experienced technology innovator, she possesses a unique blend of robust software background and profound industry knowledge. Mara is highly customer-focused and enjoys problem-solving around pressing challenges. She is particularly passionate around devising solutions tailored to the chemical and agriculture industry. Mara wants each customer to operate more efficiently to improve their bottom line.
Mara has launched multiple successful software products in the ag/chemical space, including Kontango. She currently serves as a senior leader of Kontango, a startup revolutionizing the way chemical traders utilize market intelligence.
Outside of her professional endeavors, Mara enjoys spending time with her husband and two children on their corn and soybeans farm in northwest Iowa.
Natalie Wittick
Natalie Wittick is a Digital Industrial Analyst for the Solvay Group, where she strives to combine emerging digital technology with her engineering background to improve chemical manufacturing sites' operations. She earned her chemical engineering degree from the University of Maryland before branching out to begin her career in software solutions. The skills in both engineering and cloud-based applications allowed her to pursue her passion in problem-solving and optimization at Solvay. As the U.S. representative for multiple performance management and digital projects, she leads chemical manufacturing facilities in rolling out new applications to digitize operations and manage their process data. After work, you can find Natalie running with her dog, working on her garden, and attending concerts around Houston.
Pallavi Kulkarni
Pallavi Kulkarni is the North American Business Logistics Leader for the Packaging and Specialty Plastics franchise at Dow Inc. She oversees a logistics network and private rail car fleet with a modal focus on rail transportation. Moreover, she plays a pivotal role in accelerating geographical expansion strategies by leading P&SP’s supply chain design for the Path 2 Zero program and Circular and Renewable Solutions business.
Pallavi's work is not just about leading logistics. It's about designing and running the most resilient, efficient, and customer-centric supply chain network. This is a crucial part of Dow's mission to be the world's most innovative, customer-centric, inclusive, and sustainable materials science company, and Pallavi plays a pivotal role in making this mission a reality.