FULLY BOOKED

12 June 2025 | 10:00 am – 16:30 pm | Wilton Centre, Teesside

Join Pioneer Group and Innovate UK Business Connect, for this exciting event focused on defossilising the UK chemicals industry, which will see the launch of the new Innovate UK Business Connect ‘Sustainable Chemicals Innovation Network’.

Registration is free, spaces are limited – secure your place today!

Why attend?

Bringing together leaders from industry, government, academia and the investment community to explore how we can accelerate the transition toward a more sustainable, circular and globally competitive chemicals sector.

Through keynote presentations, expert panels, and interactive workshops, you will:

• Gain insights into the UK’s pathway to a sustainable chemicals future
• Discover new opportunities for collaboration
• Connect with innovators, entrepreneurs, and decision-makers
• Explore technologies and strategies that enable the shift from fossil to sustainable carbon sources

Why This Matters

The UK chemicals industry stakeholder ambition for 2050 is to double economic output and source 80% of its carbon requirements from non-virgin fossil, sustainable carbon sources. This urgent once-in-a-generation opportunity will create hundreds of thousands of highly skilled, well-paid and productive jobs in regions of the UK most targeted for growth.

Whether you’re a researcher, policymaker, business leader, or investor, this event offers a unique platform to shape the future of one of the UK’s most vital industrial sectors.

Agenda

10:00 AM – 10:30 AM | Welcome Refreshments & Networking

10:30AM -10:35 AM | Welcome and Objectives

Dr Jen Vanderhoven

10:35 AM – 10:45 AM |Launch of the Innovate UK Business Connect ‘Sustainable Chemicals Innovation Network’

Dr Peter Clark, Innovate UK Business Connect

10:45 AM – 11:00 AM | Keynote: ‘Teesside 2035: Reimagining Carbon and Defossilising the UK Chemicals Industry’

Graeme Cruikshank, CPI

11:00 AM – 11:45 AM | Sustainable Chemicals in Demand

Quick presentations from a range of speakers on the demand and opportunity for Sustainable Chemicals.

• Fraser Brown, Head of Chemistry, Ingenza
• Richard Daley, Mura Technology
• Martin Atkins and Sarah Thompson, Green Lizard Technologies

11:45 AM – 12:15 PM | Panel Discussion: Creating UK Supply Chains to Reinvigorate a UK Sustainable Chemicals Industry, Chaired by Jen Vanderhoven

Panel members include Alex Smith, CPI, Fraser Brown, Ingenza, Sarah Thompson and Martin Atkins, Green Lizard, Richard Daley, Mura Technology.

12:15 PM – 12:30 PM |The Importance of Defossilising the UK Chemicals Industry and Building Resilient Supply Chains

Charlotte Zemmel, DESNZ, Nichola Kitson, DBT, Alastair Gardner, Head of Trade and investment, DBT 

12:30 PM – 13:30 PM | Lunch & Networking

13:30 – 15:30 | Workshop Sessions: Building Sustainable UK Chemical Supply Chains

Peter Clark & Michael Burnett, Innovate UK Business Connect

The workshop sessions will focus on developing and building consortia for sustainable UK chemical supply chain funding proposals, exploring opportunities, partnerships and strategies, and skills, for building a regional hub of excellence for the sustainable chemicals industry.

15:30 PM – 15:45 PM | Workshop Summaries & Next Steps

15:45 – 16:30 PM | Refreshments, Networking & Tour of Wilton Centre (Optional)