Nadia Bader Alhajji

PIC is looking to focus on greener approaches and implementing innovative technology while fostering a strong culture of equity and representation in the company and sector.

Could you walk us through the latest significant milestones for PIC?

PIC is committed to the KPC 2050 Energy Transition Strategy, which aims to achieve net-zero targets. As the petrochemical arm of Kuwait, PIC ensures that its activities and future projects will achieve the global environmental standards through implementing the concepts of sustainability. Recently, as a significant milestone, PIC has developed and launched its circular economy strategy that aims to develop circular products by working closely with customers, value chain partners and JV network. By implementing the newly-developed circular economy strategy, PIC will be a regional pioneer in circular economy through incremental and selective integration of circular products. PIC aims at maintaining a low carbon footprint across its operations through the implementation of different decarbonization initiatives and is ready to support any future circular initiatives.

What are the company’s plans for product development and diversification?

In terms of product development, PIC had identified a list of initiatives in our circular economy strategy that will develop our core products toward a greener approach. As far as diversification is concerned, PIC has never stopped exploring opportunities that are aligned with Kuwait Petroleum Corporation (KPC) and PIC’s long-term strategy where it has a healthy pipeline of opportunities. Currently, PIC is in the process of evaluating different investment opportunities in multiple locations to foster its international presence. Meanwhile, PIC has several joint ventures with world-class manufacturing sites in close proximity to fast-growing markets and enjoys close collaborations with its partners in successful joint ventures with sustainable growth. We are focusing on commodity products such as C2 and C3 value chain and expanding into downstream specialty products linked to the core products to broaden our portfolio domestically and internationally and to enhance both our market position as well as economic returns.

Can you elaborate on the technology implementations that PIC has adopted?

During the pandemic, PIC managed to modify its operation with the support of R&D and technology advancement to produce special grade of polypropylene from Shuaiba Plant to support the local market to design and manufacture face masks for personal and medical use. This had support and relieved Kuwait from face mask shortage and from the struggle of supply chain issue and the lack of face masks. That was just an example of how PIC is flexible and innovative in adopting the market needs. Furthermore, PIC has effectively conducted a feasibility study to evaluated and utilize available technologies to recycle the plastic waste for sustainability purpose, which is currently being collaborated with governmental entities. We are also fostering innovation within the company and are keen on fostering and empowering our team, especially the young.

As a female leader in the oil sector, how do you observe the presence of women in C-level positions in Kuwait?

I am proud to say that we are a pioneer in this area not just regionally but globally. We have an excellent female representation at the board level at 43%, besides having all of Kuwait local refining under a female CEO and all of Kuwait’s petrochemicals locally and globally lead by a female CEO. I am also proud to say this is not new for the Kuwait oil sector or for Kuwait. We have a strong culture of equity. Furthermore, women have, for several decades, enjoyed the embedded culture of belonging and equal rights. Our systems and policies are fair and purely merit based, which means women get the same opportunities for training and development that qualifies them for the next upgrade or promotion. Our numbers are not achieved through quotas but on experience, qualification, and performance. Over the past few years, diversity and inclusion have become a focus of many companies in all sectors, especially in industries that typically have lower female-to-male ratios, mainly for the net overall positive impact on performance and bottom line. However, nowadays the picture has changed.