Mohammad Shariatmadari on Tuesday (December 8) stressed during the closing ceremony of Petrofann 1404 that effective management lies in harmonizing processes, identifying opportunities, mitigating risks, addressing weaknesses, and strengthening organizational capabilities. He emphasized that corporate achievements are the result of collective effort across teams, executives, complex managers, and technical leaders, noting that while the CEO appears symbolically at the top, real success is built by the entire workforce.
Highlighting the importance of ethics, he thanked managers who had acknowledged the contributions of others, calling it a welcome return to professional integrity. He stated that safeguarding the dignity of the system and respect for individuals has been repeatedly emphasized by the country’s leadership, adding that although he holds regulatory bodies in high regard, he advocates for “supportive oversight rather than fault-finding oversight.”
Shariatmadari underscored that the petrochemical sector, as a technical and economic institution, operates without political bias, and that the experience of all professionals in the industry is valued. He called on petrochemical managers to prioritize ethical leadership, asserting that “leadership through trust and respect is transformative.”
Reiterating that Petrofann is no longer an internal PGPIC event but a national platform, he expressed hope that the broader petrochemical community would contribute more actively to next year’s edition, enabling a clearer alignment between industry needs and the capabilities of domestic knowledge-based companies.
He noted that the upcoming Petrochem conference will evaluate negotiation challenges and turn discussions into formal contracts.
Calling petrochemicals a strategic engine of value creation in the national economy, Shariatmadari said the industry’s relevance will increasingly be measured by its capacity for innovation and adaptability. He stressed that global leaders are those who convert ideas into marketable products, and that this capability is fundamental for survival.
Addressing emerging industry transformations—from carbon-footprint standards and polymer technology to digitalization and environmental constraints—he stated that deep integration of data and digital systems into operational processes is unavoidable. Despite existing barriers, he added, Iran must move decisively in this direction.
He warned that without full-scale digital transformation, the petrochemical sector would face eventual obsolescence, calling for deployment of advanced software, localization of core processes, and intelligent end-to-end control of the value chain. He emphasized the potential of Iran’s young and innovative workforce in enabling this transition.
Shariatmadari reported that PGPIC currently has USD 14 billion worth of projects under development, creating significant opportunities for collaboration with knowledge-based companies. He noted that the first board resolution during his tenure was the establishment of a corporate venture capital fund, which now has 130–140 projects under review and nearly IRR 50 trillion (5 hemts) in active investment.
He added that the company invested IRR 80.3 trillion in research and innovation in 2024, nearly double the previous year, while acknowledging that this level of investment remains insufficient and must increase—albeit in a targeted and intelligent manner.
According to Shariatmadari, R&D initiatives helped boost PGPIC’s annual production by 1.75 million tons—equivalent to 7 percent of its 27-million-ton output—and generated IRR 59 trillion in additional operating revenue while reducing operating costs by about 18 hemts. He attributed these gains directly to innovation and technological advancement.
He concluded by noting that 350 new technological needs were presented at this year’s Petrofann to more than 300 knowledge-based companies, and expressed hope that these engagements would yield significant outcomes for the industry.