Florian Budde, former Senior Partner at McKinsey & Company, joins Ali to break down the forces shaping the industry today. Over nearly 30 years at McKinsey, Florian helped build and lead the firm’s global chemicals and agriculture practice and guided companies through major strategic, operational, and market disruptions. Few people have had a closer or more comprehensive view of how the industry works — and where it’s heading. 

Florian joins us to discuss:

• The structural shifts that have shaped the chemical industry over the past 40 years

• How China’s move from demand driver to surplus exporter impated today’s downturn

• Why Europe is under the most pressure, and what it means for consolidation and closures

• Why digital adoption has lagged historically, and AI is accelerating now

• The use cases where AI can deliver meaningful value fastest