PLENARY SPEAKER
Dr. Crystal G. Morrison
The ChemQuest Group
Dr. Crystal G. Morrison is a highly regarded executive advisor, strategist, and scientist with over 25 years of experience in the global specialty chemicals and materials industry. Her career spans academia, national laboratories, industry, and startups.
Dr. Morrison holds a Ph.D. in Macromolecular Science and Engineering from the University of Michigan and a B.S. in Chemistry from the Missouri University of Science and Technology. After graduate school, she was awarded the prestigious Harold Agnew National Security Postdoctoral Fellowship at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), where she later served as a staff member, team leader, and program leader. Following her time at LANL, she relocated to Pittsburgh, PA, and held leadership roles such as Principal Investigator and Senior Materials Scientist at RJ Lee Group, and Global R&D Leader at PPG, overseeing two business units and 11 market segments with nearly $3 billion in annual sales.
In 2018, Dr. Morrison joined ChemQuest, a global consulting firm specializing in specialty chemicals and materials. As Vice President, she supports clients worldwide in mergers, acquisitions, business strategy, and technology development.
Navigating the Maze: How to Assess and Prioritize Opportunities in the Chemicals and Specialty Materials Market
There is no shortage of new ideas, products, projects, and emerging markets vying for attention in the specialty materials sector, including paints and coatings. The challenge for professionals is determining where to focus their time, resources, and efforts. In this session, Dr. Morrison will present an organized approach to help attendees effectively assess and prioritize the array of opportunities. Using a combination of external market data and internal capabilities, such as commercial expertise, manufacturing resources, and technical know-how, Dr. Morrison will demonstrate how to make informed decisions that align with both short- and long-term business goals. Attendees will learn how to evaluate critical factors such as market size, growth potential, competitive landscape, and the risks associated with technical and manufacturing challenges. They will also gain insights into how to assess the time-to-market for new opportunities, helping to prioritize projects that offer the greatest return on investment.
The session is designed for professionals in the coatings industry, including product managers, R&D leaders, marketing strategists, and business development experts. By attending, participants will acquire valuable tools for working in interdisciplinary teams, making data-driven decisions and identifying high-impact opportunities in a competitive landscape.