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Rafael Cayuela is EMEAI Strategy Development Senior Director & Corporate Chief Economist since Oct 2021; reporting to the EMEAI President and strong functional alignment to VP Corporate Development.
Rafael’s new role aims to accelerate EMEAI Sustainable, Digital & Growth Transformation Strategy. He works work closely externally and internally to ensure the current Dow EMEAI business operations, goals and vision are fully aligned with national and regional priorities across the EMEAI region, incl. the EU Green Deal, as well as the Company’s long-term vision and Net Zero transformation objectives.
Among others, this include developing an inclusive EMEAI ESG strategic plan and growth strategy; a capital plan aligned with the EU Sustainable Finance Strategy; execution of sustainability and growth strategies; risk identification; market and trend analysis, and metric development and measurement.
Rafael is part of the EMEAI leadership team as well as the Corporate Development & Strategy Team. He is also the EMEAI Sustainability Chair and Chair of Dow EMEAI Transformation Advisory Forum.
Rafael joined Dow in Madrid, Spain, in 2002 as part of the Commercial Development Program. From 2004 he was based in Midland, Michigan before relocating to Horgen in 2007, where he is still based. He is an economist by education and has more than 20 years of experience within the chemical industry. During his Dow career, Rafael has held roles in Plastics, Six Sigma, Rubber, Hydrocarbons & Energy, International Governmental Affairs and, since 2013 in the global Corporate Strategy team.
Rafael holds a bachelor’s in Economics from University Complutense of Madrid, a bachelor’s in Business Administration from the University Of Birmingham, UK; a Master’s degree in Economics from the College of Europe, Bruges, Belgium, and an MBA from Northwood University in Michigan, USA. He also completed executive education at the University of Chicago (Executive MBA), Oxford University on Blockchain and at Singularity University on Exponential & Disruptive Technologies. Rafael is the author of the book "The Future of the Chemical Industry by 2050", published by WILEY in May 2013, while working on his next one “Chemical Industry Under the 4th Ind. Revolution – Molecules vs. Qubits”.
Rafael sits on different Advisory Boards including the World Energy Council, UNEP World Chemical Outlook and the High-Level Policy Group of the EU School of Transitional Regulation of Florence on “How To Accelerate EU Industry Net Zero Journey”. He also serves as Chairman of the Energy Charter Treaty and CEFIC Mid Century Strategy. During his first term, CEFIC released the “Industry Mid Century Strategy: Molecules Manager”, launching a dialogue about the future of the chemical industry and its role in building a prosperous and more sustainable Europe by 2050. Rafael also serves as Dow rep. at the CEFIC Sustainable Forum, Sustainable Finance Group and Economic Outlook Task Force (EOTF).
Rafael is passionate about the role economics, science & technology to solve key 21st Century Battles: 1st) How to Reconcile Humans with Nature (Sustainability), 2nd) Humans with Humans (i.e. Income Inequality & Inclusion & Diversity) and 3rd Humans with Machines (AI, Robotics).
Rafael is a married and father of two small children.