IChemE's new president Ollie Folayan and the push for resilient decarbonisation policy | carboncredit.io

The July/August 2026 issue of IChemE Matters covers two key stories for anyone tracking industrial decarbonisation. First, Ollie Folayan MBE has become IChemE's 85th president. He brings over 20 years of process engineering experience at Costain, with direct work in hydrogen and carbon capture. He also co-founded AFBE-UK to improve diversity in engineering. His presidency signals a continued focus on low-carbon technology within the chemical engineering profession. The second story is a policy piece by Mitchell Clark on resilience and decarbonisation. It notes that Australia's Future Made in Australia agenda commits AU$22.7bn over a decade to build a clean-energy economy, while New Zealand is investing in a new LNG terminal for energy security. The article argues that emissions trading schemes mostly use carbon pricing as a stick, but lack enough carrot incentives for clean technology investment. It highlights biotechnology as a growing tool to replace fossil-fuel processes in high-emissions industries. The core takeaway: resilience is now a primary policy goal, not just a side benefit of decarbonisation.