Chemical

HAHDhAHSDHAHS

Monument Chemical Appoints Sarves Peri as New President

Posted on by Joe Ball

Monument Chemical announced today that Sarves Peri has been appointed President of Monument Chemical, effective January 1, 2026. Sarves will succeed current President Paul Raymond, who will retire in July 2026 after leading the company through a period of significant growth, operational strength, and market expansion.

Sarves brings more than 32 years of global chemical industry leadership experience, spanning R&D, operations, supply chain, commercial management, and business excellence. Since joining Monument in 2015, he has served in roles of increasing responsibility and played a key part in enhancing the company’s supply chain foundation, advancing business excellence initiatives, and supporting growth within Monument’s Europe and Solvents businesses. Most recently, Sarves led the successful transformation of Monument’s Renewables & Fuels business, strengthening performance and delivering meaningful value for customers.

“I’m honored to step into this role and deeply grateful for the trust placed in me,” said Sarves. “Monument has a strong foundation rooted in technical expertise, commercial excellence, and a commitment to customer partnership. I look forward to working closely with our teams and our customers as we build on that strength – accelerating growth, advancing innovation, and doing it all with the reliability and integrity our partners expect from us.”

Paul Raymond, who has served as President since 2020, will remain with Monument through mid-2026 to ensure a seamless transition. Under his leadership, Monument expanded its global reach, strengthened its manufacturing footprint, and advanced major strategic initiatives that positioned the company for long-term success.

“Our customers rely on Monument for partnership, dependability, and real problem-solving – and Sarves embodies all of these commitments,” said Paul. “He brings strong commercial instincts and a deep commitment to meeting customer needs, and I’m confident he will continue strengthening the relationships that define our success.”

Sarves’ industry foundation was built during his years at National Starch (a division of Unilever and ICI) and Ingredion, where he held leadership roles spanning innovation, operations, and global supply chain management. He earned his Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from the State University of New York and his MBA in Finance from New York University, and he is a certified Lean Six Sigma Black Belt.

HAHDhAHSDHAHS

What We Learned At CIEX

Posted on by Joe Ball

Last month’s Chemical Innovation Exchange (CIEX) Summit brought together leaders from across the chemical industry — CEOs, CTOs, researchers, investors — all under one roof here at The Heritage Group in Indianapolis.

CIEX has always been about sparking collaboration and pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in chemistry and materials science. And that’s exactly what happened. The smaller, more intimate setting of this year’s summit gave people the space to share not just their big wins, but also the challenges they can’t solve alone.

As our own Sibel Selcuk, EVP of Heritage Research Group, put it:

“Hosting CIEX is one of the most significant events of my year. It’s an opportunity to reunite with longtime friends and meet new colleagues from across the industry. I always look forward to the dynamic collaborations and innovative exchanges that take place at the forefront of our field.”

Highlights and Takeaways

Here are a few of the things that stood out:

  • Openness and Vulnerability
    The format encouraged leaders to discuss not only breakthroughs but also existential challenges. Scientific leadership from visiting companies used their sessions to highlight pressing issues in manufacturing and product development – representative of the honest, problem-sharing dialogue that defined the summit.
  • Companies willing to share both sides of the coin
    Leaders shared progress in sustainability and new product development while acknowledging the difficulties of scaling solutions in a shifting global market.
  • Connections that count
    The speed networking sessions were a hit — quick, focused conversations that helped people build relationships that could turn into real partnerships.
  • AI is all over the map
    The conversation around artificial intelligence underscored how uneven adoption remains across the chemical sector.

    • On one end, companies are emulating pharma’s advanced AI integration.
    • On the other, many are still experimenting and “figuring it out.”
    • Across the board, leaders agreed that a strong data foundation that includes well-structured systems and quality datasets will be essential for effectively leveraging AI in the future.

Big Picture

If there was one theme running through CIEX, it was this: collaboration is key. No single company has all the answers — and that’s okay. By being open, sharing both wins and struggles, and building strong networks, we’re moving the entire industry forward.

As CIEX returns to Indianapolis in 2026, The Heritage Group is proud to continue serving as a hub for these conversations. With leaders openly sharing both breakthroughs and barriers, the summit demonstrates that collaboration is the most powerful catalyst for innovation.