Elena Scaltritti

Elena Scaltritti is the President and CEO of Topsoe, leading our 2,800 colleagues around the globe with a clear focus on strengthening our position as a provider of advanced technologies and solutions for production of clean and conventional fuels and chemicals. Elena engages in dialogues and forums with other key opinion leaders to identify and deploy solutions and technologies that enable a diverse, resilient and secure energy system. She is a member of the World Refining Association’s Conference advisory board. As a leading industry voice, she brings unique insights on new market demands, industry trends and innovative technologies and shares her perspectives on resiliency in fuels – and chemicals and solutions required to decarbonize energy-intensive industries and long-distance transportation. Elena joined Topsoe in 2022 and served as CCO of the company until she was appointed CEO in 2026. She previously served as Executive Vice President at SONGWON Industrial Group, where she was responsible for global commercial activities. She also held leadership roles with BASF, Ciba Specialty Chemicals and Nalco Holding Company. Elena earned a B.S. in organic chemistry from the university of Milan and an M.B.A. from the POLIMISchool of Management in Milan.

Session Overview

Wednesday, 4 November

14:10

Clean Power, Molecules & Carbon Management Plenary Hall B 14:10 - 14:40

Hydrogen's next chapter: from FID to first molecules

Hydrogen has moved from announcements into execution. Landmark projects across the Gulf, Europe and beyond are approaching production, about to give the industry the most data it has ever had at scale: real costs, construction timelines, offtake performance and the operational realities of producing at volume. Which use cases work is becoming clearer. Ammonia for fertiliser and shipping, hydrogen for refining, and industrial feedstock applications with no viable alternative are all progressing, while broader applications remain further from commercial reality. The next 18 months will be decisive as the first large-scale projects come on stream. The industry will then learn whether project economics hold, or whether the optimism underpinning commitments survives contact with operational reality.

Attendee Insights:
Assess which hydrogen use cases are proving commercially viable, as the first large-scale projects reach production, and what the data reveals about realistic growth trajectories.