LyondellBasell’s Bob Patel Named 2026 Petrochemical Heritage Award Honoree

The Science History Institute is pleased to announce that Bhavesh V. (Bob) Patel, retired CEO of LyondellBasell Industries, will receive the 2026 Petrochemical Heritage Award. The prestigious award will be presented on March 28, 2026, in San Antonio, Texas, at the International Petrochemical Conference held by American Fuel and Petrochemical Manufacturers (AFPM).

“We are delighted to honor Bob Patel,” said Institute president and CEO David Cole. “His service, leadership, and commitment to sustainability in the petrochemical sector make him the ideal recipient of the Petro Award.”

Presented annually by the Institute, the Founders Club, and AFPM, the Petrochemical Heritage Award recognizes an individual’s outstanding contributions to the petrochemical community. This premier award encourages emulation, inspires achievement, and promotes public understanding of modern science, industries, and economies.

About Bob Patel

Bob Patel is the retired CEO of LyondellBasell Industries, one of the world’s largest producers of polymers and a leader in polyolefin technologies. He is widely recognized for his transformational leadership, close transparent relationships with stakeholders, strategic discipline, and commitment to advancing innovation and sustainability across the global chemical and manufacturing industries.

As CEO of LyondellBasell from 2015 to 2021, he guided the company through a significant period of expansion, strengthening operations, driving record earnings, and promoting a culture of safety, operational excellence, inclusion, and high performance. He later led W. R. Grace through a company-wide restructuring that positioned the company for sustained earnings growth. As president of Standard Industries, Patel oversaw a portfolio of five industrial businesses generating $12.5 billion in annual revenue and employing more than 20,000 people worldwide.

Patel began his career at Chevron and Chevron Phillips Chemical Company, where he held leadership roles in global operations, strategy, and business development for two decades. A founding member and former vice chair of the Alliance to End Plastic Waste, Patel has championed collaborative industry action to reduce and reuse plastic waste around the world.

Patel holds a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from The Ohio State University and an MBA from Temple University. He serves on the boards of Air Products and the Houston branch of the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas. He has also served as chairman of the American Chemistry Council.