Dear Members, As we step into 2025, I am delighted to share some of the recent activities and exciting developments within ICorr. The past few months have been incredibly dynamic, and I am confident that our momentum will only continue to grow. ICorr has been highly active in organising and hosting events at the branch level. In January and February alone, we successfully conducted six events each month, followed by three in March. The level of engagement and participation has been outstanding, and I look forward to seeing even more events taking place in the coming months. It has been my great pleasure to attend in-person events in Aberdeen, Grangemouth, Manchester and London. These gatherings provided an excellent platform for me to present the latest developments within ICorr and interact directly with local branch committee members and attendees. The enthusiasm and dedication of our members are truly commendable, and I am eager to visit more branch events in the future.
January 2025 marked a significant milestone for ICorr with the successful launch of our first overseas branch, ICorr India. Building on this achievement, ICorr has been actively preparing for the upcoming launch of our UAE branch, scheduled for May 2025. This expansion underscores our commitment to fostering a global corrosion management network and strengthening our presence in key regions.
I am also pleased to announce that, after a meticulous selection process, an Interim Chair has been appointed for the ICorr Yorkshire-Humber branch and AGM will be held locally soon. Many congratulations to Dr Joshua Owen, Lecturer at Leeds University, on his appointment. I look forward to working closely with the new Chair and the branch committee. I am very sure he will lead the branch to future successes.
Supporting the next generation of corrosion professionals remains a key priority for ICorr and to this end, ICorr, with the sponsorship from BP, is proud to sponsor six winners from the 2022 and 2024 YEP – Young Engineer Programmes to attend the AMPP Conference in Nashville, TN, USA in April. This opportunity will provide these talented individuals with invaluable exposure, learning experiences, and networking within the international corrosion community.
Another landmark initiative is the upcoming First UK-China Corrosion Summit, set to take place in Manchester on 3-4 September 2025. The chosen theme, “AI Impacts on Corrosion Management within the UK-China Energy Industry,” highlights the increasing role of artificial intelligence in our field and the collaborative opportunities it presents between the UK and China. Additionally, ICorr has signed three Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) with key event organisers, reinforcing our role as a supporting partner for major materials, corrosion, and integrity conferences in the Middle East. These include:
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STATIC ARABIA in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia (May 2025)
– https://staticarabia.com/
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AIMCS Expo, Asset Integrity Management in Abu Dhabi, UAE (June 2025) – https://aimcsexpo.com/
•
Oman Corrosion and Material Innovation Summit in Muscat, Oman (September 2025) – https://www.omcorr.com/
These partnerships further strengthen ICorr’s influence in the global corrosion industry, opening doors for collaboration and knowledge exchange on an international scale.
As we move forward in 2025, I am excited about the opportunities ahead and our ongoing efforts to advance corrosion science and engineering. I encourage all members to stay involved, take part in upcoming events, and contribute to our shared success. As always, I welcome you to share your thoughts, insights, and aspirations for the Institute by reaching out to me at president@icorr.org Your input is essential to our continued growth and achievements.
Please do get involved in our upcoming activities and keep an eye on the ICorr Events Calendar at https://www.icorr.org/events/Thank you for your unwavering support, and I look forward to seeing many of you at our future gatherings.
With best regards, Dr. Yunnan Gao,
President: Institute of Corrosion
email: president@icorr.org
Photo: Dr Yunnan Gao.


