liveris

Mr Liveris believes that this would have led to its break-up.

Mr Liveris says he is considering several $1 billion-plus deals, but has no intention of buying businesses if he harbours doubts about them.

Liveris declined to comment on whether he has been approached, and said he remains firmly entrenched in Dow.

According to Mr Liveris, the terms of its blossoming partnership with China "will not be like any we have ever had with a nation" .

Mr Liveris also complains that the American government "stalls every two years" with the election cycle.

"Entity fluctuations in the economy, increasing factors of instability , people have begun to lose confidence, " Liveris expressed concern.

Mr Liveris wants America to do the same thing, sort of, by getting serious about energy policy.

As for selling Dow to private equity, Mr Liveris says that he and the board would properly consider any offer, as they are bound to.

In 2002 falling profits had led to the replacement of the boss by a former chief executive who then oversaw the transition to Mr Liveris.

If Mr Liveris is troubled by the thought that small-government types would consider him a scrounger, he does not show it.

Mr Liveris says that the evidence of their "highly inappropriate" behaviour was "irrefutable" .

Mr. Liveris believes U. S. business is approaching an innovation and manufacturing tipping point.

Mr Liveris chides regulators for imposing too many needless costs on business.

Mr Liveris is not arguing for protectionism.

Andrew Liveris, chairman of Dow Chemical told the Davos meeting that: "Water is . . . the oil of the 21st century. "

"Countries are competing like companies more and more, " says Liveris, "In the U. S. , we haven't caught up. "

China does it, observes Mr Liveris, which is true.