John Powath, CEO of Asian Business Media (ABM), which published titles including Rubber Asia, passed away at night on 28 March 2017, in Kochi, India.

A well-known personality in the rubber industry, John Powath had a wide circle of friends in the industry. He was associated with All India Rubber Industries Association (AIRIA) for decades and played a crucial role in the growth of the association and its flagship event, India Rubber Expo (IRE).