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The Iraq Britain Business Council (IBBC) held its annual Spring Conference at the Mansion House in London and a newly formatted second day forum for Iraqi and UK SMEs to discuss business opportunities at the Royal Overseas League on the 24^th and 25^th of April.

The event proved to be a huge success, with record attendances and expert speaker contribution fully captivating the positive and progressive forecast for Iraq in 2018. The Conference was chaired by Rasmi Al Jabri, Deputy Chairman and Iraq representative of IBBC, who’s significant standing in Iraq was fundamental to the success of the event.

The first day of the conference, entitled ‘Iraq: Building a diversified and modern economy’ was held at the Mansion House, home of the Lord Mayor of London and featured numerous Iraqi and UK politicians, industry experts, academics, government advisers and more. The day featured the newly incorporated roundtable discussions, which facilitated greater face time with industry experts and politicians and more in-depth discussions.

The main panel sessions focused on a wide range of sectors and industries to fully address the investment opportunities, need for diversification of the economy and progress of Iraq over the last year:

SESSION 1: Finance ‘Major projects – the criteria for and process of obtaining finance for projects in Iraq’

SESSION 2: Technology ‘Developing Iraq’s digital economy’

SESSION 3: Energy and Industry ‘The need for locally available products and services – how two sectors can help diversify Iraq’s Economy’

SESSION 4: Education and Training ‘Developing human capital in Iraq’

A high-level delegation from the Government of Iraq was present, including H.E. Mohammed Shyaa Al-Sudani, Minister of Social Affairs & Acting Minister of Industry and Minerals, Mr Khadhem Al Hassani, Economic Advisor to the Prime Minister of Iraq and H.E. Dr Salih Husain Ali Al Tamimi, the Iraqi Ambassador to the UK, who were all invited to give opening addresses to IBBC Members and guests at the conference.

H.E. Dr Abdul Kariem Al Faisal, Chairman of the PM’s Advisory Commission and Mr Abbas Nasser, Legal Advisor to the Ministry of Transport and H.E. Nawzad Hadi, Governor of Erbil also attended the first day of the conference and held RoundTable discussions with IBBC Member representatives.

Several UK Government officials participated, including Baroness Nicholson of Winterbourne, The Prime Minister’s Trade Envoy to Iraq, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan and IBBC President, Jonathan Wilks CMG, Her Majesty’s Ambassador to the Republic of Iraq and Baroness Fairhead CBE, Minister of State for Trade and Export Promotion, Department for International Trade, which demonstrates the continuing trend of increased bilateral trade and relations over the last few years between the UK & Iraq.

(Source: IBBC)

IBBC Spring Conference 2018

Iraq: Building a diversified and modern economy 

Tuesday 24 April at Mansion House, London

IBBC’s Spring Conference returns on 24 April 2018, bringing to the heart of London the preeminent political and business figures involved in business and the economy of Iraq.

The theme for this years’ conference is Iraq: Building a diversified and modern economy. The conference aims to address the key challenges in building a diversified and modern economy, which will enable Iraq to build on the recent economic and social stability to progress into one of the Middle East’s major economies once again. Sessions will focus on Finance, Technology, Oil & Gas and Education.

The Government of Iraq has confirmed it is sending a high-level delegation of government representatives to the IBBC Spring Conference, which will be led by H.E. Dr Abdul Kariem Al Faisal, Chairman of the Iraq Prime Minister's Advisory Commission (PMAC). The delegation will also include senior representatives from the Iraq Ministries of Oil and Industry.

The IBBC Spring Conference, held at the prestigious Mansion House, the home and office of the Lord Mayor of London, is traditionally IBBC’s flagship event, which attracts suppliers, investors, producers and buyers from Iraq, the UK and the wider international business community.

Prominent speakers include Baroness Nicholson of Winterbourne, President of IBBC and the Prime Minister’s Trade Envoy to Iraq, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan, Alderman Sir Alan Yarrow, Lord Mayor, Locum Tenens, Ambassador Jonathon Wilks, Her Majesty's Ambassador to the Republic of Iraq and Baroness Fairhead CBE, Minister of State for Trade and Export Promotion, Department for International Trade.

IBBC expects a high attendance at the conference and the new round tables are designed for close business interaction and the facilitation of in-depth discussion, where delegates can focus on particular sectors of interest and engage with speakers and industry experts on the issues that really matter.

With representatives from all major interested parties involved in Iraq expected to attend, as well as pre- and post- networking events, the IBBC Spring Conference 2018 will provide many opportunities for networking at the highest level, as well as providing exceptionally informative and experienced panels.

Sessions on the agenda include:

Finance: ‘Criteria and process for obtaining major project finance’ Chair: Mr Gavin Wishart, IBBC

IBBC has gathered several preeminent voices in the finance industry to discuss the challenges and opportunities Iraqi and international firms face in sourcing capital for major projects. Representatives from some of the largest international finance organisations, JP Morgan and Allan & Overy LLP, as well as representatives from UK Export Finance and GE will discuss in detail the criteria and process of obtaining finance for major projects in Iraq.

• Mr Richard S. Wilkins, Executive Director – Export Finance, JP Morgan
• Mr Tom Longmuir, Counsel, Allen & Overy LLP
• Mr Guto Davies, Managing Director – Global ECA CoE Leader, GE Capital
• Mr David Craig, Deputy Head of Civil Infrastructure and Energy Business, UK Export Finance

Technology: ‘Developing Iraq’s digital economy’ Chair: Mr Ashley Goodall, IBBC

The IBBC Tech Panel brings together the two leaders of the UK and Iraq e-government initiatives in addition to experts in FinTech and entrepreneurial hub development. The panel will address in detail how innovative new technology and the use of information and communication technologies (ICTs) can improve the activities in the public and private sectors to help Iraq's economy and growth.

• Mr Ahmed Elkady, Partner, Ernst & Young
• Mr Ali Al Dahwi, Consultant, Management Partners
• Mr Chris Fergusson, Director at The Cabinet Office (Government Digital Service)
• Mr Mohammed Khudairi, Managing Partner, Khudairi Group

Oil & Gas: ‘Need for locally available products and services – how the sector can help diversification of Iraq’s economy’ Chair: Mr Vikas Handa, IBBC

This expert panel consists of representatives from the largest IOC's in Iraq, Governmental representatives from the Iraq Ministries of Oil and Industry and an Oil & Gas expert from the Department of International Trade. The session will cover all key aspects of Iraq's Oil & Gas sector for 2018, delivered by the preeminent experts in the field and will include a panel discussion and Q & A chaired by Vikas Handa, the head of IBBC's Oil & Gas Sector Table and its GCC representative.

• Dr Mark Wharton, Development Manager, Shell Iraq
• Mr Mike Wenham, Commercial Manager, BP Iraq
• Mr Bob Dastmalchi, Vice President, Business Development, Chevron
• Mr Craig Jones, Deputy Director, Oil & Gas, Department for International Trade
• Representative from the Ministry of Oil, Government of Iraq
• Representative from the Ministry of Industry, Government of Iraq

Education and Training: ‘Developing human capital in Iraq’

The panel brings together leading representatives from academia and business to address the challenges of developing Iraq’s human capital to support its transition into a diversified, vibrant economy. Members of the panel have direct experience of challenges and advantages of delivering advanced education and training in-country.

Chair & Presentation: Professor Paul Boyle, President & Vice Chancellor, Leicester University

• Mr Alex Haynes, Senior VP Business Development AMEA & Southern Europe, Wood
• Mr Saadi Faraj Muthanna, Business Development Manager, Al Nukhba-OFS FZCO
• Ms Christine van den Toorn, Institute of Regional and International Studies, American University of Iraq
• Mr Will Follett, Director, Restrata

With a dedicated and well informed agenda, IBBC are bringing the experts and practitioners best placed to answer these questions, so the international business community can work towards framing the future and contributing to a modern and outward looking Iraq. Each session will emphasise the growing business opportunities for international companies.

For more information and tickets, please visit: http://www.webuildiraq.org/ibbc-conference/spring-conference-2018/ or email [email protected].

By John Lee.

Transparency International has said that Iraq's ranking has fallen three places its global Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI).

From a total of 180 countries, Iraq came in at number 169; last year’s position was 166 out of 176 countries.

This result puts it behind countries such as Turkmenistan, Angola and Eritrea, and just ahead of North Korea, Guinea-Bissau, and Equatorial Guinea.

New Zealand beat Denmark to first place.

Libya was ranked in 171st place, with Iran in 130th.

The Corruption Perceptions Index ranks countries and territories by their perceived levels of public sector corruption according to experts and businesspeople.

More here.

The Iraq Britain Business Council (IBBC) held its bi-annual Council Meeting on 30 January, followed by a Reception & Dinner for IBBC members and guests.

Both the meeting and the reception and dinner were hosted by Baroness Nicholson of Winterbourne, President of IBBC and Trade Envoy to Iraq, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan.

The Meeting was Chaired by IBBC’s Deputy Chairman Alistair Kett of PwC and discussed at length the current state of Iraq and presented over 30 members present with a detailed brief of events in the last six months.

The Council also discussed future events and the progress of IBBC’s Sector Tables. Several exciting new developments were reported, including the launch of a new Iraq Britain Business Council website, which is expected to go live in the coming weeks and the development of the Young Executives Network.

The Council Meeting was followed by a Reception & Dinner hosted by Baroness Nicholson in the House of Lords, where the 80 guests present were privileged to hear from Baroness Fairhead, Minister of State for Trade & Export Promotion at the Department for International Trade (DIT), the Rt Hon Alistair Burt MP, Minister of State for the Middle East at the Foreign and Commonwealth and Minister of State at the Department for International Development.

After dinner, Ambassador Jon Wilks, her Majesty’s Ambassador to Iraq, gave an address to members, which highlighted his vision for UK-Iraq relations. The Ambassador spoke at length about the need for a coordinated and fruitful relationship between business communities of both countries to enhance the encouraging signs of stability witnessed in the last six months since the defeat of Daesh.

The Ambassador also touched upon the critical need to redevelop infrastructure in the newly liberated areas and the pivotal role of the private sector to facilitate further economic growth. Ambassador Wilks reaffirmed the Embassy’s longstanding commitment to promote trade and investment with the support of organisations such as the Iraq Britain Business Council.

Christophe Michels, MD of IBBC said:

“2017 has been an exceptional year for IBBC both in the volume and quality of attendees to our conferences in UK and Dubai, the very well attended and successful trade missions to Baghdad and Basrah and for the number of International and Iraqi companies that have joined our network.

"IBBC has welcomed Chevron, Al Burhan, Shamara, Ratba’a and Al Bilal groups, Leicester and Northampton University, Serco, Rolls Royce, MenziesAviation, GulfTek and Al Jaber Company. All in all we are seeing confidence and opportunity return to Iraq with overall economic perspectives for the country being at its best since 2010 – 2011.”

IBBC and its members are determined to build on these foundations to continue building economic and political ties, industry capabilities, knowledge sharing for UK, Iraqi and international businesses sharing the same high values and standards.

(Source: IBBC)

IBBC Autumn Conference 2017: ‘Together We Build Iraq’
12 November 2017, The Address Dubai Marina, Dubai

The Iraq Britain Business Council (IBBC) is pleased to invite you to the IBBC Autumn Conference at The Address Hotel Dubai Marina, United Arab Emirates, on Sunday 12 November 2017.

This years’ event follows IBBC’s successful inaugural conference of 2016 held in the UAE, a hub for global and regional companies that operate in the Middle East.

The theme of this year’s Autumn Conference is ‘Together We Build Iraq’ and will focus predominantly on the ongoing effects and needs of Iraq’s reconstruction and the opportunities of investment available to British and International companies during this process. There will also be panels discussing the Power and Oil & Gas sectors.

The five conference sessions will focus on:

• Strengths and Weaknesses of the Economy in Iraq
• Reconstruction and Infrastructure – The Built Environment
• Enabling Reconstruction
• Power
• Oil & Gas

The IBBC Autumn Conference 2017 will be chaired by Vikas Handa, IBBC UAE Representative and will be led by the following confirmed speakers:

• Baroness Nicholson of Winterbourne, The Prime Minister’s Trade Envoy to Iraq, Azerbaijan & Turkmenistan and President of IBBC
• H.E. Mr Qasim Al-Fahdawi, Minister of Electricity
• H.E. Mr Kadhim Finjan Al Hamimi, Minister of Transport
• H.E. Mrs Ann Nafi Aussi Balbool, Minister of Construction, Housing and Public Municipalities
• H.E. Dr Sami Al Araji, Chairman of the National Investment Commission
• Marwa Alnasaa, Resident Representative for Iraq, International Monetary Fund (IMF)
• Dr Jaafar Dhia Jaafar, CEO, URUK Engineering
• Zaid Elyaseri, Iraq Country Manager, BP
• Peter Mohring, Managing Director – Aviation & Defence, Serco
• Zeeshan A. Sheikh, EMENA Infrastructure & Natural Resources, International Finance Corporation
• Suha AlKifaee, Managing Director, IIB
• Zaid Al-Ansari, Executive Country Manager-Iraq, GE
• Tarek Hamade, Environment & Infrastructure lead for the Middle East, Wood plc
• Tawfiq Tabbaa, Managing Partner – Iraq, Eversheds Sutherland
• Salem Chalabi, Partner, Stephenson Harwood Middle East LLP
• Nikolay Dimitrov, Business Development Manager (Middle East and Africa), KCA Deutag
• Anne Kerr, Global Head – Urbanisation, Mott MacDonald
• Iain Rawlinson, Group Commercial Director, Gulftainer
• Phill Sherwood, Executive Director, AMAR International Charitable Foundation
• Danielle Montgomery, Managing Director, Middle East, North Africa and Turkey, OPIC

A pre-conference reception and networking event will be held on Saturday 11 November at 18:00 at the Address Dubai Marina.

IBBC warmly thanks the International Islamic Bank, which has generously agreed to be the event’s Gold Sponsor, in addition to Silver sponsors Serco & Gulftainer. Completing the sponsorship line-up are Wood plc, which will serve as the Reception sponsor, and Coffee Break Sponsors KCA Deutag & Eversheds Sutherland.

Sponsorship opportunities are still available. Please email [email protected] for details.

Registration is now open. The registration fee for non-members is £700. IBBC members and members of partner organisations are entitled to special discounted rates. To request the discount codes or if you need assistance, please email the team at [email protected] or phone +44 (0) 20 7222 7100.

The IBBC team looks forward to seeing you in Dubai for the Autumn Conference.

Download the latest Agenda Here.

From Al Monitor. Any opinions here are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News. 

Russian President Vladimir Putin had been banking on Iraqi Kurdistan Region President Massoud Barzani.

Over the past year, Russia has invested over $4 billion in the Kurdistan Region’s energy sector, overtaking the United States as the largest investor. By making such a commitment to northern Iraq, Putin was likely counting on both an eventual energy windfall and another card to play as a regional broker at the expense of the United States.

He could count on good, or at least working, relationships with Damascus, Tehran, Ankara, to some extent Baghdad and, with the massive oil and gas venture, Erbil.

What the Russian president had not banked on was that Barzani would go ahead with the independence referendum on Sept. 25 against widespread international and regional opposition. The Kremlin, of course, could not support ethnic separatism, and was probably hoping for a last-minute deal with Baghdad to stave off the vote.

As the prospects of a postponement collapsed, Barzani likely saw Russia’s investment as a hedge against the nearly unified international opposition to its referendum on independence.

Putin, of course, kept up appearances of being in control, but there was no denying the unusual nature of his visit to Ankara on Sept. 28 for consultations with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, just three days after the referendum vote.

Erdogan’s position was predictable and blustery, including when he said, “No one has a right to throw our region into the fire,” as Yekaterina Chulkovskaya reports. But Putin sought to dial it down, and instead referred to the Russian Foreign Ministry’s statement, which included the phrase “Moscow respects the national aspirations of the Kurds” and the hope for a “constructive and respectful dialogue, with a view to devising a mutually acceptable formula of coexistence within a single Iraqi state,” as reported by Jasper Mortimer.

Baroness Nicholson, President of the Iraq Britain Business Council (IBBC) and Her Majesty's Trade Enjoy to Iraq, Azerbijan and Turkmenistan, discusses Iraq as a major market, IBBC's role in creating a worldwide network for those doing clean business in Iraq, further increasing investment and the positive consequences of businesses transferring skills and technology into Iraq:

The Iraq Britain Business Council (IBBC) held its annual weekend retreat on 7-9 July at Cumberland Lodge, Windsor Park, a venue dedicated to the advancement of international societal issues through constructive dialogue.

Around 60 IBBC Members and guest speakers attended this unique event to discuss pressing issues on the future of Iraq’s economy, prospects and stability.

Friday afternoon featured an Oil & Gas Sector Table Meeting, with representatives from Shell, Constellis, Penspen and Amec Foster Wheeler amongst others. William Wakileh, President and CEO of GE Iraq and Levant, gave a detailed presentation of GE’s work in Iraq during the meeting.

This was followed by a meeting of the Education, Training & Heritage Sector Table. The meeting featured presentations by the Vice Chancellors of the universities of Brighton, Leicester, and the Dean of Academic Partnerships of Northampton University, showcasing the progressive initiatives of British universities to support educational and curricula development in Iraq. Shell gave a presentation on their current training and educational work and requirements in the country. The meeting was also attended by the newly appointed HR director of BP Iraq.

The evening events saw speeches from Baroness Nicholson of Winterbourne, Her Majesty’s Trade Envoy to Iraq, Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan, Canon Dr Edmund Newell, Principal, Cumberland Lodge and H.E. Dr Salih Husain Ali, Ambassador of the Republic of Iraq.

The day was concluded by a powerful speech, courtesy of Dr Barham Salih, former Deputy PM of Iraq, former PM of the Kurdistan Regional Government and Founder of the American University in Suleimani.

The Friday Evening Dinner was generously sponsored by IBBC Member Severn Glocon Group.

The second day of the Conference on Saturday 8 July, consisted of 5 Sessions of panel discussions to address the economic, social and political situation in Iraq from a variety of different angles.

Session 1 ‘Present Situation in Iraq’ was chaired by Neil Quilliam, Senior Research Fellow at Chatham House and featured speeches from Baroness Nicholson, Dr Barham Salih, Ambassador Jonathan Wilks and Dara Rasheed, Deputy Minister of Construction, Housing and Municipalities for the Government of Iraq.

Session 2 addressed ‘Iraq after ISIS/The Future of Governance in Iraq' and was chaired by Botan Osman, Managing Director of Restrata. The Panel featured representatives of Chatham House, Dr Renad Mansour, Academy Fellow and Dr Nussaibah Younis, Associate Fellow, who recently published the Atlantic Council Report of the Task Force on the Future of Iraq. Nicolas Pelham, Middle East Correspondent at The Economist completed the panel.

Session 3 of the day, ‘A New Approach to International Trade’ saw a more finance focused discussion and was chaired by John Curtin, Partner, Ernst & Young. The panel was made up of Martin Kent, Strategy Director at the Department for International Trade, Gordon Welsh, Head of Business Group at UK Export Finance, Rob Lally of the Infrastructure Leadership Team and the Department of International Trade and Andy Birch, Director of DIT in Iraq.

Session 4 on ‘International Financial Support, PPP and Debt Finance’, was chaired by Richard Cotton of the IBBC and featured presentations by Ammar Shubar of Management Partners and Christian Josz, Mission Chief to Iraq of the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

Session 5 closed the day’s events on ‘Future IBBC Events’ chaired by Vikas Handa, IBBC’s UAE Representative.

IBBC also held its bi-annual Council Meeting at the Lodge, prior to dinner on Saturday evening.

The Seminar concluded with an after dinner speech and discussion with Jonathon Wilks, Her Majesty’s Ambassador to Iraq (Designate).

(Source: IBBC)

The Iraq Britain Business Council (IBBC) has today announced changes to its leadership team.

Former IBBC Executive Chairman Baroness Nicholson of Winterbourne is now President of the 54-member organisation. Baroness Nicholson also serves as the Prime Minister’s Trade Envoy to Iraq, Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan.

Replacing Baroness Nicholson as Chairman is Mr Mohammed Charchafchi, Chairman and Chief Executive of Middle East telecoms giant Zain Iraq. Mr Charchafchi is a co-founder of the IBBC.

Two long-standing executive committee members, Eng. Rasmi Al Jabri of the Basrah Engineering Group and Mr Alistair Kett of PWC, have been appointed as Deputy Chairmen and will deputise for Mr Charchafchi in his absence.

Meanwhile, Mr Hani Akkawi of CCC, who serves as Chairman of the IBBC’s Construction and Infrastructure Sector Table, will join the Executive Committee.

It was also announced that Dr Alastair Niven LVO OBE will step down as Chairman of IBBC’s Education, Training & Heritage Sector Table on Tuesday 15 November 2016. He will be replaced by Professor Christina Slade, Vice Chancellor of Bath Spa University.

Mr Christophe Michels, formerly IBBC’s Chief Operating Officer, has been promoted to Managing Director.

(Source: IBBC)

Iraqi Government, EU, IMF, UNAMI, and World Bank representatives participate at IBBC’s annual retreat in Windsor

Dara Rasheed, Iraq’s acting Minister of Housing and Construction, Jan Kubis, Head of UNAMI and Special Representative of the United Nations for Iraq, Robert Bou Jaoude, World Bank’s Special Representative for Iraq, Patrick Simmonet, EU Ambassador to Iraq and Baroness Nicholson of Winterbourne, IBBC Executive Chairman and UK trade Envoy for Iraq, Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan, were amongst the participants of IBBC’s annual retreat at Cumberland Lodge, Great Windsor Park, held from the 8th till 10th July 2016.

Christian Josz, Mission Chief of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), gave a full presentation on the IMF’s Stand-By Agreement for Iraq approved on the 29th June.

IBBC members Moby Group, Management Partners, Bath Spa University, Perkins+Will and CCC gave presentations at sessions aimed to discuss Iraq’s financial and budgetary situation, the country’s wider economic and structural crisis, construction and infrastructure updates and strategic communication plans.

The retreat, an IBBC members -only event, was also attended by senior officials from the Home Office and the Iraqi Embassy in London, who gave speeches on Friday evening. The after dinner speaker on Saturday was Sir Terrece Clark KBE, Chairman of the Friends of the Basrah Museum, who updated delegates on the status of this important cultural initiative.

(Source: IBBC)