IBBC hosted a dinner with Sir John Chilcot as guest of honour, author of the Chilcot enquiry, on Thursday 19 October, at the Cavalry and Guards Club in Piccadilly.

The event was opened by a short address from Baroness Nicholson of Winterbourne, President of IBBC and the Prime Minister’s Trade Envoy to Iraq, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan.

Numerous members were in attendance for the evening, including guests representing Mott MacDonald, Solar Turbines, Penspen Ltd, BP, ARCHS, Constellis, Vitol Group, Al-Burhan Group, Bath Spa University and new members the University of Northampton and XReach Ltd.

After dinner Sir John spoke about his early career and experiences with different Prime Ministers, before delving into a summary of the circumstances which brought about the enquiry. Sir John spoke at length about the UK’s absence of a national objective and the impact this lack of foresight and direction had on events post 9/11. He explained that deference towards US objectives and strategy largely resulted in a damaged international reputation for the UK and marginal influence in rebuilding post-Saddam Iraq.

Sir John concluded that conducting strategy with a global power requires absolute coordination of all resources under very clear guidance. The danger of ignoring this rule was laid open starkly and regrettably in the fallout of the UK’s involvement in Iraq post 9/11.

IBBC member and long-time associate Brigadier James Ellery CBE, Chairman of Turnkey LLC, and member of the cavalry and guards club hosted the dinner for IBBC members and later moderated the Q&A with Sir John Chilcot after his address.