IBBC hosted a two day retreat with distinguished guests such as Dr Barham Salih, the former President of Iraq; former Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister, Dr. Ali Allawi and H.E Mr Razaq Muhaibis Al Sadawi, Minister of Transport, on 23^rd -25^th September at Cumberland Lodge, Windsor Great Park.

The retreat is designed for members to discuss key strategic issues with invited expert speakers on Iraq’s macro topics. The initial transport discussion was chaired by Mr Jon Wilks CMG, Senior Advisor, IBBC and former Ambassador to Iraq, in conversation with H.E. Mr Razaq Muhaibis Al-Sadawi, Minister of Transport who spoke of the opportunities for investment and intent to improve transport links to and within Iraq.

The follow up panel on the present situation in Iraq heard from Baroness Nicholson, IBBC President; Mr Ivan Parks, Joint Head Iraq & Arab Peninsula Department, FCDO; Dr Renad Mansour, Chatham House and Dr Ahmed Tabaqchali, AFC Iraq Fund.

Concluding the morning session the panel focused on ‘Iran, the Gulf States and Iraq Chaired by Dr Neil Quilliam, fellow at Chatham House with speakers including Dr Amir Sadaati, GEMS, Mr Jon Wilks CMG, IBBC. The discussion focused on the impact on Iraq of current Middle East Affairs.

During the afternoon Dr Ali Allawi, Former Deputy Prime Minister & Minister of Finance, Government of Iraq, discussed ‘China’s way of doing business in Iraq’ followed by a roundtable discussion on the  ‘Business environment on Iraq’ chaired by Mr Colin Findlay, IBBC with Mr Jaafar Sabti, Al Hadeel Al Hasan LLC, Mr Damian Allison, British Embassy and Mr Taha Al Tamini, SABEEL Private LTD as a speakers.

In parallel the Education Session in two stages chaired by Prof Mohammed Al Uzri, IBBC Education, Training and Heritage Table Chairman with Dr Hazim Al Zubaidi, Director of the Government Programme at the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research and part two with Mr Raed Mahmoud of The International School of Choueifat (school regulation and international school challenges, qualifications for international universities).

Professor Iain Gillespie, Principal & Vice-Chancellor, University of Dundee, addressed members at dinner on the importance of universities not only to train and educate future businesspeople, but in their importance as place makers in the towns and cities they exist in, bringing wealth and capacity to those places.

The Principal was thanked by Baroness Nicholson, who also thanks Abir Burhan of the Al Burhan Group for the generous sponsorship of the Cumberland Lodge conference and Christophe Michels, MD for his curation of a successful event.