On Wednesday, 5 February, Christophe Michels, Managing Director, IBBC and Rasmi Al Jabri, Deputy Chairman, IBBC met with Dr Salar Ameen Acting Chairman of National Investment Commission. They discussed the longstanding cooperation between the NIC and IBBC and how to deepen it and made plans for a joint Baghdad conference to be held as soon as a new Government is formed. Later, Mohanad Al Khattab, Baghdad Office Manager, accompanied them to the British Embassy where they met with John Tucknott the Deputy British Ambassador to Iraq.  Beverly Simpson, Director DIT Iraq also attended the meeting. They spoke about the present situation in Iraq and how it affected the business environment and discussed how best to work together in Iraq and in the UK in the month ahead.

In addition to the meetings IBBC held a dinner for its members and guests at the Babylon Hotel in Baghdad on 5th February. The dinner was hosted by Rasmi Al Jabri, Deputy Chairman of IBBC and Christophe Michels, Managing Director of IBBC.

Rasmi Al Jabri gave an opening speech welcoming everyone and spoke about IBBC’s activities in Iraq and UK. The dinner also attended by Dr Salar Ameen, Chairman of the National Investment Commission, H.E. Dr Luay Al Khateeb, Minister of Electricity, Mr Abdul Aziz Shwan A Ahmed, Chief of Staff of DPM Dr Fouad Hussein and Mr Abdulrazzaq Al-Zuhairi, Chairman of the Iraqi Federation of Chambers of Commerce. IBBC member companies in attendance included Al-Burhan Group, Al-Maseer, ENKA, Eversheds Sutherland, G4S, GE, HHP Law, International Islamic Bank, KPMG, Management Partners, Serco Middle East, Shell, Siemens Iraq, SKA International, Standard Chartered Bank and TurnKey LLC.

The evening’s sponsor was Sardar Trading Agencies who displayed their new Range Rover Mild Hybrid Car, Model Year 2020.

The next day the IBBC team visited the offices of International Islamic Bank, HHP Law and Serco at Baghdad air traffic control.