IRAQ TODAY

For the second edition of our exclusive members’ magazine, Iraq Today, the Chief Executive Officer of one of Iraq’s biggest companies features prominently on the front page.

The growth of UB Holding, founded by Hadi Nezir and his six brothers, has been nothing short of remarkable. Founded in 1990, to help drive forward the traditional family business, based on agriculture and the food sector, UB has gone from strength to strength. It quickly expanded into other areas, especially the oil business, manufacturing, and construction.

Hadi tells us how the family have managed the astonishing growth and what ambitions they have for the future.

Iraq Today also profiles Simon Collis, the UK’s Ambassador to Iraq. Simon has spent much of his career in the Middle East and is passionate about the region. He is determined to see British business taking further footholds in Iraq and is doing all he can to make that happen.

Simon’s counterpart, the Iraq Ambassador to the UK also features. Faik Nerweyi has only recently presented his diplomatic credentials to the Queen. He’s the country’s first London-based Ambassador for six years.  Like Simon, Faik is determined to make a difference. He believes the Iraqi people have the will to rise to the challenge and claim a prominent place on the world stage.

We report on the Iraqi Government’s first Human Rights Conference, which was held in Baghdad in October. The meeting was addressed by the Prime Minister, Nouri Al Maliki, and a whole host of senior politicians and delegates from around the world, including the IBBC’s Executive Chairman, Baroness Nicholson.

The British engineering services and asset management company, Penspen, are another company expanding in Iraq. Their new Chief Executive, Peter O’Sullivan, tells us why.

There are reports on Shell Iraq’s support for local communities, and the World Bank’s work in the Southern Iraqi Marshlands.

All this together with business news stories from across the nation,  a lively letters page, and postcard features on some of more picturesque scenes in Iraq.

We’d welcome your feedback whether by letter or Online.  Any news for our next edition in early 2014 would also be much appreciated!