Business and Ministerial Delegation from Iraq Visit Bath and Bristol
IBBC delegates at Leigh Court, Bristol, home of business leadership organisation Business West.
Seventeen businessmen and women from Iraq in London for IBBC’s Spring Conference travelled to the South West of England on Thursday 28 April to visit Bath Spa University and Business West for a networking and knowledge exchange visit. Among the delegation was H.E. Istabra Al Shouk, Iraq’s Deputy Minister of Housing Construction and Ahmed Al-Shamma, formerly Iraq’s Deputy Minister of Oil. IBBC’s Christophe Michels, Dr Alastair Niven and Richard Cotton also accompanied the delegation.
The trip kicked off with a dinner hosted by IBBC member Bath Spa University, who co-sponsored the trip with Business West. It was held at The Refectory at the university’s Newton Park campus, with Professor John Strachan, Vice Provost for Research and Enterprise, hosting the evening.
On Friday 29 April, the delegation visited the headquarters of Rotork, an international engineering company based in Bath. During the visit, the delegates were welcomed by the company’s chairman and toured its manufacturing facilities.
Business West, who co-hosted the trip with Bath Spa University, hosted a networking event for the delegation at Leigh Court, where they met with business people from the region.
Following the tour of Rotork, the group travelled to Leigh Court, Bristol, the home of Business West to learn more about the business leadership organisation from its Director of Commercial Services James Monk and Clive Wray, Director of Public Sector Contracts, and meet with business people from the region.
Delegates also enjoyed a tour of Royal Portbury Dock and Avonmouth Dock, which was hosted by The Bristol Port Company, before returning to London.