Capability Statement - Iraq

1. Capability Statement
Upper Quartile provides creative advice in the most challenging business and economic environments. All of our
partners are experienced international development and management professionals who have worked at senior
levels in the public and private sectors.
Our clients include international NGOs, government agencies and global companies. Our scope of work
embraces economic reconstruction in hostile regions, advice on economic development and reform, and business
strategy and benchmarking. The common theme is our ability to deliver clear, pragmatic solutions to problems
that are complex, highly uncertain and, occasionally, chaotic. We have three main areas of specialism:
post-conflict reconstruction; economic development and reform; and business strategy. Our solutions are
successful and are always delivered on time and on budget.
7-9 North St David Street Edinburgh
United Kingdom EH2 1AW
Tel: +44(0)131 524 9640
Web: www.upperquartile.co.uk

2. Upper Quartile in Iraq
Since 2009 we have developed a number of strategic partnerships in Iraq to support the private sector make and
manage its investments in the country, these include:
Iraq Business News
Upper Quartile has been producing Newsletters on Iraq and its
astonishing development for over 18 months. In February 2010 Anglo Arab Insurance Brokers and Upper Quartile
combined resources and created the Iraq Business News – a weekly newsletter that is sent directly to 7,000 Iraq
Investors and a web site visited by 10,000 readers a month with an average of 5 pages read per visitor.
The web site is a free resource financed by selling advertising on the web site and provides a remarkable
resource library on Iraq and its development.
www.iraq-businessnews.com
OBM People
Upper Quartile has a joint venture with Oilbase Management
– a recruitment and contract management company for
technical staff to the international Oil Industry. With a database of over 6,500 technical and professional staff
and 100 staff deployed on contract in several countries the combination of OBM’s ability to manage technical
staff in difficult places on behalf of the oil industry and Upper Quartile’s presence in Basra and Baghdad we are
uniquely placed to support the staff requirements of the Oil Industry as it builds up rapidly in the support oil
production in Iraq.
www.obmpeople.com
Serviced Office in Basra
A fully resourced Representative Office on a short-term fixed-cost basis allowing you to be at the front of the
queue as the Iraqi Oil Industry opens up the massive oil fields in the south over the next months - without
bearing the full costs or the risk!
Our approach is based on your requirements and tailored to meet your business and regulatory requirements.
We have been in Basra for almost 4 years now and have worked with several large multi-nationals positioning
them with the Iraqi Oil Industry – in the past this work has included identification and negotiating with Iraqi
partners for tendering, identification of offices, managing registration of a business , negotiating of Letters
of Credit, senior staff recruitment. With an operational staffed office in Basra City, Upper Quartile staff are
available to support you in building your business in Basra quickly and at minimal cost.

3. Corporate Social Responsibility
Not all growth is good. Communities that suddenly develop short term wealth in one group alone, are not
sustainable. It can cause community strife, limit the benefits to development in a country or region, and has
been recognised by many countries and regions. CSR focuses on what business can do to operate in a responsible
way to secure the balanced future of the markets and regions they operate in. If companies are to succeed in
creating economic opportunities they will need to address the social challenges and opportunities they face:
• businesses need to raise skills and overall capacities
• businesses need to fit in with their host environment, adhere to the law, pay taxes due and
support indigenous skills and business development aspirations and plans…more than anything
this means:
o businesses need to respond to environmental, social and governance issues; and
o businesses need to have productive relations with government bodies, their communities,
workers and suppliers.
Upper Quartile have been running Corporate Social Responsibility programmes globally for 20 years building
private capacity to benefit from a transition and developing Government to respond – we have a unique
understanding of Iraq and its workings.
Recent Project work in Iraq
Since 2007, we have completed a number of assignments in Iraq. Here are some examples.
Client: Baghdad PRT Project: Trade Show in Baghdad
More than 120 companies and almost 100 Iraqi business and government representatives attended a catalogue show in
Baghdad on Sunday the 20th June. The event was managed and organised by Upper Quartile and co-sponsored by the
U.S. Embassy Baghdad, Baghdad Provincial Reconstruction Team, and G4S. It provided a unique opportunity for local
business leaders and facilitators to network. Companies participating in the event displayed catalogues and contact
information in a variety of sectors including industry, health, water, agriculture, security, education, and consumer goods.

4. Recent Project work in Iraq
Client: Private Client Project: Support to Contract Management
Upper Quartile have been supporting the delivery of a $30 million contract in Basra with the South Oil Company through
support in delivering Letters of Credit, evaluating alternate banking arrangements, debt collection and management of
visa processes for South Oil Company Staff visiting the UK for equipment tests.
Client: Various Project: Trade Mission to Basra (June 2010)
3 major companies participated in a trade mission to Basra including Aubin and ITS designed and managed by Upper
Quartile and visiting the South Oil Company, Basra Investment Commission, Provincial Authority and Maysan Oil
Company.
Client: Various Project: Trade Mission to Basra (May 2010)
4 major companies participated in a trade mission to Basra including ASCO, KCA Deutag and GE Corporate designed and
managed by Upper Quartile and visiting the South Oil Company, Basra Investment Commission, Provincial Authority and
Umm Qasr Port.
Client: DECC Project: Development of Competency Based Skills Development in
Ministry of Oil, Baghdad, 2009 - 10
We have completed a programme, funded by the FCO with 3 Directorates in the Ministry of Oil in Baghdad to develop
and trial a Competency Skills development and training system. This is being rolled out through a series of workshops
for the Director Generals of all operational units in the Ministry of Oil during the 2nd Quarter of 2010. A development
workshop was held in Aberdeen with key stakeholders to apply the process and train Change Managers from the
Ministry.
Client: Private Project: Iraq Business Development
Working with one of the largest companies in the UK Upper Quartile supported their integration into the Oil and Gas
Industry and establishment in Basra as a major supplier of support services to the international oil industry.
Client: Private Client Project: Sourcing Local Suppliers, 2010
Identification and completion of due-diligence on local Iraqi Partners for a UK NDT company bidding into the IOC
community in Basra. The work involved identification of local suppliers against a tight technical specification, meeting
and assessing several companies, negotiating on behalf of the Client and supplying material for inclusion in the
submitted tender.

5. Recent Project work in Iraq
Client: IOC Project: Provision of Market Entry Service IOC 2009
Secondment of senior staff member to a prequalified IOC to enable them to enter and review the Iraq market, conduct
project economic field appraisal and develop project plans.
Upper Quartile Project: Publication of the Opportunity Iraq Newsletter, 2009 - 10
Weekly publication of the Opportunity Iraq Newsletter – reporting on the developments in the oil sector in Iraq with a
readership of over 1,000 this has now been commercialised with advertising being sold to cover the increasing costs of
production and sourcing material from the local Iraqi press.
Private Client Project: Provision of Business Development Services, 2009 - Present
Provision of 4 staff (2 expatriate and 2 local) to support an Integrated Security Service Provider build capacity quickly and
respond to requests for services out with traditional security provision.
Client: UKTI Project: Oil and Gas Trade Mission, October 2009
Managing and running the first Trade Mission to Iraq using non-military transport and non Government
accommodation. A group of 12 representing large service companies and two IOC’s attended – all but one have made
return trips and won business – some directly with the SOC.
Client: UKTI Project: Trade Development in Iraq, 2009
In early 2008 Upper Quartile won a contract to support UKTI in the supply and staffing of the offices being opened in
Baghdad and Basra in support of UK companies seeking to trade in Iraq. We supplied 2 senior expatriate staff in
Baghdad and Basra and local staff in Basra and built the capacity in the Embassy and Basra Consulate.
Client: World Bank Project: Design of PPP / PFI Initiative, 2009
In mid 2009 Upper Quartile won a contract to support the World Bank in Baghdad as it established itself and to provide
a quick start to the design and introduction of the Iraqi Governments PPP / PFI initiative. Upper Quartile also staffed
the offices being opened in Baghdad until World Bank staff could be mobilised. We supplied 1 senior expatriate staff in
Baghdad.

6. Client: FCO Project: Technical Support Initiative for Government of Iraq; 2008
and 2009
Support to identify and market investment opportunities to international business, advise potential investors on their
interest, supporting the British Embassy Kuwait in facilitating improved trading for Iraq, assist develop Government
investment processes and identify constraints to investment with appropriate counterparts (Ministries, IFI’s).
Client: DFID Project: Foreign Direct Investment Market Development (Basra & Iraq)
2007-09
Support to identify global and regional companies with interest in investment in Iraq, marry them with options for key
investment projects, assist them through the full FDI project cycle, to visit Iraq and prepare and submit project proposals
to Ministers and others. Involved global marketing from Japan, US, Europe, to the Middle East, undertaking promotional
activities and holding global Invest Iraq conferences.
Client: World Bank Project: Private Sector Development Policy Implementation Programme
Set Up 2009
The World Bank requested support to assist it to stand up the Private Sector Development Programme in Iraq. This
involved work with the Prime Minister’s Advisors, Ministers, UNDP and others, establishing the office, holding seminars
and drawing in the World Bank’s wider capacities in private sector development, PPP/PFI privatisation legal framework,
country policy framework and fiscal position and in related areas.
Client: DFID Project: Support to start up the Iraq National Investment Commission
(NIC) 2008-2009
As a logical extension of the FDI project the NIC received mentoring and training support to develop promotional
capabilities and develop its product offer and investment law and processes. This involved significant day to day
engagement with the Minister level Chairman and Vice Chairman and in the Prime Minister Advisory Office, the Deputy
Prime Minister Office and with Ministers including Industry, Transport, Security and on strategic investment projects. As
part of this project we managed an international Iraq conference in London in April 2009, with the UK and Iraq Prime
Ministers, and several other senior Ministers.
Upper Quartile intends to remain engaged in Iraq with partners in the Iraqi Government, investors and to
continue to work with the international community.
Adrian Green
Gavin Jones
For Upper Quartile
February 2010