Speakers

H.E. Asaad Abdulamir Abdulghafar Al – Idan

Governor of Basra

Federal Government of Iraq

HE Assaad Abdel-Amir Abdel-Ghaffar El-Eidan , Governor Basra, holds a BSC in Electronic Engineering, he held several positions including; Deputy Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Islamic Bank of Al Bilad, he has an extensive experience in investment, banking and trade, he also worked at the Iraqi Trade Bank as a Director from 2006-2011. He participated in the Shaaban Uprising, he fled to Islamic Republic of Iran, he was then  arrested and sentenced to death and then his sentence was reduced to life in prison. After the fall of the Baathist regime, he worked within the National De-Baathification Commission.

Ambassador Ramon Blecua

Ambassador/ Head of Delegation

Delegation of the European Union to Iraq

Ambassador Ramon Blecua has held several postings in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Embassies of Spain in Ghana, Indonesia, Egypt and Guatemala from 1988 to 1996. He was Spanish Representative to the Palestinian/Israeli peace negotiations in Cairo from 1992 to 1995. He participated in the International Commission Security Sector Reform of Guatemala and Cooperation Aid Coordinator for implementation of the peace agreements. In 1997, he was appointed Head of Office of the Director of the Institute for Cooperation with Latin America in the Spanish Agency for international Cooperation and Advisor of the Deputy Minister for International Cooperation and Latin America. Subsequent postings include Chief of Cabinet of the Director of the Cervantes Institute, Deputy Head of Mission in Teheran, Deputy Consul General in Buenos Aires and Cultural Counsellor in Cairo. He was Advisor for the International Center Oscar Niemeyer in Aviles for cultural Diplomacy Projects, Deputy Head of Mission in the Spanish Embassy in New Delhi from 2011 to 2014 and since 2014 Head of Political Section of the EU Delegation in Sana. He has been invited to lecture by International IDEA, the Latin American Center of Administration for Development, Argentinian Center for Foreign Relations, Aspen Institute, universities and research centers on issued of international cooperation, democratic governance and international relations. Ambassador Blecua Casas holds a M.A in history from Madrid Complutense University, and has studies in International Cooperation, Foreign Relations and Cultural Management. He has also published articles and essays on international relations, development cooperation and cultural diplomacy. He speaks English, French, Italian, Portuguese, Persian and Arabic.

H.E. Dara Reshid

Deputy Minister, Deputy Head of (REFAATO), Ministry of Construction, Housing & General Municipalaties

Housing & General Municipalities, Federal Government of Iraq

H.E. Dara Hassan Reshid is the Deputy Minister at the Ministry of Construction, Housing, Municipalities and General Works and Vice President of REFAATO. He was previously Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs from 2010 to 2013 and a Special Adviser to the President of KRG on development, construction and investment from 2005 to 2010. MR Reshid holds a B.Sc. in Civil Engineering and an M.Sc. in Highway & Traffic Engineering.

H.E. Nafaa Abdulsada Ali Al-Hmidawi

Senior Deputy Minister, Ministry of Electricity

Federal Government of Iraq

Mr Ali Hmidawi holds a B.Sc. in Electrical Engineering  and attended a number of courses related to power and energy both in Iraq and abroad, the last in 2016 is the United States program (IVLP) entitled “Increasing Energy Efficiency”, he held several posts and these include Director of Rusafa Operation Department, Director of Control and Communications department, Assistant General Manager of Baghdad Distribution, Director General of Baghdad Electricity  Distribution, Director General of Energy  Distribution Office, and for the present time Director General of the state company of Baghdad Electricity Distribution.

H.E. Kameran Ali Hassan

Deputy Minister of Environment, Ministry of Environment

Federal Government of Iraq

Dr Kameran Ali Hasan holds a Bachelor’s Degree and Master’s Degree in Law, and a Master of Business Administration from Jules Vernier-Picardy University, France. He also holds a PhD in Management of Institutions.

Dr Kameran has experience in the management of government institutions and the development of annual budgets of ministries and how to implement them and the development of public administrative policies and deal with the challenges facing the implementation of these policies. The following positions were held by the Director General of Planning in the Ministry of Health in the Kurdistan Region and Director General of Social Welfare Director of Relief and Reconstruction Organization funded by the United Nations.

MP Halibat Hamad Abbas Al – Halboosi

Chairman of the Oil & Gas Committee

Federal Government of Iraq

H.E. Engineer Mohammed Al Tamimi

First Deputy Governor of Basra, Governorate of Basra

Federal Government of Iraq

Mohammed Taher al-Tamimi holds a Bachelor of Electricity Engineering from the University of Basra and Master's in Business Administration Mini Certificate - Turkey – Antalya. He is the First Deputy Governor of Basra since 2013, he held several positions including the Resident Engineer responsible for the implementation of projects, departments at the faculties of the University of Basra- Engineering Section - presidency of the University Al Basra 2003-2005, became responsible for the Division- Basra Electricity Distribution Directorate 2009-2010 as well as for the Electricity Distribution Directorate north of Basra 2012 – 2013.

Mohammed attended a number of international Conferences outside Iraq including the  representation of the province of Basra in the workshop with the Federal Republic of Germany regarding the benefit from the experience of Germany in the transfer of powers, the workshop for the development of industrial cities by the UNIDO- United Nations in Italy. 

He handled several portfolios including; electricity, services portfolio, legal and general administration of municipalities.

Ihsan Abduljabbar Ismaael Al – Saade

Director General of the Basra Oil Company, Ministry of Oil

Federal Government of Iraq

Mr Ismaael succeeded Mr Ali Khudair AL Saady as the DG of the South Gas Company and brings more than 17 years of experience into the role.

He joined the SOC as Operation and Shift Engineer – Gas compressor station, then became a Technical Member in Commercial and Technical Committee at the SOC , then he became the Director of Coordination Office – for the Iraqi Ministry of Oil for the South Region,  then he became Manager for Technical and Coordination Department at the SGC, then a manger of Green Fields Project Department  at the BGC , then he became the Deputy Director of Project and Engineering Commission at BGC, then became a Member in JMC for Majnoon Field between (2012-2013) then a member in Gas consultant committee/South Region, then he became Basra Gas power and investment Advisor, then a member and Head in Multi Commercial and Technical Committees for the last 10 years , then he became Basra Gas Company Project Manager between ( 2013-2015 ), then he became South Gas Company Director General Assistant (2015-2016 ) then the South Gas Company Director General  as from 2016.

 Ismaael graduated with a Chemical Engineering Degree from Basra University, Iraq and achieved and completed a number of training programmes and researched a number of technical papers at the SGC, speaks both Arabic and English.

MP Dr Jamal Abdul-Zahra Muhammadawi

Member of the Parliament Representing Basra

Federal Parliament of Iraq

Elected as Member of the Iraqi Federal Parliament (3rd session ), then elected as a Member of the Iraqi Federal Parliament (4th session 2018-2022), elected as member of Oil, Energy and Natural Resources Committee, Dr Almuhamadawi  holds a B.M. in General Surgery- Basra University (1993-1999) and a PhD- Iraqi Board of Psychiatry (2007-2011). Dr Muhamidawi attended a number of Conferences including; the  First Economical Conference of the General Budget Law / Basra 2007. The Second Economical Conference of the General Budget Law / Basra 2008. Basra Conference of Oil, Gas and Infrastructure / Istanbul 2015 and  Basra Conference of Oil, Gas and Infrastructure Beirut 2016 among other Conferences.

Zaid Elyaseri

Country Manager

BP Iraq

Zaid Elyaseri is responsible for managing BP’s business integration in Iraq and is responsible for working with key energy officials in Iraq. BP is the lead contractor for developing Rumaila oil field, Iraq’s largest field. Zaid has held various central and regional finance/commercial roles and was involved in setting up business processes for Rumaila. Prior to working at BP, Zaid worked for KPMG UK and has headed advisory and risk positions in the Middle East. In 2014, Zaid took up the position of BP Iraq Deputy Country Manager and in 2015 was appointed as BP Iraq Country Manager.

Kevin Kveton

Director, Iraq Business Development

Chevron

Kevin Kveton is Director of Iraq Business Development. Based in London, he assumed his current position in July 2017.
Dr. Kveton joined Chevron in 1989 and has held numerous domestic and international assignments in exploration, business development, and geological research & development.
His overseas resident assignments included Australia, Papua New Guinea, Bahrain, Indonesia, and Thailand with responsibilities also covering Qatar, Myanmar, and China along with new venture work across the Middle East, North Africa, and Southeast Asia.
Dr. Kveton is a 1989 graduate from the University of Washington in Seattle with a Ph.D. in Geology.

Ahmed Hanoon

Director General of Environment, Basra & South of Iraq, Ministry of Environment

Federal Government of Iraq

Mr Ahmed Hanoon Jassim, Director General of the South Environment Directorate, Basra, worked within the environment directorate within the following units:  Radioactive Sources Control Unit, 2004-2005. Water and air quality control unit, 2005-2006. Air Quality Control Unit Officer, 2005-2014. Urban Environment Division, 2010-2014, which includes; (Air quality control unit, water quality control unit, industrial activity control unit, service control unit, noise level control unit, environmental impact assessment unit, site control unit and chemicals management) )he held several posts including; Assistant Director of Basrah Environment Department, 2010-2014. Point of contact in Basra Governorate for the Vienna Convention and the Montreal Protocol for the Conservation of the Ozone Layer. Lecturer of air pollution in the Faculty of Technical Engineering in Basra, 2012-2013.  Director of the Basrah Environment Department since 2014. Decision maker  of the Council for the protection and improvement of the environment in the province of Basra since 2014.  Assistant Director General of the Department of Environmental Protection and Improvement in the southern region since 2015.Director General of the Department of Environmental Protection and Improvement in the southern region since 2016.

Published numerous research papers and articles including; Pollution Resulting from Automobile Exhausts in Basrah City, Air Pollution in Total Suspended Minutes in Basrah City. Cars and pollution, Noise, an article published in Al-Hayat Newspaper . Metal and textile specifications of the falling dust of the province of Basra. The Effects of Industrial Flows on Near-Water Sources in Basrah Governorate. Estimation of some trace elements of dust falling in the province of Basra, research was delivered at the Third Scientific Conference for the rehabilitation of the southern Iraqi Marshlands. 

Honors including; Honored by the President of the Republic Dr. Fuad Masoum, in 2016. Honoring the Innovation and Excellence Award for 2016 by Mr. Sabah Al-Bazzouni, Chairman of the Basra Governorate Council under the book No. 4050 on 20/2/2017.

Ali Shadad Al Fares

Head of the Energy Committee, Basra Council

Federal Government of Iraq

Member of the Basra Council and the head of the Oil & Gas Committee for the elected local council – 2013-2017- Mr Al Fares holds a University degree in law from the University of Basra, and has extensive experience for more than 10 years in strategic planning and projects case studies; with Iraqi international laws; and has extensive experience in dealing with the international companies working in Iraq. He has worked and helped the Basra community with a number of projects, participated in a number of workshops and training programmes both locally and internationality and has participated in a number of local and international conferences.

Dr Jehan Baban

President

The Iraqi Environment and Health Society - UK

Graduated with BSc in Chemistry from Iraq and  gained  MSc,  PhD ( UCL) and  PGCE from London, UK. She is a Chartered Chemist & Chartered Scientist from the RSC and a member of SCI. She has worked for many years at  UCL as a  Senior Research Assistant  and a  Research Fellow at the Thromboses Research Institute in London. She also worked  in many Educational Institutions and  Colleges in London including Head of Science position. She had   published over 60 scientific  papers, patent,  presentations, editor of  a book on environmental pollution in Iraq  and articles in Iraqi newspapers. Her current studies is on the impact of pollution on the environment and public health in Iraq. She is the Founder  and President of  The Iraqi Environment and Health Society -UK (2015) and organized many scientific conferences on environmental pollution in Iraq.

Munther Nima Hashem

Advisor for Energy Governorate of Basra

Federal Government of Iraq

Munther Nima Hashem, current Governorate of Basra Energy Advisor, holds a BSC in Electrical engineering from the University of Basra, and has held various posts and responsibilities, including responsibility for the execution of a number of construction and infrastructure projects as well as for nearly 300 projects in electricity transmission and distribution.

Ali H. Khudhier Al-Saady

Former Director General, South Gas Company, Ministry of Oil

Federal Government of Iraq

Chairman of the Joint management committee meeting, with over 40 years of extensive experience in oil and gas industry, responsible for approving the BGC annual production plans and signing for approval on Tenders/ purchase orders $ 5 m, nominating the BGC Deputy Manager and the O&M Committee Managers from SGC share. As the Director General of the South Gas Company – Ministry of Oil Presenting the Ministry of Oil at international meetings, approving the company annual plan for OLM and directing the SGC production activities.

Major achievements included the re starting the KAZ LPG / NGL  plant after 5 years shutdown , increase LPG production daily rate from 900 to 2600 ton / day. Refurbishment and starting the dry gas compressor at KAZ after 27 years shutdown, this compressor added 100 ton / day of LPG and 65 MMSCF/D of dry gas to the network, establishing Basra Gas Co. with Shell and Mitsubishi and west Qurna Oil Fields, recruiting more than 2000 Iraqi nationals, put the plans for the gas utilization project and minimizing new NGL plant in N. Rumail Artawi field.

Andy Edwards

Vice President

GardaWorld

Andy Edwards is Vice President, Strategic Clients for GardaWorld, the world’s largest Privately-owned security company. In this role he focuses on development and relationship management for key clients in the energy sector. Before joining GardaWorld, Andy held the positions of Security Director, Orascom Telecom Iraq and Managing Director, Consilium Risk Strategies, a private security company which he founded in 2004. Andy served in the British Special Forces and has spent over 20 years’ industry experience.