Setting up in Iraq
The situation
Our client, an international bank, was entering the challenging market of Iraq and seeking to open branches in Baghdad and two other cities. Aware of the well-documented complexities of operating in Iraq, the client wanted to ensure that its executives engaged productively with the multiple stakeholders in each location. Influenced by Control Risks unrivalled experience in Iraq, the client engaged us to identify the stakeholders and evaluate their likely interest in and influence over the bank’s operations.
Control Risks' approach
We carried out first-hand research at each of the three locations. Drawing on our deep knowledge of Iraq’s political and regulatory landscape and our extensive network of stakeholders, we were able to build a detailed picture of key influencers in each location, at both the personal and institutional level. Our country experts assessed each stakeholder’s relevance to the banking sector and our client’s planned operations in particular. We also analysed the relationships between different stakeholders, and provided supporting analysis around political instability and regional developments, to help our client build up a detailed picture of the business environment.
The outcome
Our client was able to draw on our analysis to inform its public relations strategy and plan the early stages of its investment in Iraq. Furthermore, we delivered our stakeholder analysis on a flexible platform which will allow our client to update and expand its analysis in support of its successful ongoing operations in Iraq’s volatile business environment.
