5•January 22, 2022

Business LANDSCAPE Magazine Issue 5

#Iraq Market Research#Market Research Iraq#Iraq#Digital transformation Iraq#Iraq Digital Infrastructure#ICT Iraq#Climate Change & Sustainability Iraq#Iraq Private Sector

January 22, 202212 Articles

Issue Overview

The fifth edition of Business LANDSCAPE Magazine explores the foundations required to build a more resilient and sustainable Iraqi private sector amid economic challenges and accelerating digital transformation. This issue focuses on key themes including anti-corruption, investment dynamics, and the growing role of data and technology in informed decision-making. Featuring in-depth research on Iraq’s ICT ecosystem, digital marketing landscape, and online consumer behavior, the issue also examines sustainability, climate change, and their economic implications. Through exclusive interviews with investors, diplomats, and entrepreneurs, Issue 5 offers practical insights into innovation, venture growth, and the evolving opportunities shaping Iraq’s business environment.

Articles in this Issue

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Sustaining the Iraqi Business Landscape: Do We Have What It Takes?

Iraq’s private sector trails an expanding public sector, hampered by weak business climate and corruption. Climate risks and e-commerce create openings, but a youth bulge demands rapid human-capital upgrades—data, real digital marketing, better management. With education reform (from rote to skills) and governance fixes, Iraq can make its business landscape sustainable.

ArticleMohammed Jamal10 min

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Setting the Scene for a Better Private Sector: Causes and Cures of Corruption in Iraq

Iraq’s pervasive corruption (TI 2021: 160/180) stifles growth, keeps firms small/informal, and deters investors. Core drivers: oil/SOE dominance, red tape and subsidies, weak press/enforcement, and skewed public pay/promotion. Fixes: real political will with full asset disclosure, unify anti-corruption under one empowered commission (keep FBSA & AML office), strengthen media/civic education, and radically simplify rules (adopt best-practice codes/UAE-style models, modernize free zones).

ArticleFrank R. Gunter15 min

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Iraqi Data Analysis to Action: The Journey Towards Data-Driven Community

Iraq lags in the global data boom: huge datasets exist but qualified talent and demand are scarce. The piece urges organizations to start with “low-hanging fruit” (descriptive analytics, automation), ask better questions, define precise skill needs, and build interdisciplinary teams instead of hunting unicorns. Individuals should specialize in a few tools, balance theory with practice, and managers must learn how data teams work. The iDATA initiative tackles the gap via training, hands-on projects, hackathons, and job bridging to grow a practical, data-driven community.

ArticleRiyadh Radhi10 min

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The Investment Landscape: Iraqi Corporate Start to Venture

Iraq’s venture scene is reawakening. A new seed-to-Series A fund—Iraq Tech Partners (Khudairi, Al Handal, Falah)—joins rising regional plays like ZoodPay’s $38M BNPL raise and Rocket Internet’s Baly (ride-hailing/food). Crucially, Iraqi corporates made first disclosed CVC moves: Al Sharqiya → Orisdi and Earthlink → IoT Kids (via IAIN). To make CVC work, corporates must empower a startup-facing point person (often in the CEO office), keep startup independence, and codify strategy/governance pre-deal. With cash-rich balance sheets and clear synergies, Iraqi corporates are well placed to accelerate venture activity.

ArticleAli Al-Suhail, CFA10 min

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Management by Objectives

Management by Objectives (MBO) turns broad goals into SMART targets (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, Time-bound) to fix misalignment and short-termism in Iraqi firms. Start imperfectly, review regularly (OKR-style), involve teams, and reward performance to build a durable, customer-centric culture.

ArticleMarwan Ahmed15 min

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The Digital Marketing Scene in Iraq: the Good, the Bad, and the Way Forward

Iraq’s audience is online (tens of millions on internet/mobile), but digital marketing remains immature: “boosted posts” stand in for strategy, objectives/KPIs are fuzzy, channels are undiversified, data is underused, and talent is thin. COVID hastened digital habits—now brands must catch up. The way forward: audit the current state, set a clear vision and KPIs, diversify beyond social to SEO/SEM/content/affiliates, implement analytics & attribution, run test-and-learn experiments, and invest in upskilling teams. The reward: sharper targeting, lower CAC, and durable growth.

ArticleIbrahim Al-Zararee15 min

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Iraq’s Moving Towards a Sustainable Future

Iraq, among the most climate-vulnerable, is seeing record heat, desertification, and farm losses—driving rural migration. The response: pivot to clean energy (utility solar, rooftop loans, less gas flaring), NGO-backed agri-SMEs, and power-sector fixes; now it must deliver NDCs, de-risk private capital, modernize the grid, and mobilize public-private-citizen action.

ArticleIsa Mohammed10 min

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The Reality of Information and Communication Technology In Iraq: Ecosystem Reflection, Challenges, and Opportunities

High connectivity, low readiness: Iraq has wide internet/social use but minimal digital payments and weak workforce skills (spreadsheets/presentations poor; programming scarce). Hiring skews to MS Office, designers, social media; in dev, JS/Git/SQL with backend/Flutter demand. Structural gaps—outdated curricula, weak English, brain drain, public-job mindset—and women’s underrepresentation persist. Priorities: modernize curricula, scale practical training/apprenticeships, expand e-payments, build talent-magnet workplaces, and actively include women.

ArticleKAPITA’s Research Team20 min

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Online Shopping: A Glimpse Into the Iraqi Customer's Shopping Behavior

Iraq’s e-commerce is rising fast: with 75% internet and 61% social media penetration—boosted by COVID—Millennials/Gen Z dominate online buying. Men purchase less often but spend more per order; women mainly buy clothing/cosmetics, men favor electronics/clothing. Shoppers prefer retailers with both stores and online, research on their phones, discover via social/ads, and validate with reviews/friends. Price is the top driver, followed by site trust, delivery speed, and return policies. For merchants: optimize pricing and delivery, make returns clear, build social proof, and keep experiences mobile-first.

ArticleKAPITA’s Research Team20 min

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Business Landscape Interview: Michel Rentenaar

Mr. Michel Rentenaar, the Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Iraq, who discussed with us the projects of the Netherland in Iraq, the main areas of focus, the challenges, the potential of the Iraqi agriculture sector, the significant impact of the Orange Corners programme, and what potential he sees in the Iraqi youth.

ArticleMr. Michel Rentenaar15 min

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Business Landscape Interview: Zainab Kufaishi

Zainab has around two decades of experience in the investment industry and has recently been recognized by the Forbes Middle East as Middle East’s Power Businesswoman. Zainab discussed with Business LANDSCAPE her story of joining the Iraqi Angel Investors Network, the latest trends in the investment scene in the region and Iraq, the main sectors that hold potential for the thrive of the Iraqi economy, the challenges of hydrocarbon-reliant countries, how women founders and entrepreneurs can navigate their way through the ecosystem, and her experience as a judge on the Middle East Women Inventors and Innovators Network Award.

ArticleZainab Kufaishi15 min

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Business Landscape Interview: Ahmed Al-Kiremeli

Mr. Ahmed told Business LANDSCAPE about his entrepreneurship roots, the motivation behind establishing Orisdi, Orisdi’s successful multiple investment rounds, and the importance of the accessible investment opportunities for the e-commerce market and the digital transformation of the economy.

ArticleAhmed Al-Kiremeli15 min

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