TIGRIS Iraq

Waseem Baban has over 30 years of experience in financial services, project management and business development. In addition to being co-founder and CEO of Tigris Enterprises, Waseem is also a Director at Blue Gate Capital Partners; an Iraq focused private equity and financial advisory firm.

Waseem is also a Board member of National Bank of Iraq, established in 1995 to deliver a comprehensive array of banking solutions to the Iraqi market.

Prior to establishing Tigris Enterprises in 2004, Waseem held a successful career, spanning over 12 years, in international institutional and private banking. Until 2004, Waseem headed the Sales and Distribution division at Shuaa Capital, a Dubai based MENA focused investment bank where he built and led a team to manage client relations in the region. Waseem was responsible for the distribution of all products and services of Shuaa Capital including MENA equity and debt funds, IPOs, bond issues and private equity deals. Before joining Shuaa Capital, Waseem held senior positions at the international private banking divisions of HSBC Republic, Paribas and Credit Agricole Indosuez covering the GCC market with a primary focus on Saudi Arabia. During this period, Waseem was involved in distributing a variety of investment products and services including private equity deals, IPOs, fixed income, funds and real estate financings.

Before beginning his career in private banking, Waseem worked in the insurance sector based in the United States. Waseem was involved in providing group employee benefits, including individual and group insurance investment products, for large corporate while working with the likes of Prudential Insurance and ITT. Additionally, through his CFP license Waseem undertook financial planning and advisory for high net worth individuals.

Born in Iraq, Waseem holds a BSc in Agricultural Engineering from the University of Baghdad.

Ziad Makkawi has over 25 years’ experience in financial services. In addition to being co-founder and Board member of Tigris Enterprises, Ziad is also co-founder & Chairman of Blue Gate Capital Partners; an Iraq focused private equity and financial advisory firm. Prior to co-founding Blue Gate Capital Partners, Ziad was the Founding Shareholder, Chairman and CEO of Algebra Capital, an asset management and advisory firm based in the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC). As CEO, Ziad was responsible for building Algebra Capital to be one of the leading MENA focused asset management companies, and for successfully selling the business to Franklin Templeton Investments, a global leader in asset management with over USD 700 billion in assets under management.

Ziad has held top positions at international and regional investment banks and financial institutions, starting with JP Morgan in New York (1986) and Elf Aquitaine in Geneva (1990). He then moved to the Middle East to co-find Lebanon Invest (1994) subsequently bought by Lebanese banking group Bank Audi, and the Middle-East Capital Group, the region's first merchant bank with a MENA focus in 1996.

Ziad is a pioneer and leader in the development and turn-around of the regional financial services firms including commercial banks, investment banks and asset management. Under his leadership the teams he has managed have executed over USD 10 billion worth of investment banking and capital markets mandates. He has launched, managed, and acted as Chief Investment Officer on some of the regions most innovative and successful investment funds.

Prior to Algebra Capital, Ziad was CEO of Dubai Bank, one of the UAE's youngest and most dynamic banks. Under his leadership the Bank achieved break-even in its second full year of operation and returned 21% return to shareholders in its third year of operation.

Ziad also launched the bank's investment banking, asset management and brokerage operations. He then executed transactions in the GCC, India, Pakistan and Turkey. He has served on the boards of innumerable companies and funds in the region including Middle East Capital Group (Lebanon), National Bonds (UAE) a Shari 'a compliant savings institution, Capital Management House (Bahrain); The Alpha Mena Fund; The Special Situations fund, The Arab Gateway Fund; The Arab Income Fund and others.

Prior to heading Dubai Bank, Ziad was Executive Management Director of SHUAA Capital, a UAE based Investment Banking institution where he built from scratch and ran the financial services business encompassing Capital Markets, Asset Management, Brokerage and Research. The foundation laid down by Ziad allowed SHUAA Capital to occupy a leading position in the regional investment banking and asset management arena.

Ziad holds a Masters in International Affairs from Columbia University, an MBA in Finance from New York University’s Stern School of Management and a B.A. from Rice University. He is a member of the YPO-WPO since 2004.

Fethi Kirdar has over 13 years of experience in investment banking and private equity. In addition to being Director of Tigris Enterprises, Fethi is also co-founder & Managing Partner of Blue Gate Capital Partners; an Iraq focused private equity and financial advisory firm. Prior to co-founding Blue Gate Capital Partners, Fethi was a Director in Deutsche Bank’s Middle East & North African (MENA) investment banking team based in Dubai. Within this role, Fethi was responsible for providing corporate finance advisory services to clients in the MENA region, originating and executing M&A, debt, equity and Project Finance Advisory transactions. In the region, Fethi’s clients included Sovereign Wealth Funds, large corporate and family offices.

Prior to joining Deutsche Bank in Dubai in October 2006, Fethi was Associate Director in Barclays Capital in Dubai where he was member of the team that established Barclays Capital’s presence in the DIFC and grew the business to be one of the leading international investment banks in the MENA region. At Barclays Capital, Fethi was responsible for originating and executing debt financings and risk management transactions for clients in the MENA region.

Fethi moved to Dubai from London, in March 2002, to join The Investment Office (TIO), the private office of HH Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum. At TIO, Fethi helped establish and subsequently joined Estithmaar Ventures, a US$100 million telecoms, media and technology (TMT) focused private equity fund jointly sponsored by TIO and Deutsche Bank.

Fethi began his investment banking career in London at Bankers Trust, which was later acquired by Deutsche Bank, where he gained experience in a number of industry and product groups.

Born in Iraq, Fethi hold a BSc in International Economics from the School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University in Washington, DC.

Anmar Sabri has over 30 years’ experience in civil engineering, construction and project management in Iraq. In addition to being General Manager of Tigris Engineering & Contracting, Anmar is also a Board member of Tigris Enterprises.

Prior to co-founding Tigris Enterprises in 2004, Anmar spent nine years as a consultant engineer focusing on executing and delivering turnkey projects for private residential and commercial buildings – during the latter few years, Anmar undertook this in an engineering office that he founded in Baghdad.

Before this period, Anmar worked for 15 years in the government sector. Anmar worked as a senior engineer in a number of Iraqi ministries including the Ministry of Housing & Construction, the Ministry of Transport, and the Ministry of Defense and in the Government Measurement & Quality Control Office. Projects that Anmar executed include the National Convention Centre in Baghdad, a number of projects at Baghdad and Basra airports as well as other government buildings.

Born in Iraq, Anmar holds a BSc in Civil Engineering from the University of Technology in Baghdad. Additionally, Anmar has been a Member of the Iraqi Engineering Union since 1980.

Mohannad has over 22 years’ experience in IT and Telecommunications , business development, trading and procurement in the government and private sectors. Prior to joining Tigris, Mohannad held a number of senior positions including Consultant to the Office of the Jordanian Prime Minister, Business Development Manager, Procurement Manager, Chief Technology Officer and General Manager within the government and private sectors.

During his career, Mohannad has earned many Professional Certificates including MCSE, MCP, CCNA, Project Management and more than 30 Certificates from USA and Europe in field of Technology.

Mohannad holds a B.Sc. in Electrical Engineering from Jordan University (1989).

Raya Al-Gurnawi has over 13 years of auditing and accounting experience. At Tigris Enterprises, Raya is responsible for all the accounting, payroll and finance functions.

Prior to joining Tigris Enterprises 2005, Raya ran her own chartered accounting firm in Baghdad where she advised many companies in Iraq.

In addition to her role at Tigris, Raya is also an academic lecturer. Raya lectures at the School of Banking and Commercial Studies at the Al-Mansour University College in Baghdad, where she has received a number of awards recognizing her teaching contribution at the university college.

Born in Iraq, Raya hold a BSc in Business Administration from the College of Administration and Economics at the University of Baghdad. Raya is also a Certified Public Accountant and member of both the Arab Institute of Chartered Accountants and the Iraqi Accountants Union.

Basak Mawlood has over 9 years legal and compliance experience as well as business development experience. At Tigris Enterprises, Basak is responsible for all legal and compliance matters for Tigris Enterprises and its businesses.

Prior to joining Tigris in 2006, Basak ran his own legal practice in Erbil where he advised many companies on legal and commercial issues.

Born in Iraq, Basak holds a BSc in Law and a Diploma in Business Administration from Sallahadeen University in Erbil. Basak is a member of Bar Association, Erbil and Bar Association, Baghdad.