Process engineer by education, Ra’ed Mahdi has been appointed as Alderley’s new sales manager for Iraq. Less than two months in his new role, he is prepared for all the challenges the future holds
Successor of the company that measured the first oil produced from the North Sea in 1975, Alderley is based in the heart of the Middle East, and has been enjoying an extended market control of the region for the past 15 years.
It recently decided to expand its presence further by announcing a major new appointment in Iraq. Ra’ed Mahdi, an Iraqi national, who joined the company last year, was naturally the ‘best choice’ for the overseas position.
However, in his new role, he will be based in Dubai’s Jebel Ali Free Zone, where, according to Mahdi, all important contract negotiations take place.
“Dubai is a key location for Alderley’s businesses in the Middle East because of its well-developed infrastructure and high safety. It is the top choice for any international company looking to set up in the region. Although I am going to be working in Iraq, 85% of the work will be done in Dubai. IOCs’ activities and execution of projects in Iraq are mainly directed from here,” he said.
Although his local knowledge of the region will be advantageous, Mahdi admits that the market dynamics in Iraq are radically different to those in the GCC, making his new job rather challenging.
“You have different end-users involved – the Iraqi government, international oil and gas companies and local service providers; different fields have different requirements and different styles of work.”
To be able to serve every each and one of its clients in this ‘melting pot’ of state-owned and private companies, Alderley had to come up with a brand new business model that has yet to prove it works.
But the challenges do not stop there, with safety and security concerns continuously hanging over vital operations. In a number of projects with IOCs operating in the region, Alderley has had to send staff time and again to what is often considered a no-go zone. However, Mahdi says, oilfields are more secure than what most people expect.
“Security is still considered a main challenge for doing business in Iraq. However, the main oilfield Badra has been secured by the Iraqi government and we operate in secured camps. The Iraqi ministry has signed contracts with various IOCs and we are seeing those companies applying high international standards, which other companies working in the region are following as well.”
My Goals
Mahdi shares his top career goals over the short and long term
1- To increase our client base in Iraq.
2- To qualify the company with end users in Iraq
3- To increase our service team on location to support our clients
4- To provide enhanced knowledge and training to our staff
5- To follow approved processes and procedures
6- To increase level of professionalism and knowledge of the market
7- To successfully complete job training
8- To enhance project knowledge, particularly in health and safety procedures
