Private Banking in Iraq – Current Status and Future Growth
The role of private banks in driving the economy and underpinning economic development; the status of lending in Iraq, lending products and geographical outreach;  financial soundness and liquidity of the private banking sector.

Panel Participants

• Moderator:  David Munro, Senior Banking Advisor, USAID Izdihar Project
• Mudher Al-Hillawi, General Manager, Gulf Commercial Bank
• Wadie Noori Al-Handhal, Chairman, Ashur International Bank for Investment and Chairman, Iraqi Company for Bank Guarantees, Ltd.
• Tareq Tukmachi, Advisor, Iraqi Middle East Investment Bank
• Ghassan Talhouk, Financial Services Manager, Microsoft - Eastern Mediterranean and Pakistan

Topics Discussed

1. Background:  Development of the private banking sector
   1. Capitalization and ownership
   2. “Traditional” role and nature of lending operations
   3. Introduction of cash-flow-based lending
   4. Financial condition and state of operations
1. Earning assets composition
2. Liquidity
3. Profitability
4. Post war trends
2. Constraints to the private banking sector
3. Challenges and how they can be met
4. Are private banks well-placed to lead a revolution in banking practices in Iraq?

Reference Works

Al-Hillawi, Mudher.  “Private Banks in Iraq – The Way Forward” (in Arabic). April 2007.

Al-Handhal, Wadie Noori.  “Private Banks in Iraq”.  April 2007.  English version.  Arabic version.

Munro, David.  “Private Banks in Iraq 2006”. November 2007 (Revised March 2007).

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