Dr. Ahmed Al-Jibouri is a businessman, entrepreneur, philanthropist and humanitarian. He is the founder and chairman of Armada Group, a leading international engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) consultancy company in the oil, chemicals and power sectors, operating mainly in the Middle East with clients in the US, Europe and Asia. Dr. Al-Jibouri lists the key factors that lead to success in an EPC project:

RFQ / Invitation Phase:

This is the initial step to commence working on any type of project, where we get to know the client’s needs & requirements. Once the RFQ/invitation is received, we are then able to issue a basic report to all parties involved, that determines the expected obligations we must to overcome to achieve the project.

Engineering & Design:

At this important stage of the project, the basic design is placed in accordance with the RFQ given by the client. Then the detailed design is issued according to the client’s specific requirements.

Procurement & Supply:

In this phase, all the equipment, material and spare parts are manufactured/sourced from Class A, globally certified vendors. Attention to details at this phase is crucial in order to guarantee the success of the project, as it should match the engineering package and cater to the project’s capacity and its requirements.

Construction & Erection:

This phase is divided into (2) stages: the Civil works (if included in the scope of work) on one hand, and the erection of the project equipment & components on the other.

During this phase, it is crucial to follow the design requirements in order to guarantee optimal operation.

Pre-Commissioning & Test-Run:

In this phase, several operation attempts are made in order to clear out the checklist and eliminate all issues that might appear during the official operation of the project.

All units and sections are re-checked and all pipes are subjected to hydrostatic test; after which the punch list is produced.

Commissioning & Start-Up:

In this phase, the project is commissioned and operated, and usually, if it remains operational for (72) consecutive hours without any interruptions or issues, it then becomes successfully commissioned and ready for operation.

 

Al-Jibouri believes that the next generation has a duty to rebuild Iraq by fighting corruption from within:

No Impunity

All individuals should be subject to the law, regardless of their position or degree of influence. Ending impunity requires a solid legal framework and an effective court system.

Reforming Public Administrations

Public administrations are tainted by corruption and bribery. Tackling this issue starts with improving management and reinforcing the role of financial audit agencies.

Transparency

Governmental transparency is key to fighting corruption in Iraq. There must be freedom of information for all citizens, allowing them to be more involved in shaping the future of their country.

Citizen Empowerment

A country where citizens are powerless runs in parallel to a dictatorship, where political leaders maintain control, perpetuate corruption and are not held accountable for their actions. Several cases of community monitoring have proven results in reducing lost funds and enhancing public sector services.

Closing Financial Loopholes

Transparency must also exist within the international financial system. Techniques to exploit financial loopholes are rife, notwithstanding the current issues involving international money laundering.

 

Dr. Ahmed Al-Jibouri Press Office.