Commercial Intelligence & Research
Independent, field-sourced intelligence on counterparties, markets, and competitors in Iraq — built from primary sources, not assembled from databases. Designed to inform decisions that carry real commercial consequences.
Know who you are dealing with before you deal with them
The most expensive mistakes made by companies and investors operating in Iraq are almost never failures of strategy. They are failures of information. A partner who misrepresented their government relationships. A competitor whose market position was entirely different from what public sources suggested. A supplier whose financial standing made the contract worthless before the ink dried.
Resolute Global’s commercial intelligence service provides independent, primary-source intelligence on the people, companies, and markets you are making decisions about — before those decisions are made, not after the problems they could have prevented have emerged.
Our intelligence is gathered by people operating in Iraq — not assembled from commercial databases, news archives, and company filings that tell you what organisations want you to know about themselves. The difference is significant. And in the Iraqi market, where formal information is frequently incomplete, outdated, or deliberately misleading, it is often the difference between a sound decision and a costly one.
Intelligence gaps that do not exist in other markets are routine in Iraq
In mature markets, due diligence on a counterparty is largely a process of verification — checking that what they have told you matches what can be independently confirmed. The formal information environment is generally reliable.
Iraq is different. Formal registration data is frequently incomplete or outdated. Company structures routinely involve beneficial owners not reflected in official documentation. Stated government relationships and contracts are often fabricated or significantly overstated. The track record that matters — commercial reliability, actual delivery history, network relationships — exists almost entirely in informal knowledge held by people operating in the market.
Registry data is unreliable as a sole source
The Iraqi Commercial Registry is frequently months or years behind actual corporate changes. Ultimate beneficial ownership is rarely disclosed accurately.
Claimed government relationships require verification
In a market where government contracts and relationships are primary commercial assets, the incentive to misrepresent them is high. Verification requires field-level contacts.
Reputational intelligence is oral, not written
The market knowledge that most reliably predicts commercial reliability — who delivers, who defaults, who is trusted by key government counterparties — is held by people, not in documents.
Sanctions and compliance exposure is underestimated
Complex ownership structures and politically exposed individuals appear more frequently in Iraqi commercial counterparties than in most comparable markets. Standard database checks are insufficient.
Seven Categories of Intelligence Report
Each report is scoped and structured based on the specific decision it is intended to support — we do not produce generic off-the-shelf reports and call them due diligence.
Corporate Profile Report
A comprehensive background profile of an Iraqi company or individual — covering legal status, ownership structure, commercial history, market standing, and key relationships. The foundation report for any counterparty assessment.
- Legal registration status and history
- Ownership structure — declared and beneficial
- Commercial activity and sector positioning
- Key personnel and their backgrounds
- Government and institutional relationships
- Market reputation — independent assessment
Commercial Due Diligence
A structured, in-depth assessment of a specific counterparty ahead of a significant commercial commitment — a partnership, a joint venture, a major contract, or an acquisition. Goes beyond profile to specifically assess commercial reliability and fitness for the intended purpose.
- Corporate profile (see above)
- Financial standing — available information and assessment
- Track record verification — previous contracts and delivery
- Sanctions and PEP screening — enhanced, not database-only
- Litigation and regulatory history
- Fitness-for-purpose assessment for the specific transaction
Investor & Partner Research
Research on prospective investors or partners — their actual investment activity and track record in Iraq and the region, the quality of their existing portfolio relationships, their reputation with co-investors and management teams, and any concerns that should inform structuring or negotiation.
- Investment mandate and actual activity — verified
- Portfolio company relationship quality
- Reputation with co-investors and advisers
- Decision-making process and timeline realism
- Background on key decision-makers
- Concerns and red flags for structuring consideration
Market Intelligence Report
A field-verified assessment of market conditions in a specific sector or geography in Iraq — demand picture, existing player landscape, pricing environment, regulatory requirements, and the opportunities and risks relevant to a specific company’s objectives in that market.
- Sector demand — field-verified, not modelled
- Competitor mapping and positioning
- Pricing environment and customer decision dynamics
- Regulatory and licensing requirements
- Distribution and channel landscape
- Opportunity and risk summary with strategic implications
Competitor Intelligence Assessment
A detailed assessment of one or more specific competitors — their actual market position, customer and government relationships, pricing and commercial terms, operational footprint, and areas of genuine competitive strength and vulnerability.
- Market position — actual vs claimed
- Customer base and key contract relationships
- Government relationships and tender track record
- Pricing and commercial terms — field-sourced
- Operational capacity and actual delivery record
- Strategic vulnerability assessment
Supply Chain & Third-Party Investigation
Assessment of third parties within a supply chain — suppliers, subcontractors, agents, or distributors — where the quality, reliability, or compliance standing of those relationships is material to operational risk or regulatory exposure.
- Third-party profile and background
- Delivery and reliability history
- Sanctions and compliance screening
- Relationship network — who they actually work with
- Financial standing assessment
- Risk rating and management recommendations
Strategic Intelligence & Risk Report
A broader intelligence product for companies or investors assessing a strategic commitment to Iraq — combining market, competitor, and risk intelligence into an integrated assessment relevant to a specific strategic decision.
- Political and security risk assessment — sector and geography specific
- Regulatory and policy risk outlook
- Commercial risk landscape for the specific opportunity
- Counterparty risk profiling
- Risk mitigation options and structuring implications
- Strategic go / proceed / restructure recommendation
How We Gather Intelligence in Iraq
Our methodology is designed for the specific information environment of the Iraqi market — where formal sources are insufficient and field-level access is the primary differentiator.
Source identification and scoping
Every assignment begins with a scoping conversation to understand precisely what decision the intelligence is intended to support. We then map the source landscape — identifying the specific individuals, institutions, and networks most likely to hold the relevant information, rather than running a standard checklist.
Primary source interviews — in Iraq
The core of every assessment is primary source interviewing conducted in Arabic by people operating in Iraq. We speak with individuals who have direct knowledge of the subject — former business partners, government officials, industry peers, financial counterparties — not individuals with theoretical knowledge of the sector.
Registry and formal document review
We conduct thorough review of available formal sources — commercial registry records, court databases, property registrations, regulatory filings, and publicly accessible corporate information. We are clear about the limitations of these sources in the Iraqi context and do not present them as more reliable than they are.
Enhanced sanctions and compliance screening
All subjects of due diligence reports are screened against international sanctions lists, PEP databases, and adverse media sources. For higher-risk assignments, we conduct extended screening that goes beyond automated database checks — including assessment of affiliated entities and associated individuals not always captured in standard screening.
Cross-referencing and verification
Information from primary sources is cross-referenced across multiple independent contacts before being incorporated into a report. We flag where information could not be independently corroborated, and we distinguish clearly between confirmed information, well-sourced assessments, and single-source intelligence.
Report production and client debrief
Reports are written in clear English — structured to support the specific decision the client faces, with findings presented in order of relevance rather than in the order they were gathered. Every report is followed by a verbal debrief in which we walk through the key findings and answer questions about the intelligence and its implications.
The Decisions That Drive Intelligence Commissions
Intelligence commissions are almost always driven by a specific pending decision. These are the most common ones that bring clients to us.
Evaluating a Potential Iraqi Partner
Companies required to partner with an Iraqi entity, or choosing to do so for commercial reasons, commissioning verification of the partner’s actual capability, track record, and background before committing to the structure.
Pre-Investment Diligence
Investors — private equity, family offices, development finance institutions — assessing an Iraqi investment opportunity and requiring independent intelligence on the management team, the counterparties, and the market claims made in the investment case.
Supply Chain Integrity
Companies with regulatory obligations — or commercial risk concerns — around the integrity of their Iraqi supply chain, requiring third-party assessment of suppliers, agents, and subcontractors.
Market Entry Research
Companies evaluating whether to enter Iraq, requiring independent assessment of the market opportunity in their specific sector — going beyond the information available through public sources and standard market research.
Competitor Positioning
Companies already active in Iraq needing to understand the actual competitive landscape — who is winning what business, how they are winning it, what pricing and commercial terms are being offered, and where opportunities for competitive advantage exist.
Compliance & Regulatory Risk
Companies — particularly those subject to FCPA, UK Bribery Act, or other anti-corruption regimes — requiring enhanced due diligence on Iraqi counterparties as part of their compliance obligations before entering or renewing commercial relationships.
Dispute & Litigation Support
Companies involved in commercial disputes or arbitration proceedings requiring independent intelligence on the counterparty — their assets, relationships, and commercial standing — to inform strategy and settlement decisions.
Government Contracting Preparation
International companies preparing to bid on Iraqi government contracts, requiring intelligence on the landscape — who is involved in procurement decisions, which existing contractors have relationships that will be relevant, and how the evaluation process actually works in their sector.
Why database due diligence is not due diligence in the Iraqi market
Many due diligence providers offer what they describe as comprehensive reports on Iraqi entities — assembled from commercial data providers, online searches, and registry databases. These reports have a place. They provide a baseline of formally recorded information and are useful as a first filter.
They are not, however, field intelligence. They cannot tell you what the market says about a counterparty. They cannot verify whether claimed government contracts and relationships are real. They cannot assess whether a company’s track record of delivery matches what it presents to potential partners.
For decisions that carry real commercial consequences in Iraq, the question is not whether to do database checks — you should always do them. The question is whether database checks alone are sufficient. In most cases they are not. Field-level intelligence is what closes the gap between what formal sources tell you and what is actually true.
- Database providers cannot access informal market knowledge held by local networks
- Registry data in Iraq is months or years behind actual corporate reality
- Claimed relationships and track records require human verification in-market
- Sanctions exposure through informal affiliates is invisible to database screens
- The intelligence that predicts commercial behaviour is almost entirely field-sourced
What We Do and What We Do Not
We are direct about the boundaries of our work — both because honesty about limitations is itself intelligence, and because the credibility of our reports depends on clients understanding precisely what they represent.
We do not conduct surveillance or covert physical investigation
Our intelligence is gathered through interviews, network contacts, and document review — not physical surveillance, covert recording, or any other method that would be unlawful in the relevant jurisdiction.
We do conduct primary source interviews in-market in Arabic
The core of every field intelligence product is primary source interviewing conducted by Arabic-speaking researchers operating in Iraq — with direct access to the networks that hold the relevant information.
We do not guarantee completeness or accept liability for decisions made
Intelligence reports inform decisions — they do not make them. We are clear about confidence levels and information gaps, and our engagement letters reflect appropriate limitations on liability.
We do clearly flag gaps, uncertainty, and single-source information
Where information could not be corroborated, where sources conflict, or where we cannot reach a confident conclusion, we say so explicitly. Reports that conceal uncertainty are not intelligence — they are false confidence.
We do not accept commissions that conflict with existing client relationships
We do not produce intelligence on a subject on behalf of a party adverse to an existing client. Where a conflict exists, we disclose it and decline.
We do treat all intelligence engagements as strictly confidential
The identity of clients commissioning intelligence reports is treated as confidential. We do not disclose to any third party that a commission has been made, or by whom.
Need independent intelligence on a counterparty, market, or competitor in Iraq?
Contact us to discuss your specific requirement. We will advise on the appropriate report type, scope, timeline, and cost — and be direct about what we can and cannot reliably deliver for your particular situation.
Services Frequently Used Alongside Commercial Intelligence
Intelligence is most valuable when it feeds directly into action. These services convert intelligence into decisions and structures.
Discuss an intelligence requirement directly
If you have a specific due diligence or market intelligence requirement in Iraq, the fastest route to understanding what we can do and how long it will take is a direct conversation. Message us in English or Arabic — same-day response.