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Syria Britain Business Council, China Works, London (2026)

02/04/2026

🟩President Ahmed Al-Sharaa رئاسة الجمهورية العربية السورية Participates in Syria Britain Business Council SBBC Business Reception and Roundtable 🟩

President Ahmed Al Sharaa made his first visit to the United Kingdom on Tuesday, 31 March 2026. To mark the occasion, the Syria Britain Business Council (SBBC), in partnership with the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), hosted a business reception attended by over 200 guests representing a wide range of businesses, senior journalists and several MPs from the Foreign Affairs committee.

The President and his delegation attended the SBBC reception as the central business and investment engagement of their visit. The delegation included President Al Sharaa; Foreign Minister Asaad Al-Shaibani وزارة الخارجية والمغتربين في الجمهورية العربية السورية Mofa - Syria; Minister of Economy Nidal Al-Shaar وزارة الاقتصاد والصناعة السورية; Minister of Emergency and Disaster Raed Saleh; Omar Al-Hosry, Head of the Civil Aviation Authority (GACA); along with other senior officials from various ministries.

Following the main reception, the SBBC and the FCDO jointly hosted a private roundtable Chaired by Minister Hamish Falconer MP and attended by sponsors and members, as well as Rob Dixon, FCDO Director; Ann Snow, the UK Special Representative for Syria; and David Hunt, Head of the Iraq, Syria and Yemen Department. Representing SBBC were Senior Advisor Jon Wilks and Chair of the Executive Committee Mounzer Nazha.

The event was attended by several high-profile and distinguished guests, including Zanny Minton Beddoes, Editor in Chief at the Economist and Shoshana Stewart, President of Turquoise Mountain, as well as many SBBC members who had travelled from Syria to be present. Notable guests also included SBBC member representative Mr. Bahaa Hariri and prospective members Mr. Wafic Said and Mr. Ayman Asfari.

The Council extends its sincere thanks to its sponsors and members - Hogan Lovells, GULFSANDS, Trafigura - for their generous support in making the evening a success, and to Damian Allinson and Lisa Petzal of the FCDO for working closely with SBBC to bring the event together.

Christophe Michels, SBBC Managing Director commented that it is “striking that, amid the turmoil engulfing the Middle East following the conflict with Iran, Syria has emerged as one of the more stable countries in the region. Under the leadership of President Ahmed Al Sharaa, Syria has continued its international outreach, seeking to reopen the country to the world after years of civil war and many decades of dictatorship.

President Sharaa demonstrates real leadership: he has presence, surrounds himself with capable people, and articulates a positive yet realistic vision for Syria’s future. It was both an honour and a pleasure to host him in London.
The Syria Britain Business Council will visit Syria later this month and will hold a major international conference in Damascus on 1 July.”

To read the full report from the reception click here: https://www.syriabritainbusiness.org/news

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23/02/2026

🟩SBBC Completes First Trade Delegation to Damascus🟩

From 15-17 February, members of the Syria Britain Business Council (SBBC) undertook a trade delegation visit to Damascus. During the visit, the delegation held a series of parallel meetings with senior ministers and government officials. One set of meetings was led by SBBC Executive Committee Chair, Mounzer Nazha, alongside Jon Wilks CMG, SBBC Senior Advisor, while the other was led by SBBC Managing Director Christophe Michels. This format enabled all members to participate in their preferred sessions. The meetings focused on building partnerships and identifying tangible opportunities for SBBC members.

Click on this link to read the full report: https://syriabritainbusiness.org/news

12/02/2026

🟩SBBC Holds Dinner in Honour of Mr. Yousef Kiblawi, CEO of Syrian Petroleum Company🟩

The Syria Britain Business Council (SBBC) hosted a dinner in honour of the visit of Mr Yousef Kiblawi, CEO of the Syria Petroleum Company (SPC), to London on the evening of 10 February.

The dinner was held at the Travellers Club in London, hosted by the SBBC and sponsored by SBBC member Trafigura. It brought together SBBC members, government officials, and key stakeholders from the Syrian and UK energy sectors to discuss recent developments in Syria’s energy industry, as well as opportunities for economic cooperation between British and Syrian businesses.

Mounzer Nazha, Chair of the SBBC Executive Committee, welcomed the distinguished guests, with special recognition of Mr Kiblawi as the guest of honour. He congratulated Mr Kiblawi on the establishment of the Syria Petroleum Company (SPC).

Baroness Nicholson of Winterbourne, Vice-President of the SBBC, addressed guests and expressed her confidence in the SBBC’s ability to successfully facilitate bilateral and international business in Syria. She highlighted that the SBBC is an independent private sector organisation and emphasised that while there are many ways to support a country, strengthening business and the private sector is among the most effective.

Thomas Rose, Senior Advisor to the CEO of Trafigura, introduced his team and thanked the SBBC for organising his recent visit to Damascus about which he shared positive reflections. He proceeded to outline Trafigura’s activities, noting that the company supplies fuel to six airports in the UK and over 130 worldwide, alongside multiple ongoing green energy projects. He acknowledged the challenges of operating in Syria but stressed that Trafigura is engaged at an early stage to provide essential logistics support to help stabilise the energy sector and support reconstruction efforts. He concluded by thanking the SBBC and Mr Mounzer Nazha for their hospitality.

Mr Yousef Kiblawi also expressed his support for the SBBC and thanked Trafigura for hosting the event. He recognised the SBBC as a key facilitator of bilateral business opportunities in the energy sector and noted that the SPC would welcome and actively consider proposals from SBBC members and British energy firms. He noted that this trip marked the first time SPC had been presented outside Syria. Offering valuable insight into the work of the Syrian Petroleum Company (SPC), he discussed downstream refinery development, he highlighted five offshore blocks in the Mediterranean involving Chevron, Total, Qatar Energy, and ENI, as well as fourteen new onshore blocks requiring international investment. He also outlined ongoing efforts in CO₂ capture, along with the construction of new pipelines and refineries.

The evening concluded with remarks from SBBC Vice-President, David Taylor MP, who thanked guests for their continued support of the Council. He noted the British government’s willingness to assist Syria, referencing the recent lifting of sanctions and emphasised the vital role of the private sector in ensuring long-term economic stability. He wished Mr Kiblawi a successful and productive visit and thanked Trafigura for sponsoring the dinner.

Please visit our website: https://syriabritainbusiness.org/news

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27/01/2026

🟩SBBC Holds Development Meetings in Damascus🟩

From 19 to 21 January SBBC Senior Advisor Mr Jon Wilks CMG visited Syria and joined the Chair of the SBBC Executive Committee, Mr Mounzer Nazha, for meetings with Founder Members and Syrian Government officials.

The purpose of the visit was to engage with members, strengthen SBBC relationships with officials, and clarify plans and member priorities for 2026, such as discussion and planning for a further visit in February with a delegation of SBBC members and an SBBC conference in Damascus after Ramadan. At various social events, Jon Wilks also met potential new members from the Syrian business community.

On the evening of Monday, 19 January, the SBBC hosted a roundtable and dinner for all members at the Royal Semiramis Hotel. Attendees included company owners and representatives. The meeting provided an opportunity for members to contribute to the SBBC agenda for the coming months and to help shape SBBC operations, reflecting its role as a member-led organisation.

During the visit, Jon Wilks and Mounzer Nazha met with the Minister of Economy, Dr Nidal Shaar, and the CEO of the Syrian Petroleum Company, Mr Yousef Qiblawi. Meetings also took place with senior officials at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Chairman of the Federation of Chambers of Commerce, Mr Alaa Omar Al-Ali, and the Chairman of the Federation of Chambers of Industry, Dr Mazen Derawan.

The visit also included a dinner with chairmen of other Syrian bilateral business councils, including the US-Syria, French-Syria and German-Syria business councils. In addition, the SBBC met members of the Syria Business Council (SBC), a domestic organisation focused on advancing sustainable growth in Syria, as well as representatives from diplomatic missions. Through early collaboration and the sharing of business know-how with like-minded councils and missions, the SBBC aims to contribute to the rapid development of a thriving business environment in Syria.

https://syriabritainbusiness.org/news

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01/12/2025

The Syria Britain Business Council (SBBC) officially launches in Damascus, Syria at the Royal Semiramis Hotel on 30 November 2025 following the successful sister launch in London on 13 November 2025. The Damascus launch continued the momentum from London and attracted the interest of many, bringing together more than 350 important stakeholders in the rebuilding of the Syrian private sector including Syrian Government Ministers, regional ambassadors, other bilateral business councils Syrian, British and international business leaders.

Click here for the full report: https://www.syriabritainbusiness.org/news

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14/11/2025

Syria Britain Business Council(SBBC) Launch.

London, United Kingdom 📍

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14/11/2025

Syria Britain Business Council (SBBC) Launches in London

The Syria Britain Business Council (SBBC) was delighted to welcome H.E. Mr. Asaad Al-Shaibani, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates, businessmen and key stakeholders to launch the Syria Britain Business Council (SBBC) on 13th November 2025 at the Royal Overseas League in London. The sister launch in Damascus will take place on 30 November.

Jon Wilks CMG, Senior Advisor to the SBBC extended appreciation to H.E. Mr. Asaad Al-Shaibani whose presence underscores the enthusiasm with which Syria approaches the SBBC. Jon Wilks remarked upon the long-held intention of the UK to re-enhance relations with Syria and observed that the moment for such re-engagement has now arrived with the launch of SBBC.

In August, SBBC Vice-President, Baroness Nicholson of Winterbourne, Managing Director, Christophe Michels, Senior Advisor, Jon Wilks and Executive Committee and founding member, Raed Mahmood, were in Damascus and met with H.E. Al Shaibani where they discussed the potential of setting up a Syria Britain Business Council. At the London launch, Al-Shaibani referred to this meeting and said that it “seemed like a dream to be in London now, seeing the SBBC established and operating effectively” and affirmed that the launch of the SBBC marks the start of renewed partnership.

The SBBC aims to be the leading business organisation promoting investment and trade between the UK and Syria. The SBBC stands as a unique bridge between Syria and the global business community, providing companies that wish to explore or expand their presence in the Syrian market with expert support, advice and connections from specialists across multiple backgrounds.

Minister Al-Shaibani offered thanks for the welcome extended to him and spoke with great enthusiasm regarding Syria’s economic direction. He stated that Syria is pursuing a new course focused on reconstruction, investment, and clearer investment laws aligned with regional standards. Key sectors like health, energy, and infrastructure are already drawing investment. Syria has attracted $28 billion of new commitments within the past eleven months. He stressed Syria’s geographical role as the link between East and West.

The UK’s Special Envoy to Syria, Ann Snow, addressed the room noting Syria’s vast potential for investment. She noted the recent raising of the Syrian flag at its London embassy as a symbolic gesture that signifies the beginning of a new chapter in bilateral relations.

Both SBBC’s Vice Presidents, Baroness Nicholson of Winterbourne and Mr. David Taylor MP were in attendance. Baroness Nicholson recorded her thanks to those who brought the Council into being and affirmed her commitment to its mission. While Mr. Taylor acknowledged the difficulties Syria continues to face but made plain that the SBBC will allow both nations to seize the opportunities now emerging.

SBBC Founder Member, Mounzer Nazha: “The ambition of the SBBC is both bilateral and international in scope. Everyone present is welcome to the Council’s sister launch in Damascus on 30 November”

SBBC Managing Director, Christophe Michels: “I am confident that the SBBC is going to succeed in its goal to become the predominant business organisation for Syria and we are looking forward to our launch in Damascus on the 30th November”

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