Upper Quartile 2011 Annual Report

Annual Report 2011

7-9 North St David Street EdinburghUnited Kingdom EH2 1AW

Tel: +44(0)131 524 9640Web: www.upperquartile.co.uk

Upper Quartile Annual Report 2011

Background

Upper Quartile is an international management and economic development consultancy based in Edinburgh. We

specialise in providing creative advice in the most challenging business and economic environments. All of our partners

are experienced international development and management professionals who have worked at senior levels in the

public and private sectors.

Our clients include international NGOs, the UN, government agencies and global companies. Our scope of work

embraces economic reconstruction in hostile regions, advice on economic development and reform, and business

strategy and benchmarking. We also continue to work with a wide range of companies and government agencies in

our home market in the UK.

The common theme is our ability to deliver clear, pragmatic solutions to problems that are complex, highly uncertain

and, occasionally, chaotic. We have three main areas of expertise:

Our Partners and senior staff are accustomed to working alongside the military, to coping with uncomfortable working

conditions and to supporting national and regional governments to build their own skills. As conflict-affected

economies recover, livelihoods, trade and investment opportunities begin to develop. With our local knowledge and

network of contacts, we are able to advise small companies and global companies on doing business in these economies

and are currently working with Business Development Service (BDS) providers as well as energy, logistics and

engineering companies.

You can find out more about Upper Quartile by visiting our website at www.upperquartile.co.uk

Post-conflict

Reconstruction

We continue to advise anexpanding range of Governments, international and private companies on strategic development, project design, FDI and trade promotion, and monitoring and evaluation in fragile and post conflict states

Economic Development

& Reform

We offer advice on overall corporate strategy, research and analysis, project design and evaluation. All our partners have at least 25 years working at senior levels in economic development and understand the unique challenges and accountabilities of organisations in this area. Our work has included monitoring and evaluation, strategic development, project design, FDI

and trade promotion

Business Strategy

We provide strategic business planning advice to multipleclients focussed on driving business growth. Much of this advice focuses on investment by multi-nationals in transitional and fragile economies


Where we work

IRAQUpper Quartile is a 50% owner of the Iraq Business NewsPreparation of Investment Policyfor IraqBusiness Regulation and Business Environment improved

AFGHANISTANProvision of technical support for DFID alternate livelihoods programmeAgricultural Value Chain analysis for MAIL (CARD F programme)Counter Narcotics review in Helmand

TANZANIASenior Civil Servant skills development programme

UKManagement of European Social Funds – Rural Training and developmentDevelopment of commercial income streams for British Universities Business and Social Enterprise Development

GAMBIAReview of investment opportunities for bulk breaking of sea / air cargo

KOSOVOSupport to IPAK in business planning

SERBIADevelopment of Industrial Parks / Business Zones insouthern Serbia

CROATIARemoval of immigration barriers for international staff for FDI

TRINIDADChange management in the Trade and Investment Promotion Organisation

ST HELENAChief Economist and Economic Development Support

MONTSERRATSupport for the Trade and Investment Promotion Agency

PAPUA NEW GUINEACapacity building for senior Government officials in advance of Economic Partnership Agreement negotiations with European Commission

NORTH KOREAAssessment of international trade integration opportunities

CHINAEconomic impact analysis of EU / China Executive training programme

KUWAITInvestors Conference

LIBYAInstitutional Assessment of GPCETI and supporting agencies

JORDANPreparation of an economic development plan for the Aqaba Economic Free Zone


Our Clients


Our Growth

Our People