MEC International Ltd offers to its clients a uniquely flexible tailor made marketing service in the Gulf, Middle East and Central Asian markets. MEC works with its clients on a project by project basis. Utilising its range of 40 –50 senior level consultants drawn from diplomacy, commerce, banking, financial services, journalism, IT and academia, and forming specific task forces to suit the needs of each particular client. MEC offers such services as business promotion, high level political contacts, partner identification, political and commercial risk assessments, due diligence and market surveys, and security audits and advisory services.

The development of new business in the developing countries in which MEC specialises is more often than not a political matter in the first instance. The essential first step is to establish a link at the ruler and/or government level to gain acceptance and interest in the products and services offered by the client. The MEC methodology is then to develop an established access route to the chosen market aimed at creating a long term political and business relationship between the client and the ruling group at the highest political level. MEC’s methodology is to create the strategy and clarify the market and sector objectives of the client; then to develop a political and commercial strategy which will ensure that the client establishes a meaningful foothold in the chosen markets; which is then developed further by the creation of an MEC task force with a specialist task force leader to ensure implementation of the strategy on the ground. 

MEC’s marketing service is supported by MEC’s Publications Group. Drawing on the services of 30 or more analysts, the MEC Publications Group produces a wide range of reports and publications relating to the Middle East and Central Asia including political and macro-economic studies, detailed sectoral analyses, authoritative forecasts and sector market surveys. The perspective of such reports has changed radically since the 9/11 attack on the twin towers. US policies of regime change in Iraq, and the designation of Iran as part of the Axis of Evil has brought a new dimension of  terrorism to the assessment of political risk and the decision making process of investing in new markets. The studies can be either tailor-made and exclusive to a particular client, often a government or a major international corporation or syndicated to a larger group.

A particular feature of partner identification is for the client to establish the reputation and probity of the potential partner. MEC can assist in this process through its Investigations Group. MEC offers Due Diligence investigations of individuals, banks and corporations, which are designed to establish market and financial reputation, any risk of criminal records, asset identification, political connections, and standing in the market.

MEC is part of the Trilateral Group. Trilateral is a group of companies operating with a common objective of bringing expertise and analysis to bear on business related issues. For instance Cambridge-based Segal, Quince, Wicksteed are economic development specialists with a twenty-year record of working for the World Bank and other development agencies. SQW are world leaders in the development of science parks around the world. Another Trilateral Group company, Mi2g Software works with international financial services groups, both large and small, to change and e-enable their entire businesses.

The MEC Board is chaired by Oliver Miles, who served as British Ambassador to Libya, Luxembourg and Greece. MEC’s Managing Director is Ian Walker whose background is in corporate communications and government relations. The two other Directors are Geoffrey Hancock, the founder of MEC after a career with the Foreign Office in the Arab world, and John Wood, Chairman of the Trilateral Group.