Ali Al-Zaidi, tasked with forming the Iraqi government, was not a widely known public figure, but his presence has long been visible behind the scenes of politics, finance, and media in Iraq.
At his father’s funeral service around two months ago, this presence became apparent through the nature and diversity of attendees, from senior political figures to media and economic personalities, offering a practical indication of the breadth of his influence.
An Iraqi journalist who preferred not to be named said: “Everyone wanted to attend Al-Zaidi’s father’s funeral service. Even those who did not know him saw it as an opportunity to meet him.”
Al-Zaidi is originally from Dhi Qar, born in 1986, the youngest of his siblings. He is socially known for his conservative religious leanings, his interest in popular poetry, and his preference for staying out of the media spotlight.
According to a biography circulated by media close to the Coordination Framework, Al-Zaidi is presented as a figure with legal, financial, and executive experience, with a presence in managing economic, educational, and medical institutions, and a focus on “state-building” and “institutional reform.”
The official biography states that Al-Zaidi holds degrees in law and in financial and banking specialties, and has held administrative positions, including former chairmanship of Al-Janoob Islamic Bank for Investment and Financing, and chairmanship of the National Holding Company, as well as managing educational institutions such as Al-Shaab University and the Ishtar Medical Institute, in addition to his membership in the Bar Association.
The biography presents Al-Zaidi as a model of leadership that “combines experience and vision,” with emphasis on concepts such as economic development, institution-building, and youth empowerment, language frequently found in official biographies of candidates for senior positions in Iraq.
Who is Ali Al-Zaidi, Really?
Ali Al-Zaidi emerged at an early stage within party-linked economic committees, through his management of the economic committee of the State of Law Coalition led by Nouri Al-Maliki. From this position, he began building an economic network intertwined with state institutions, gradually expanding into food, finance, and media sectors.
“Economic committees” within political parties are considered informal tools for managing government contracts. Iraqi politicians have acknowledged their existence on several occasions. They are responsible for coordinating and distributing contracts to companies linked to or close to political parties.
Al-Zaidi’s name has been linked to Ministry of Trade contracts, particularly those related to the ration card system and the food basket programme. During the premiership of Mustafa Al-Kadhimi (2020–2022), this presence expanded significantly, as he became one of the main contractors in the food basket project, whose annual value is estimated at around five billion dollars.
This positioning placed him within one of the largest areas of state expenditure, making his commercial activity directly intertwined with state food policy, alongside a broader shift in influence within the Ministry of Trade in favour of Shia political forces.
His expanding role coincided with the approval of the “Food Security and Development Law” in 2022, which allowed the government to spend outside the federal budget to secure food supplies and essential services amid delays in passing the budget.
The law opened the door to rapid contracting, particularly in food supply, giving contractors working with the Ministry of Trade greater flexibility within high public spending and less bureaucratic oversight. This coincided with Al-Zaidi’s growing presence in the sector.
On the financial side, Al-Janoob Islamic Bank formed a key pillar of Al-Zaidi’s activity. It began as a currency exchange company before becoming a private bank in 2016 and entering the Central Bank’s currency auction system, where it gained access to billions of dollars in liquidity.
The currency auction mechanism at the Central Bank of Iraq is the main channel for providing US dollars to banks and importing companies. The Central Bank sold foreign currency daily to finance imports, and over the years all private banks relied on it as the primary source of dollar liquidity, before tighter regulatory restrictions were introduced from 2022 onwards.
According to a source at the Central Bank, “Ali Al-Zaidi was a major beneficiary of the currency auction, through the bank and through trade as well.”
Al-Zaidi’s activity also extends into retail and food production, through companies importing a wide range of products, from basic goods to consumer items.
He also owns the “Sun Quick” company, alongside a hypermarket network expanding across Baghdad and several provinces.
A senior official at the Ministry of Trade, who requested anonymity, said: “It can be said that Ali Al-Zaidi is one of the key players in Iraq’s food market.” He added: “Many juices and dairy products in Iraq may be imported through companies owned by Al-Zaidi.”
In real estate, Al-Zaidi owns a portfolio of projects and commercial complexes, some built on state-owned land acquired through undisclosed arrangements, including a complex on the Baghdad International Airport road.
In media, he owns Dijlah TV, which is managed by his brother Hassan Al-Zaidi. In recent years, the channel has increased programming supportive of government discourse, particularly during the premiership of Mohammed Shia’ al-Sudani, adding a media dimension to his network of influence.
Ali Al-Zaidi’s Political Connections
The network in which Al-Zaidi operates extends across various political forces, from within the Coordination Framework to Sunni and Kurdish figures, as well as ties with Ammar Al-Hakim and Mohammed Al-Halbousi. He also maintains good relations with the Sadrist Movement, and connections with the Barzani and Talabani families. In contrast, tensions have emerged with Central Bank Governor Ali Al-Alaq in relation to banking oversight.
Al-Zaidi also has family ties intersecting with politics, including his cousin Ibtihal Qasid Al-Zaidi, who served as Minister of Construction, Housing, Municipalities and Public Works between 2015 and 2018, as well as Diaa Al-Zaidi, a member of parliament from al-Sudani’s list.
Financial data indicates significant sums owed to Al-Zaidi by state institutions, estimated at more than four trillion dinars, resulting from contracts and supply agreements linked to the Ministry of Trade.
This scale of financial exposure places Al-Zaidi in the position of a creditor to the state, while part of his activity remains dependent on state contracts, revealing a high degree of overlap between both sides’ interests.
Sources indicate that Al-Zaidi’s activity intersects with party economic committees that manage ministries, through contracting and project distribution mechanisms from which he secures a significant share, placing him within a broader network of political and economic interests tied to the state.
Ali Al-Zaidi’s Nomination
Al-Zaidi’s nomination for prime minister came as a surprise, as his name had not been among the previously discussed candidates.
Even by Monday afternoon, 27 April, references to his name remained limited and accompanied by denials from political forces to journalists, before quickly shifting within hours into a consensus candidate within the Coordination Framework, with Sunni and Kurdish forces also backing his nomination.
His sudden nomination was not accompanied by public debate regarding his political experience or his position within state institutions, nor about the extent of overlap between his economic activities and government responsibilities, at a time when Iraq is facing one of the most complex crises in the region.
According to sources within the Coordination Framework, Al-Zaidi’s nomination resulted from an agreement between Nouri Al-Maliki and Mohammed Shia’ Al-Sudani, supported by Qais Al-Khazali and under the patronage of Supreme Judicial Council head Faiq Zaidan. However, Al-Zaidi did not secure full consensus within the Coordination Framework, nor did he receive US approval to advance his government to parliament.
