Pilgrims appoints Matthew Cawthorne as Iraq country director
With a background of 24 years as an officer in the UK’s Royal Marines and a further five years serving a reconstruction agency and corporate clients in Iraq, Cawthorne (above) will have responsibility for Pilgrims policy and strategy in that country, including all aspects of existing contracts and the development of new business.
“My aim is to build on Pilgrims market-leading technical excellence to grow the company's business in Iraq,” says Cawthorne. “With an estimated $1trn of infrastructure investment in the country over the coming years, we aim to provide security services for companies participating in Iraq’s resurgence as a significant regional player. I will focus on building cost effective service delivery for current and new clients, drawing on our substantial Iraq-wide network of friends and trusted contacts.”
According to Pilgrims Group managing director, Bill Freear, who has overseen a 15-30% annual growth in the company in recent years: “Iraq is a challenging and exciting market with huge potential for growth. Matthew’s experience, both in military service and in the world of governmental and corporate security, makes him ideally placed to continue Pilgrims success in one of our core markets.”
Pilgrims operates globally, with a presence in countries including the UK, USA, Iraq, Nigeria and Afghanistan.
