Ahmed Thamer Al-Shammari

Iraqi architect and urban planning consultant, Co-Founder and CEO of Iwan Design & Engineering Consultancy, established in 2015. He is a graduate of the University of Baghdad’s Department of Architecture and holds qualifications in project management. Prior to co-founding Iwan, he worked with Iraqi and international companies operating in Iraq, building professional experience across architectural design, urban planning and local development.

He provides urban planning advisory services to Anbar Governorate and serves on the Urban Planning and Housing Committee as well as the Relations, Culture and Heritage Committee within the governorate’s local public-policy team. Through these roles, he contributes to discussions on spatial development priorities, housing, urban identity, heritage, and the future development of cities and local communities.

Through Iwan, his work has included contributions to studies evaluating city master plans, functional programmes and development concepts for projects, as well as studies related to urban heritage and opportunities for tourism development. His professional interests also encompass the development of border crossings and the use of spatial data to support planning and decision-making.

His work increasingly focuses on the relationship between urban planning and economic development, particularly the readiness of cities and infrastructure for investment and the opportunities created by trade corridors for the development of connected regions. He also advocates stronger cooperation between public institutions and the private sector in developing projects that respond to community needs while preserving the identity and character of place.