Our Patron is H.E. Qubad Talabani. It is through his inspiration and vision for strong local economies that MEED Foundation was founded.

Qubad Talabani is a senior member of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan and currently serves as Deputy Prime Minister of the Kurdistan Regional Government, a position he first held in 2014. He has led key projects, including biometric registration for government employees and initiatives to improve public services, reduce corruption, and promote financial transparency.

Throughout his career, Talabani has been a strong advocate for economic diversification, technology, and innovation. He has championed the modernisation of government services through digital transformation and spearheads the Data Revolution Initiative which aims to fill data deficiency in public life. These efforts aim to streamline public services and drive sustainable growth in the Kurdistan Region and Iraq.

In addition to his focus on modernization, Talabani has also played a key role in fostering US-Kurdistan business relations, serving as the Kurdistan Region’s first representative to the US and establishing the Kurdish-American Congressional Caucus. He holds a degree in mechanical engineering from Kingston University.