The MRC Firm founder becomes one of only a small number of professionals in Iraq to hold PMI’s highest-level certification.
BAGHDAD, 2 November 2026: Dr. Almontather Rassoul, Founder and CEO of MRC Firm Ltd., has been awarded the Portfolio Management Professional (PfMP)® certification by the Project Management Institute (PMI), the world’s leading authority on project, program and portfolio management.
The top of the PMI ladder
PMI’s credentials go from project level (PMP) to program level (PgMP) to portfolio level (PfMP). PfMP is aimed at senior executives who decide which initiatives an organization funds, prioritizes or stops, so that investment stays aligned with strategy.
Candidates cannot simply study for it. They have to submit years of documented portfolio management experience, pass an evaluation by a panel of senior practitioners, and then pass a demanding exam. Dr. Rassoul cleared the panel review in October 2026 and was granted the credential on 1 November 2026. It is valid until 2029.
One of the rarest credentials in the profession
PMI data shows how exclusive PfMP is. At the end of 2023 there were about 1,600 PfMP holders worldwide. Over the same period, more than 1.5 million professionals held the PMP.
What it means for Iraq
Iraq is investing heavily in reconstruction, energy, banking reform and digital government. Ministries and large enterprises are under pressure to run dozens of projects at once with limited budgets. Portfolio management is the discipline that decides where that money goes.
“Iraq does not lack projects; it lacks prioritization,” Dr. Rassoul said. “Portfolio management is how institutions make sure every dinar serves the strategy. This credential is a commitment to bringing that discipline to our public and private sectors.” (Edit or replace this quote with your own words.)
About Dr. Almontather Rassoul
Dr. Rassoul holds a PhD in Business Administration from Al-Mustansiriyah University. He founded MRC Firm Ltd., a management consulting group headquartered in Baghdad with offices in Erbil, Basra and Mosul, and registered entities in the UK, USA, UAE and Estonia. MRC has worked with clients including GIZ, ICRC and IOM. He is also an ISO Lead Auditor across seven management system standards, holds the PMD and PgMD credentials, is a LinkedIn Top Voice, and is the author of several business books, including Consulting Management.
