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This week on Marketplace Middle East

Story Highlights
Forty percent of Iraq's professionals have fled overseas since the start of the war
MME talks to people from the professional class who have decided to stay in Iraq
Plus, we talk to Saad Al Barrak who transformed MTC Atheer into Zain
He shares his plans to conquer the African telecom market
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(CNN) -- In focus -- Iraq's brain drain

MME sits down with Zain CEO, Saad Al Barrak this week to discuss the company's transformation in the last six years and his future plans.

The U.N. estimates that over two million Iraqis have fled the country since the start of the war. Most of them are highly skilled professionals, including engineers, teachers and doctors. Approximately 40 percent of Iraq's professional classes have left, and this is having a severe impact on human and entrepreneurial capital.

Only a handful of professionals have defied the trend to leave and are vowing to stay and rebuild the country. MME asks them what is making them stay.

Facetime with Zain CEO, Saad Al Barrak

He is the man who successfully turned the small Kuwaiti telecom company MTC Atheer into Zain. Under Saad Al Barrak's leadership, Zain has transformed itself from a company with 600,000 customers to one with 45.7 million customers and with operations in 22 countries.

This transformation has taken place in the space of six years, and Al Barrak hopes to expand even further. He talks with MME about his ambitious expansion plans, conquering the African telecom market, and removing roaming tariffs.