Sam Baring

Deputy Head of MENA

Sam leads and oversees Risk Advisory’s work in the Middle East & North Africa. Since joining the firm in 2019, he has managed 200+ assignments for blue-chip corporations, banks, sovereign wealth funds, and private equity firms.      

Sam advises senior decision-makers on the most pressing geopolitical, regulatory, and reputational challenges they face in the MENA region. He supports them through licensing and tender rounds, market entry processes, and high-stakes government negotiations by delivering actionable human source intelligence.

Before Risk Advisory, Sam worked as a Farsi/Dari interpreter for Iranian and Afghan refugees in Serbia, following a year studying Farsi in Mashhad, Iran. He has also studied Arabic.

Project highlights:

  • Conducted an in-depth study of Iraq’s fuel oil supply chain for a commodities trader, setting out the key stages, actors, and vulnerabilities.
  • Advised the general counsel of an E&P firm in a dispute with a Middle Eastern government.
  • Managed a human source-led investigation into Libya’s hemodialysis market for a medical equipment manufacturer and external counsel.
  • Produced a detailed market entry study, including competitor analysis, on Oman’s nascent green hydrogen sector for a European investment firm.
  • Languages
    • English
    • Persian 
    • Arabic
  • Countries of expertise
    • Iran
    • Iraq
    • Libya
    • Oman
    • Saudi Arabia
    • Syria
  • Capabilities
    • Construction
    • Energy
    • Power
    • Geopolitical analysis
    • Iran sanctions
    • Market and competitor intelligence
  • Education

    BA Persian – SOAS, University of London

Get to know Sam Baring

My area of expertise

I have particular expertise in advising law firms, blue-chip corporations, and investment banks with matters in Iran, Iraq, Libya, Oman, and Afghanistan. Before Risk Advisory, I worked as an interpreter for Afghan and Iranian refugees in Serbia, having completed a year of intensive Farsi language training in Mashhad, Iran.

Why I love what I do

I enjoy gathering actionable high-grade human source intelligence from my network in the MENA region and delivering it to our clients, so they can make informed decisions and get ahead of the competition.

What sets Risk Advisory apart

We can access and supply human intelligence that others cannot – from the MENA region and around the world.

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Intelligence delivered ingeniously

Helping key decision makers, make the right commercial decisions