From Baghdad
to Boardrooms– My Family’s Odyssey
by Ezra
K Zilkha with Ken Emerson
Self Published
in 1999 by Ezra K Zilkha
No ISDN Number 253 pp
Reviewed
by Anna Dangoor
'From Baghdad to Boardrooms' is an excellent book on many
levels. It took me almost no time to read, entertaining
me with countless anecdotes, some amusing, some insightful,
and some possessing both qualities at once.
Written as a
testament to the life of Khedouri Zilkha, Ezra’s father,
the book is also a memoir of Ezra’s own life, charting
his achievements in the business world, and also on a more
personal level.
The book begins
by describing how Khedouri set up the first and largest
private branch banking system in the Middle East, KA Zilkha
Maison de Banque. Its first branch in Baghdad, Ezra’s
birthplace, was opened by Khedouri when he was only fifteen,
and he went on to open other banks in Beirut, Cairo, and
Alexandria. Khedouri ran his banks by a strict code of traditional
business ethics, always reliable, and always true to his
word. Ezra notes how when his father was starting out, much
of his business was conducted simply on the strength of
a person’s good reputation. This kind of practice would
regrettably today be considered incredibly risky.
It is evident
that the values that Khedouri stood by were passed down
to Ezra. He explains how important it was to him within
all his business, to preserve the excellent reputation his
father had created for the Zilkha name. He also talks of
his extreme fear of the shame of bankruptcy which is an
admirable concern in today’s world where all too many
businesses take the loss of other people’s money far
too lightly.
‘From Baghdad
to Boardrooms’ gives an insight into the world of business,
detailing numerous deals and ventures that Ezra was involved
in. He also describes vividly the huge spectrum of people
and characters that he had the pleasure (or sometimes displeasure)
of coming into contact with, amongst whom familiar names
such as Margaret Thatcher, Henry Kissinger, and Jimmy Goldsmith
crop up.
The book also
sheds light on Ezra’s own character. He is an extremely
self-disciplined, and principled man who bestows a great
deal of respect upon those who deserve it. His Iraqi background
has left its mould on his character, and its influence often
appears when he quotes old Arab sayings such as, ‘show
them death, and they’ll settle for sickness’.
Ezra is also a very warm and loving man, and he shows great
admiration and affection for his wife Cecile, and for his
beloved father Khedouri in memory of whom the book is dedicated.
This book is
a journey through highs, and lows, through good times, and
bad times. The journey of a child, who watched his father
with awe and admiration, and who is now a man himself with
children of his own. By writing this book Ezra has offered
you a chance to travel this journey with him, and I strongly
recommend you take it.
