Overview
Dr. Samir Rihani devoted his career to examining how complex systems shape social, political, and economic events. His experience spans engineering, planning, transport, tourism, healthcare, and academia, with complexity theory as the unifying theme.
Early Life and Education
Samir Rihani was born in Baghdad and later moved to the United Kingdom to pursue higher education. His academic path began at the University of Liverpool, where he earned a Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) in Civil Engineering, followed by a Master of Engineering in Transportation. In 1999, he was awarded a PhD in Economic and Human Development by the University of Liverpool.
Rihani’s connections to both Britain and the Middle East shaped a broad perspective on politics, culture, and development. These dual influences presented both challenges and opportunities, fostering a broad perspective on events and ideas.
Professional Career
Early Appointments
In the 1960s, Rihani worked as a development engineer, university lecturer, and consultant in Iraq. On returning to Britain, he held positions within Liverpool City Council and Merseyside County Council, specializing in planning and transportation.
Transport and Planning
From 1977 to 1986, Rihani served as Director of Service Planning and Coordination at the Merseyside Passenger Transport Executive. His work involved managing bus, train, and ferry services, negotiating with operators and trade unions, and adapting services to evolving urban needs. This period marked a shift from theoretical planning to practical application, emphasizing flexibility, monitoring, and risk assessment.
Tourism and Regional Development
Between 1986 and 1992, he was Chief Executive of the Merseyside Tourism Board. The organization promoted Liverpool and its sub-region as visitor destinations and sought to attract economic investment. The role highlighted the importance of collaboration between diverse local stakeholders and demonstrated the limits of central control in complex systems.
Consultancy and Health Governance
From 1992 to 2001, Rihani managed Ephor Consultants Ltd. He later became a non-executive director at Liverpool Women’s Hospital NHS Trust, South Liverpool Primary Care Trust, and Liverpool Primary Care Trust. Across these roles, which lasted until 2013, he contributed to governance, audit committees, and integrated management in the health sector.
Academic Roles
In addition to professional practice, Rihani became a Research Fellow at the Department of Politics, University of Liverpool. He lectured on international political economy, development, and complexity science, while maintaining active involvement in academic conferences worldwide.
Research and Publications
Rihani’s research interests focus on the application of complexity theory to development and governance. His major works include:
- Complex Systems Theory and Development Practice (2002)
- Complexity and Public Policy (2010, co-authored with Robert Geyer)
He has also authored numerous academic articles and presented papers at conferences in Europe, the Middle East, and North America. His research addressed issues such as sustainable development, the health sector, international political economy, and governance in complex systems.
Contributions and Areas of Focus
Key contributions include the application of complexity thinking to planning, development, health governance, and public policy. Areas of continuing interest include:
- Complexity and development studies
- International political economy
- Political and social dynamics in the Middle East and North Africa
- Governance and public policy in complex systems