GCC Inputs

The countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) plan to invest $ 968 billion in major projects over the next ten years. This investment includes 1,638 projects in different sectors, however the construction segment, infrastructure and the oil industry account for 80% of all projects. Just for roads and railways, the oil-rich countries plan to direct $ 97 billion from 2011 to 2020, U.S. $ 79 billion for rail, including trains, subways and trams. The most ambitious project, valued at U.S. $ 30 billion, is the railroad that will connect all the countries of the GCC, whose construction is scheduled to begin in 2012. For roads construction, investments are put at $ 18 billion. It is expected that already in the next five years these Arab nations will invest $ 15 billion in the expansion of ports. Today the largest investments are concentrated in and , UAE, a country which accounts for 59% of maritime cargo handling in the area. The GCC countries recognized the need to accelerate and facilitate the implementation of these projects through mechanisms such as public-private partnerships (PPPs ), foreign direct investment, joint ventures, among others. The countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) plan to invest $ 968 billion in major projects over the next ten years. This investment includes 1,638 projects in different sectors, however the construction segment, infrastructure and the oil industry account for 80% of all projects. Just for roads and railways, the oil-rich countries plan to direct $ 97 billion from 2011 to 2020, U.S. $ 79 billion for rail, including trains, subways and trams. The most ambitious project, valued at U.S. $ 30 billion, is the railroad that will connect all the countries of the GCC, whose construction is scheduled to begin in 2012. For roads construction, investments are put at $ 18 billion. It is expected that already in the next five years these Arab nations will invest $ 15 billion in the expansion of ports. Today the largest investments are concentrated in and , UAE, a country which accounts for 59% of maritime cargo handling in the area. The GCC countries recognized the need to accelerate and facilitate the implementation of these projects through mechanisms such as public-private partnerships (PPPs ), foreign direct investment, joint ventures, among others.

With this in mind then, I offer you my twelve top tips for doing business in the GCC: 1. Be careful when selecting and managing local partners. Gulf Arabs are charming to the core. The idea of signing a strategic partnership or Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), which is a regional favourite, with a foreign company is very appealing, and thus several less reputable Gulf-based companies will readily agree to become your local partner without necessarily thinking about your expectations of them and the drive to help and support you sell your products and services. Whilst there are several benefits to working with local partners and it is in fact compulsory in many places, do not rely on being flooded with leads and new orders. Local partners can be difficult to manage and generally high maintenance. The best way to

approach a partnership is to look for commercial synergy between the two organizations and intellectual synergy between the people from both parties. How does your business compliment the local partner company and what difference will it make to the local partner to be aligned with your firm? What are the incentives for the local partner to help and support you and are these incentives considered a big deal? Can your would-be local partner really open doors for your and do they have the resources and intent to flex their political muscle (if any), or leverage their contacts and market position to help secure new business for you? Have you clearly defined the roles and responsibilities of both partners and is there a clear buy-in from the senior most management tier in the local partner company? Be sure that the people you will be working from your partner company are like-minded individuals with a clear understanding of their operational roles and responsibilities. Always maintain regular contact with the senior most management team in the local partner company. Keep them up-to-date with progress and inform them of good news as well as bad. If you confronted with bottle-necks, give them an opportunity to remove them. The likelihood is that the news they are getting from the inside is that all is hunky-dory. You must ensure you secure and maintain mindshare with the management at all times. You do not want to be working with middle-managers and other staff who you are finding difficulties in working with. It is in your interest to spend some time establishing a rapport with key contacts and stakeholders both personally and professionally, so that youre confident the partner is someone you can definitely work with before you sign anything. If a Gulf-based organization comes recommended by a foreign company, lawyer or law firm or somebody you know professionally and trust, thats a good base to work from. 2. Business and personal friendships are one and the same, and Arabs generally prefer to do business with people they know and like. Small talk is more than just a courtesy; it is a way of finding out whether you would be a suitable business partner. Engage in conversation freely and enthusiastically, and have a few stories in your back pocket to break the ice. 3. Gulf Arabs are exceptionally proud of their language, which is a strong, uniting bond right across the Arab world. Learning at least a few words of Arabic is an easy way to demonstrate that a relationship is personally important to you rather than just another business deal. Your effort will be greatly appreciated. 4. Gulf-based organizations can be many-tiered and difficult to penetrate. If you dont have a business associate or influential friend who can help you find a way into a prospective customer, consider hiring a professional intermediary with clout to save you time, money and frustration in identifying and reaching the real decision makers you want to target. If you can contact one of your prospects existing suppliers/vendors or an individual they have done business with in the past, form a sales taskforce in order to clinch a deal and avoid bottlenecks, so much the better. Teaming up with experienced, local business people and firms to close a big deal makes a lot of sense. 5. Decisions can take a long time, probably longer than youre used to. Dont be impatient, as this will reflect poorly on your character. Be flexible and prepared to accommodate shifting schedules. In fact, patience is the most valuable virtue you can demonstrate throughout your business and social life living and working in the Gulf. You can learn to demonstrate this most precious quality in the most frustrating of business situations, you will surely reap the rewards.

6. Body language is just as important as the spoken word. Your opposite number may be telling you with a raised eyebrow, reclined posture or tone of voice that its time to change tack. Your instinct will usually be enough to guide you provided youre on the lookout for non-verbal signals. 7. Arabs will often speak in vague terms, generalities, stories and metaphors during negotiations. This is not a calculated effort to irritate you, but rather a method of dialogue that allows for communicating ideas without causing anyone else around the table to lose face. Insulting potential business partners through blunt demands or rejections can be fatal to a deal. Be subtle and always promise to consider requests. Likewise, youll need to make double-sure everyone in the room understands exactly what is on the table. Arabs may not ask for clarification for fear of losing face, so its up to you to make sure every angle is covered. Nobody will sign a deal they dont fully understand. I recall a key business presentation I delivered many, many years ago in Saudi Arabia. I came out feeling on top of the world hoping to get a Purchase Order the close of the quarter. This was sometime in February. To my dismay, I discovered that my counterparts were expecting to get back to me by the last quarter! The moral of the story is dont be fooled by several faces seemingly nodding in agreement with you. Avoid overloading senior Gulf Arabs with information. Keep it short and simple, delivered in bit sized pieces. Take extra care and time to ensure you have been understood. 8. The best way to communicate is always face to face. If this isnt possible, make a phone call. The written word is considered less personal and less important, and you could find your letters and e-mails go unanswered for some time if you dont at least follow up by phone. This is certainly the case with email. Some countries, like Saudi Arabia, dont really do serious business by phone with Westerners, so a personal visit is your only option. 9. Know your host. The GCC countries share a common history and culture, yet there are also many differences in terms of their social outlook and approach to business. Treating all Arabs alike smacks of arrogance, and coming across as arrogant is just about the worst thing a western business person can do in this part of the world. If in doubt, err to the cautious and take your cues from the locals. It is always worthwhile hiring an intermediary to help guide you. Local chambers of commerce in the country you are in or a reputable local law firm can always help you out. The trade office of your homeland embassy will also be a smart port of call. 10. If youre just starting out in the Gulf region, its a good idea to put together a few small, quick deals to see which companies are serious about doing business with you. If you want to do business with a particular company and see immense potential for significant business, just hang on before you go and pitch for a mega project. Aim for the low-hanging fruit first. Suggest pilot projects or try and close smaller deals. Once you have established a true meaningful relationship with the client, and have got them to part with some money, you can be more comfortable in spending your time and resources on the more strategic, high-value deals. Remember the story I told above about negotiating a time-consuming deal, only to have it snatched away at the last moment due to favoritism? Working with local partners to grab some low-hanging fruit is a great way to get an accurate view of the landscape and enable you to better target your energies in pursuing bigger prizes.

11. Dont be lulled into a false sense of security by warm hospitality and civilized negotiations. Arabs can drive as hard a bargain as anyone else, so you should be prepared to be tough, yet respectful. A senior dealmaker will often demand concessions from you in order to demonstrate his authority, so be prepared for plenty of give and take even at a late stage in negotiations. 12. Saudi Arabia is the Golden Goose, but Saudi is a challenging place to sell your wares and deal making in general. Business visas can be difficult to obtain, issued at the discretion of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Saudi Arabia and also local Embassies and Consulates. You may think you have all the paper work in place for a 6-month multiple-entry business visa and end up with a 30 or 60 day visas stamped when you open up your passport! Letters of Invitation now come through electronically via the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs web site. Invitations must originate from reputable companies in Saudi Arabia. Officially backed companies tend to face fewer problems getting people into the Kingdom. Once you can get into the Saudi market, the wealth of opportunity is well worth all the jumping through hoops.