🇦🇪 United Arab Emirates

First Names and Titles

• Using first names requires a certain level of familiarity between parties.

• “Bin” (also ben or ibn) is placed before a name and means “son of.” For daughters, “Bint” is used. People may address each other using their father’s name with “Abu” (meaning “father of”), followed by the son’s name. When addressing women, “Umm” (meaning “mother of”) is used.

• Members of ruling families are addressed as His/Your Highness (Sahib al-Sumu). Ministers and ambassadors are addressed using the international title “Excellency.”

Business Meetings

• The UAE strongly supports foreign investment. In general, doing business there depends on meeting financial criteria.

• The standard greeting is “As-salamu alaykum” (“Peace be upon you”), to which you may reply “Wa alaykum as-salam.” Upon arriving at the reception room, visitors greet everyone as they enter and say these words. After receiving a response, they are invited to enter.

• The use of business cards is common. Having one side printed in Arabic can be an advantage.

Communication

• Discussions are very common, and rational debate is welcomed.

• The purpose of discussions is not for one person to win, but to clearly convey ideas and foster mutual understanding.

• Effort should be made to conduct discussions in a polite and logical manner.

• You may express your thoughts clearly and give direct answers.

Gift Giving

• Giving gifts in the UAE can be more challenging than in many other countries, as many products are available at very low prices.

• The gift you choose should be of high quality.

• As a sign of respect, the recipient opens the gift in front of the giver or, if in a group setting, in front of others.

Business Attire

• In the UAE, foreigners wearing local traditional clothing is generally not welcomed. This is intended to prevent the perception that foreigners are seeking an unfair advantage by wearing local dress.

• For men, formal attire such as a shirt and trousers is typically preferred during the day, while a collared shirt and tie are appropriate for evening events or business meetings. For specific activities such as desert safaris, appropriate outdoor attire may be worn.

• For women, the UAE is less restrictive than many other Arab countries; however, very revealing clothing is considered inappropriate. In business environments, modest and conservative attire is recommended.

Appointments

• In Middle Eastern business culture, a relatively relaxed attitude toward time is common; arriving late to meetings may occur, but punctuality is expected from Westerners.

• Refreshments—especially coffee and pastries—are commonly offered during meetings. Accepting what is offered and thanking the host is considered polite.

• On Fridays, Emirati citizens and other Muslims observe religious practices in accordance with Islam.

• During Ramadan, the consumption of food and beverages is restricted, especially for non-Muslims. Large hotels may have designated areas, but alcohol is not served.

• Working hours in the UAE are generally from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., with the workweek running from Sunday to Thursday. During Ramadan, working hours are usually reduced to six hours per day.

• While arriving on time for work and meetings is important in the UAE, time management may not always be the top priority.

• Employees benefit from a good work–life balance and, in addition to public holidays, are typically entitled to 30 days of annual leave and up to 90 days of sick leave.