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1-Day Customized Workshop: How to Build a Successful Business & Career in the UAE for STECS
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has become a global business hub, attracting investors, entrepreneurs & multinational corporations from around the world. Its strategic location, advanced infrastructure, and pro-business policies make it an attractive destination for businesses of all sizes. The UAE is also ranked 16th of 190 countries in the World Bank’s ‘ease of doing business’ index.
It has also successfully diversified away from its dependence on the oil industry over the last 50 years to form a new economy based on knowledge & innovation - the oil sector’s share of the GDP has reduced from 90% in 1971 to a remarkable 30% today. Non-oil sectors now contribute around 70% of GDP, opening up growth opportunities for several industries such as heavy industry, transport, petrochemicals, tourism, information technology, telecommunications, renewable energy, aviation and space, and oil and gas services.
Nevertheless, while the UAE actively diversifies its economy, the oil sector remains important. The stability of oil prices and the government’s forward-thinking approach ensure a balanced economic landscape. Indeed, based on data from 2023 and projections for 2024, UAE’s economic prospects look good. Its GDP is projected to grow at a robust rate of 5.7% in 2024, primarily driven by the non-oil sectors.
At the same time, while the UAE presents ample business opportunities, overseas investors hoping to do business with it will need to understand the UAE well to ensure a successful venture. While, compared to other countries in the Middle East, the UAE is a relatively liberal & cosmopolitan society with a multinational workforce, it remains a conservative Muslim country. It also has a unique business culture, values and etiquette that are essential for foreigners to understand. UAE-based companies should ensure their operations, services and marketing are in accordance with local religious and cultural belief systems - or risk negatively impacting the companies’ image. Also, while personal relationships are the foundation for any business partnership, this is especially true in the Arab world. Knowing these ‘unwritten rules’ will be the key to successful business outcomes.
This practical one-day course will be an introduction to the critical areas that you need to know to run a successful business and career in the UAE. It will also be customised with relevant content according to your company and industry. It is designed to be informative and thought-provoking while providing a platform to discuss practical strategies for your company as well as your staff as you prepare to venture into the UAE.
It has also successfully diversified away from its dependence on the oil industry over the last 50 years to form a new economy based on knowledge & innovation - the oil sector’s share of the GDP has reduced from 90% in 1971 to a remarkable 30% today. Non-oil sectors now contribute around 70% of GDP, opening up growth opportunities for several industries such as heavy industry, transport, petrochemicals, tourism, information technology, telecommunications, renewable energy, aviation and space, and oil and gas services.
Nevertheless, while the UAE actively diversifies its economy, the oil sector remains important. The stability of oil prices and the government’s forward-thinking approach ensure a balanced economic landscape. Indeed, based on data from 2023 and projections for 2024, UAE’s economic prospects look good. Its GDP is projected to grow at a robust rate of 5.7% in 2024, primarily driven by the non-oil sectors.
At the same time, while the UAE presents ample business opportunities, overseas investors hoping to do business with it will need to understand the UAE well to ensure a successful venture. While, compared to other countries in the Middle East, the UAE is a relatively liberal & cosmopolitan society with a multinational workforce, it remains a conservative Muslim country. It also has a unique business culture, values and etiquette that are essential for foreigners to understand. UAE-based companies should ensure their operations, services and marketing are in accordance with local religious and cultural belief systems - or risk negatively impacting the companies’ image. Also, while personal relationships are the foundation for any business partnership, this is especially true in the Arab world. Knowing these ‘unwritten rules’ will be the key to successful business outcomes.
This practical one-day course will be an introduction to the critical areas that you need to know to run a successful business and career in the UAE. It will also be customised with relevant content according to your company and industry. It is designed to be informative and thought-provoking while providing a platform to discuss practical strategies for your company as well as your staff as you prepare to venture into the UAE.
Objective
At the end of this informative, thoughtful & interactive course, participants will:
- Understand the top global business trends & how it affects their company
- Appreciate UAE history & society
- Understand UAE’s economic growth journey & strategic focus
- Understand UAE business ecosystem
- Identify business opportunities in the UAE
- Know better UAE business culture, values & etiquette
- Know how to build beneficial personal relationships in the UAE
- Learn how to negotiate the Emirati way
- Know how to build a strong personal brand
Outline
1. Introduction & Overview of the course
- Brief overview of course & objectives
- Ice Breaker game
- Group Agreement to get the most out of the course
- The World in 2024
- The Top 10 global business trends you need to know
- Group Discussion: What are the most important business trends we need to pay attention to for our company? How can we address it?
- A brief history of UAE & its people
- UAE government's strategic direction for its economy
- Key players in the UAE business ecosystem
- (optional) On choosing the right legal structure: Mainland, Free Zone or Offshore company?
- Exploring Business Opportunities for your industry
- Group Discussion: What are the key business opportunities we see for our company? Also, what new innovative opportunities could we explore?
- Understanding Emirati society, culture and values, business ethic and conducts
- About the Emirati work culture
- Learning Emirati business etiquette & building personal relationships
- Negotiating a deal the Emirati way
- Group Discussion: What similarities and differences are there between the way we do business compared to the Emiratis? What specific changes do we need to make to fit in at the UAE?
- Understanding the true meaning of branding
- 5-part framework to build an influential personal brand
Who should attend
This course is suitable for all levels of staff from senior and mid-managers, supervisors, executives, frontline personnel who will be involved in the company’s venture into the UAE.
Methodology
The course will be conducted using:
- Interactive short lectures using presentation slides
- Small Group discussions
- Big Group discussions
- Individual work
- Participant presentations
Profile of Harasha Bafana
Harasha Bafana is a Business & Branding Coach, Consultant, Speaker & Trainer. She holds an MBA (Marketing) from Singapore’s Nanyang Technological University and a Social Science honours degree from National University of Singapore. She also holds the WSQ Advanced Certificate in Learning and Performance (ACLP).
She empowers clients to grow their businesses – and themselves – using smart business & branding strategies. Specifically, she champions Influential Branding & Communication as a core business strategy, having personally experienced its power herself.
She served two terms as a Board Member with the Agri-Food & Veterinary Authority of Singapore (AVA) and is currently a two-term Board Member of Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts (NAFA). She was also Vice Chairman II of DEWI@SMCCI, the women entrepreneurs’ wing of Singapore Malay Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SMCCI).
Her 27-year career has had several interesting changes. She began as a Foreign Service Officer at the Singapore’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, followed by a managerial stint at SingTel. This accidental entrepreneur then ran a Middle Eastern restaurant business called Samar, which she helped grow into a million-dollar business with no advertising. TIME Magazine - in its annual search for ‘the region's most remarkable places & experiences’ - named Samar in its The Best of Asia list. Harasha was also SME Centre Director at the Singapore Malay Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SMCCI), and together with her team, helped advise more than 5,000 SMEs.
