Expo Rhad 2030, how to do business in Saudi Arabia? « Here before selling you must be understood »

Never show the sole of the shoes, be available, build personal relationships before professional. Are three of the fundamental advice for business in Saudi Arabiawhere in view of‘Expo 2030 Which will take place in Riad, Italian companies are moving to understand how to seize opportunities in the desert. « When entrepreneurs turn to us, we immediately clarify an aspect: before selling you have to be purchased, » he says Max Calderanexplorer and first in the world to cross the entire desert Rub ‘al Khali in the company renamed Calderan Linethan with his company It sells training packages to Italians willing to conclude negotiations in the Middle East. « The Italian passport opens many doors, but we must know how to manage them without false steps – says Calderan -. The Saudi one is a market that requires in -depth knowledge and respect for the cultural specificities which, if ignored, quickly transform the opportunities into insurmountable obstacles ».

The Calderan formula: relationships before business

Unlike the West, where transactions can precede personal relationships, in the kingdom it is essential to build a relationship of trust before any commercial proposal: « A negotiation to Riad is not the goal but a consequence », repeats Calderan several times during his courses. The training program simulates the rhythms of the Saudi business meetings, preparing the Italian managers also to deal with corporate hierarchies other than the western ones, based on a single person and not on a team. « It is essential to identify who will make the decisionsbecause it will almost never delegate the evaluation of aspects, even secondary, of commercial negotiations to others ». To this man on whom all the choices depend, according to the formation given by the explorer, a protocol almost courtship must be applied, not in terms of enticements but of knowledge. Long conversations, walks in the desert, sharing of common experiences and passions: Everything is essential to build a relationship. After a period of attendance, according to Calderan’s scheme, if the Saudi counterparty sees in Italian a person to trust, someone will also be willing to sacrifice his time without there being a economic exchange necessarilythen you can start talking about business. «It may happen that a working meeting jumps – explains Calderan -, if an entrepreneur from Italy has planned a 2 -week trip, it is likely that he cannot conclude anything. The advice is to predict that a person from the company physically settles in Saudi Arabia also for 2 or 3 monthsin order to always be present and understand the culture of the place  »

False steps to avoid

In the subtle balance of Saudi business reportsapparently insignificant details can determine the success or failure of a negotiation. « The influence of Islam permeates every aspect of professional interaction, not as a simple religious element but as an all -inclusive cultural framework », explains Calderan. Protocol errors as a wrong gesture during a meeting represent serious offenses, as well as the choice of inappropriate moments for the business trips: Ramadanholidays of Eid And the period of the pilgrimage are moments to avoid strictly. « Even the communication dynamics are completely different: what in Italy would be interpreted as disinterest or rudeness, for example prolonged silences or sudden interruptions of the meetings, in Saudi Arabia they represent a normality of the interaction that requires patience and understanding ». Among the potential critical issues there are aspects that concern uses and customs, such as inappropriate clothing, conversations on Middle Eastern policy or gender issues.

The growing sectors

Tourism, Sport, Hospitality These are sectors in which Saudi Arabia has focused on 2019 onwards. But also sculptures and works of art follow a growing trend: «Italian craftsmanship It is adored by Saudi Arabia, because it is a unique piece, from the painting to the goldsmiths, is considered a niche product. Everything that does not have big names but a specific detail, provided that it does not contradict the Islam, is strongly attractive ».