Doing Business in Cairo
Faux pas au revoir
Words | Mark McCrum.
WITH THEIR WELLTUNED sense of humour, Egyptians often talk about ‘the IBM mentality’ – but it’s nothing to do with computer systems. In this acronym, I stands for Insha’allah (‘God willing’, a much-used phrase in these parts), B is for Bukra (‘Tomorrow’) and M for Ma’alesh (‘Don’t worry’). Which is to say: something will only happen if God wills it; things take as long as they take; and even if it’s not looking good right now, everything will turn out for the best. It’s well to bear this attitude in mind as you go about your dealings in this part of the world.
On the surface, you will find that Egyptians are generally very polite, and good manners are essential. When you add to this the idea that people here hate to lose face, you may find that someone will try and oblige you even to the point of misleading you. (Be careful,therefore, if there is any hesitation over street directions.)
Egyptians often sit and stand closer than in the West; try not to move away. Same-sex conversations can be more touchy-feely than you might be used to. If you sit alone in an empty bus or cinema the next person who comes in may well sit next to you; but this doesn’t mean that they want to talk to you.
Islam is the official religion of Egypt; over 90% of the population are Sunni Muslims. This percolates into all aspects of expected behaviour: you should dress modestly, be respectful about use of alcohol (especially during Ramadan) and be aware of prayer breaks, five times daily. A man meeting a woman for the first time should wait for her to extend a hand. Otherwise, same gender handshakes should be accompanied by eye contact and a smile. The normal greeting is Salamu ‘aleiko (‘Peace be upon you’), to which the reply is Wa ‘aleikom el salam (‘And peace be upon you too’). It’s rude not to reply.
As in all countries in the Arab world, the establishing of a personal relationship is central to doing business. Who you know really does matter; in this region they talk about having wasta (connections). That could be family, old friends or, for the visitor, a local partner who can help make contacts and cut through the red tape that is still very much a feature of life here.
Meetings should be arranged well in advance and confirmed nearer the time. You should aim to be punctual yourself, but don’t expect your counterpart to be. Business may well be interrupted by phone calls or other visitors; this does not signify that you are not being taken seriously. Ma’alesh. Everything will be got to in due course.
Business dress is conservative: formal suit and tie or equivalent, and women should obviously avoid revealing clothes. Business cards are essential: having yours translated into Arabic on one side will go down well and make you stand out. Titles are important and should be used: a failure to do so might be perceived as arrogance. Otherwise use Ustaz or Mr followed by your counterpart’s first name.
Family is at the centre of life here and therefore woven into business life. To be invited to someone’s home is an honour, and you should always accept. The right gift to bring is pastries or a cake for dessert. Arrive a little after the set time and be prepared to wait until all the guests have turned up before the meal is served. All the food will be put on the table in one go, and you should wait to be served. When you’ve had enough, leave a little food on your plate.
The working week is officially Sunday to Thursday, but many firms work also on Saturday. On Friday, the Muslim holy day, all businesses are closed. Business hours are 9am to 5pm, though some small businesses start and end later. In addition to the Muslim religious festivals (Eid-al-Fitr and Eid-al-Adha, Birth of Mohammed and Islamic New Year, variable dates), Egypt has holidays on Coptic Christmas (7 Jan) and Easter and 1 May, 23 July, 6 October. There are a string of other holidays that are widely but not officially celebrated. Ramadan is best avoided for business.
Mark McCrum is the author of Going Dutch in Beijing (Profile Books, £7.99), a guide to global etiquette
