The Middle East Association’s Business Support Division offers a practical advice seminar on How to do Business in the Middle East at Bury House, 33 Bury Street, London SW1Y 6AX, on Thursday 1st October 2009. Registration will be at 13.00, the seminar starts at 13:15 and finishes at 17:00; the seminar will be followed by a networking reception.
 
The presenter, Mike Brennan has lived and worked in the ‘Gulf’ for nearly 40 years.  He cut his business teeth in the Middle East in the 70s and now has a successful track record of contracts in both the private and public sectors. Mike has worked for both large and small companies and having succeeded in this competitive and sometimes hostile market, knows how business is done and offers the practical advice that can only be learnt from negotiating real contracts.  He continues to advise companies engaged in business throughout the region.

Business topics include: Trip Preparation, Documentation, Understanding Your Customer,  Making Appointments, Getting your Message Across, Language, Building Relationships – Friendship or Trust, Getting the most from Meetings, Middle East Decision Making, Committees – Why They Exist & How to Deal with Them, the Procurement Process, Specifications, Pricing, Negotiating Techniques, Concluding the Deal, Contracts and Documentation, Getting Paid, Late Payments, Selection of Agents, Agency Laws, FCPA / OECD, Local Offices, Dispute Resolution, Times Are Changing WTO, Islamic Banking, the Role of Women and some Golden Rules

This is an informal seminar which will address the above topics and many more, questions are encouraged both during the seminar and afterwards at the networking reception.