Mar 12 2008
I’m Moving to Dubai
So I decided I’m soon to be packing my bags for Dubai…wait…I have no money. Anyways, if I could I would. I was talking to my dad today and learned a lot about the people there.
Arabs are a strange people-in particular the wealthy ones. Apparently if they like you they will do anything for you…and when I say anything, I mean anything. Let me give you a couple examples:
He was telling me the story of my now deceased uncle. He lived one of the wildest lives, although not an honest life, it was nonetheless wild. He met one of the Saudi Princes, yeah, the oil guys, back in the day in London and became close friends with him. The prince left and after a couple months he decided he wanted my uncle’s company. So my uncle takes the next flight there and waits in a hotel…apparently you are not to call the prince once you are there, but to wait for him to remember you and ask for you. So after a few days he remembered he had asked for my uncle and called him. So they go out and party and just have a good time. The next day my uncle leaves and the prince throws him a car key and says take it. He doesn’t question him, but goes out to one of the workers and asks which key he’s holding. He points to the Lamborghini. My uncle asks for a title, and then comes to his senses-don’t ask just leave. So he drives the Lambo around for a while, wrecks it, and sells it real cheap to some guy in Dubai.
Example number 2…My dad’s friend a few months ago meets another prince in Dubai through a friend of a friend. They hit it off…obviously both of these guys were what you would call charmers, and become pretty good friends. My dad’s friend is staying in a hotel and after a few days the prince, I’m sorry I don’t remember his name, gives him the key to one of his houses-more like a small palace. So my dad’s friend stays in the place for a month, seriously, who would leave-just he and some British guy. So just this weekend my dad’s friend calls and tells my dad to get his ass over there for some business with this prince.
The way you do business in Dubai is through the royal family and other high-ranking officials. It works like this: you charm one of these guys, you use their name as your “partner”-they really do no work, and only then can you do business there…yeah, those guys are smart. So my dad’s friend and the prince hit it off so well that he’s waving the $3 million fee to use his name as a “partner” and only wants 30%, rather than 50% of his profits…again, the prince does absolutely no work. So my dad will soon be on a flight to Dubai to hopefully charm the guy and do some business there
I’m gonna get a charm coach and I’m moving to Dubai as soon as I get the money!
“The UAE business environment can be very lucrative and even predictable if care is taken to understand the influences working on an individual market at any one time. Keeping an ear to the ground and maintaining a steady physical presence is invaluable.
Visiting business people are advised to consult the many sources of commercial intelligence, including embassy lists, the chambers of commerce, official gazettes and tender lists. UAE national businessmen are the best source of information, and the ideal man in a business development role will usually be the one with excellent contacts in the local business community. Given the right high-level contacts it is possible to hear of projects ahead of the rest and long before tender documents can be officially purchased. The UAE is one of the most open and freely competitive markets in the world and although the authorities want to do business on the basis of quality and value for money, much still depends on this inside knowledge.
Personalities play a significant role in contract award. The knowledge, accessibility and reputation of one’s local associate is often a vital factor in determining the outcome of fierce bidding between large numbers of international companies.”
“Under the companies law, at least 51 percent ownership by UAE nationals is required for all UAE establishments, except where the law requires 100 per cent local ownership as in the case of, for example, commercial agencies. The companies law is not applicable to Free Zone Entities or branches established in the free zones generally. As mentioned, it is not applicable to professional companies, which, in due course, will need to be 25 per cent owned by UAE nationals.”
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WoW! I want a charm coach, too!
diar sirs
i want start small business in dubai please help me .
thanks