Cultural guide to doing business in Cairo, Egypt
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 always dress modestly, be respectful about use of alcohol (especially during Ramadam) 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 firm, ideally 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'). If offered the greeting, it's rude not to reply.
The Egyptians are a very polite people and good manners are essential. When you add to this the idea that people here dislike loosing face, you may find that people will try and oblige you, even to the point of misleading you. (Be careful, therefore, if there is any doubt or hesitation over street directions.)
Family is at the centre of life here. 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. Alcohol is a no-no and flowers are only likely to appreciated in Westernised homes. 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, leaving a little food on your plate will indicate this. Dessert generally follows in a separate area.
Egyptians generally sit and stand closer than many Westerners are used to so 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 or get to know you.
Business dress is conservative, a formal suit and tie or equivalent. Women should 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.
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. Meetings may well be interrupted by phone calls or other visitors. This does not signify that your business is not being taken seriously.
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). A local partner can help make contacts and cut through the red tape that is still a feature of life here.
Management style is generally top-down, with bosses making the decisions. Don't become frustrated if things take time as this is normal. Also trying to hurry things with deadlines and ultimatums is likely to work against you.
With their famous sense of humour, Egyptians often talk about the IBM mentality, where I stands for Insha'allah (God willing), B stands for Bukra (tomorrow) and M stands for Ma'alesh (Don't worry). Which is to say, something will only happen if God wills it and things take as long as they take even if they're not looking good now, things will turn out for the best. You will hear Insha'allah a lot as it's almost obligatory when attached to future commitments.
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 7 January (Coptic Christmas), Easter (variable dates), 1 May (Labour), 23 July (National), 6 October (Armed Forces). There are a string of other holidays that are widely but not officially celebrated. Ramadam is best avoided for business.
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