Cross cultural seminars

Handshaikh offers flexible training solutions to suit your requirement and timetable. Our well-prepared face-to-face or online cross cultural seminars offer you a comprehensive overview of life and business in or with the Arab world. The focus is on the Gulf Cooperation Council nations of Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, UAE (Dubai and Abu Dhabi etc.) and Oman.

Handshaikh offers face-to-face or online classes (usually via Google Meet) which are hosted by Jeremy Williams or other GCC-experienced persons, such as British ambassadors who have served in the GCC. Sometimes Gulf Arabs are asked to join the class to describe their views of how foreigners to the Gulf are regarded.

What will be the benefits of attending these courses?
Most Gulf Arabs, especially the younger Gulf Arab, have a good awareness of at least the West and of its norms and behaviour. Regrettably, the opposite is not often true in terms of Western understanding of the Gulf and its nationals.

The latter are well-used to innocent ‘clumsy’ foreign behaviour in or with Gulf. It therefore follows that any person or organisation with even a minor display of an understanding of the Gulf, of Islam, of the structure of Gulf Society and of ‘how things work’ (all topics covered in Handshaikh’s courses and his book) will be seen as particularly welcome and as somewhat ‘special’. Such a person and his or her organisation will almost certainly be welcomed more easily than other organisations. This may well give you the edge in terms of winning a contract.

The effort in terms of learning even the most simple Gulf behaviour (such as understanding the importance of a handshake, and of Patience generally) is out of all proportion to the powerful impact of something so easy to learn.

Private, face-to-face cross cultural seminars have been offered globally by Handshaikh for more than 30 years, and continue to be offered,  see clients. These events provide a country-specific solution tailored to your organisations’ requirements.

Such sessions are delivered at your offices or at a location to suit you, such as at a local hotel. Those who chose to attend online may do so via Google Meet. These are bespoke sessions made suitable for your needs. And it’s wise to include all staff who support those who are, or will be, in contact with Arabs – especially HR and Finance Directors – as well as their Assistants.

Senior confidential briefings. It may be helpful for senior executives e.g. CEOs, to attend a special, private, confidential session  -perhaps at a lunch or a dinner.

Fees. The fee includes a hard copy of Handshaikh’s latest book.

Planning To discuss a closed event designed specifically for you please make contact.

Trade delegations to the Gulf

Briefings are given to various official trade delegations before they depart for the Gulf. 

Next public event will be announced here

A report on the 20 Jan 26 afternoon lecture in London see here

Typical programme

This is an example of a typical programme and will be adapted to suit your requirements. A full programme can be four hours.