How to Close a Deal in Dubai: Etiquette, Negotiation and Signatures

Why deals in Dubai close differently

Dubai's international business community keeps growing: the Dubai International Financial Centre alone reported 8,844 active companies at the end of 2025, up 28% in a year. In my experience, deals here can move fast once trust is in place. The part many newcomers miss is the order of operations. In much of North America, people negotiate terms and then build the relationship. In the Gulf, the relationship comes first, and the terms follow.

I was raised in Jeddah, built my career in Toronto and now work from Dubai. The deals that close here have two things in common: a relationship that both sides trust, and paperwork that leaves no doubt about authority.

In Dubai, trust opens the file. Paperwork closes it.

Business etiquette in Dubai: relationships first

Good etiquette is not a set of tricks. It is a way of showing respect, and it is noticed.

• Meet in person when it matters. Important conversations belong across a table, not only on email.
• Greet with care. Use titles, greet the most senior person first, and follow your host's lead on handshakes.
• Start with the person, not the agenda. Asking after someone's family and well-being is the beginning of trust, not a delay.
• Dress conservatively and professionally. Err on the formal side for first meetings.
• Keep your word on small things. Arriving prepared, sending what you promised and following up on time show how you will handle large things.

Hospitality and the majlis

Hospitality is central to Gulf culture. UNESCO describes Arabic coffee as a symbol of generosity: it is poured with the right hand, older people and guests are served first, and the guest shakes the cup gently to signal that they are done. Visit Abu Dhabi notes that coffee is poured about a quarter full, with guests usually enjoying one to three cups as a sign of respect. Accept it graciously.

The majlis, inscribed by UNESCO in 2015 for the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Oman and Qatar, is a traditional sitting place where communities gather to discuss affairs, host guests and resolve problems. If you are invited into a majlis, listen first, follow the host's lead and let business come up naturally. Being invited is itself a sign of trust.

Timing: the working week, Ramadan and patience

• The working week. UAE federal government entities work Monday to Thursday from 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., and until noon on Friday, a schedule in place since 1 January 2022. Plan signings and government processes accordingly.
• Ramadan. Private-sector working hours are reduced by two hours a day during Ramadan. It is a month of reflection and generosity. Keep meetings shorter, avoid pushing for hard deadlines, and plan your key signatures before or after the month where possible.
• Patience. A thoughtful "let me consult" is normal. It usually means the right people are being brought in, not that the deal is fading.

Negotiating in the Gulf: how to negotiate with Arab business leaders

People search for "how to negotiate with Arab businessmen". The better question is how to negotiate well in the Gulf, with experienced men and women who often run family groups and long-standing businesses. These principles have served me well.

1. Invest in the relationship before the terms. Early meetings are for understanding each other. Do not table a term sheet in meeting one.
2. Protect dignity on both sides. Disagree in private, never in front of a counterpart's team. Offer options, not ultimatums.
3. Expect a conversation, not a script. Negotiation is often a series of discussions that build toward agreement. Leave room to move.
4. Know who decides. Many groups are led by a principal or family. Respect the team you are meeting, and understand when the decision will go upstairs.
5. Be generous where it costs you little. Flexibility on timing or presentation often earns flexibility on substance.
6. Put agreements in writing quickly. After each meeting, send a short, respectful summary of what was agreed.

Negotiate the relationship first. The numbers are easier to agree between people who trust each other.

Wasta, properly understood: relationships and trust

Wasta is an Arabic word often translated loosely as "connections". In the way I practice business, it means something more useful: a respected person is willing to stand behind you. That is earned through your conduct over time, and it can be lost quickly.

Think of it as reputation and trusted introduction. It opens a door and gets you a fair hearing. It never replaces licensing, compliance, due diligence or a proper contract, and serious people in Dubai expect all of those to be in place.

Find the real decision-maker

A common reason deals stall is that the visiting party has been negotiating with someone who can recommend but cannot approve. Ask, respectfully and early, how decisions are made: who reviews, who approves, and who signs. In family groups, the principal may not attend early meetings but will decide at the end. Build relationships at every level, and make it easy for your contact to present the deal well internally.

Paperwork and authority: how a Dubai deal actually closes

1. Engagement first. My Law II of the Desk: an engagement letter and NCNDA are signed before the first introduction, so every party knows its role.
2. Confirm signing authority. Ask for the company's trade license and constitutional documents, and confirm that the person signing is authorized to bind the company.
3. Check powers of attorney. If someone signs on behalf of another person or company, review the power of attorney. In Abu Dhabi, for example, the judicial department's online service requires documents issued abroad to be attested and non-Arabic documents to be translated by a certified translator.
4. Use licensed advisers. Contracts, regulatory approvals and structuring belong with appropriately licensed legal and tax professionals in the relevant jurisdiction.
5. Keep funds with the right parties. My Law III: coordinator, never custodian. I never hold client funds, and you should be careful of anyone who asks to.
6. Sign, then deliver. In the Gulf, what happens after the signature defines whether you are invited back.

For the structuring side of the same process, see my guide on how to structure a business deal.

Gulf deal-making norms vs common Western habits

Topic	Gulf deal-making norm	Common Western habit	What to do
First meeting	Getting to know each other; hospitality	Agenda and pitch from minute one	Lead with the relationship, hold the deck
Pace	Patient, multi-meeting process	Push for a quick yes	Plan in quarters, not days
Communication	Respectful, indirect on sensitive points	Very direct, sometimes blunt	Raise hard issues privately and politely
Decision-making	Often with a principal or family	With the person in the room	Map who reviews, approves and signs
Hospitality	Central to building trust	Seen as optional small talk	Accept coffee, take time, reciprocate
Calendar	Monday to Friday week for government; shorter hours in Ramadan	Fixed quarter-end deadlines	Schedule around the local calendar
Agreement	Trust first, then detailed documents	Contract first, trust later	Build both, in that order

How to negotiate a business deal: a framework that works anywhere

The Gulf rewards these habits, but they work in Toronto, Mumbai or Nairobi too. This is the core of my 90/90 Method: 90 days to a decision, 90 days to execution.

1. Define your outcome and your walk-away. Know what a good deal looks like and when you will stop.
2. Understand the other side's real goals. Price is rarely the only issue. Control, timing, reputation and risk often matter more.
3. Structure options. Bring two or three ways to reach agreement, not one take-it-or-leave-it offer.
4. Trade, do not concede. Every give should come with a get.
5. Close on a written summary. Agree heads of terms quickly, then hand over to lawyers.
6. Run execution like a project. Owners, dates and a weekly check-in until the signature, and after it.

My new book, The Deal Architect: The 90/90 Strategy to Structure, Negotiate & Close Your First $100 Million Deal, sets out the full method. I also cover large transactions in how to close a $100 million deal.

Proof: deals I have helped close and carry

I am a Canadian dealmaker and strategic board advisor based in Dubai, working across the US, Canada, the UAE, India and Africa.

• A USD 1B exclusive sales mandate for two Dubai towers, an 80+ storey tower and a 50-storey tower (2026).
• A written global mandate (2025–2027) to represent and negotiate for Abdulla Bin Mujren Investment Group, a Dubai holding group of 14 companies.
• Board Director and founder of AERC, a waste-to-energy consortium of about USD 500M in project value, with consortium agreements signed.
• USD 30M of signed software deals as Head of Alliances and Growth at Galaxy Weblinks, a US software firm with 500+ engineers.
• USD 300M in personal real estate sales in Toronto (2010–2024).

More on my track record is on the about page and the projects page.

Want this working on your deal?Fifteen minutes tells you whether I can win it. USD 500, credited in full; refunded if I decline your file.

Book my 15-minute fit call

Frequently asked questions

How do you close a deal in Dubai?

Build the relationship first, then the terms. Meet decision-makers in person, accept hospitality, and negotiate patiently through several conversations. Put agreements in writing after each meeting. Before signing, confirm who is authorized to bind the company, review any power of attorney, and have licensed legal advisers finalize the documents. Then deliver promptly after signature.

What is the most important business etiquette in Dubai?

Respect is the foundation. Meet in person for important matters, use titles, greet the most senior person first, follow your host's lead on handshakes and dress conservatively. Accept Arabic coffee graciously, poured with the right hand, and shake the cup gently when you are done. Above all, keep your word on small commitments.

How should I negotiate with Arab business leaders?

Invest in the relationship before discussing terms, and treat negotiation as a series of conversations rather than a single event. Protect dignity by raising disagreements privately. Offer options instead of ultimatums, understand who makes the final decision, and confirm agreements in writing after each meeting. Patience and respect are usually rewarded with loyalty.

How does Ramadan affect doing business in Dubai?

During Ramadan, private-sector working hours in the UAE are reduced by two hours a day, according to the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation. It is a month of reflection and generosity. Keep meetings shorter and respectful of fasting, avoid pressing for hard deadlines, and plan major signings before or after the month where possible.

What does wasta mean in business?

Wasta is often translated as connections. In practice, the useful meaning is trust: a respected person is willing to vouch for you because of how you have conducted yourself. It can open a door and earn you a fair hearing, but it never replaces licensing, compliance, due diligence or a properly drafted contract.

How long does it take to close a business deal in Dubai?

It depends on size and complexity, but expect several meetings before terms are discussed seriously. Relationship building, internal consultation with principals and documentation all take time. My 90/90 Method frames it as 90 days to a decision and 90 days to execution, which keeps both sides focused without forcing a pace that damages trust.

Who can sign a contract on behalf of a UAE company?

Only a person authorized under the company's constitutional documents or a valid power of attorney. Ask for the trade license and supporting documents, and confirm the signatory's authority before signing. If a power of attorney is used, check that it covers the transaction, and use licensed legal advisers in the relevant jurisdiction to confirm the details.

Close your next deal with a proven method

Register for the 26 November launch of The Deal Architect, my playbook for structuring, negotiating and closing large deals. For teams preparing to do business in the Gulf, I also run workshops in Dubai, Toronto and in-house.

Register for the book launchExplore workshops

Sources

1. Dubai Media Office: DIFC announces landmark annual results for 2025
2. UNESCO: Arabic coffee, a symbol of generosity
3. UNESCO: Majlis, a cultural and social space
4. Visit Abu Dhabi: Arabic coffee and dates
5. UAE Government portal: Working hours in the public sector
6. MoHRE: Private-sector working hours reduced by two hours during Ramadan
7. Gulf News: How UAE residents can get a power of attorney online (Abu Dhabi Judicial Department)