Business etiquette in Dubai: greetings, meetings, dress, Ramadan and Friday timing

What should you know about business etiquette in Dubai?

Dubai is one of the most international business cities in the world, and most meetings are held in English. The habits underneath are Gulf Arab: trust comes before terms, seniority matters, and a long coffee is part of the meeting, not a delay to it.

Three rules cover most of it. Be on time yourself. Be courteous to the most senior person in the room first. Be flexible about how long the conversation runs.

Greetings, titles and handshakes

Greet the most senior person first and work down. A handshake is normal between men. It is usually lighter and longer than a Western handshake, and it can be held for the length of the greeting.

With women, follow their lead. Many women in business in Dubai shake hands with everyone, but some prefer not to. If she does not offer her hand, nod and place your right hand on your chest.

Use titles and surnames until invited otherwise. Local hosts are often addressed as Sheikh, Sheikha, Dr or Eng., followed by the first name.

How do meetings run: punctuality, small talk and decisions?

Expect Arabic coffee or tea and some personal conversation before business starts. Ask about family in general terms, or about the host’s company. Do not push straight into the agenda.

You should arrive on time even if your host is late, and decisions may take several meetings. A polite “inshallah” is not a refusal. Follow up in writing after the meeting, and keep in touch between visits.

Meetings can be interrupted by phone calls or a visitor who drops in. Wait, and do not read it as a slight.

What to wear to a business meeting

Who	Usual choice	Notes
Men	Suit, or jacket and tie	Many local hosts wear a white kandura and ghutra. This is national dress, so do not copy it.
Women	Trouser suit or long-sleeved dress	Cover shoulders and knees. A scarf is useful but not required in an office.
Both	Closed, polished shoes	Remove shoes only if your host does.

Offices and malls are strongly air conditioned, even in July, so carry a thin jacket. Our guide to the Dubai dress code covers the rest of the city.

Business cards, gifts and hospitality

Bring plenty of cards. Offer and accept them with your right hand or both hands, and read the card before putting it away. Printing Arabic on the reverse side is a courtesy but not required.

If your host offers coffee, accept at least one cup. Small cups are refilled until you shake the cup gently to say you have had enough.

Keep gifts modest. Corporate hosts also expect a simple thank-you after a dinner or a long lunch. If you are unsure about tipping staff or drivers, read the tipping guide for Dubai.

Working around Fridays, prayer times and Ramadan

Friday prayers are held across the UAE at 1:15 pm, apart from Sharjah, which follows its own timing (WAM). A Friday meeting should end before midday or start well after the prayer. Many offices run a shorter Friday, but private companies set their own hours, so check with your host.

During Ramadan, private-sector working hours are reduced by 2 hours a day (UAE Government portal). Offices open later, meetings are best set between about 10 am and 2 pm, and iftar after sunset is a social event that you should accept if invited. Dates follow moon sighting, so the exact start moves each year. Eid holidays shut businesses for several days, and the UAE public holidays guide explains how they are set.

Arriving on time: using a driver between meetings

Most delays in Dubai are traffic. Sheikh Zayed Road, Al Khail Road and the Business Bay crossing back up in the morning and from about 5 pm. A driver who knows the entry to the DIFC Gate district and the drop-off at the tower you are visiting saves you the 10 minutes you would otherwise spend finding parking.

A chauffeur also lets you read the meeting file in the car. For a one-day trip, see our business trip ground transport guide. For teams that travel often, our corporate chauffeur accounts include monthly invoicing, and you can book a chauffeur service in Dubai for a single day. The wider Dubai travel guide lists more first-visit advice, and the corporate ground transport guide covers scale.