With our strategic partner, The Quincy Group (www.quincygroup.com), we have more than half a century of expertise in Saudi Arabia. I have lived and worked there for 9 years, both as Deputy Ambassador and as President of The Quincy Group. We can make help you make your engagements much more effective and efficient. We can help you identify potential counterparts that matter, we can help identify challenges in an early stage and help devise ways to overcome them. We can assist preparing your visits, and by debriefing with your counterparts afterwards. We can make sure your value proposition is understood by those that matter. In short, we can help you develop and implement a corporate diplomacy strategy that works.

Most companies dealing with the GCC tend to deal with Saudi Arabia from their UAE offices. This practice is in contrast with the fact that Saudi Arabia is the biggest economy of the GCC, and by far the largest market. Usually, this policy is driven by a perceived hardship related to living in Saudi Arabia. However, from a Saudi Arabian perspective, this practice is frowned upon, and local presence is highly appreciated. We can provide that local presence because of our strategic collaboration with “The Quincy Group” (www.quincygroup.com). Together with The Quincy Group we have extensive experience in on the ground implementation of corporate diplomacy strategies.

Most people doing business in Saudi Arabia have had a version of the following experience. After meeting a potential Saudi client, investor or partner at an international event, and after meeting with this contact in Saudi Arabia, all lights seem to be ‘green’ for a profitable collaboration. All contacts were pleasant and positive, and a deal seemed a handshake away. But then : e-mails go unanswered, deadlines slip – and after several trips and meetings (where no discernable hurdles could be identified) the painful decision is taken to score this experience in the ‘lessons learned’ category and to step away from this opportunity. Often, we have been able (as an ‘honest broker’ with decades of accumulated trust in country) to identify what is going on, and to help formulate and implement a strategy to get past the impasse. The trust we have built is an integral part of our corporate diplomacy on your behalf.

In Saudi Arabia, it is not always clear who the players of the moment are. Do we need to talk to MODON (the Industrial Cities authority) or to the SIDF (Saudi Industrial Development Fund) ? What is the role and strategy of the PIF (Public Investment Fund) in this sector ? Is DUSSUR (a PIF, SABIC and ARAMCO investment fund) a potential partner ? Which family businesses are ‘real’, and which have been propped up by favouritism under the old regime ? Saudi Arabia can be a dazzling kaleidoscope of potential stakeholders – but how to assess them ? Here we can help. This is why corporate diplomacy matters ! In partnership with “The Quincy Group” (www.quincygroup.com), we can map out who matters, and who matters less. Chances are very likely we have interacted with potential stakeholders before – and can decrease the time needed to build trust. Our assets can work for you, and help you win.