"We don't need help"

A few months ago, last time I was in Riyadh, I had this experience. It wasn’t meant to be an experience but sometimes findings are where you don’t expect them.

I was in Riyadh and I saw on the map that the ministry of investment was not too far from my hotel. I thought I should take the chance to go and drop my resume.

 

I remember standing there looking at this big building, gathering my courage, telling myself I can do this. Once I was inside, I told a gentleman who was just walking by what I wanted and he told me where to go. I got lost a bit, but eventually found this young man at this desk. He was chatting with another young man, but they interrupted themselves to see what I wanted.

I told them I was French, living in Dubai. I told them I wanted to drop my resume in case they needed someone. He said OK but he looked unconvinced. I got a copy of my generic resume out and I started highlighting a few parts here and there, the parts that were most interesting to them. While doing that, I kept talking, you know, to make sure as much as possible that my resume wouldn’t end in the trashbin.

I cannot remember exactly what I told them but probably that I was passionate about Saudi Arabia, that I knew they were looking for investors, that I had ideas about how they could find investors at least from France and that I wanted to help.

And that’s when this young man told me “We don’t need help.”

What struck me specifically was the way he had said that. I had said I want to help and much like a pavlovian response to a stimulus, he had answered “We don’t need help”.

- I want to help. - We don’t need help.

I found it amusing he would tell me this. He had told me this before even looking at my resume. He had told me this while it was public information that Saudi Arabia had a hard time to attract foreign investments. He had told me this while I had come all the way from Dubai, while I had gone through the trouble of taking a taxi and entering this intimidating building full of men.

We don’t need help.

“What do you mean, you don’t need help?” I was smiling.

“No, we’re good. We already have investors from France.” He mentioned Schneider and another industrial French group.

I started laughing.

“Well yes, maybe, but those are industrial companies. And see, I am a woman,I know of other companies.”

I handed him my resume but I knew I was wasting my time.

Proud, hard-headed young man, you just don’t know how much you could learn from a mature woman like me...

I found it amazing. I am a French woman in my early forties, I have a masters in management from a top French business school, another masters, in communication and media management from la Sorbonne, 5 years in management consulting, experience with major French companies and with government, 10 years in the Middle East, and this kid tells me “we don’t need help” when precisely I was offering my help.

Sometimes, being a woman is a curse. There was no way he would have told a Western man in a suit that they don't need help.

Don’t walk away thinking I took this personally because I didn’t.

But I thought this says a lot about why probably Saudi Arabia is struggling to attract investors and specifically European investors.

The problem I see sometimes, dear Saudi friends, is that too often, you talk about “the West”, you don't seem to be very familiar with Europe, you might be unaware of those subtle differences between us, Westerners.

A lot of Saudis keep talking about “the West” assuming we Westerners all behave more or less like Americans, and specifically the business type of Americans.

Let me tell you how I think a European thinks (at least a Western European).

If you approach a Western European saying “I have an opportunity for you” they will most likely walk away thinking it’s a scam. If you approach a Western European saying ”Look, honestly I need help”, they will most likely listen, and if they can, they will help you, unless you are asking them for money.

It’s a funny thing, I have to admit, we are happy to give our time, a lot of it if needed but we cringe when it comes to money.

I honestly think Saudi Arabia needs help, not like a beggar needs help but like someone who can learn something from their neighbor. I think it would be a life-changer if you knew about our French custom called "apero", we can find a way to make it alcohol- and pork-free.

I have lived in Europe for over 3 decades, I am quite familiar with the US and I also know the Middle East. Each culture has its strengths. Am I wrong to assume Dubai would not be exactly Dubai if the Europeans hadn’t brought with them their foodie culture and a few other bits of our lifestyles?

I personally think European companies should be flocking in Saudi Arabia, they probably would if the opportunity was introduced to them properly, if those cultural differences were understood and leveraged, if pride didn’t come in the way.

I cannot help thinking about what one of my friends told me about 6 months ago. I was probably ranting about how freaking difficult it was to get in touch with anyone high up in Saudi, about how frustrating it was to face those guys who thought they had it all figured out when actually, sorry, they didn’t. And as a wise man that he is not always, my friend told me “Nadine, your problem is that you are looking for an entry point. It’s difficult, but believe me, once you’ll find it, once the Saudis will understand what exactly you can do for them, they will keep you busy for the rest of your life if you let them.”

I hang on to this idea.