Artemis Business Care participated in the meeting organised by the Saudi French Business Council (CAFS), in partnership with Team France (French Embassy, Business France, Bpifrance, MEDEF International, CCEF…), for the visit of 80 French companies to Saudi Arabia.

The event gave way to panel discussions presenting the Saudi legal and business environment, as well as sharing of experience by French companies operating in the Kingdom.

The dialogue, featuring legal experts, business leaders, and French companies already established in the Kingdom, crystallized into four core principles for success. For any French CEO or investor, these are not mere suggestions but strategic imperatives.

Four Strategic Imperatives for French Leaders

1. The Relationship Imperative: Trust Precedes Transaction

Relationships are the primary currency in Saudi Arabia. Trust is not given; it is earned through sustained, face-to-face engagement. French companies must be prepared to invest up to a year in cultivating the personal alliances that form the bedrock of any contract.

2. The Localization Mandate: Presence is Power

The “fly-in, fly-out” model is obsolete. Vision 2030 and “Saudization” policies favor partners with a tangible local footprint. Occasional visits signal a lack of commitment. Success requires integrating into the local ecosystem as a stakeholder, not a visitor.

3. The Urgency of Action: Commit Now or Miss Out

With global interest surging the window for entry is competitive. Saudi decision-makers prioritize partners who take calculated risks and commit resources TODAY. Hesitation risks ceding market share to competitors who are already moving.

4. The Adaptation Advantage: Adapt or Fail

The Saudi market follows its own unique cultural and commercial rules. Standard global playbooks will not work. French companies must demonstrate agility and align strictly with local norms. You must adapt to the Saudi way; the market will not adapt to you.

IN CONCLUSION:

• proposing qualitative products or services is not enough anymore. There are plenty of other competitors doing the same.
• YOU MUST HAVE A PHYSICAL PRESENCE in Saudi Arabia, and adapt your development strategy, SOPs, communication and objectives to the local reality of the Saudi market and to its specificities.
• YOU MUST DEDICATE ENOUGH RESOURCES to enter, penetrate and then develop in the Saudi market, which takes time. If you don’t commit, if you don’t hold the course with grit and steadiness for up to one year, and if you just come and go every few months, you will not succeed and you will only waste time and money.