The document discusses the author's experience living and working in the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, and other parts of the Middle East and Asia as a woman. She found that initially there were stereotypes from others about what it must be like, but that she was able to work successfully in male-dominated industries and immerse herself in the local cultures. One particularly successful project involved change management for an oil and gas company with a multicultural workforce. The author believes that regardless of gender or location, demonstrating your skills, value, and legitimate interests in an organization's success allows people to see past such attributes.

1. I love travel, I love business, adventure, exploring new places,
cultures & of course the food!
As a family we lived in the United Arab Emirates & Bahrain,
obviously traveling around the region.
I did some some Consulting while I was there, which was not at
all unusual in my mind. I have run Factories & being a woman
in male dominated Industries has never bothered me. My father
brought up 3 girls to know they could do anything they wanted,
gender was never a topic of discussion.
Since I have returned to Australia and traveling in Western
Countries people are fascinated and very curious as to my
experience. With minds full of stereotypes the questions come
pouring out.

2. What did I have to wear?
How was I treated?
Did they think less of me?
On it goes!
To be honest, my first visit prior to moving there, my head was
swimming with the same things. However, you get over that all
pretty quickly.
It was funny seeing our kids reaction at the Mall on the first day
we arrived, they were 13, 11 & 7 and seeing women in Burqua's,
Hijab's & men in Kandora's was a bit confronting. Five minutes
later it was all normal! Their school had over 80 Nationalities,
which was in itself a brilliant learning platform. Our 21 year old
has since traveled the globe quite a bit and never paid for
accommodation due to friends he made! The kids don't judge
people based on their nationality or religion, they don't run in
fear when they see the news & they don't spew out racist
nonsense. They make friends based upon the personality and
character of a person.
I am not a skimpy dresser so that was never an issue, dressing
conservatively for work was fine as I had always done so. I
didn't cover my full arm & never wore a headscarf.
Remembering where I worked that was ok, obviously that can
differ in a Country like Saudi Arabia. In Saudi I would have to
have a male with me. In fact recently I saw a job in Saudi that
was perfect for me, exactly what I had done previously. The

3. recruiter said as it required a lot of travel then the company
would prefer a male, as males can travel without a chaperone.
That is a bit frustrating as last year I travelled weekly for work -
all by myself!
I did find it amusing going to the 'ladies' during work and seeing
the local women in full garb unrobe and relax. Typical chatting
and gossiping just like anywhere else in the world.
I worked mainly with men and one job I did, a lot were locals as
opposed to expatriates. I found it really interesting. I always try
to learn a few Arabic words to greet, thank and apologise!
Always met with good natured laughter & corrections of my
attempts.
Pretty much like anywhere else I have Consulted, people take
time to 'suss' you out. Once they see that you can deliver, add
value and solve problems then it is all ok.
You can't network informally as easily though, in a man's world,
as there is still segregation. My husband could attend the Iftar
event during Ramadan but I didn't get invited. We were invited
to a work colleague's wedding & I was in the Women's tent, my
husband in the men's. But then it's all about immersing in a new
culture and learning things first hand. No amount of googling
can take the place of experience!
One job I worked on that was very multi cultural was for a large
Oil & Gas Company. It was to provide support to a Major
realignment of Procurement Strategy. The primary objective
was to identify a single organisational structure between

4. Contracts and Materials & develop consistent processes for the
use of the merged department. I liaised with the CEO down to
line staff.
This in essence consisted of me understanding both operating
procedures and processes & coming up with a best practice to
move forward. There was a lot of consultation, understanding
what was critical in each environment and what was less
so. Basically it was a negotiation exercise, ensuring both
departments were heard and didn't feel threatened or excluded
from the process of creating the new single entity. While
ensuring the new way was the most productive.
If ever there was going to be a time of antagonism and poor
treatment of me being a woman, that was it. I was playing with
peoples jobs and hence their feeling of security. Pretty much
everyone I dealt with was male & the vast majority Arabic. (I
have done a lot of Change Management, so that helped!)
The project went brilliantly and deemed a success.
From the reference ' ...was achieved to a very high standard
with presentation accepted by Management, together with
a practical roadmap for implementation. As a result of the
Investigation, there were opportunities highlighted to
standardise and streamline processes & procedures to
achieve additional benefits both at a company and group
level....'
The photo above is from the Gulf Daily News in Bahrain from a
meeting I attended with the Oil & Gas Minister and National Oil

5. & Gas Authority Chairman Dr Abdulhussain Mizra, along with
my husband and work colleagues. An incredible experience to
meet the Minister who controls the most important Natural
Resource the Country has!
I worked with some huge Organisations in the Middle East and
with both locals and expats & would not trade the experience.
Once you get into it, people are people. There were exceptional
people I met & ones I couldn't wait to get away from, just like
anywhere else in the World. I met Ministers of Government, C-
Level, Managers & guest labourers. It was an incredibly
enriching experience & one that I am always keen to repeat,
taking up new Consulting/ Training opportunities throughout the
region when they are offered. (any excuse to get back to that
food!).
Whether you are working in your own Country, a developed
Nation or an Emerging Market you have to believe in what it is
you have to offer. You must provide not just the solution but
also offer value add. I am always looking at other ways that the
Organisation can be improved by what I am discovering. Once
people know you are legitimate, have their interests at heart &
can more than deliver what they need, gender should become
secondary. This has been my experience. I have been on the
receiving end chauvinistic behaviour here and abroad, but I
move on, sure in who I am and what I have to offer. I am
certainly not going to write off half of the population because of
a tiny percentage of small minded, ignorant males. If I did I
would have run out of career options long ago! :)

6. Would be interested in hearing other people's experiences and
thoughts. I have also lived and worked in Asia, maybe another
post!
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Meagan Paterson
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