Best Meeting Times Between Europe and the Middle East

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the time difference between London and Dubai?
Dubai (GST, UTC+4) is 4 hours ahead of London during GMT and 3 hours ahead during BST. The small gap makes scheduling straightforward during shared working days.
What days of the week do businesses in the Middle East operate?
Most Gulf countries (UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman) follow a Sunday-to-Thursday work week, with Friday and Saturday as the weekend. This creates a three-day overlap (Sunday-Thursday intersect Monday-Friday) with European Mon-Fri schedules. Some companies have shifted to a Monday-Friday or Monday-Saturday model.
How does Ramadan affect meeting schedules with Middle Eastern teams?
During Ramadan, many Middle Eastern businesses shorten working hours by 2 hours, often ending the day at 2 PM or 3 PM local time. Meetings should be scheduled for mid-morning Gulf time. Exact Ramadan dates shift by about 11 days each year.