Conflict of Interest

We are in Kuwait City with our local partner. He gives use the news on the project that we are pursuing and his latest information on the activities of our competitors.

He suspects that one of the local agents is actually acting for two of the competing oil groups. I make the mistake of observing that this is a terrible conflict of interest.

Our partner roars with laughter, and says:

“Chris, there are two things you need to understand.

First, there is no Arabic phrase for conflict of interest. In the Arab world the concept does not exist.

Second, this is exactly the position that every Arab businessman wants to get into.”