Gulf slows for Ramadan after 2025 starts with burst of activity
Shorter office schedules, more work-from-home options and fewer conferences are the rules for March as Muslims observe the daily fast
Emirati officers prepare to fire the iftar cannon near the Burj Khalifa skyscraper in Dubai, signaling the end of the daily fast on the first day of Ramadan (Getty Images)
After a torrid season of Gulf business events to open the year – including LEAP 2025 in Saudi Arabia, IDEX in the UAE, and Web Summit Qatar – the Middle East slows down next week for the holy month of Ramadan.
Shortened office schedules, expansion of work-from-home options and a near-absence of international conferences are the rules for March as Muslims observe the daily fast. Life perks up after sundown with nightly iftar feasts that fill top hotels and restaurants across the region.
An exception to the conference slowdown is the Forbes 30/50 Summit for women, which kicks off in Abu Dhabi on March 5 and runs for four days.
Chaired by Mika Brzezinski, co-host of MSNBC’s Morning Joe program, the gathering will feature speakers including Lana Nusseibeh, UAE Assistant Minister for Political Affairs; Dr. Farah Sarraj, Chief Corporate Officer of Al-Futtaim School Management Company; and Sherrese Clarke, Founder & CEO of HarbourView Equity Partners.
Mindful of the timing, Forbes includes a section on its website titled “Ramadan Considerations” that assures participants that the conference will schedule breaks for prayer in designated places throughout the day. The conference will also feature an iftar meal each night after sundown.
In Saudi Arabia, the new Riyadh Metro announced it will operate until 2 a.m. every night except after Friday, while city buses will continue until 3 a.m.