I'm a retired prof. I taught history, investments and entrepreneurship courses at 7 different universities in Latvia, Poland, Germany, Spain and the USA.

The Italy-based ad agency I owned for 20 years had two Arab Prime Ministers as clients--the owners of the Royal Meridien Hotel, Bahrain and the Sheraton Doha Hotel, Qatar. The GM of the Sheraton was a German--who hired a NY Jew to do his photos and brochures for his Arab boss.

The marketing director was a half Egyptian, half Greek Muslim who wished me Merry Xmas, the only case of a Muslim wishing a Jew Merry Xmas that I know of.

I also had a Yemeni tour operator client in more innocent times (1998). He sent his daughter to study at the London School of Economics by herself. A most unusual man. So I can claim to know a thing or two about doing business in the Middle East.

One factor in getting hired by these clients was possessing greater fluency in their history than they had.

The purpose of mentioning qualifications is to provide a premise for discussion, not to end it.