Mariam Filali defends the importance of understanding Moroccan customs and traditions

After graduating in law, Mariam Filali decided to work for the family insurance company, until one day, 20 years later, she asked herself if that was really what she wanted to continue doing and came to the conclusion that there was an interesting world ahead of her related to culture, ways of behaving, acting and relating to others, in short, protocol and image. ‘I am interested in people, in bringing out the best in them,’ she tells Atalayar. The opening up of the North African country in recent years, with notable measures promoted by the king affecting various areas, together with growing demand, led her last year to set up her own school: Business, Etiquette et Protocole, in the city of Tangier. 

Knowing the customs and traditions of the neighbouring country is essential when doing business, a key idea defended by Mariam Filali herself.

Ms Filali, when someone travels to a foreign country, especially an investor who is going to do business and deal extensively with people from that country, in this case in the Tangier-Tetouan-Al Hoceima region, it is good to know the customs, traditions and how to treat those people. 

Indeed, anyone coming to Morocco, Tangier or any other region, should be aware of certain Moroccan customs. Morocco is a modern country and is undergoing magnificent development, as can be seen on the ground. But the true Moroccan has preserved his customs and traditions. That is why it can seem a little shocking when investors arrive in Morocco and see the modernity, the restaurants, the ports, the high-speed train, but there is a culture that remains in Moroccans and that can sometimes be surprising. Let us not forget that Morocco is first and foremost a Muslim country. Moroccans have a wonderful, warm way of treating foreigners. At first, it may seem a little intrusive or that we are overstepping certain boundaries, but then Moroccans establish a certain distance, and that is where misunderstandings can arise.  

Moroccans want foreigners to feel at ease when they visit, so they may invite them to their homes to try a delicious couscous, for example. They may also invite them to religious festivals. And foreigners should have a certain respect for Moroccans, learn a little about how they live their private lives. And if a Moroccan opens their doors to you, it is because they trust you. They also demand respect. 

Another point I would like to mention is the greeting, the handshake. Greetings may seem a little different. A foreigner may quickly hug a woman or a man or ask for a handshake or a hug, which is perfectly natural for foreigners. Except that we Moroccans do not do that. And that is something that must be respected. Some Moroccans do not automatically shake hands. Some women do not greet easily, so today I also ask foreigners to respect these values. Without judging, and why not, if you extend your hand and the Moroccan does not extend their hand, then simply put your hand back and place it on your heart and say, 'Very well, I respect your values and from now on you know that this person does not greet, and these are in fact their rules of respect, of etiquette, of customs that are in a totally uniform social environment towards Moroccans. Well, this creates respect and, above all, avoids misunderstandings between the two foreign cultures.  

One thing to keep in mind is that when Moroccans, or foreigners, arrive, for example, in the city of Tangier, they are going to invest in the city of Tangier, and they have to know one thing: we have all lived in a different environment. You may get to know me, see that I am an open person... I act like a citizen of the world. I travel, I can talk about any subject, but even so, you may find another Moroccan who has slightly stricter values, who respects religion even more through their appearance and the way they dress. And that is what makes Morocco so rich. There is no uniformity. Even when it comes to food, you can be invited to a Moroccan home and eat couscous that can be completely different in another home. So for a foreigner it can seem a little surprising because there is no cultural uniformity. It's a richness not only in Tangier, but in all regions of Morocco. So there are greetings. There is also respect. There are also certain customs and traditions, such as Ramadan, which is a holy month for Moroccans, so when foreigners arrive, they are lucky. We stop in the city, and foreigners can easily go to restaurants, which are open. Hotels. They can live as they please, as they do all year round, and there are no restrictions on their businesses. What you need to know is that Moroccans, as we are a Muslim country, this period is a little different, there will be a slight drop in energy, especially during the first week, which is completely normal. 

Finally, it is practised by everyone, young people, not only during Ramadan, they are well aware that nowadays nutritionists encourage young people to do so as it is a rest for our bodies. Well, you can also respect it, for example, by not organising business meals, or perhaps by not eating in front of Moroccans, or perhaps by not smoking, which can be annoying. On the contrary, perhaps if you avoid eating near them, that is respectful. And Moroccans will respect you even more. So there you have it, these are little things that foreigners should keep in mind. As far as we are concerned, it would be good for them to know a little about how people live. And that, I think, is what can be surprising. For example, you see me dressed professionally. Today I am welcoming you to my agency, but in the evening I am inviting you to my home. I will welcome you in a different way because it is the first day of Ramadan, so I will wear my traditional costume. I will have a table set according to the rules of Ramadan, and the foreigner will say, ‘But this morning we saw you in your professional attire, and now you are practising your religion and welcoming us in a traditional way.’ Well, I think that is our wealth. That is our way of life. Even though we are modern and open to the world, we are attached to our customs and traditions.

Forms are very important, as is the way you treat people. But the attitude of an investor coming to the Tangier-Tetouan-Al Hoceima region must be one of humility, respect and equality. Not that false superiority that no longer exists. They must know that in Morocco, business is done just like in any other country in the world. 

Indeed, because Moroccans are open to the world, we have this spirit of being citizens of the world. And as I said before, the most important thing for us, and this is our culture, is to make foreigners feel at ease. But this is not a sign of inferiority or fear, far from it. It is simply out of respect and because we want them to feel comfortable. But the attitude towards any foreigner is the same. So when a foreigner comes, there has to be equal treatment, and why not establish rules or a code from the outset? Let me give you an example. On Fridays, for example, Moroccans can come in their traditional dress. We see this because it is part of our customs. They wear it on Fridays because it is a time of prayer, for example. At lunchtime, women can come and get ready there. But as long as it's not written or said, the Moroccan is going to be there in that outfit, they're going to do it in an unwritten way.  

What I ask of foreigners is that they establish, why not, a small code of conduct, of behaviour that is consistent with both cultures. And I think that's important. As long as nothing is said, the Moroccan will simply behave as they do in a Moroccan company. And then the attitude, attitude, respect. For example, we will not eat at 1:00 p.m. on Fridays, because we know very well that it is prayer time, but we will do so from Monday to Thursday without worrying, so we will not act in the same way with other cultures in terms of negotiation. There will be certain periods, for example. There will be certain periods, for example, when there are religious holidays such as Eid al-Adha, Eid al-Fitr and other religious holidays that are important to Moroccans. We will therefore avoid organising important meetings on those days. All this means that foreigners are familiar with Moroccan culture and negotiations will be conducted in the normal way, as in other countries.

As in many other countries, legal certainty is the norm in Morocco when it comes to setting up a business. 

We have the same rules. Everything happens in the same way. In my agency, those who know me or work with me agree with my rules. In that sense, there is nothing to worry about. We have large agencies that can draw up contracts. Nowadays, Moroccans are familiar with universal rules and regulations. Today, we are really confident that many organisations enter into contracts with public bodies to ensure that there is no fraud. There is always monitoring and auditing, and I am really proud of Morocco and this development, because we work in a secure environment, both among ourselves and with foreigners. It is important to be aware of this. When we sign an international contract, we also want to be protected, so today I am also proud of that. I work with everyone, I have even taken international training courses: the bank is there, the regulations are there, the laws are there, the taxes are there, so it all adds up. In fact, it is not against us. On the contrary, it gives us security so that there is reciprocity of rules and also a calm and healthy environment.

Just as an investor will need the advice of a manager, a lawyer, a financier... it is also good to have the advice of an agency such as Business Etiquette Protocol when dealing with Moroccans, knowing how to treat them, how to earn their respect and trust. 

That's right, and thank you for your question. I have friends who run accounting and portfolio management agencies, as well as business start-up agencies, and it is true that sometimes they ask foreign companies that want to set up in the country who will be responsible for their management and taxation, for example, and the person says that we will, but it is not the same. Each country has its own laws, rules and regulations. So I invite foreign companies to get in touch, either with companies, labels and protocols, or with other agencies, foreign companies, to facilitate this process because it can be complicated, it can be complicated because we have our own way of doing things, it is true that there are one-stop shops, nowadays there is everything, the investment centre has made it very easy in that sense. But above all, to ensure that everything is up to standard and within the rules, I urge you to use agencies that specialise in these areas.

Spanish investors coming to Morocco should be aware that a joke at the wrong time or a comment that might be considered funny in Spain could ruin a potential business deal or create a bad atmosphere here in Morocco. 

It's perfectly normal. It's true that Moroccan women have a great sense of humour. We have a great sense of humour, we like to laugh. There is one thing that may surprise foreigners a little, and that is that true Moroccans do not make much distinction between their personal and professional lives. They quickly laugh with foreigners and say things to them. But there are certain things, for example, that they will not joke about, such as politics, the environment or values. 

You have to be careful with that. There are limits. And if you're a foreigner, I advise you to get to know the person well and maintain professional respect. If you're a guest in someone's home, you can let your hair down, as they say, but in a professional environment, it's better to keep your distance and stick to your values. 

Another thing, for example, something that is a habit in our country, a custom... A Moroccan man may not show his wife in public; that's normal for us, it's a sign of respect. Foreigners may... For example, on a Sunday, they go on an outing to discover the region. The foreigner will automatically take his wife and children with him. The Moroccan man may not show his wife and may bring his children, which may be surprising. There are clichés like that, but why? They are our traditions. For some, it's a value that must be respected, but what I can say is that every country, every culture has its rules, its traditions. Here, today, we respect each other's values, we are getting to know the real Moroccans. We will go far, really far, and there will be respect. And let's stop judging by values, let's stop judging by the way we eat, because that's just the way we are.

You have mentioned women several times. In Morocco, men and women do business in the same way, and we see how women in Morocco are already occupying high positions of responsibility, with several female ministers, and also in business dealings, the relationship with a man or a woman when it comes to making investments is the same, although certain rules or protocols must also be taken into account. 

I am proud of Morocco in this regard, because today Moroccan women hold management positions, female leadership is being promoted, and we can applaud Morocco for this. Today, gender does not exist at the company level, or at least today, there is increasing awareness of negotiation, there is no gender. Men behave like women when it comes to business. Of course, some foreigners may be confronted with women, for example, with a dress code that may include a headscarf, which signifies respect. This does not influence the commercial aspect. You have to understand that. 

For example, I would encourage foreign men, especially when dealing with a woman, to wait for the woman to extend her hand in greeting. But otherwise, in terms of negotiations, attitude and behaviour, we will remain within the framework of business etiquette, i.e. professional behaviour. And that has never affected us. On the contrary, we are very proud of it. In fact, we are grateful to our King, who is promoting the emancipation of women, and you know that today there has also been a change in the personal code, that is, in the personal status of MOUGAWANA, and today we are really proud of this emancipation. 

To conclude, Ms Filali, if I were a Spanish investor in Morocco, what would you say to me and what advice would you give me? 

Well, first of all, welcome. I would also like to invite you to learn a few words in Arabic, such as Marhaban, Salam alikoum, which really come from the heart, because we are very emotional people. It is important to respect everyone, not to judge, not to take advantage of our beautiful region. We have beautiful sunshine, we are just a few minutes from Malaga, I would say minutes. And then you have the whole of Morocco to visit. Morocco is magnificent, there are some beautiful regions. Get to know the real Moroccans in Morocco. What I would say to you is that beyond the landscape, beyond the beauty of our regions, appreciate our customs and traditions, appreciate our way of doing things, our art of living.