The venue was splendid, a 19th-century former hôtel particulier in the heart of Paris. The women who gathered in a main hall on a recent rainy day had arrived in style, some sporting fur coats, others clutching Hermès bags.

Yet this was not a social event nor a fashion show. The guests were some of the Arab world’s top businesswomen and their trip to Paris was to learn about business opportunities, even in today’s depressing economic times.