Global US companies with Middle East operations are advising their employees to work from home following a weekend of regional escalation, as US and Israeli military strikes on Iran triggered retaliatory attacks across several Gulf states.
Photos and videos showed missiles streaking across the sky in Dubai on Saturday and Sunday.
Fallout from intercepted missiles caused fires and other problems across the region. Amazon Web Services said Sunday that connectivity from one of its data centers in the United Arab Emirates was down after the facility was “impacted by objects” that created “sparks and fire.”
Abu Dhabi and Dubai in the United Arab Emirates have become increasingly popular destinations for some Western professionals attracted by the lifestyle, the lack of income tax, and business opportunities in the region.
This is what major US companies in the region are telling their employees during the Iran conflict.
Goldman Sachs
Goldman Sachs has implemented a number of measures to support the safety of its people and resilience of its business, a company spokesperson told Business Insider.
The US bank has told its employees across the region to work from home and to follow the advice of local officials, the spokesperson said.
Goldman is also staying close to clients in the region as the situation unfolds and has made safety a top priority, they added.
Citigroup
Citigroup has told its employees to work from home until further notice, a Citi spokesperson told Business Insider.
“The safety of our employees is our number one priority, and we are continuing to take measures to help keep our employees and their families safe,” the spokesperson said.
“We are continuing to serve our clients and we have robust contingency and resilience plans in place for that purpose,” they added.
JPMorgan
JPMorgan has also advised its employees in parts of the region to work from home, a person familiar with the matter told Business Insider. The US’s largest bank has offices in Abu Dhabi and Dubai, and, across the wider region, in Beirut, Cairo, Doha, Manama, and Riyadh.
JPMorgan is assessing the situation regularly to adjust guidance as needed, the person added.
FedEx
FedEx’s central operations hub for the Middle East, Indian subcontinent, and Africa is based in Dubai World Central Airport.
The global freight and transport company told Business Insider it was focused on minimizing disruption to its services.
“The safety and security of our team members is our top priority. We are closely monitoring the situation in the Middle East and have implemented contingency measures to ensure business continuity,” FedEx told Business Insider.
Customers with questions about their shipments can visit fedex.com or check the FedEx Service Alerts page for the latest updates, FedEx said.
Airbnb
Airbnb has no offices and just a handful of employees in the region, but their safety is paramount, a company spokesperson told Business Insider.
The vacation rental company’s global corporate security team is checking in with those employees and assessing their needs, the person added.
Hosts and guests in affected areas qualify for the major disruptive events policy, which allows them to cancel or receive refunds, the spokesperson said.
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