The most common market entry mistake I see from UK and European manufacturers is not appointing the wrong distributor. It is appointing _any_ distributor before they understand the EPC procurement structure in their target sector.
The distributor was not wrong, exactly. They had the relationships they claimed. The problem was that those relationships were with procurement departments, not with the engineers and project managers who write specifications.
In the GCC, vendors do not search for suppliers. Suppliers need to be designed into specifications before procurement begins.
Before appointing any distributor, map the specification influence chain for your specific product and target sector. Who writes the specifications that govern your product's selection? Which EPC contractors are active in projects where your product would be specified? Answer those questions first, and the right distributor becomes obvious. Answer them after signing, and you have tied yourself to the wrong partner for two years.
Ground Truth is a paid call that gives you an honest go or no-go on your market, direct with Scott. The $250 deposit is credited if you go ahead, and refunded if we are not the right fit.