Alan Clay has the makings of being a very successful businessman - at least, if he can overcome his own doubts about his potential. It doesn't help that he has recently gone through a contentious divorce that has left him pretty much penniless, or that he cannot support his daughter Kit anymore. It also doesn't help that in his former job, as director of outsourcing management in China for the bicycle manufacturer Schwinn, his decisions led to multiple people at the company losing their jobs, and ultimately the company faced financial ruin. Neither of these situations instills Alan with the confidence he needs to sell a holographic telecommunication system to the Saudi government. Alan only has the opportunity because he happened to meet the King of Saudi Arabia's nephew, and now, as a salesman for American tech company Reyland, he has the commercial opportunity of a lifetime. The sale is disguised as a presentation to the King.
Alan does not make a very auspicious start. He has terrible jet lag and oversleeps on his first day in the country, and consequently misses his shuttle bus to the King's Metropolis of Economy and Trade where his presentation is to take place. He hires a driver and they reach the Metropolis, but are told that neither the King nor his contact, Karim Al-Ahmed, are there. His team have been stationed in a tent outside where there is no internet connection. Not the start he was hoping for.
Finding himself constantly put off and marginalized, Alan sneaks inside the building one day and pleads his case to a Danish executive named Hanna. She can't help him get in front of the King, but she offers both sympathy and alcohol, both of which are greatly appreciated. He gets drunk on Hanna's alcohol that evening, and decides to incise a lump he noticed on his back. The following morning he wakes up bloody because of it and goes to the hospital. He makes an immediate personal connection with his doctor, Zahra. She biopsies the lump and tells him to come back in a few days.
Alan has a panic attack in the hotel and mistakes it for a heart attack, calling both his driver, Youssef, and the doctor. Zahra is already in the hotel when Youssef arrives and he observes that they are close. After she leaves he accuses Alan of hitting on her, which of course he denies. Youssef is angry because Alan's advances could endanger Zahra. Youssef is in a similar position himself because he is attracted to a woman whose husband has threatened him. He fears for his life and plans on getting out of town for awhile. With nothing happening professionally for Alan, he decides to tag along, but before leaving sneaks back into the Metropolis building. This time Karim Al-Ahmed is actually there. Alan tells him how frustrated he is; his team's tent has no air conditioning, there's no internet connection and someone is stealing their food. Karim promises to address the grievances but can't give him a firm date for his presentation to the King.
The lump that Zahra biopsied is malignant and must be removed; however, there is better news on the professional front, when Alan returns after the weekend he finds that all his grievances have been addressed, and that the King will see him that day. His presentation goes well. He leaves the Metropolis building happy.
He is scheduled for a lumpectomy surgery with an unfamiliar doctor, but part-way through Zahra takes over. Alan is delighted. After his surgery the two become closer, exchanging personal and intimate emails and shortly afterwards, meeting in person. They share details of their families and it turns out the Zahra understands Alan's situation perfectly because it is so similar to her own. Recently divorced, she also has children whom she worries have suffered because of her broken marriage. They drive to Zahra's beach house, and end up having sex.
Alan doesn't get the contract with the King but ends up staying in Saudi Arabia, working in real estate, and building a life with Zahra, his soul mate.
