Depending on the type of relationship you have with the person you’re writing to, there are different ways of starting an email, but any email should always start with a greeting. In our specific case being formal, the most appropriate options are:
- Dear Mr/Mrs/Ms (surname of the recipient, e.g. Mr Black)
- Dear Sir/Madam (if you don’t know the name of the recipient) or more generally ‘To whom it may concern’