Key Takeaways from the Khaleej Times Future Workforce Summit

I recently had the pleasure of speaking at the Khaleej Times Future Workforce Summit in Dubai, which Hanson Search was proud to sponsor for the second year running.

I joined Jonathan Mears, Head of Group Talent Acquisition at Emirates NBD, for a fireside discussion on a subject we are seeing play out every day through our work: How the Middle East is becoming a magnet for global talent.

Jonathan has been in the region since 2009, while I have spent nearly 25 years working in executive search and moved to the UAE myself two years ago. Between us, we were able to look at the evolution of the market from both sides of the hiring equation – Jonathan from inside one of the region’s largest employers and me from the perspective of advising organisations and senior talent across the Middle East and internationally.

Sharing some thoughts.

From an expat posting to a genuine career destination

When Jonathan first moved to the region, the traditional model was quite different. For many international executives, Dubai or the wider Middle East was a two or three-year posting: an interesting international assignment before moving on to the next opportunity. Multinational companies often operated relatively small regional offices focused predominantly on sales, marketing or business development, with many strategic decisions still made at headquarters elsewhere.

That is no longer the case.

Businesses across the UAE and the wider region have grown in scale and sophistication, international companies have established significant regional operations, and locally founded organisations are increasingly competing on the world stage. As a result, people are no longer simply coming here for an overseas experience. They are coming to build careers, businesses and lives.

We have seen that shift very clearly at Hanson Search.

Historically, we might have received two CVs in a quarter from people proactively looking to move to the Middle East. A couple of years ago, that suddenly became around 10 approaches a week. We weren’t having to persuade people to consider the region. They were contacting us. They had heard about the opportunities, the investment taking place and the quality of life, and they wanted introductions to businesses here. That interest has translated directly into hiring. Around 50% of the people we have placed in the UAE over the past two years have relocated internationally.

What’s driving the demand?

There isn’t one single factor behind this shift.

Government investment has played an enormous role, alongside increasing foreign direct investment, the growth of sovereign-backed organisations and the arrival of international investment firms, private equity businesses and asset managers. At the same time, global corporates that might once have maintained a small representative office are now creating proper regional hubs with substantial teams and leadership structures. Local organisations are expanding internationally. Businesses are preparing for IPOs. Family offices and investment platforms are growing. Entrepreneurs are relocating not only themselves, but increasingly their companies and investment activity.

We experienced this ourselves at Hanson Search. In two years, we grew from one person in the region to a team of eight as our client base and the range of mandates we were handling expanded. All of this creates demand for a much broader range of skills.

The skills market is changing quickly.

Our research into talent growth over the last 12 months highlighted just how quickly certain professional populations are expanding. Technology and AI talent has grown by more than 40%, reflecting the scale of investment the region is making in technology, AI and digital infrastructure.

We have also seen approximately 12% growth across finance, tax and accounting talent, and similar growth across investment and wealth management, driven by the expanding investment ecosystem and the number of global financial businesses establishing operations here.

Marketing and communications talent has grown by around 8%, but even within these functions we are seeing the requirements change.

For example, as more businesses consider IPOs or attract international investment, financial communications and investor relations experience becomes increasingly valuable. Organisations expanding internationally need leaders who understand global markets and reputation. Growing businesses are also looking for marketing leaders who can build brands internationally rather than simply operating within one geography.

Finance is another interesting example. Digitisation and transformation mean companies increasingly need finance leaders who understand technology, data and transformation alongside traditional financial disciplines.

And this isn’t simply a story about professional services, finance and technology.

Manufacturing is becoming increasingly important across the region, alongside significant investment in infrastructure, transport and civil engineering. Projects such as Etihad Rail, together with increasing manufacturing investment in the UAE and Saudi Arabia, are creating demand for skills that might not traditionally have been associated with Gulf economies.

Why is global talent choosing the Middle East?

Opportunity is certainly a major part of the attraction.

In a fast-growing economy, people often have the chance to take on broader roles and greater responsibility earlier in their careers. Teams may be smaller, businesses are evolving quickly, and individuals can find themselves helping to build something rather than simply inheriting an established structure. That can accelerate careers considerably.

But there are other important factors.

The region offers an international lifestyle, cultural diversity, safety, high-quality education and infrastructure, as well as attractive personal tax environments.

Long-term residency initiatives such as the UAE Golden Visa have also changed the psychology around relocation. People increasingly feel they can put down roots rather than viewing their time here as dependent on a short-term employer-sponsored assignment.

There is also a push factor.

Not every global economy is currently creating the same level of opportunity. When senior professionals see fewer opportunities for progression in their home markets while simultaneously watching businesses expand rapidly in the Middle East, the region naturally becomes more attractive.

But employers need to be realistic too

The extraordinary level of candidate interest creates its own challenges.

Having more people who want to relocate doesn’t necessarily make hiring easier. In some respects, it makes selection even more important. Technical capability alone isn’t enough.

Jonathan talked about Emirates NBD employing people from more than 100 nationalities. That kind of working environment requires curiosity, adaptability, cultural awareness and the ability to build relationships across very different backgrounds and ways of working. These characteristics need to be assessed as carefully as someone’s technical experience. There is also still some expectation-setting required with international candidates. The old perception of moving to the Gulf and receiving enormous housing allowances, schooling packages and guaranteed financial rewards does not necessarily reflect the modern market.

Compensation remains attractive, but for many senior professionals the real opportunity lies in career acceleration, scope of responsibility and the chance to participate in one of the world’s fastest-changing economic regions. Being transparent about that from the beginning leads to much stronger long-term hires.

Attraction is only half the job

One of the most interesting parts of our conversation was around what happens after someone joins.

Businesses can be extremely sophisticated externally – particularly in areas such as technology and AI – while internal processes sometimes take longer to evolve. A senior executive arriving from an international organisation may encounter slower approval processes, different decision-making structures or back-office systems that haven’t developed at the same pace as the front end of the organisation. If expectations aren’t managed, this can create frustration and ultimately affect retention. Companies therefore need to think beyond attracting international talent. Onboarding, integration and organisational readiness matter just as much.

Global talent and national talent need to grow together

It is also impossible to discuss talent in the Middle East without talking about nationalisation. The UAE and Saudi Arabia have young national populations, and developing local capability remains an essential part of the long-term economic strategy. Attracting international expertise shouldn’t sit in opposition to Emiratisation or Saudisation. The two can – and should – reinforce each other. One of the most valuable contributions an international senior hire can make is transferring knowledge, developing teams and helping the next generation of national leaders build experience.

Jonathan shared that around 25% of Emirates NBD’s vacancies are filled through internal mobility, while more than 90% of its overall hires come from within the countries in which the bank operates. That is an important reminder that sustainable talent strategies need to combine global expertise with strong domestic career pathways.

What happens next?

I believe we are still relatively early in this evolution. The Middle East – and particularly the UAE – has moved from being viewed as an international outpost to becoming a serious global career destination. The next phase will be about maturity. The organisations that succeed will be those that don’t simply attract the best people, but create environments in which they can perform, develop others and stay. That means sophisticated recruitment, realistic conversations around compensation and relocation, better assessment of cultural adaptability, stronger onboarding and genuine investment in national talent.

From a search perspective, the conversation has already changed. Increasingly, when we speak to senior international candidates, the question isn’t:

“Would you consider moving to the Middle East?”

It is:

“Which opportunity in the Middle East is the right one for me?”

That is a significant shift – and one I believe will continue to reshape the global talent market over the coming years.

Whether you are hiring top talent or considering your next career move, our team would be delighted to support you.

Alice Weightman is CEO and Head of MENA for Hanson Search.

Hanson Search Group is a global talent consultancy providing executive search, recruitment and leadership advisory services. Built on more than twenty years of trusted relationships, we operate as a connected global platform of specialist practices with expert consultants embedded in key markets.