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Senior search for the chief operating officers who keep ambitious Emirates businesses running and growing.

Hanson Search runs COO executive search across the UAE from our Dubai office, as part of the Hanson Executives practice. We find the chief operating officers who hold complex businesses together while the board chases the next stage of growth.

Our regional team has placed senior operators for government-related entities, family groups, sovereign-backed firms and fast-scaling private companies. We know who delivers in this market, and who only looks the part.

The Operating Roles We Place in the UAE

A COO mandate in the region rarely fits a single template. We place Chief Operating Officers, Group COOs and Deputy COOs, alongside Operations Directors and Chief of Staff appointments that carry real operating weight.

Some clients want a number two to free up a founder. Others need an operator to professionalise a family business or ready it for an IPO. We shape each search around that need, never a generic spec.

Why COO Executive Search in the UAE Is So Demanding

Hiring a COO here is harder than it looks from the outside, and the reasons are local.

The economy is moving fast. Dubai’s D33 agenda aims to double the size of the emirate’s economy within a decade, and businesses are scaling to keep up. They need operators who can build structure at speed without stalling the growth.

The talent pool is under pressure too. Saudi Arabia keeps pulling senior operators towards Riyadh on Vision 2030 mandates, so the best people field offers from every side. The strongest COOs therefore rarely sit on the open market for long.

Plenty of businesses are professionalising at the same time. Founder-led and family-owned groups want a COO who can install proper systems while respecting how the company really works. That mix of rigour and cultural read is rare, and finding it takes up most of our time.

Why Businesses Choose Hanson Search for COO Executive Search UAE

We have worked in this region for years, not parachuted in for the boom. Amanda Dowie leads our MENA search, and every COO mandate is run by a senior consultant who knows the market first hand.

We do not send long lists. We approach the operators who fit, test them hard on delivery and judgement, then put forward the few who can genuinely do the job. Clients see a short, sharp shortlist instead of a stack of CVs.

We build diverse shortlists on every search and support Emiratisation goals where they apply. As a B Corp with more than twenty years behind us, running search responsibly is simply how we work.

Hire a COO in the UAE with Hanson Search

If you are appointing a Chief Operating Officer in Dubai, Abu Dhabi or the wider Emirates, we can help. A short conversation with our MENA team is the place to start, and everything stays confidential. Get in touch today.

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    Introducing
    Our Recruitment Experts

    Our team possesses a unique blend of industry expertise, advanced recruitment acumen, and professional assessment skills on a global scale. With an in-depth understanding of the market, we are perfectly positioned to help you hire the best talent that you need

    Meet the team

    • Global CEO, Regional Head of MENA

      Alice Weightman

      Alice Weightman: CEO, Global Executive Search Leader, and UAE Market Expert: Alice Weightman is the Founder and CEO of Hanson...

    • UK & Europe Managing Partner, Global Head of Public Affairs

      Janie Emmerson

      Janie Emmerson: Janie leads our UK and European teams and offices from our London base, guiding and supporting their work across...

    • Managing Partner, Global Head of Corporate Affairs

      Katie Simpson

      Katie Simpson: Katie specialises in senior, global executive search across Corporate Affairs and Communications, with particular depth in the UK...

    • Managing Partner, Global Head of Healthcare & Communications

      Amy Hayer

      Amy Hayer: Amy is an executive search professional with over 15 years of experience building and scaling high-performing teams across...

    • Partner, European Head of Public Affairs and Communications

      Barbara Ozanon

      Barbara Ozanon: With over a decade of experience in recruitment, executive search, and headhunting, Barbara Ozanon leads Hanson Search’s European...

    • Principal consultant, Sales & Marketing

      Nils Gerardin

      Nils Gerardin: Nils brings almost ten years of search experience and talent management consulting in France and cross-border for start-ups...

    • Search Director, MENA

      Amanda Dowie

      Amanda Dowie : MENA Search Director Amanda Dowie is an accomplished executive search specialist with over 20 years of global...

    • Head of Interim Marketing and Management Recruitment Services

      Madeleine Weightman

      Madeleine Weightman: Madeleine is Head of Interim Marketing and Management Recruitment and co-Founder of The Work Crowd, the sister company...

    • Principal Consultant, Communications, Marketing & Digital Marketing

      Helena Ranger

      Helena Ranger: As Principal Consultant leading the Consumer division across PR and Brand Marketing, Helena has played a pivotal role...

    • UK Marketing Lead

      Daniela Mamica

      Daniela Mamica: Daniela is UK Marketing Lead, working across senior and leadership level roles. She brings a wealth of experience,...

    • Director, Hanson Capital MENA

      Alice Maltby

      Alice Maltby : Director, Investor Markets, UAE Alice Maltby is a Director at Hanson Search MENA, working within the firm’s...

    • Managing Consultant, Public Affairs & Policy, UK & USA

      Peter Ferguson

      Peter Ferguson: As a Managing Consultant in the Public Affairs Practice, Peter advises and supports industry leaders across highly regulated...

    • Head of Corporate and Financial

      Allyson Kurian

      Allyson Kurian: Originally from the US, Allyson specialises in corporate affairs and financial communications, working across both the US and...

    • Head of Corporate & Brand Communications, Europe

      Camille Chevallier

      Camille Chevallier: With over 20 years of senior communications experience across Europe, Camille has held leadership roles at agencies and...

    • Head of Interim Communications

      Ben Mitchell

      Ben Mitchell: Head of Interim Communications Ben is Head of Interim Communications and works across both Hanson Search and our...

    • Associate Director, MENA

      Lexi Smith-Muller

      Lexi Smith-Muller: Lexi is an executive search specialist with over 12 years of recruitment experience across the UK and Middle...

    • Senior Researcher

      Arlena Butt

      Arlena Butt: Arlena is a Senior Researcher at Hanson Search, with three years of experience supporting executive search across Public...

    • Researcher, MENA

      Nevena Ilievska

      Nevena Ilievska: With a degree in Psychology and nearly four years of experience in talent acquisition and research, Nevena has...

    • Researcher

      Fani Mateska

      Fani Mateska: With over four years’ experience in recruitment consultancy, Fani joined Hanson Search in July 2025, bringing expertise from...

    • Researcher

      Ivana Cilevska

      Ivana Cilevska Ivana Cilevska is a Researcher at Hanson Search, supporting the European team across client mandates and contributing to...

    • Marketing Content Executive

      Reg Wheeler

      Reg Wheeler: Reg is a Marketing Content Executive at Hanson Search, supporting a range of marketing and content initiatives across...

    • Associate Director of Operations & Inclusion

      Robyn Field

      Robyn Field: As Associate Director of Operations & Inclusion, Robyn is responsible for all business and administrative operations at Hanson...

    • Marketing Lead

      Sam White

      Sam White: Marketing Lead Sam White joined Hanson Search in 2016, initially working as an internal recruiter after gaining experience...

    • Business Support

      Mirjana R.Dejanovska

      Mirjana Dejanovska: Mirjana is Talent Strategist & Customer Success Manager at our sister company, The Work Crowd. Mirjana joined Hanson...

    • Business Support

      Ivana Stevanovska

      Ivana Stevanovska: Ivana is Community and Marketing Executive at our sister company, The Work Crowd. As well as being highly...

    • Advisor

      Nicholas Watkins

      Nicholas Watkins: Nicholas has over 30 years of business leadership experience that combines successful careers in the media, leisure and...

    • Advisor

      Michelle Milbourn

      Michelle Milbourn: Advisor Michelle is a seasoned executive search specialist with two decades of experience supporting founders and investors across...

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    What people say about us

    Hanson Search’s knowledge of the market is up to date and accurate, they understand day to day needs for their clients, but their real USP is the ability to introduce talent that enables ambition & growth.

    Talent Partner, Blakeney

    Hanson Search is a trusted and valued recruitment partner to MHP Group. They know the business and the teams they work across well and always strive to provide us with the most high-quality candidates.

    Talent Partner, MHP Group

    The Hanson Search team truly places quality over quantity and it’s refreshing. Their robust screening process means that you may only view a handful of candidates but each one of them has something to offer the role.

    Head of Campaigns, Third Bridge

    Hanson Search has been instrumental in identifying and recruiting senior executives for RAK Tourism. They deeply understood the nature of the roles and people we need and provided excellent candidates.

    CEO, RAK Tourism

    Hanson Search quickly ‘got’ us. They were proactive in their search and responsive in their service right from the outset. Very happy client.

    MD, firstlightPR, Paul Davies

    Hanson Search understands our business and is able to identify very strong candidates at all levels.

    Managing Partner, Brunswick Group - Gulf, Rupert Young

    I’ve worked with headhunters for the past 20 years, but I’ve found Hanson Search has a better understanding of how to attract and secure the right talent for our market.

    CEO, Hanover, Charles Lewington