UAE business leaders making an investment in local talent are helping to change the face of an evolving private sector landscape as the government's Emiratisation strategy takes shape.
Companies told The National of the importance of integrating citizens into their workplace culture and said it was crucial to think outside of the box when launching recruitment drives.
Private sector firms with 50 or more employees must ensure 7 per cent of skilled roles are filled by Emiratis by June 30, with substantial fines levied from the following month for those caught flouting the rules.
The latest six-monthly target is part of the country's mission to have 10 per cent of private sector jobs taken up by Emiratis by the end of 2026.
More than 141,000 Emiratis were employed in private companies by the end of May, the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation said.
While businesses are eager to avoid financial penalties, they have been urged to adopt a big picture view of the benefits of unlocking the potential of thousands of new recruits.
Learning curve
Ben Crompton, managing partner of Crompton Partners estate agents in Abu Dhabi, said that starting early is essential as “it's a learning curve for everyone involved”.
“First, we needed to know where to advertise to attract Emirati talent. Then, we needed to explain the nature of real estate pay structures [commission-based pay] in comparison to typical salaried jobs.
“We also wanted to ensure our Emirati team members were comfortably settled into a multicultural team, where English is the primary language. And finally, we needed to overcome assumptions about some Emiratis only preferring government jobs. This last challenge is merely an assumption,” said Mr Crompton.
Mr Crompton said that the company has benefitted greatly from adding Emiratis to the workforce.
“Some of our clients who are local investors benefit from our Emirati team members’ ability to connect with them both linguistically and culturally, and we now have even more success stories with Emirati team members working on highly successful projects that involve selling Emirati-specific properties.”
Broadening scope
Bader Alawadhi, executive director of Leader Group, which has an extensive portfolio of interests spanning from retail and real estate and shopping malls, said encouraging Emiratis to switch from the public sector remained a challenge.
“There is a limited pool of Emirati talent actively seeking roles in the private sector, especially outside government entities,” he said.
“Many qualified nationals are already in public sector roles that offer more attractive salaries and shorter working hours,” said Mr Alawadhi.
Mr Alawadhi advised companies to broaden their scope when searching for Emirati hires and not to solely rely on recruitment portals established by the government.
“There are other talent providers and consultancies that can help access Emirati CVs. Unfortunately, many HR teams focus only on the usual platforms, which narrows the search. The Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation might also consider accrediting more sourcing partners to broaden the pool and help companies meet targets more efficiently.”
Mr Alawadhi said that they've avoided fines on a compliance level “but the real win has been seeing committed young Emiratis thrive within our teams”.
Carving a niche
Mohammed Al Gaith, a senior level worker in real estate, said that finding jobs in the private sector at the senior level proved much harder than junior level jobs.
“When I graduated around 2017, I secured a civil engineering role even before finishing university. At that time, the entry-level landscape was more open. But as you rise through the ranks, the dynamics change − networking, demographics and relationships begin to matter more than merit alone.
“I’m at the senior manager level. But even with that experience, I still face structural barriers. Emiratisation strategies in many organisations focus on entry-level or admin roles to tick the KPI [key performance indicator] box. There’s far less emphasis on integrating Emiratis into strategic, decision-making positions.
“This misses a huge opportunity. Emirati professionals at the senior level can offer not just technical skill but cultural intelligence, stakeholder access and a long-term commitment to the national vision.”
Mr Al Gaith advised young jobseekers to find a niche and build their career around it. He used the example that where “there might be hundreds of civil engineers competing for the same role, there are far fewer project controls specialists or planners with deep expertise”.
He added that carving a niche sets you apart and increases your value in a highly competitive market.
Wealth of talent
“The work experience and knowledge gained in the private sector are extensive, given its dynamic and fast-paced environment,” said Maryam AlNuaimi, Emiratisation and early careers specialist at Marsh McLennan, a professional services company with a focus on risk and strategy.
“If companies take advantage of this initiative by implementing long-term strategies for Emirati employees, the benefits will be significant for everyone involved − the Emiratis, the companies, and the nation as a whole.
“I strongly encourage all companies to adopt this initiative, as there is a wealth of talented Emiratis with great potential,”
“Meeting deadlines is manageable if the company has a strategic recruitment plan in place for hiring Emiratis and has made an effort to maintain a solid pool of candidates to replace on time those who resign,” she added.
Conflict, drought, famine
Estimates of the number of deaths caused by the famine range from 400,000 to 1 million, according to a document prepared for the UK House of Lords in 2024.
It has been claimed that the policies of the Ethiopian government, which took control after deposing Emperor Haile Selassie in a military-led revolution in 1974, contributed to the scale of the famine.
Dr Miriam Bradley, senior lecturer in humanitarian studies at the University of Manchester, has argued that, by the early 1980s, “several government policies combined to cause, rather than prevent, a famine which lasted from 1983 to 1985. Mengistu’s government imposed Stalinist-model agricultural policies involving forced collectivisation and villagisation [relocation of communities into planned villages].
The West became aware of the catastrophe through a series of BBC News reports by journalist Michael Buerk in October 1984 describing a “biblical famine” and containing graphic images of thousands of people, including children, facing starvation.
Band Aid
Bob Geldof, singer with the Irish rock group The Boomtown Rats, formed Band Aid in response to the horrific images shown in the news broadcasts.
With Midge Ure of the band Ultravox, he wrote the hit charity single Do They Know it’s Christmas in December 1984, featuring a string of high-profile musicians.
Following the single’s success, the idea to stage a rock concert evolved.
Live Aid was a series of simultaneous concerts that took place at Wembley Stadium in London, John F Kennedy Stadium in Philadelphia, the US, and at various other venues across the world.
The combined event was broadcast to an estimated worldwide audience of 1.5 billion.
Veil (Object Lessons)
Rafia Zakaria
Bloomsbury Academic
Sole survivors
- Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
- George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
- Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
- Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
The%20specs
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Cases of coronavirus in the GCC as of March 15
Saudi Arabia – 103 infected, 0 dead, 1 recovered
UAE – 86 infected, 0 dead, 23 recovered
Bahrain – 210 infected, 0 dead, 44 recovered
Kuwait – 104 infected, 0 dead, 5 recovered
Qatar – 337 infected, 0 dead, 4 recovered
Oman – 19 infected, 0 dead, 9 recovered
Volvo ES90 Specs
Engine: Electric single motor (96kW), twin motor (106kW) and twin motor performance (106kW)
Power: 333hp, 449hp, 680hp
Torque: 480Nm, 670Nm, 870Nm
On sale: Later in 2025 or early 2026, depending on region
Price: Exact regional pricing TBA
THREE
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Dust and sand storms compared
Sand storm
- Particle size: Larger, heavier sand grains
- Visibility: Often dramatic with thick "walls" of sand
- Duration: Short-lived, typically localised
- Travel distance: Limited
- Source: Open desert areas with strong winds
Dust storm
- Particle size: Much finer, lightweight particles
- Visibility: Hazy skies but less intense
- Duration: Can linger for days
- Travel distance: Long-range, up to thousands of kilometres
- Source: Can be carried from distant regions
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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SPECS
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VEZEETA PROFILE
Date started: 2012
Founder: Amir Barsoum
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: HealthTech / MedTech
Size: 300 employees
Funding: $22.6 million (as of September 2018)
Investors: Technology Development Fund, Silicon Badia, Beco Capital, Vostok New Ventures, Endeavour Catalyst, Crescent Enterprises’ CE-Ventures, Saudi Technology Ventures and IFC
German intelligence warnings
- 2002: "Hezbollah supporters feared becoming a target of security services because of the effects of [9/11] ... discussions on Hezbollah policy moved from mosques into smaller circles in private homes." Supporters in Germany: 800
- 2013: "Financial and logistical support from Germany for Hezbollah in Lebanon supports the armed struggle against Israel ... Hezbollah supporters in Germany hold back from actions that would gain publicity." Supporters in Germany: 950
- 2023: "It must be reckoned with that Hezbollah will continue to plan terrorist actions outside the Middle East against Israel or Israeli interests." Supporters in Germany: 1,250
Source: Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution
Zayed Sustainability Prize
If you go
The flights
There are direct flights from Dubai to Sofia with FlyDubai (www.flydubai.com) and Wizz Air (www.wizzair.com), from Dh1,164 and Dh822 return including taxes, respectively.
The trip
Plovdiv is 150km from Sofia, with an hourly bus service taking around 2 hours and costing $16 (Dh58). The Rhodopes can be reached from Sofia in between 2-4hours.
The trip was organised by Bulguides (www.bulguides.com), which organises guided trips throughout Bulgaria. Guiding, accommodation, food and transfers from Plovdiv to the mountains and back costs around 170 USD for a four-day, three-night trip.
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Lexus LX700h specs
Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor
Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh590,000
ESSENTIALS
The flights
Emirates flies from Dubai to Phnom Penh via Yangon from Dh2,700 return including taxes. Cambodia Bayon Airlines and Cambodia Angkor Air offer return flights from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap from Dh250 return including taxes. The flight takes about 45 minutes.
The hotels
Rooms at the Raffles Le Royal in Phnom Penh cost from $225 (Dh826) per night including taxes. Rooms at the Grand Hotel d'Angkor cost from $261 (Dh960) per night including taxes.
The tours
A cyclo architecture tour of Phnom Penh costs from $20 (Dh75) per person for about three hours, with Khmer Architecture Tours. Tailor-made tours of all of Cambodia, or sites like Angkor alone, can be arranged by About Asia Travel. Emirates Holidays also offers packages.
The five pillars of Islam
PAKISTAN SQUAD
Pakistan - Sarfraz Ahmed (captain), Azhar Ali, Fakhar Zaman, Imam-ul-Haq, Babar Azam, Shoaib Malik, Mohammad Hafeez, Haris Sohail, Faheem Ashraf, Shadab Khan, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Amir, Hasan Ali, Aamer Yamin, Rumman Raees.
