Do you pay for the job or the nationality ?

A recent article reviewing salary differences between nationalities in the GCC made me think. Obviously, in the region, we are all aware of these differences, even if we rarely mention them. According to the annual Gulf Business salary survey, “In the UAE, a Western expat makes 12.6 per cent more than an Arab expat and…

As an expat, do I long for my home country ?

This instance of Reader Question will give you a very personal interpretation of the answer. I hope to encourage you to think about the meaning of home, origins/roots and sense of belonging, as we are nearing a time of the year where many of us reconnect (or long to) with our families for Christmas and…

An important day for females in the UAE… and beyond

On Sunday (December 9, 2012), His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum chaired a Cabinet meeting and made a series of announcements through his official Twitter account @HHShkMohd. Here is the one I want to celebrate today : We have also made a decision to make the representation of women, in all the boards…

One day with Dave Ulrich at the IIRME 2012 Middle East HR Summit

So… My friends from IIRME organised the 2012 Middle East HR Summit and Expo in Dubai last week. It was by far the largest HR event in the Middle East, with a few hundred delegates from all over the region attending the conference. Unfortunately, other commitments prevented me from attending, but 2 of my team members…

CEO for a Day at your company ?

I caught an interview of Essa Al Mulla, Executive Director of the Emirates National Development Programme (ENDP) on Dubai One’s Emirates 24/7 on Sunday. Mr Al Mulla was explaining the importance of the “CEO for a Day” campaign. As part of emiratisation efforts, the ENDP is targeting some Zayed University undergraduates to make them shadow…

Overview of the HR Congress Qatar 2012

Last week I attended the HR Congress Qatar organised by IQPC. It was my first time in Doha and I really enjoyed the place. It is smaller than Dubai or Abu Dhabi but there is a very nice energy to it and the focus on culture is obvious in town – nice ! Now, the…

Where HR may be getting it wrong in the Middle East

I am very happy to introduce a guest post from one of my friends today, Tom Raftery. Read more about Tom’s great profile at the end of the post. And without further ado, here it is : Where HR may be getting it wrong in the Middle East I have read in various articles and…