Dubai-UAE: 11 April, 2019

Dubai Knowledge Park (DKP), a business community dedicated to human resource management, and the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD), the professional body for human resources (HR) and people development, hosted the CIPD’s first conference outside of Europe. Held in Dubai, the CIPD Middle East People Conference & Awards saw the attendance of over 100 HR companies and professionals from across the region, offering them the opportunity to explore the future of the people profession and share best practices.

According to the Emerging HR Hubs - Regional Trends in Internationalisation and HR Mobility study conducted by DKP, the UAE is a leading contender in innovative HR practices and it is believed to be the next emerging HR hub. In line with the UAE’s continued efforts to become one of the happiest countries in the world, a national priority is to shape dynamic work cultures with a framework that allows businesses to flourish and employees to thrive.  DKP aims to facilitate this by leveraging its partners to drive Dubai’s knowledge-based economy forward whilst creating a larger talent pool.

As the local business landscape continues to change at an unprecedented pace, companies need to put their employees first and create a people-oriented strategy. For example, LinkedIn’s latest Global Talent Trends report revealed that 65 per cent of talent professionals in the Middle East and North Africa region believe work flexibility is crucial to attracting and retaining talent, as well as to boosting productivity.

Mohammad Abdullah, Managing Director of DKP, said: “Studies show that the UAE is one of the top destinations for potential networking opportunities in HR and is also a preferred location for professionals attending international HR events. As HR continues to rank as a top tier profession, it is important for stakeholders within this industry to come together and formulate actionable strategies to overcome common challenges.”

He continued: “In line with DKP’s commitment to growing and supporting the local HR industry, we support global events such as the CIPD Middle East People Conference & Awards. These events are necessary for the GCC and surrounding region because they allow neighbouring countries to participate in important dialogues.”

Ramy Bayyour, General Manager, CIPD, Middle East, said: “For years, our members and partners in the region have asked us to bring our world-renowned conferences and awards to the Middle East – we believe the time is now. This event will serve as yet another platform for CIPD members and the wider HR community to come together and collectively support the agenda of empowering the people profession.”

He added: “The Middle East and its neighbouring regions are CIPD’s biggest growth market. The number of students, members and partners have been growing significantly year-on-year –evidence that our purpose of championing better work and working lives is resonating well with regional professionals.”

Under the theme ‘HR Now and in the Future: Leading the Change’, the event brought together over 120 local and international business leaders, government entities and people practitioners. Speakers included Louise Fisher, Chair of the CIPD and Former Head of International Operations at Xerox Corporation; John Harker, Former Chief HR Officer at Al Futtaim Group and Raed Sater, GM HR & Administration at BAPCO. International participants included Michaela Alexis, LinkedIn Strategist and Employer Branding Expert as well as Jamie Cunningham, Former Head of Employer Branding, Tesco to name a few. 

Supporters of the conference were online learning experts AVADO and ICS Learn, immigration firm Fragomen and training institute Bradfield. Held for the first time in the UAE, the CIPD Middle East People Conference & Awards will contribute to propelling Dubai on the international stage for HR management, strengthen the UAE’s reputation as an emerging HR and training hub and facilitate collaboration between leading international HR experts and working professionals across the UAE and nearby markets.