Talent Acquisition and Development Professionals Came Together to Discuss Challenges and Opportunities in the Region
INSEAD, the leading international business school, opened its first Talent and Career Development Forum in Dubai to provide a platform for the private sector and potential employees to meet and network. The event, held at Jumeirah Beach Hotel Conference Centre, attracted 42 companies including Aon Hewitt, L’Oreal, Barclays, Louis Vuitton and Google, and over 170 students and alumni.
Miguel Lobo, Associate Professor of Decision Sciences and the Director of INSEAD’s Abu Dhabi campus said: “This was a great opportunity for INSEAD students and alumni to hear the latest insights on talent strategies from experts in the UAE and to network with recruitment professionals from the region. We are pleased to deliver yet another successful career event that brings into focus subjects so relevant to the region’s human capital.”
Participants at the forum explored the link between education and recruitment and the role of training and development in talent attraction and retention. The changing shape of talent management in the UAE was also discussed, as well as the challenges and opportunities companies face in recruiting in the region.
Commenting on the future of talent acquisition, Colin Christie, Director of Talent Acquisition, du, said: “The role of a Talent Acquisition Manager should now be about coaching in line with methodologies and techniques that will enable them to maintain a successful relationship with relevant external talent pools”.
The panel discussion also provided the opportunity for students to gain insight into how best to progress in the market place. Commenting on one of the panel discussions, Samir Mardini, Head of Talent Practice at AON Hewitt, said: “The session was very interactive and what I liked most about it were the insights that the panel provided at the end to graduates on the best ways to search for jobs that match their skills.’
Commenting on the event itself, Dr. Ayoub Kazim, Managing Director of TECOM Education Cluster, said: “I believe that INSEAD’s Talent and Career Development forum is a great platform to discuss various issues related to talent acquisition, retention and development. These are key sectors that could foresee substantial growth in the short to medium terms as a result of Dubai winning Expo 2020 and Emiratization.”
David Jones, Managing Partner of The Talent Enterprise, echoed these sentiments: "The INSEAD Talent & Career Development Forum once again highlighted the tremendous opportunities available in the UAE for top talent from across the world. With the upcoming Expo 2020, private sector organisations will be looking to rapidly attract and expand their headcount. Our research at The Talent Enterprise indicates that the key growth sectors would include retail, hospitality, transportation, infrastructure, real estate, security and financial services."
Among those participating in the event were Colin Christie, Director Talent Acquisition at du; Meg Feenan, Head of Talent Acquisition - Middle East, Turkey and Africa at Philips; Dr. Ayoub Kazim, Managing Director of TECOM Education Cluster; David Jones, Managing Partner of The Talent Enterprise; Samir Mardini, Head of Talent Practice at AON Hewitt, and the panel discussion was moderated by Professor Peter Zemsky, Deputy Dean and Dean for Strategic Initiatives and Innovation at INSEAD.
