One of the most frequently asked questions whenever I interact with clients or candidates is – how I ended up in Ras Al Khaimah? Personally I didn’t know much before relocating from Dubai, and had to do quite a lot of research and comparison on living in RAK. I thought shedding some light on my move could be helpful to reveal the potential of this emirate and highlight several factors that makes it an attractive destination, as well as a perfect base to settle down. Whether you are considering relocating from overseas, other Emirates, or simply curious to know more about Ras Al Khaimah, I’ve put together a few paragraphs to highlight the most important aspects. Low cost of living. Over the years, Ras Al Khaimah has started to gain popularity for its affordable, family-oriented lifestyle. As the emirate has developed its infrastructure, housing options and entertainment, more and more residents are choosing to live in RAK. The cost of living in Ras Al Khaimah is significantly lower than popular emirates such as Dubai and Abu Dhabi. Business start-ups made easy. Entrepreneurs and investors from around the world are finding it easier than ever to start a business in Ras Al Khaimah, taking advantage of its skilled workforce, excellent infrastructure, and its strategic location, with one third of the world’s population within four hour’s flying time. The great thing about Ras Al-Khaimah is that it is a “no tax” emirate, meaning that there is zero corporate income tax, but also zero personal income tax for those working in Ras Al-Khaimah. Additionally, 100% foreign ownership is allowed, which means that it’s a good place to both do business and build your assets. The government has also made it extremely attractive for people who seek to start new companies, and there is no restriction on the maximum number of shareholders you can have. Employment in Ras Al Khaimah. Well, I think this is where my role as a HR Recruitment Consultant at Mackenzie Jones comes in handy, I am based in RAK and know the market and the best companies to work for. I am unique as no other consultancy has invested in RAK. It has been just over four months since David called me to join the team, and offered a unique opportunity, that I could not refuse. This was exactly what I needed, being a mom of two, who is long ago ready to go back to work, but has zero time to look for opportunities, and limited to go back full-time. That call has changed my life, as not only did I get a chance to work for a top recruitment company in Dubai, without having to relocate anywhere, as well as the opportunity to work remotely. I know, sounds like a dream coming true, right!? Now that I am actively expanding clients and candidates’ network, focusing on opportunities to support multinational and regional businesses that have facilities in RAK, 70% of the roles I am currently working on are based in Ras Al Khaimah. RAK is home to more than 38,000 businesses from 100 countries representing over 50 industries, including internationally renowned yet home-grown businesses such as RAK Ceramics, Al Hamra Group, RAK Properties, Julphar Pharmaceuticals, RAKBANK, RAK Rock, RAK Ports etc., to name a few. Finally, infrastructure and loads to do. With fast-growing tourism and leisure sectors, Ras Al Khaimah offers its residents and visitors a truly unique experience, from mountains, deserts, and ancient cultural sites … to beaches, mangroves, and excellent entertainment. It offers 64 kilometers of pristine beaches and is home to Jebel Jais, the highest peak in the UAE at 1,934 meters. The Emirate reached over 1 million visitors in 2018 and is on target for 2.9 million in 2025. After living in RAK for a little over 4 years now, I have fallen in love with the beautiful surroundings, family-friendly lifestyle, no-hustle vibe, relaxed way of life and loads to do around picturesque landscapes, beaches, world-class hotels at a very close proximity. Let alone living within a walking distance to the beach offers a vacation feel to the everyday life, making it special. So, if you are my candidate from the future and I ever approach you for a job, please make sure you read this! Taking a decision to relocate is never easy, but I’ve been there and know exactly what you are going through. Please feel free to reach out to me for any additional information on job opportunities in RAK or if you need a career advise! Speak soon. Olena Sopacheva Consultant – Human Resources Mackenzie Jones Middle East

Well, COVID seems to be in the rear mirror (business wise anyway, not so sure if it will ever be beaten completely) and the economy around the Globe has bounced back, with the UAE predicted to be at 2.6% GDP growth compared to 1.9% in 2019 ( https://www.statista.com/statistics/1275916/uae-gdp-growth-forecast/ ). So as the economies improve, we are seeing a growth in the job number in the GCC with a focus on UAE and KSA. According to a recent report the job numbers have increased by over 30% compared to 2021 (LinkedIn Jobs index 2022). These are great stats but what does it really mean on the ground? Well, Mackenzie Jones has seen a trend appearing of job counter offers. This has been happening for years but recently it has happened a whole lot more. There are a number of reasons: The ‘COVID gap’ almost stopped all new hiring and if anything, most companies reduced their active workforce. An exodus of talent back to their home countries and also the ‘PIF’ effect (the PIF companies sucking talent into Riyadh). The UAE has been a good hunting ground for the ever-insatiable job market in Saudi Arabia, particularly the PIF companies. Companies are realizing that they need to keep their talent and the spin up costs and time outweigh hiring new talent. So, what is the solution? It is about how you start the process of hiring that really makes the difference. As a company looking to go to the market and hire the right person you need to do a few quite simple things: Make sure that you and the management team are aligned in what you need and brief the consultancy on exactly what you want. Make the candidate journey experience very positive. I have just been through a process with a client (a very good one) that has completely ignored this and even if they were offered the job, I am pretty sure the candidate will reject the offer. The usual issues, too many interviews, no positive or negative feedback and a very extended interview process. Frustrating for everyone but this is becoming increasingly common these days. (Remember rejected candidates can become your best PR tool, odd, but if you do it right then they will sing your praises!). Get the offer right, do not low-ball candidates. The days of people accepting less than they are on is over…. make it a compelling offer that is about the company, culture, flexibility at work and the salary. A killer combo that when delivered properly is a winner. The notice period is often forgotten. Landing a candidate is only half the battle. More candidates are lost through counter offers during the notice period. Simple weekly updates to reaffirm you are the best place for their career. Remember their existing workplace has up to 3 months to convince them that they are the best place to stay. More money…often the candidate will fall for the more money option and the environment they know. Safety, especially after COVID, is a strong motivator! However, the statistics show this is not a solution. Over 80% of candidates that accept a counteroffer will leave, as the issues are rarely just money. So, in summary, if you look after your team and value them then they will stay but be mindful, the average tenure in the Dubai job market is only 18 months. A sign of the times or the new norm? Pay is often very low on people’s real motivations for leaving or joining a company. The main reason people leave their jobs is because they don’t like their boss, don’t see opportunities for promotion or growth or are offered a better job (and often higher pay); these reasons have held steady for years. (Harvard Business Review https://hbr.org/2016/09/why-people-quit-their-jobs#:~:text=In%20general%2C%20people%20leave%20their,have%20held%20steady%20for%20years ) As the market continues in an upward trend, we will see the talent supply squeezed even more and at MJ we are now actively sourcing from other markets particularly Hong Kong and Singapore. As KSA keeps sucking talent from the surrounding markets there is no sign of this stopping. So, keep an eye on your talent and make them feel valued. An age-old winning combination!

Where are you spending most of your conscious day today? If you are reading this, then the likelihood is that you are in your workplace (whatever that might look like – office, spare room, sofa, coffee shop). So basing my question on the workplace, this opens up more questions that we can ask ourselves before we get the answers. Why do we choose to work where we work? Why do we choose to work in the industry that we work within? Are we specialised and if so why do we choose to work within the specialism that we do? The commonality is choice. Ultimately we have a choice…in certain circumstances choices may be limited, but they always are there. I don’t think that I’m telling you anything you don’t know or haven’t heard about, but personally, I have always welcomed a reminder that I have the power to decide when it comes to how and where I work. Why do we choose to work where we work? In my opinion (I base this on why I choose to work where I work), it’s about being challenged, recognised and rewarded. Being Challenged If work is repetitive, then it can be boring. If it’s boring then I’m going to want to look to be somewhere interesting and it will just be a stepping stone to get where I want to get. I like to solve problems, I love to plan. When I studied chemistry in school, I enjoyed writing up experiments, from hypothesis to conclusions and I loved carrying out the steps and getting the results…I have forgotten how I did it now, but I do recall really enjoying making aspirin as part of an A-level project. This desire for a challenge has remained with me throughout life and it will perhaps come as no surprise that this is something that is considered to be the most important factor when choosing a job. Recognition and Reward Being valued and having the metaphorical pat on the back, high five, ‘well done mate!’ makes a difference. How this manifests can vary and it’s important that you are recognised in the way you want to be recognised… employers need to wise up to this; in fairness, many have. This can be an announcement, a certificate, a public gesture or something as simple as a thank you email or handshake. Being rewarded in the way you want to be recognised is an indication that you are important and valued by your employer. Thankfully the last few years have witnessed an increase in the number of organisations employing people within HR whose role is specifically to work within the reward and recognition area of the organisation. This has been hugely important in the retention of valuable members of staff who would be moving on elsewhere in order to find their happy workplace. So going back to the answer to the question – why are we here? It’s down to you to decide the finer details, but given that you have the luxury of choice, I think it should be that you enjoy the challenge and receive the recognition that your success deserves. If you don’t feel challenged and are not being noticed then do something about it; the change starts with you….we can help you though, so get in touch. Here is my latest blog on being challenged and rewarded….two things that are personally very important to me. If you are looking for a new rewarding challenge within the recruitment sector, get in touch with either me Raj Thind or Jas Sanger. We’d love to talk with you.

Well let me put some context around this. We have a candidate that has refused to give us their current package. Now this in a global sense would not be an issue but our client has asked for his package. What would you do? This is always a very controversial thing. Let me state that this is not something recruiters dictate but it is the request from the client. Now the arguments from both camps are valid. Why is your package a secret if you are looking for a job and interested in the client? Why should I tell them my package as the client will then try and low ball me?  In many ways this is self-fulfilling as the candidate won’t disclose their package, so the client has seen other candidates and we are currently about the close the offer. So, the candidate has missed out on a company they were keen on joining! The UAE and GCC are quite unique, you can ask some of the questions you would not be able to in the rest of the World. This will change but it has not yet. A few facts around those candidates that recently have not disclosed their packages. Most were significantly underpaid and were expecting a very large increase. Is this the reason for them not to disclose their package? Let’s be honest, there are many clients that consider getting candidates for the lowest salary, a key goal (although we spend a lot of time with clients educating them to that fact that if they lowball candidates then ultimately they may leave you when the right company offers them a fair package) In a world where so many things are overshared, what would you do? MJ as a consultancy has a very transparent approach to recruiting and share the client’s package with our candidates and also the candidate’s package with the client. We also work very hard to get the candidates the right package. 90% of our placements work this way and it all works well. However, if you feel very strongly about your right to keep your salary to yourself then I applaud you but……this principal is a noble one and you must be prepared to stick to this principal even if a client will not agree to see you and hence you may miss out on a great offer with a company you want to work in. Principals are great but reality is often the decider. I would be interested in your opinion; I know it will be very divided and as a consultancy we are often caught in the middle. My advice…… do trust your consultancy as it is their job to get you the right role. If you want the job and you have nothing to hide, then tell the client or not? it is ultimately your call.

2022 is already promising to become a landmark year in terms of growth of economies within the GCC region; personally, I am seeing some serious indicators that KSA will especially flourish. Like many, I took some time off during the festive period, but business was far from quiet during this time. As 2021 was approaching its midnight, I was concluding several offers to candidates who will be joining their new teams in the coming weeks, and the majority of these are roles within the Kingdom. This might not seem surprising, as, for a long time, activity has been sizable in Riyadh. What is surprising is that none of the offers were for roles in the country’s capital – they were in the Western and Eastern provinces. These moves also involve European lawyers relocating to Saudi Arabia for these positions. Vision 2030, may now be 2019’s news, however it’s already becoming today’s reality. This in turn is creating great opportunities and ‘juicy’ work within several industries and, in no short measure, within the legal sector. Numerous opportunities exist for ambitious M&A lawyers as well as solid arbitrators within projects and energy; my prediction is that this trend will continue. Whilst I’m not confident enough to say that the economic growth will be crypto-like, I am confident enough to say that it is now a great time to become a part of an ambitious nation’s growth and help to shape KSA’s future heritage.

It’s a funny world, isn’t it? At least once a day, I speak to a private practice lawyer who wants to go in-house. Around three times a week I speak to an in-house lawyer who wants to work in private practice.* The broad perception is that in-house lawyers have an easier life and work less hours but get paid more. The flip side is that private practice lawyers have a license to bill and therefore earn as much as they can by fitting thirty hours into twenty-four. I’m writing this with my tongue definitely embedded in my cheek, but there is a little bit of truth to it. I see the legal career path as a big field in the countryside (for my friends who have never been to countryside, think of Downton Abbey or The Crown). As a lawyer deciding on where you want to work, you have this big field and you have your choice of where you want to sit. So where do you have your picnic? Let me take you back to Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. Physiological needs – Food, shelter, clothes Safety – security, employment, health, property Love and belonging – relationships, connections, intimacy Esteem – respect, self-esteem, status etc.. Self actualisation – being the best you can be, achieving the most you can achieve.  So applying this to choosing your patch….to get your physiological needs you need to go camping and eat berries or… get a job (leads to the second need). So your job needs to provide you with enough money to have the home, food and clothes you need (or want). You need to be happy outside of the office and have a good work-life balance. Then, it would nice to have a job where you get a pat on the back, high-five or fist bump whenever you deserve it. Once you’ve got all that, then you can become Managing Partner of GC. So, for most people (myself included), the most important aspect is getting a job that pays the bills, mortgage or rent, keeps food in the fridge and clothes on your back. Then…. get a job that means you have time for yourself, time for family and friends, enjoy a bit of the outside world…it’s quite pleasant out there! If you’ve got all that then you can see if you can get a job where you want to go in the office because people like you and respect you. Helps you grow….which leads to…doing the best you can. You probably won’t do the best you can unless you have a job that lets you grow through recognition. You won’t do this if you are unhappy outside work and certainly won’t be able to do this without getting paid enough to eat and sleep. Ultimately, you won’t be able to do this without a job that pays something. That’s the formula to choosing your patch. Get a job, get paid, have a life, get rewarded for good work and be the best. I call this the Patch Choice Formula ©. It makes no difference if you are in-house or in practice; the environment that’s best for you is down to what you need – you can find it in both places, you just have to choose carefully and think about what is really important. Enjoy your patch! *formulated by my memory and not detailed data analysis.

The FinTech industry continues to redefine how businesses and consumers interact with various financial products. The age of institutional monopoly in the financial industry is about to witness a reckoning from the burgeoning FinTech industry. Unlike traditional institutions, FinTech start-ups operate with an agile structure, led by C-level executives (CEO, COO, and CTO). It is often the case that these executives are responsible for managing day-to-day development, operations during the bootstrapping phase of a start-up. Since FinTech start-ups count on their technical finesse to outgrow their competition, the role of a Chief Technology Officer (CTO) becomes exceptionally critical. We have recently engaged with several start-ups across the region to support with finding an ideal candidate for their CTO post. Shown below is a list to keep handy when seeking the right professional for this job. What makes an ideal CTO for a FinTech start-up? Proven Technical Discipline and Project Management Skills A proven technical discipline is a core aspect of any CTO’s skillset. The CTO should be able to understand the specific business requirements of the company and create a framework that utilises existing, validated technologies for fulfilling these objectives. Along with a strong technical background, CTO’s should have excellent project management skills. Taking a project off-the-ground by yourself and heading a technical team are two different things. The right CTO should be able to communicate project requirements effectively to the team and bridge the gap between business requirements and technical implementation. Awareness of Market Dynamics (Technical & Economic) No start-up can survive without keeping track of its competition and ongoing market trends. A CTO should be aware of other companies working on a similar product or competing for the same consumer segment. At the same time, the CTO should be on top of new technologies or developments that can provide an edge to the start-up. Most new technologies are built to address the limitations of existing platforms, so staying on top of these developments is necessary for every start-up. Full Stack Technical Expertise When looking for a CTO, a start-up should focus on professionals who understand the technologies, frameworks used within the start-up. No individual can master all the ongoing technologies, so it’s critical to be specific about the right skills. A CTO with full-stack technical knowledge can understand the development issues and provide practical solutions. At the same time, it helps a CTO hire the right talent for the development team. Strategic Planning and Hustle The world of technology is full of surprises; you never know when a new technology will disrupt the entire industry. A CTO should be adept in strategic planning, especially when it comes to the upcoming development phases of a FinTech start-up. In addition to the technical expertise, a CTO should be able to understand the business direction of the company. He should be ready to hustle through rapid-growth periods or turnaround times during critical lifecycle moments of a start-up. Robust Networking Skills Every FinTech start-up experiences roadblocks when venturing into new areas or developing niche products. A CTO should have an established network of professionals or technology consultants that can help the start-up address such issues and sustain momentum. Most of the technology leaders maintain relationships with a diverse group of professionals to handle such a crisis. Ability to Embrace Start-Up Culture The start-up culture is vibrant, aggressive, and overwhelming at times. A CTO should be ready to embrace this culture and take any challenge head-on. It’s not uncommon for a start-up to overwork traditional companies. You may come across small teams that have outdone their competition through sheer hard work and impeccable work ethics. Additionally, when a start-up brings in a CTO, they expect the CTO to adapt their cultural setting or respect them, at the least. Leading a team with people from different ethnic, geographical, and financial backgrounds requires a high emotional quotient. Bottom Line Every start-up needs a CTO that it can rely on for all the technological roadblocks and consistent growth. Your CTO will have a massive impact on the success of your start-up, do not miss the due process in hiring one! Mackenzie Jones Middle East is a talent acquisition company that helps start-ups find the right talent for their team. Are you looking for a Talent Acquisition Partner? Reach out to us today via email at i nfo@mackenziejones.com

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is expected to contribute up to USD 15.7 trillion to the global economy by 2030, according to PwC Middle East, with the GCC economies AI adoption being estimated at roughly 2% of the total, or USD 277bn. The average annual growth rate of AI’s contribution to the GCC is expected to range between 29-34% with the UAE recording the highest growth rate at 33.5% as well as the largest share of close to 14.0% of its GDP. In the wake of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, there is an outbreak of AI and blockchain technology in the Middle East. Frequent strides in the corporate world are triggering innovative solutions, which is how artificial intelligence and blockchain paved their way to our lives. Although blockchain is still in its formative years in the Middle East, it is gaining momentum with banks and governments, who are investing in projects that leverage this technology’s advantages. That allows a multitude of industries to implement blockchain and use it to achieve their objectives. Some implement it as a tool to support direct transactions without intermediary third parties and others as a verification system during the job applicant screening. AI technology is making the same impact, and the region is committed to investing in this area. Hence, artificial intelligence will become widespread across the Middle East, making AI knowledge and skills highly valuable. These technologies are piercing through every industry and taking over businesses, asking for our attention and new talents that will carry on the revolution. Although 84 percent of employers believe that AI will create more jobs than it will eliminate, there is a lack of highly skilled tech talent within the region that specialize within this space. Below we have listed 4 ways that Mackenzie Jones has supported and advised our clients fill talent gaps in the Blockchain and AI industry. 1. ESTABLISHING AN AI AND BLOCKCHAIN TALENT PIPELINE Companies and startups mostly wait for the gap to appear, then create a job description, and begin seeking their next employee. Yet, a compelling job advert won’t magically bring skilled candidates if there are not enough of them. With the undeniable fact that tech talent shortage is a global issue, experts in AI and blockchains can be described as unicorns. At Mackenzie Jones, instead of waiting for an available vacancies to start the pursuit, we have been supporting companies detect and prospect talent at earlier levels, from start-ups to established institutions recruiting the next wave of tech talent both locally sourced in the region and global talent. We are also encouraging CEO’s and thought leaders to start developing relationships with universities and create learning programs that will attract promising and young talent. Provide university students of compatible programs with speakers that will boost their interest in blockchain and AI. Start nurturing talents while they are still growing and learning by providing them with real-world experience and assigning them meaningful projects that will increase their skills. Using that opportunity to demystify these two technologies and encourage talents interested in working in these fields. 2. PART-TIME WORKERS Freelancers and contingent technology workers could be one of the most efficient weapons in a war against the tech talent shortage, according to 74 percent of tech hiring professionals who took this route. Whilst introducing part-time contract workers is new to the region, we are educating our clients to look at the possibility of hiring short-term contract candidates seriously. Many IT professionals like to chase other passions and interests, which is why they require the flexibility of part-time contracts, but they could be your salvation and a way to fill a gap. Besides, part-time workers don’t have to be a long-term solution. You can use them for short projects or until you find talent that can work full-time. 3. UPSKILLING AND INTERNAL OPPORTUNITIES Sometimes the right talent might be in front of you but working in a different position or without the required experience and skills. That does not necessarily mean that you need to look outside to find AI and blockchain talent that will fill the gap. There might be a hidden gem that only needs your support to develop the missing skills. Running a gap analysis could help you determine whether there is an employee that is at least an 80 percent match. The results will show if, with the right training and direction, that an employee can be your ideal talent that meets all your criteria. Hence, consider upskilling instead of investing into seeking external talent, whilst you could enhance the potential of the existing ones. There could be employees that are keen on machine learning, data analysis, and blockchain, but never had the right education, opportunity, and supervision to grow that interest into practical skills. 4. ORGANIZE EVENTS THAT ATTRACT RIGHT TALENTS Considering the current situation, you could organize live or online events focused on a specific topic concerning blockchain and AI technology. Events are an opportunity to meet and connect, which could boost tech talents’ curiosity. These occasions are a chance to present your organizational culture, unique selling proposition, and vision. Use them not only to attract candidates but also to express how you are using AI and blockchain to shape the world.