Recorded in Dubai during CIPD’s 10‑year anniversary, this episode brings together Dr Adrian Waite FCIPD and CIPD CEO Peter Cheese for a grounded, engaging conversation about how people strategy is evolving across the Gulf. Drawing on Peter’s nearly 14 years leading the CIPD and four decades in HR and consulting, the discussion blends regional insight with long experience of how work and workplaces change.

The Gulf’s momentum comes through clearly: youthful populations, long‑term national visions and sustained investment in education are creating the conditions to build people systems with unusual long‑range clarity. Adrian and Peter explore how organisations are rethinking work before digitising it, shaping people strategies that reflect nationalisation priorities and cultural context, and equipping individuals with the human skills that support increasingly “squiggly” careers. They also look at what it means to extend wellbeing, safety and representation to large site‑based and blue‑collar workforces, and how data and AI can be used more intentionally to turn fragmented information into early signals and meaningful insight. Throughout, they return to the idea of people investment as generational value—something that resonates with governments, investors and future talent alike.

The result is a conversation that feels both celebratory and forward‑looking, capturing the region’s progress while opening up space for what comes next.

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The CIPD Middle East People Podcast Series continues with a significant moment: the first episode in our Saudi Arabia thread, and the first delivered entirely in Arabic.

In this conversation, host Khalid Al‑Harbi speaks with Malek Qaisi, Chartered MCIPD, a young HR leader who entered the profession in 2014, just as Saudi Arabia began a decade of extraordinary transformation. His journey from operational HR to strategic, evidence‑based practice offers a grounded, human view of how the profession evolved from within. Malek reflects on how expectations of HR shifted in real time, the capabilities practitioners needed to build to keep pace, and how CIPD qualifications and membership shaped his development. His perspective is honest and practical; the voice of someone who didn’t just observe change, but grew through it.

This episode sets the tone for the Saudi Arabia thread: thoughtful, accessible, and rooted in lived experience. It speaks directly to HR professionals navigating a field that continues to move quickly, offering clarity and reassurance at a moment when the profession is redefining itself.

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Emiratisation is not simply about opening doors through policy; it is about what happens once people step inside. The true opportunity lies in creating experiences that engage, develop, and retain Emirati talent in ways that are meaningful both to individuals and to the organisations they serve.

In this episode, hosted by Dr. Adrian Waite, we hear from Ahlam Abdulla Al Marzooqi, Group Emiratisation Manager at Galadari Brothers, and Fatima Mohammad Yousuf Ali Alblooshi, Assistant Business Development Manager at Galadari Brothers – Motors Division, and the first Emirati talent to enrol in and graduate from Ruwad, the organisation’s Leadership Development Programme. Together, they share candid reflections on navigating Emiratisation roles, responding to evolving regulations, and confronting the realities of the ‘war for talent.’ Their stories underscore the importance of strong onboarding, recognition programmes that foster trust and inclusion, clear career paths that enable long-term growth, and the flexibility that empowers Emiratis to balance professional ambitions with personal responsibilities while contributing to their communities and nation.

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