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In this episode of The HR & CQ Show, recorded live at Ru’ya 2025 at Dubai World Trade Centre, Emma and Sarah sit down with Nashfi Qureshi, Director of Marketing at Bayt.com, the Middle East’s largest job platform.

With more than 25 years in the region, Bayt.com has transformed how organisations hire and how job seekers navigate the market. Nashfi gives us a behind-the-scenes look at how AI is reshaping recruitment—making job descriptions smarter, CV searches faster, and candidate screening more culturally aligned.

In this episode, we unpack:

🔹 How Bayt.com is using AI to streamline job posting, enhance CV searches, and power new video-based screening tools.
🔹 Why cultural values and organisational fit remain critical—and how AI attempts to interpret facial expressions, communication patterns, and values alignment.
🔹 The real challenges of Emiratisation—especially for SMEs—and how Bayt supports employers with personalised assistance, national talent pools, and government-aligned filtering tools.
🔹 How job seekers can prepare for AI-enhanced recruitment, from tailoring CVs to practising AI-driven interviews.
🔹 The growing tension between AI-generated CVs/interview answers and the need for genuine human assessment.
🔹 Whether AI might lead to more misplacements—or if new tools will actually strengthen the accuracy of hiring decisions.

This conversation blends HR insights, the future of recruitment tech, and practical guidance for both employers and job seekers navigating an evolving market.

If you’re interested in AI, talent acquisition, Emiratisation, or the future of work in the GCC, this episode is packed with value.

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In this special year-end episode, Emma and Sarah look back at the most defining HR and Cultural Intelligence moments of 2025 — and unpack what these shifts mean for organisations across the UAE and wider GCC in 2026.

From the continued rise of Emiratisation to the rapid influx of new talent into Dubai, HR teams have navigated one of the most dynamic years yet. Add to this the accelerating expectations for HR to evolve from admin-focused tasks into true strategic business partnering, and you have an episode full of insights, challenges, and forward-looking guidance.

In this 2025 round-up, we explore:

Emiratisation in 2025

– What we learned from our conversations with guests from Chalhoub Group and others
 – Why genuine inclusion must replace “tick-box” Emiratisation
 – How organisations can attract, develop, and retain Emirati talent
 – What the new quotas mean — and why HR teams should prepare now, not later

Dubai’s Massive Talent Movement

– The city’s population surge and its impact on hiring
 – Why many newcomers misinterpret cultural differences as “toxic workplaces”
 – How Cultural Intelligence (CQ) helps bridge expectation gaps
 – The importance of researching workplace culture before relocating 

The Maturing Role of HR

– HR’s shift from administrative function to strategic influencer
 – The growing need for coaching skills, cultural intelligence, and people-centric leadership
 – The increasing importance of governance, wellbeing, and psychological safety
 – Why HR teams must be upskilled to meet the demands of Vision 2030 and beyond

Looking Ahead to 2026

Emma and Sarah also tease what’s coming next, including their upcoming HR & CQ Breakfast Bites event on 27 January 2026 at Radisson RED, Dubai, where they’ll unpack the must-watch HR trends for the year ahead.

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In this episode of The HR & CQ Show, hosts Emma Jordaan and Sarah Brooks sit down with Umnia Ahmed, Emiratisation Director at Chalhoub Group, the region’s leading luxury retail group with over 16,000 employees from 120 nationalities.
Umnia shares Chalhoub’s remarkable 20-year Emiratisation journey, exploring how the organisation views national talent not as a quota, but as a strategic advantage deeply rooted in purpose, culture, and community.

From inclusive onboarding programmes and Emirati cultural awareness training for leaders, to The Emirati Way learning modules and five internal academies, including Leadership, Retail, and Wellbeing, Umnia reveals how Chalhoub Group has made localisation an integral part of its DNA.

Key insights include:
🔹 Why Emiratisation is a competitive edge, not a compliance exercise
🔹 How to attract Emirati talent to industries like retail and hospitality
🔹 Practical advice for SMEs struggling to meet Emiratisation targets
🔹 The power of cultural intelligence in integrating diverse workforces

This conversation offers valuable takeaways for HR leaders, L&D professionals, and business owners looking to create inclusive, high-performing organisations in the UAE and beyond.

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 In this episode of The HR & CQ Show, Emma Jordaan and Sarah Brooks dive into the hidden challenges of international assignments in Dubai and beyond. With nearly 40% of relocations failing—and 70% of those due to family members not settling in—the conversation explores the real costs for organisations and the human impact on assignees and their loved ones. From cultural onboarding and family support to practical relocation coaching and HR’s role in smoothing the transition, Emma and Sarah share strategies to reduce assignment failure, boost retention, and build happier, more effective multicultural teams. Whether you’re an HR professional, a business leader, or an expat preparing for a move, this episode offers practical insights you won’t want to miss

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Dubai is seeing an unprecedented influx of newcomers – around 1,000 people arriving every single day. With the government’s ambitious 2040 Master Urban Plan aiming to nearly double the population, the job market is more competitive than ever.

In this episode of The HR & CQ Show, Sarah Brooks and Emma Jordaan dive into the realities of job hunting in Dubai. From cultural dynamics in interviews to the unwritten rules of the job market, we explore the opportunities and challenges facing both jobseekers and HR professionals.

We discuss:

• The current state of Dubai’s saturated job market and shifting demographics
• Common mistakes newcomers make when job hunting in the UAE
• How cultural expectations shape interviews, dress codes, and first impressions
• The role of LinkedIn, personal branding, and digital footprints in securing opportunities
• CV strategies, transferable skills, and how to navigate Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS)
• What HR’s role really is in recruitment, and how candidates can align with hiring managers’ expectations

Whether you’re arriving in Dubai looking for work, already applying for roles, or supporting new talent as an HR professional, this episode is packed with practical insights and cultural intelligence strategies to help you stand out and succeed.

🎧 Tune in now and gain the edge you need in Dubai’s dynamic job market.

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In this episode of The HR & CQ Show, Emma Jordaan and Sarah Brooks delve into the timely topic of Emiratisation, the UAE’s national initiative to increase the participation of Emiratis in the private sector. Joined by special guest Shazia Bharuchi, a British career coach working closely with Emiratis, the trio explore the real-world challenges Emiratis face when stepping into multicultural workplaces in the private sector, often led by Western norms.

From understanding the evolving HR compliance to discussing how Cultural Intelligence (CQ) plays a vital role in creating inclusive, empowering environments for local talent, this episode is a must-listen for HR professionals, business leaders, and anyone invested in the future of the UAE workforce.

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In this episode, we sit down with Charlotte Stebbing-Mills (Co-Founder of The Wellness Theory) and Sam Harvey (Founder and MD of Braver Leaders) to explore the real meaning of leadership and wellbeing in today’s multicultural workplace.

We tackle:

• The rise (and risks) of well-washing
• Why burnout isn’t just for entrepreneurs
• The difference between being a manager and being a leader
• How to create safe, psychologically supportive environments
• What it takes to lead system-wide wellbeing change without a fancy title

From challenging hierarchy to decoding cultural norms around leadership, this episode is full of real talk, a few laughs, and plenty of practical wisdom.

Tune in and rethink what it really means to lead bravely and work well.

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In this episode of The HR & CQ Show, we sit down with Carmen Rendy and Alex Stanchu, co-founders of Divergent Line HR Consultants, to unpack their bold move from corporate HR to entrepreneurship — and the innovation they’ve brought with them.

Together, we dive deep into:

• Why traditional performance management systems are broken — and what needs to change
• How their tool RED (Reward, Engage, Develop) is transforming how organisations approach performance, recognition, and employee engagement
• The cultural nuances of motivation and how data can reveal your true star performers
• How HR can use data not just to support business outcomes — but to prove its value at the boardroom table

With over 30 years of combined HR experience in the region, Carmen and Alex share real-world insights on building tech for HR, by HR — and why it’s time to leave the Excel sheets behind.

This one is for anyone tired of tick-box exercises and ready to reimagine what performance management should be.

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In this special episode of The HR & CQ Show, we’re joined by none other than Dr. David Livermore, global thought leader on Cultural Intelligence (CQ), author, and 
Director of CQ Fellows. 

Together, we dive into what the future of work looks like in one of the world’s most diverse and dynamic business hubs, Dubai. 

Whether you're an HR professional, business leader, or working in one of Dubai’s global teams, this conversation is packed with actionable strategies and eye-opening perspectives from one of the field’s most respected voices.

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