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UAE employers hiring talents that can deliver project, shift from visionary roles
This trend highlights a growing demand for professionals who can perform hands-on, practical tasks that drive business growth, as opposed to roles centred around advice and strategy
- PUBLISHED: Mon 14 Jul 2025, 9:26 AM
UAE companies are shifting their hiring strategies from recruiting visionary thinkers to prioritising professionals who can execute and deliver tangible results — particularly in sectors such as artificial intelligence (AI), finance, and real estate, according to Dr Trefor Murphy, founder and CEO of Cooper Fitch.
"The biggest shift we've observed is that organisations are moving away from 'vision hiring' and focusing more on recruiting individuals who can deliver on current projects," Dr Murphy said in an interview.
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"There's been a noticeable surge, especially in industries like financial services, finance, real estate, and AI. Companies are now actively building teams focused on implementation rather than just developing strategies."
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This trend highlights a growing demand for professionals who can perform hands-on, practical tasks that drive business growth, as opposed to roles centred around advice and strategy.
As previously reported by Khaleej Times, the UAE led job growth among GCC countries in the second quarter of 2025, with a 4 per cent increase in hiring. In comparison, Saudi Arabia and Oman recorded 2 per cent growth, while Bahrain saw a modest 1 per cent increase. Meanwhile, Kuwait and Qatar experienced declines of 4 per cent and 3 per cent, respectively, during the April-June period.
The UAE and other Gulf countries experienced the highest employment growth in senior finance, in-house legal, and sales and marketing roles during the quarter.
"We're seeing a market trend where companies are choosing to build their own internal legal teams rather than relying on private law firms," Dr. Murphy noted. "Similarly, senior finance hiring saw a sharp rise in Q2. Employers are no longer just focusing on cost-cutting or better expense management – they're bringing in talent to enhance forecasting and financial modelling, allowing for deeper insights into business growth and profitability."
He added that while there has been ongoing discussion about the role of AI in improving workplace efficiency, Q2 of this year marked a turning point with AI-specific roles being created for the first time on a notable scale.
