• Luxury retailer Chalhoub Group is the best company to work for in the UAE this year, according to LinkedIn. Photo: Chris Whiteoak / The National
    Luxury retailer Chalhoub Group is the best company to work for in the UAE this year, according to LinkedIn. Photo: Chris Whiteoak / The National
  • Abu Dhabi’s strategic investment arm, Mubadala Investment Company, was second on the best company list. Photo: Mubadala
    Abu Dhabi’s strategic investment arm, Mubadala Investment Company, was second on the best company list. Photo: Mubadala
  • Healthcare provider Mediclinic was third on the LinkedIn list. Reuters
    Healthcare provider Mediclinic was third on the LinkedIn list. Reuters
  • Europe’s largest bank, HSBC, is the fourth best company to work for in the UAE this year, according to LinkedIn. Reuters
    Europe’s largest bank, HSBC, is the fourth best company to work for in the UAE this year, according to LinkedIn. Reuters
  • Hospitals operator Aster DM Healthcare completed the top five best companies to work for in the UAE in 2022. Jeffrey Biteng / The National
    Hospitals operator Aster DM Healthcare completed the top five best companies to work for in the UAE in 2022. Jeffrey Biteng / The National
  • National health insurer Daman was sixth. Ryan Carter / The National
    National health insurer Daman was sixth. Ryan Carter / The National
  • The Al Tayer Group and its portfolio of businesses was seventh. Photo: Facebook
    The Al Tayer Group and its portfolio of businesses was seventh. Photo: Facebook
  • Cosmetics company L’Oreal was eighth. Reuters
    Cosmetics company L’Oreal was eighth. Reuters
  • Dubai lender Mashreq Bank was ninth on LinkedIn's list. Satish Kumar / The National
    Dubai lender Mashreq Bank was ninth on LinkedIn's list. Satish Kumar / The National
  • Life insurer MetLife rounded out the top 10 companies to work for in the UAE. Reuters
    Life insurer MetLife rounded out the top 10 companies to work for in the UAE. Reuters
  • Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank was 11th.
    Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank was 11th.
  • Gulf Marketing Group (parent of Sun & Sand Sports) was 12th. Photo: Facebook
    Gulf Marketing Group (parent of Sun & Sand Sports) was 12th. Photo: Facebook
  • Business conglomerate and mall operator Majid Al Futtaim was 13th.
    Business conglomerate and mall operator Majid Al Futtaim was 13th.
  • E-commerce company Amazon was 14th. AP Photo
    E-commerce company Amazon was 14th. AP Photo
  • Energy services company Schneider Electric completed the LinkedIn top 15. AFP
    Energy services company Schneider Electric completed the LinkedIn top 15. AFP

The top 15 companies to work for in the UAE, according to LinkedIn


Deepthi Nair
  • English
  • Arabic

Dubai-based luxury retailer Chalhoub Group is the best company to work for in the UAE this year, according to LinkedIn.

Abu Dhabi’s strategic investment arm Mubadala Investment Company, healthcare provider Mediclinic, Europe’s largest bank HSBC and hospitals operator Aster DM Healthcare complete the top five preferred employers, according to the 2022 LinkedIn Top Companies List.

Other sought-after employers in the UAE include national health insurer Daman, Al Tayer Group, cosmetics company L’Oreal, Dubai lender Mashreq Bank and life insurer MetLife, according to the professional network.

This list is meant to guide professionals at every stage – whether that means a career pivot, jumping back into the workforce after a hiatus or investing in new skills
Salma Altantawy,
Mena news editor at LinkedIn

Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank, Gulf Marketing Group (parent of Sun & Sand Sports), business conglomerate and mall operator Majid Al Futtaim, e-commerce company Amazon and energy services company Schneider Electric round out the top 15 list.

“This list is meant to guide professionals at every stage — whether that means a career pivot, jumping back into the workforce after a hiatus or investing in new skills,” Lynn Chouman, senior news editor at LinkedIn, said on Wednesday.

"Seeing new rankers make up 80 per cent of the list for 2022 is an indication of how significant a single year can be in reinvigorating business cultures as the world of work continues to evolve."

The seven criteria LinkedIn used to identify the best companies in the UAE were the ability to advance, skills growth, company stability, external opportunity, company affinity, gender diversity and spread of educational backgrounds. The companies were analysed from January to December last year.

The UAE jobs market has recovered strongly from the pandemic-induced slowdown, helped by the government’s fiscal and monetary measures.

About 76 per cent of employers in the Arab world's second-largest economy plan to expand their workforce in 2022, a February survey by jobs portal Bayt.com and market research company YouGov found.

About two thirds of professionals in the UAE will actively look for new jobs in the first half of this year as business confidence and hiring activity return to pre-pandemic levels, recruitment company Robert Walters said.

To be eligible for the UAE Top Companies list, a company must have at least 500 employees as of December 31, 2021, and the attrition rate can be no higher than 10 per cent, according to LinkedIn.

The most sought-after skills at the UAE’s best employer Chalhoub Group are luxury goods, retail sales and visual merchandising, while the job roles in demand are those of sales executive, fashion consultant and make-up artist, LinkedIn said.

At Mubadala Investment Company, in-demand roles include investment specialists, senior legal counsel and investment associates, the list revealed.

At Mediclinic and Aster DM Healthcare, the most in-demand roles are registered nurses, pharmacists, hospital administrators and medical doctors.

The Covid-19 pandemic opened up a range of employment prospects for certain segments of the healthcare industry. Healthcare jobs now most sought after in the UAE include nurses, laboratory technicians and general practitioners, according to recruitment agency Hays.

The most sought-after roles at lenders HSBC and Mashreq Bank are those of premier client manger, service officer, relationship manager, compliance officer and personal banker, LinkedIn found.

Daman is prioritising jobs for customer service representatives, business development managers and financial officers, while insurance advisers, sales managers and financial advisers are sought after at MetLife, according to the LinkedIn list.

LinkedIn's list of the best 15 companies to work for in the UAE

  1. Chalhoub Group
  2. Mubadala Investment Company
  3. Mediclinic
  4. HSBC
  5. Aster DM Healthcare
  6. Daman
  7. Al Tayer Group
  8. L’Oreal
  9. Mashreq Bank
  10. MetLife
  11. ADIB
  12. GMG
  13. Majid Al Futtaim
  14. Amazon
  15. Schneider Electric
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Thomas Muster - 422

Rafael Nadal - 399 *

Jose Higueras - 378

Eddie Dibbs - 370

Ilie Nastase - 338

Carlos Moya - 337

Ivan Lendl - 329

Andres Gomez - 322

10 tips for entry-level job seekers
  • Have an up-to-date, professional LinkedIn profile. If you don’t have a LinkedIn account, set one up today. Avoid poor-quality profile pictures with distracting backgrounds. Include a professional summary and begin to grow your network.
  • Keep track of the job trends in your sector through the news. Apply for job alerts at your dream organisations and the types of jobs you want – LinkedIn uses AI to share similar relevant jobs based on your selections.
  • Double check that you’ve highlighted relevant skills on your resume and LinkedIn profile.
  • For most entry-level jobs, your resume will first be filtered by an applicant tracking system for keywords. Look closely at the description of the job you are applying for and mirror the language as much as possible (while being honest and accurate about your skills and experience).
  • Keep your CV professional and in a simple format – make sure you tailor your cover letter and application to the company and role.
  • Go online and look for details on job specifications for your target position. Make a list of skills required and set yourself some learning goals to tick off all the necessary skills one by one.
  • Don’t be afraid to reach outside your immediate friends and family to other acquaintances and let them know you are looking for new opportunities.
  • Make sure you’ve set your LinkedIn profile to signal that you are “open to opportunities”. Also be sure to use LinkedIn to search for people who are still actively hiring by searching for those that have the headline “I’m hiring” or “We’re hiring” in their profile.
  • Prepare for online interviews using mock interview tools. Even before landing interviews, it can be useful to start practising.
  • Be professional and patient. Always be professional with whoever you are interacting with throughout your search process, this will be remembered. You need to be patient, dedicated and not give up on your search. Candidates need to make sure they are following up appropriately for roles they have applied.

Arda Atalay, head of Mena private sector at LinkedIn Talent Solutions, Rudy Bier, managing partner of Kinetic Business Solutions and Ben Kinerman Daltrey, co-founder of KinFitz

Tightening the screw on rogue recruiters

The UAE overhauled the procedure to recruit housemaids and domestic workers with a law in 2017 to protect low-income labour from being exploited.

 Only recruitment companies authorised by the government are permitted as part of Tadbeer, a network of labour ministry-regulated centres.

A contract must be drawn up for domestic workers, the wages and job offer clearly stating the nature of work.

The contract stating the wages, work entailed and accommodation must be sent to the employee in their home country before they depart for the UAE.

The contract will be signed by the employer and employee when the domestic worker arrives in the UAE.

Only recruitment agencies registered with the ministry can undertake recruitment and employment applications for domestic workers.

Penalties for illegal recruitment in the UAE include fines of up to Dh100,000 and imprisonment

But agents not authorised by the government sidestep the law by illegally getting women into the country on visit visas.

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Key facilities
  • Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
  • Premier League-standard football pitch
  • 400m Olympic running track
  • NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
  • 600-seat auditorium
  • Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
  • An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
  • Specialist robotics and science laboratories
  • AR and VR-enabled learning centres
  • Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills

Best Academy: Ajax and Benfica

Best Agent: Jorge Mendes

Best Club : Liverpool   

 Best Coach: Jurgen Klopp (Liverpool)  

 Best Goalkeeper: Alisson Becker

 Best Men’s Player: Cristiano Ronaldo

 Best Partnership of the Year Award by SportBusiness: Manchester City and SAP

 Best Referee: Stephanie Frappart

Best Revelation Player: Joao Felix (Atletico Madrid and Portugal)

Best Sporting Director: Andrea Berta (Atletico Madrid)

Best Women's Player:  Lucy Bronze

Best Young Arab Player: Achraf Hakimi

 Kooora – Best Arab Club: Al Hilal (Saudi Arabia)

 Kooora – Best Arab Player: Abderrazak Hamdallah (Al-Nassr FC, Saudi Arabia)

 Player Career Award: Miralem Pjanic and Ryan Giggs

Updated: April 08, 2022, 6:09 AM