Working in the Gulf a must for international high-flyers

A report shows many mid to senior-level executives are ready to move.

LONDON // Working in the Gulf is becoming a "must do" for a growing number of professional high-flyers around the world, according to a new report. With demand strong for highly qualified professionals in the GCC, many on their way to the top now believe that stints of up to five years in the region can only enhance their reputations. The 2010 Hydrogen Global Professionals on the Move Report looked at the motivations of 3,155 mid to senior-level professionals earning an average salary of US$125,000 (Dh459,125), half of whom had postgraduate degrees.

Conducted by a team from ESCP Europe Business School, the research uncovered a readiness by the majority of respondents to work abroad. Although the US, UK and Australia remained the top three destinations among globetrotters, the Gulf and other areas of the Middle East were fast catching up. "The Middle East is a dynamic, thriving region that will grow year on year. Many recognised brands and multinationals have offices here," said Kirsty Edrich, the Middle East team leader at Hydrogen, a global specialist recruitment group.

"The report backs up our experience: professionals feel that a temporary stint in an international region such as the Middle East will add greatly to their CV and give them the experience that perhaps staying in their home country could never offer. "Language and cultural issues might cause them to be hesitant about the region but we are quick to advise those looking to relocate internationally that the Middle East is a key player on the international stage and not a region to be ignored."

She said that those the company had placed in the region "love the more family-friendly pace of life". "The international candidates we have placed here have not regretted their decision for a minute," Ms Edrich added. "They look at things in terms of a five-year plan and actively seek out the experience. Despite the recession, the region is back in growth mode and offers professionals a multitude of personal, lifestyle and career opportunities."

One of those who made the move is James Joughin, a 28-year-old Briton now working as a senior surveyor at the Abu Dhabi office of Asteco Property Management. Mr Joughin, a member of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, arrived in the UAE two years ago, initially working in Asteco's Dubai office before transferring to Abu Dhabi towards the end of last year. "I have always been keen to work overseas, relocating was just a matter of waiting for the right opportunity," he says.

"The usual factors that most expats cite, such as lifestyle, weather, security and the tax-free environment are, of course, an added bonus." Mr Joughin travelled through the Middle East during his student gap year before earning a BSc in land management from the University of Reading and was keen to return. "This made the UAE an ideal first choice for a property professional. The UAE still presents great opportunities in the workplace and a quality of life hard to match elsewhere," he says.

"There is a strong work ethic in the UAE and I believe companies here are much quicker to identify an individual's talents and reward them. "I also think that the calibre of senior professionals is generally much higher, which provides a good environment to continue professional development." Mr Joughin says he would always advise other young professionals to work abroad. Aside from being enthusiastic about the expat lifestyle, he says it gives people the opportunity to work in a very different environment from their home country.

"Living and working overseas provides a chance to experience a country and a region from a perspective you would never gain on a two or three-week vacation," he says. "My experience has been very positive both in and out of work. Dubai and Abu Dhabi are fantastic places to meet other young professionals from all over the world, either in the workplace or socially." Professionally, it has been something of an adventure for Mr Joughin since his arrival in the UAE. "The property market - along with the rest of the world - has been on a rollercoaster ride over the past two or three years," he says.

"While there may be fewer headline-grabbing projects, the UAE remains one of the most exciting and dynamic markets in the world. There is still great potential and opportunity." Mr Joughin plans to stay in the UAE for the foreseeable future. "All in all I have some fantastic memories and had some great experiences," he says. "If things continue as they have started I will remain more than happy." He adds that he turned to a recruitment agency to find a placement abroad because "unless you can afford to take a long period of leave, it is almost impossible to thoroughly research a company based in a foreign market".