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The CIPD, the professional body for HR and people development, has announced the arrival of a new Middle East team, based in Dubai, as part of its global commitment to champion better work and better working lives.

The CIPD has been setting the benchmark for excellence in people and organisation development for more than 100 years and is the voice of a worldwide community of 140,000 members, 2,500 of whom are in the Middle East.

Through its new office in Dubai, located in Knowledge Village, the CIPD will help local HR and L&D professionals and organisations to improve practices in people and organisation development. To enable this, the CIPD will work closely with its partners in the region through a range of networks, communities and events devoted to shaping the future of HR and the world of work.

The Middle East team will also work in close collaboration with colleagues in the UK and Asia to expand the CIPD’s reach and services to the international HR and L&D communities, while ensuring that members are best served in a local context. 

Peter Cheese, CIPD Chief Executive said: “Good people management and development is not only good for individuals, but it's also crucial to the success of businesses and economies, which is why we are delighted to be growing our Middle East presence. This is a fast developing region and people are at the heart of driving this change. It’s essential that organisations have the support they need to develop the skills and potential of their people and it’s our role to ensure that the HR profession in the region is equipped to deliver high-performing, productive workforces.

“Governments here already recognise the need for HR to step up and deliver the big uplift in people management and development capabilities needed to support this, and we look forward to working with them and with organisations to deliver this change.”

To support the launch of its new Dubai hub, the CIPD has today released a report which highlights the role of HR in a complex and rapidly changing world. The report – HR professional judgement: A Middle East perspective – explores how the HR function will prove essential as organisations in the region pursue business growth in new areas without losing sight of the values and ethics at the heart of their business.

Matthew Mee, Managing Director, Middle East CIPD, who will head up the new Dubai office said: “The GCC and Middle East economies are diversifying quickly and building knowledge-rich economies will require new skills and place significant demands on the HR and L&D functions across the region. The CIPD is a natural partner to help facilitate this transition. By establishing a new hub in Dubai we are much better placed to increase support for our existing 2,500 members in the Middle East, and extend our reach to support the growing number of people working in HR and L&D in the region.  Our focus will be to create the region’s best HR content, networks and communities and to really equip HR professionals with market relevant tools, skills and insights required to drive their organisation forward.”

The team in Dubai will focus on delivering locally relevant research and content, supported by a series of networking events to increase impact, as well as better support the CIPD’s training delivery partners in the region. By building on the organisation’s productive engagement so far, the CIPD will also create lasting partnerships with governments and employers across the region.

Commenting on the launch of the new CIPD office, Dr. Ayoub Kazim, Managing Director, Dubai Knowledge Village, said: “We are delighted that the CIPD, one of the world’s leading HR and L&D groups, has chosen to set up its Middle East head office in DKV as it reinforces the trend of leading international HR companies choosing to relocate to Dubai. Today, as global relocation becomes a viable workforce option, we can benefit from the CIPD’s wealth of knowledge and expertise to help drive the region’s HR industry forward.  As part of Dubai’s 2020 vision of becoming an innovation-driven, knowledge-led economy, we look forward to supporting the CIPD’s work to assist companies in engaging and developing national and international talent, positioning Dubai as a true global leader in the HR industry.”

As part of the CIPD’s launch in the region, Peter Cheese, CIPD Chief Executive, will deliver a keynote presentation, The Future of HR in a Fast Changing World, at the HR Summit and Expo, on Monday 16 November at the Dubai World Trade Centre.

To download the full report, click here