Speaker: Caroline Smith, Deputy General Counsel, International

Bio: Caroline Smith has been with the HireRight group for over 10 years and is Deputy General Counsel for HireRight’s International business (EMEA/APAC region). Caroline assists in the negotiation of contracts across the region and leads the International business compliance function advising on a range of issues including data protection and regulatory updates.

Caroline is a UK qualified lawyer with over 18 years’ experience and prior to joining HireRight, she was with Herbert Smith LLP and Clyde & Co LLP working on a range of complex international corporate, corporate insolvency and commercial matters.

Caroline earned her Master of Arts degree at the University of Saint Andrews and went on to study law at the College of Law in York earning the GDL and LPC postgraduate qualifications

Abstract: We live in a world where the public and private are often seen as merged online and this can be a mind field for both employers and employees or candidates. We will walk through what different types of screening options there are available such as social media and adverse media screening, understanding the parameters of each and when it would be appropriate to use them while being conscious of the potential pitfalls.

Speaker: Debbie Simister, Vice President Talent Management & Learning – Turkey, India, Middle East & Africa

Bio: Debbie Simister is Vice President, Talent Management & Learning for Accor’s India, Middle East, Africa & Turkey (IMEAT) region, based in Dubai and responsible for over 400 hotels and 35,000-plus employees.

A passionate talent management and organisational development specialist with more than two decades of multi-disciplinary global expertise, Debbie has plays a pivotal role in executing the group’s talent and culture strategy.

Her innovative learning and talent management solutions, designed to empower team members and build leadership capabilities, have driven organisational performance and deliver upon Accor’s guest-centric approach and the group’s “Live Limitless” ambition to provide ‘augmented hospitality’ experiences.

Abstract: Building organisational capability for coaching conversations is a powerful way to leverage the leadership skills within teams to maximise performance. Democratizing coaching extends the benefits of a coaching approach to a wider audience. This session unpacks this approach to coaching as a component of your Talent Management strategy.

Speaker: Niamh Jordan, Regional Partner
Title: The Gap Between Employee Engagement and Productivity

Bio: A highly experienced Executive Coach with an international career spanning 25 years within training & development, leadership and professional coaching.

With a collaborative and inclusive approach, a focus on results-driven learning solutions, conducting both learning needs analysis and performance gap analysis, instructional design and developing content for workshops, 1 on1 Executive Coaching session, and Action Learning, Niamh ensures that sought after individual and corporate goals are achieved.

As an experienced Coach and Mentor, Niamh is a hands on leader capable of strategic and critical thinking, identifying potential in others and inspiring them to action. Niamh excels in building strong relationships as well as facilitating professional development across multiple platforms; face to face and virtually, whilst consistently displaying exceptional communication skills and a strong sense of moral and ethical principles.

Abstract: Engagement is the personal commitment an employee has to their organisation’s goals and overall success. It’s the amount of passion they have for their work and their willingness to put forth effort.

Speaker: Awaish Khan, Manager HR & Learning & Development, Landmark Group

Bio: Awaish is a Group Learning and Development Manager for Landmark group.

He brings more than 10 years of experience in Learning Experience Design (LXD), Learning Technology Management (LTM), Program Management and Support Engineering.

A talent development professional with multiple Certifications in Retail, ICT Products, E-Commerce, and Digital Learning. He is a Self-driven Strategist, Planner & Executor. Awaish has previously worked with Sony, Samsung, Huawei Telecommunication and BMA International.

At BMA International, he played a leading role to establish and develop Digital Learning Interventions across the group.

Abstract: Technology is flourishing by leaps and bounds and it plays a vital role in the digital era. It has made easier to gain technological literacy for today’s generation. The rapid increase in this literacy coupled with recent technological advances has led to the expansion of technology in education sector. Post pandemic, the landscape of teaching and learning has substantially changed.

I believe that this is the only sector which then had not digitally transformed completely. Though some changes in education technology took place in few universities/colleges and companies but this is just a beginning in the technological evolution and in the space of learning. There is a lot more to come ahead in coming years.

The talk aims to explore:

• What has changed in L&D because of the crisis?
• Where the new opportunities available in digital learning
• Why integration and collaboration are critical
• What are the Emerging Learning Technologies?
• Importance of UX driven learning design
• Talent & Technology
• Collaboration Between the Corporate World and Higher Education

Speaker: Andrew Stotter Brooks – Vice President Learning & Development, Etihad Aviation Group

Bio: Andrew Richard Stotter Brooks came to the field of coaching and development with more than thirty years of senior level Human Resources Management practice in Retail, Hospitality, Leisure and Aviation.

Prior the Middle East I worked with Starbucks, H&M, Peninsula and Orient (P&O) in the South Pacific supporting their international Cruise fleet and Hilton International Group as the People and Development Director responsible for HR delivery and Management training within Europe supporting 500 Hotels.

My Experience Coaching: In addition to my professional coaching work with Hilton, YUM and P&O, I have been an industry coach for Greenwich and Nottingham Universities, Rolls Royce and Bass. I have a track record of helping highly intelligent and professionally expert coachee’s become effective
communicators and influencers within their roles.

Abstract: ‘Explore the latest motivational performance tools with practical examples of how you can engage and empower your teams at work.  Let’s get Human Beings not Human Doings’

Enosh Jogi- Manager Human Resources, International Modern Hospital

Enosh is an experienced Human Resources Manager with a demonstrated history of working in management consulting & healthcare industry for the past decade. He is Skilled in Service Delivery, Employee Services, Strategic Planning, Talent Acquisition, Customer Relationship Management (CRM), UAE Labour Laws, Healthcare Licensing and Employee Engagement. He is a Passionate human resources professional with a PGDIB focused on International Business & Human Resources from University of Pune. He is currently heading the human resources function at International Modern Hospital, Dubai overseeing Talent Acquisition, Employee Relations, Performance Development for more than 400 employees including clinical roles and has been associated with major healthcare organizations like Aster & Medcare in the past. He also recently received an award on Excellence in Professional Services (GCC Chapter) from World Medical Council in recognition to his professional excellence and outstanding contribution in Healthcare Human Resources. He was featured by “The National” for their article on the silent warriors during Covid-19 pandemic and their overall contribution to the healthcare ecosystem across GCC.

Attrition and Impact of Covid on Human Resources

The Covid-19 pandemic has forced all Human Resources management professionals to reinvent their style of working and adapt with the everchanging dynamics during this crisis.HR professionals have faced a plethora of challenges during these times and have implemented different strategies to make sure there is continuity of business. The session would give you an insight on the top challenges which major organizations & HR Leaders faced during these critical times. Major game changing solutions which were part of the resilience and recover process from the pandemic would be the core focus of the talk. The discussion would also focus on the KRA’s or important steps to be implemented for future readiness from HR professionals which proved to be a major support for organizations during COVID-19 & its aftereffects.

Burhan Shibli – HRBP Middle East, Tabuk Pharmaceuticals

The COVID pandemic has left a void asking us tough questions concerning our mental & physical health while struggling through daily Teams/Zoom fatigue. On one hand the businesses suffer on a larger scale to sustain, they also face employee’s burnout & diminishing efficiency due to uncertainty & ambiguity. It has become critical for businesses to support their human assets through normalising the situation & providing the required support that help balance personal life & business priorities.

While we adapted to a new normal, the leaders (Specially HR) still need to ensure to provide maximum support focusing on employee’s health & wellbeing along with adapting new techniques through breaking the stereotypes & let employees adapt according to their own personal circumstances with business continuity.

This session will feature actionable insights and expert advice on this important topic in current scenario while we assess how employee wellbeing is a core part of business strategy.

Ian Jenkins – Head ofTalent at Nymcard

A Talent professional with over a decade of experience I have helped fintech firms across the UK and MENA regions to grow their teams as well as engage and develop their staff. After graduating from Aston University I held a number of agency recruitment roles initially in London and later in Dubai where I ran Carter Murray. Following that I worked as a consultant to a Fintech and Financial Inclusion fund focused on the MENA and SSA regions before joining Nymcard as Head of Talent.

My philosophy for talent acquisition, development and retention focuses on ensuring that talent is hired, onboarded and supported with a level of structure and rigour commensurate with the fact that people make up the most important and often most  expensive resource a business possesses.

Abstract –

Start ups and high growth firms (HGFs) more generally can feel pressure to hire quickly as they scale. This can lead to hiring becoming opportunistic and haphazard with a lack of structure and discipline. This creates future issues with retention, organisational development and aligning compensation. The solution is to ensure that processes maintain rigour and structure while shortening the OODA loop to ensure that headcount goals can still be met.

The challenge:

• Best practice
• Messy reality
• Agile thinking and OODA

Bhupendra Singh – HR and L&D Manager, Millennium Dubai Airport Hotel

• Understanding the Importance of Wellness at Work
• The impact of Wellness at the Brand
• How to achieve Wellness at Work and have a sustainable approach towards it.

Bhupendra graduated from Institute of Hospitality Management India and joined Taj Hotels & Resort in new Delhi back in 2006, in 2007 moved to Dubai where he joined the World’s Most Luxurious Hotel Burj Al Arab and later moved to the flagship property of Jumeirah Group Jumeirah Beach Hotel. In 2015, Bhupendra was called by the Ferrari World’s leadership team to join the group where he worked in HR, L&D and Business Excellence departments and later moved back to Dubai and joined Jumeirah Emirates Towers. In 2020 Bhupendra joined Millennium Hotels and Resorts where he currently looking after HR and L&D functions managing two properties of 900 rooms with 500 plus colleagues.