- Acclaimed business author Claudio Fernández-Aráoz shares insights with business leaders in Dubai
- World-leading executive search firm stresses importance of succession planning for the region’s principal family and government holdings
Dubai, 28 April 2010 – Today, a global expert on recruitment and people decisions outlined the critical importance of succession planning and the need to recognise and develop the leadership talents of Gulf nationals to ensure the region’s future economic success and sustainability. Mr. Claudio Fernández-Aráoz, Senior Advisor at Egon Zehnder International (EZI), one of the largest privately-held executive search firms worldwide, was in Dubai for a series of talks and workshops with business leaders in the Emirate on issues vital to business success and longevity.
“When you make the wrong people decisions, the results can be incredibly damaging, leading to the loss of jobs, a fall in revenue or share prices, and - potentially even more damaging - a decline in trust among in business leaders and consumers,” said Mr. Claudio Fernández-Aráoz, author of the highly-acclaimed business book best-seller Great People Decisions. “All of these can have extremely negative consequences for investment and growth. If more businesses in the UAE are to develop into globally recognised and trusted brands, it is essential that the people leading those companies have the skills that their role demands, and that they in turn are supported by management teams with talent matched to their responsibilities.”
The author held workshops for select groups of EZI clients and partners. EZI has been servicing the region since 1975, successfully placing more than 800 C-level and senior executives in the GCC. The company works with the region’s key sovereign wealth funds (SWFs), has filled a number of the CEO positions at the region’s major banks during the last four years, and advises a dozen of the Gulf’s biggest family holdings on succession planning and board structure. In the course of its work, EZI has conducted almost 1,000 appraisals of senior executives in the region; assessing and recruiting those business leaders with outstanding track records who are able to create competitive advantage and add sustainable value to an organisation.
Mr. Benoit Duhtu, Egon Zehnder International’s head for Middle East, said, “The recruitment expertise and knowledge Mr. Claudio Fernández-Aráoz brings to EZI and to our clients is invaluable. As a company, it is important for us to share this knowledge with leading corporates and governments in the region, enabling them to identify, develop and retain outstanding individuals within their organisations. Creating local leaders is an important part of that process. With such a large number of successful family or government holdings in the region - which are increasingly looking towards international presence or public company status - ensuring that the right team and structures are in place to sustain that company’s success over the long term has never been more important.”
Mr. Fernández-Aráoz added, “From a personal perspective, people need to be aware that nothing is more important for their career success than making great people decisions. When you become a manager, everything you will do depends on the people you have chosen: your results, your performance, your chances of being promoted, your risks…That sums up your career success.”
In addition to working in senior-level search, leadership strategy services and board consulting and appointments, EZI extends its expertise in succession planning, counsel and strategy on workforce localization and corporate restructuring to its clients.
