For some reason I neglected to deliver a diary blog of m2r’s latest trip to the Middle East. I plan on making up for this now however.

Courtesy of the British Government’s Gateway to Global Growth Programme of which we are a part of, I, as international ambassador of m2r Ltd, travelled for free, top deck of a 747 to Dubai on the 16th October this year. The aim was to spend 1 day working in Dubai, 1 day in Abu Dhabi and then fly to Bahrain for 5 days.

So, day 1:

Friday 0ctober 16^th

After a relaxing business class flight from Heathrow to Dubai I arrived at the Al Murooj Rotana, opposite Dubai Mall with time to spare. So a couple of beers to relax followed by organising my work notes for the two days in the UAE seemed like a good plan.

Saturday October 17^th

Dubai Mall was strangely quiet. I know Dubai is going through troubled times but with the reduction in hotel prices I thought that the tourist trade would have increased. The roads are still jammed so the mass emigration that people have been harping on about has not had that much effect to the traffic. Anyway, a quiet mall means I could do my ‘daughter shopping’ at my leisure and without stress. By the way, I was shopping for presents for my daughter, not literally for a daughter. I always ensure I have one day off before working in the Middle East, through bitter experience I have realised that getting off a plane into 7 days of meetings is not the best idea.

Sunday October 18^th

First day of work. I have to quickly get in into my head that today, although being Sunday, is effectively Monday, but it isn’t, it’s Sunday. If you see what I mean. 5 meetings today, spread across Dubai. All with current clients but it is important to maintain the relationships, especially as we are coming up to budget time. Our clients In Dubai really appreciate me coming over, although it is quiet on the recruitment front, it will kick off again and I want to ensure m2r is still at the forefront of their minds. With so many companies in my market doing a disappearing act from Dubai, this is an ideal opportunity to cement some relationships and instil confidence with our clients that we are not going the same way. So, all in all, a productive day.

Monday October 19^th

Very very early start today. Going to Abu Dhabi for 2 meetings, first one at 9am, meaning having to leave Dubai at 5.30am. I was privileged to have a meeting at Al Yas Circuit, home of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. It was fascinating to see it, one week prior to the race. 15000 workers all frantically making sure the circuit was ready. Ferrari world looks great, as does Yas Hotel. It begs the question why I turned up a week before the race and not actually for the race, but such is life. Who wants to party on Branson’s yacht anyway!!! As I am writing this in December, it is plain to see that the circuit was ready and they did a fantastic job. The second meeting was with a government owned company, very interesting and I am sure we will be working with them early 2010. By the way, October in the UK, cold. October in the UAE, 35 degrees. Bring it on!!

After this meeting it was a hot foot to the airport (3hrs away) to catch the flight to Bahrain. I was able to visit 3 more Emirates before I flew so I have now been to Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Ajman and Umm Al Quwain. All very different! I bet that I am the only recruiter from Wakefield, West Yorkshire that can boast visiting all of these places for work!

Landed in Bahrain early evening, feel home again. I love Bahrain. This is my third visit this year, all for work. I think that says it all. We are getting a very good reputation in the Kingdom and I am delighted with this. I am proud to work with the clients we have and long may this continue. Anyway, enough of the saccharin. As m2r is now working in the hospitality market, I was invited to stay with a client. Beautiful hotel, only opened a few months ago. Slap bang in Seef to commuting is dead easy. Martin, my driver of old, was a welcome face as well. He is a good lad.

Tuesday October 20^th

3 meetings today plus the BBBF luncheon. I am also having dinner with our partner company, Elite Recruitment based in Tubli. These meetings are a mix of new business and existing client visits and with our new initiatives in the region, they all should go well. The BBBF networking luncheon at the Golden Tulip is always fun, this will be my third one, probably more than some of the local members have been to! It was great to walk in, on my own, and be greeting with welcome faces and lots of hand shaking. I am beginning to be accepted here and this is the first step to establishing some good business relationships. I even had business people coming up to me saying they knew I was coming and wanted to say hello! Fantastic! I arranged to meet some current clients there also, it was great that some managed to turn up, it was also nice to know that they were there specifically to meet me. BBBF lunches are always good, the food is great and the company is top notch. I am hoping to be an associate member, time will tell……..

Wednesday October 21^st

Well, I never made it to dinner last night. In hindsight arranging to go for a Kerala curry a few hours after a 5 course BBBF lunch was not the greatest idea. However, I did go to Elite’s offices and then to Sherlocks for some beers with them. Yazied and Ranjeeta are great people, very driven but down to earth with it. I cannot believe how fast Ranjeeta drives but that’s a different story. I am sure this is the start of a great relationship between m2r and Elite.

Today 7 meetings are arranged. Due to some ‘technical hitches’ I arranged for Elite to attend a couple of these meetings which they did. I spent the day with one of the Bahraini trading companies that I work for. I was introduced to some very influential people. Several projects were discussed and they appreciated my refreshing approach. Looking forward to working with / for them. The evening was spent in the British club, lovely place with cheap beer. Just what you want after a hard days work.

Thursday October 22^nd

Final day before the weekend. (Today is Friday, no Thursday but it feels like Friday etc etc). Another 6 meetings today. 1 of them is with a client who has flown specially from Qatar to see me, this is a tremendous honour. All go really well. I was very impressed with the fish at Chico’s in Adliya, the cigars were very good too. I never realised that Castro himself used to go there. However not being used to smoking fat cigars, I did think my head was going to fall off after a while. All in all it has been a profitable if extremely tiring trip. I can look forward to an evening off followed by a relaxing day before the red eye back to Heathrow.

Friday October 23^rd

Had a good night with Yazied last night, saw a typical Arabian bar, gets me set for Saudi in March! Today, being Friday (Saturday, Friday, you get the gist) I am doing nothing. A bit of shopping followed by spending the afternoon at my mate’s villa in Janusan. It is important that I see a local expat villa as how UK recruitment companies can offer an expatriation service without seeing firsthand the type of accommodation you can live in beats me. If you remember, on my last trip, I actually stayed in an apartment as opposed to a hotel for the same reason. Another USP me thinks…..

So goodbye Bahrain / UAE until March 2010 at least.

Good trip?

Well……

·         30 meetings.

·         Vacancies ranging from CEO to Accounts Assistant.

·         Reputation increased / cemented.

·         Partner company met, vetted and relationship being built.

So yes, all in all, a great trip.

 

 

I can’t stay away….

So, on the 16th October I return to Dubai for 2 days and then onto Bahrain for 5. As part of the Gateway to Global Growth Programme I am flying BA Club World FOC! Well, it is not as if I am going on holiday….

The usual diary will be up and running, I wonder what the latest Bahraini fad will be. 150 varieties of banana? 207 species of cat? The mind boggles.

Looking forward to meeting our clients in Dubai, I have not been for 12 months, a lot has happened in Dubai during this time. I am sure I don’t have to go into detail on this one. I will get to spend some time with my first overseas Consultant, Kelly. She is doing a sterling job.

So, if anyone wants to meet me between the 16th and 23rd October in Dubai or Bahrain, get in touch!

Getting tired now. 34 meetings in 5 days takes it’s toll on you.

Still, another day, does lots more business, got another 10 vacancies and flying the m2r flag proud and high.

Could do with a long sleep, may have to wait til the flight home for that though.

Off for a mango feast tonight. Only joking. They have run out.

A scorcher today.

Met with existing clients who are very happy with the service we are providing, it seems that we can provide a better service from the UK than that of the local recruiters. Great for us!

Great new biz appointment with an up and coming company with huge aspirations. We have been tasked with filling 3 C Level roles, looking forward to this one.

Out for dinner with a client tonight, had lunch with one today, it is great when you are appreciated.

Oh, and we have just been shortlisted for an award for ‘International Business of the Year’ too!!

A good day all round. 5 concrete vacancies, good solid roles with the potential of loads loads more.
Saw the various Sheikh’s residences, yes, they know how to live.
Still very windy so still covered in sand. Saw two guys on horseback being chased by a dog. Very surreal.
We will be coming back to the UK with business, increased profile and reputation and the knowledge that our service levels will be greatly appreciated by Bahraini companies. Can’t be bad.
Still being inundated with mangos. Is this the staple diet? Mango curries, mango cakes, just waiting for the mango pizza.
Until tomorrow.

So, we are back to working for a living.

It is blowing a gale here. Sand clouds everywhere. Lovely.

We have had a profitable first day, 8 meetings, 8 vacancies from 3 clients and a very good discussion with our potential new Consultant who will operate from Bahrain.

We may also have a link to royalty here, fingers crossed!

Being woken up at half 1 by bin men outside wasn’t great but it isn’t the end of the world. Feta cheese and mint leaves on toast was a different was to start the day but it was actually very welcome….

One day done, great start to the week. another 8 meetings tomorrow, more of the same please!!!

Oh and well done Diversity. (Had to get that in).

It is boiling. Not UK boiling, melt the skin off your face boiling. Ah well, better than the sand storm we had last time!
Flight was good, Emirates are a great airline.
We are staying in Seef, not in a hotel but in an appartment. After all, if we are to advise UK citizens about what it is like to live in Bahrain, we may as well experience ‘normal living’ also.
Been to the Lulu Hypermarket, 101 varieties of mango! I had no idea that the mango gene pool was so diverse.
Food is really cheap. Did a weeks shop for 2 of us and it came to a tenner. You name it, you can get it. Bigger, better and cheaper than at home. Coupled with the service - wow!
Going to watch the FA Cup final at Champs Bar soon, then 5 days of work. Well, that is what we are here for.
32 appointments, only 4 with existing clients. Even the most pessimistic would expect a result here.
So, I will check in again tomorrow, probably still boiling but loving it!!!

If you were to speak to 9 out of 10 recruiters they would paint a very bleak picture about jobs in the Gulf. You would be told to stay put, no one is recruiting, jump off the Burj etc etc. Now, this is not entirely true. Admittedly there has been a massive recruitment downturn and jobs are harder to come by, but all this means is that companies will only hire exceptional applicants instead of maybe ‘taking a flier’. For you, the exceptional applicant, this will come a good news as the number of exceptional applicants is greatly overshadowed by the FILTH (Failed in London, tried Hong Kong) in the Gulf.

The Gulf will become a much more professional place, all the wannabees, pseudo business execs will all go back to Surrey leaving the professionals to get on with their jobs.

We are currently handling executive roles in Bahrain, Saudi and the UAE and I see vacancies at this level in the rest of the GCC also. Key areas are still finance, IT and construction. Hospitality has taken a battering but we still have senior roles in this market, media is suffering but again, we have some vacancies. You just have to look for them!

We have candidates who have 5 interviews with 5 different companies arranges, companies are still expatriating and recruiting locally but they are just more cautious. Basically, if you are a blagger, don’t bother. If you are honest, professional and legitimate, you will get a job.

This market is an excuse for the lazy to become lazier. The energetic and proactive will thrive which can only be a benefit for us all. So, don’t give up after the ninth recruiter fobs you off as the tenth will probably be the one…

(http://www.tradeyorkshire.com/spotlight/wakefield.htm)
Recruiting in Wakefield for Dubai and Australia

A Wakefield company is opening doors to career opportunities overseas for British sales and management personnel.

M2R opened its doors in 2001 and quickly became a driving force in the local, then national, recruitment scene.

Founder and managing director, Munir Mamujee said: “At M2R we have never been just about numbers, but have always focused on the quality of the services we offer to both the job candidates and the clients. Candidates need to be handled sensitively and the clients need to avoid the barrage of CVs and inappropriate candidates they can often be up against when advertising a post.

“We try to save clients as much time as possible in the recruitment process, by quickly narrowing down the selection and making sure they only see the most promising candidates for the post. With ten years of recruitment experience and another five in media sales, I have been able to build up business with local SMEs as well as major blue chip clients.”

With his knowledge and passion for the market, it wasn’t long before Mamujee began looking further afield for business opportunities. It was on a holiday trip to Dubai that he first became aware of the business potential in the large ex-pat employment market there. Mamujee wasted no time in following this up with a series of cold calls to Middle East based companies.

After making contact with one of the largest publishing houses in the Middle East, Mamujee worked with UK Trade & Investment (UKTI) to explore the range of export services available that would help him take his plans further.

Mamujee explained: “I had talks with UKTI’s international trade adviser, Brian Aungiers, and joined the Passport to Export programme. This gave me a lot of valuable general tips about doing business overseas and introduced me to some of the services that could help me take things forward. The funding from the Passport programme got me out to Dubai on my first market visit and, with Brian’s direct line to the UKTI team based there, I met Sunita Mirchandani at the Embassy who gave me a lot of on-the-ground information about developing my business in the Emirates.”

On his return to the UK, Mamujee further examined the possibilities for his business not only in the Middle East, but also in Australia and New Zealand, through the Export Marketing Research Scheme (EMRS). EMRS offers advice and funding to small and medium businesses to research specific export markets.

Mamujee added: “The Passport programme, together with the EMRS results, gave me the confidence to go out to Dubai again in October last year and really do business. This time Brian was able to direct me towards funding from the Yorkshire Forward programme, the Targeted Export Support Scheme (TESS) to make the trip, and with his help and Sunita’s I already had a series of meetings in place when I arrived so I could hit the ground running. It was during this trip that I firmed up some business partnerships that are now fully operational. Our company is now able to offer a range of sales and management positions in Dubai.”

Mamujee didn’t stop there. Armed with market information from the EMRS project he quickly cemented a business partnership for M2R Global in Australia, which means he has now added job opportunities in Melbourne and Sydney to his portfolio.

Naturally, a trade mission to Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, which took place in February, was an opportunity that Mamujee was not going to miss. Led by Brian Aungiers, the trip gave 20 Yorkshire and Humber companies a chance to explore business opportunities in the Middle East.

Says Aungiers: “There’s no doubt that we are going through a difficult economic phase globally but M2R proves that there are still business opportunities out there for companies if they are prepared to do the work. UK Trade & Investment services, such as the Middle East trade mission, are helping companies take some of the first steps in developing an international business profile. We had companies from all sectors joining us on the Saudi trade mission and I’m sure that all of them will have got something positive out of the trip in terms of their business growth.”

Website: www.m2r.co.uk