Organised independently by the CIPD, the Awards recognise individuals, teams and organisations across the MENA region for their outstanding achievements in people management and development.  Eighteen months into the pandemic, this year’s awards are the first to review and recognise initiatives that were implemented since COVID-19 disrupted the way in which we live and work. 

“Since the pandemic started, every organisation around the world had to rethink their ways of working, reshape their culture and manage uncertainty. Yet, despite very challenging circumstances, this year’s finalists told inspiring stories of resilience, innovation and leadership – and we look forward to celebrating the region’s achievements”, comments Ramy Bayyour, Regional Director for the Middle East at CIPD.

Judged by a panel of senior regional HR professionals and CIPD global experts, the Awards span across ten categories. Sifting through nearly a hundred nominations, the judges were looking for entries that demonstrated high people impact, alignment with the business, innovation and a holistic approach that puts people first. 

The finalists are:

BEST RECRUITMENT & TALENT MANAGEMENT STRATEGY 

• Mobily
• Atlantis Dubai
• Bupa Arabia

BEST DIGITAL INNOVATION IN HR

• Jumeirah Group
• Dubai Customs
• Petroleum Development Oman (PDO)

EMPLOYER OF CHOICE 

• ADNOC
• Dar Al Riyadh 
• Bupa Arabia 
• Savola Group

BEST HEALTH & WELLBEING

• Mashreq
• Organon
• King Abdullah University for Science & Technology (KAUST)

BEST COACHING & MENTORING INITIATIVE 

• EFS
• Clyde & Co
• FedEx Express

BEST EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT INITIATIVE

• ADNEC
• Jumeirah Group
• Bupa Arabia
• Ramboll

MOST IMPACTFUL DIVERSITY & INCLUSION INITIATIVE 

• WSP
• FedEx Express

HR / L&D TEAM OF THE YEAR 

• ADNOC
• Dar Al Riyadh 
• Saudi Ground Services (SGS)
• DP World

BEST L&D PROGRAMME

• ADNOC, for its Digital Fit Workforce Programme
• Saudi Telecom Company (STC), for its Digital Leadership for Managers (DLM) Programme
• PDO, for its “Re-imagining L&D”

HR RISING STAR OF THE YEAR

• Lorna King, Specialist – Talent Acquisition Excellence, ADNOC 
• Ahmad Obaid Ajil AlSuwaidi, HR Specialist, Dubai Customs 
• Presley Rosario Anthony Rebello, Head of HR, Infinios Financial Services, Bahrain

OUTSTANDING STUDENT OF THE YEAR 

• Faisal Ahmad Alrefaie Aljohani, Director of Planning & L&D, Governorate of Madinah Region 
• Amal Abdulgader Alshalet, Head of Training Programs Department, Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development (KSA)
• Jasem Abul, VP Human Resources and Administration Affairs, National Investments Company

Winners will be announced at the virtual Awards Ceremony on 28 October 2021. The ceremony is free and open to all. Please click here to register.

For further inquiries, please contact events@cipd.ae.