The HR & CQ Show

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of The HR & CQ Show, we’re continuing the conversation from our  HR & CQ Breakfast Bites event and responding to one of the key questions raised by the audience: How do we get wellbeing taken seriously by the C-suite? Wellbeing is often dismissed as the “nice to have” part of HR, fruit bowls, yoga sessions, and one-off initiatives. But in reality, wellbeing...

Send us Fan Mail In this special episode of The HR & CQ Show, recorded live at our HR & CQ Summit 2026, we’re joined by Andrew Stotter-Brooks, Global Learning & Development Director at TGI Fridays. Together, we explore what it really takes to lead, perform, and build high-impact teams in today’s increasingly complex world  and why the real competitive edge isn’t technology… it’s people...

Send us Fan Mail What actually shapes culture inside an organisation? And why does everything seem to shift when leadership changes? In this episode of The HR & CQ Show, we unpack one of the most relevant challenges facing organisations in the UAE today — navigating cross-cultural teams. Drawing on real questions from our HR & CQ Breakfast Bites events, we explore:  Why individual cultural...

Send us Fan Mail End-of-service benefits (gratuity) continue to be one of the most frequently asked questions at our HR & CQ Breakfast Bites and Summit events, so in this episode, we’re unpacking it properly. Sarah, our employment law expert, breaks down: What UAE law actually says about gratuity (mainland, free zones, DIFC & ADGM) What counts as final settlement vs. end-of-service benefit...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of The HR & CQ Show, Emma Jordaan and Sarah Brooks are joined by Niall Hughes, Talent Acquisition Director at KEO International, for an in-depth conversation on hiring, retaining, and managing talent in one of the world’s most culturally diverse regions. Recorded at Ru'ya 25, Dubai World Trade Center, this episode explores the realities of talent acquisiti...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of The HR & CQ Show , recorded live at Ru’ya 2025 at Dubai World Trade Centre, Emma and Sarah sit down with Nashfi Qureshi , Director of Marketing at Bayt.com , the Middle East’s largest job platform. With more than 25 years in the region, Bayt.com has transformed how organisations hire and how job seekers navigate the market. Nashfi gives us a behind-the-scene...

Send us Fan Mail In this special year-end episode, Emma and Sarah look back at the most defining HR and Cultural Intelligence moments of 2025 — and unpack what these shifts mean for organisations across the UAE and wider GCC in 2026. From the continued rise of Emiratisation to the rapid influx of new talent into Dubai, HR teams have navigated one of the most dynamic years yet. Add to this the acce...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of The HR & CQ Show, hosts Emma Jordaan and Sarah Brooks sit down with Umnia Ahmed, Emiratisation Director at Chalhoub Group, the region’s leading luxury retail group with over 16,000 employees from 120 nationalities. Umnia shares Chalhoub’s remarkable 20-year Emiratisation journey, exploring how the organisation views national talent not as a quota, but as a s...

Send us Fan Mail  In this episode of The HR & CQ Show , Emma Jordaan and Sarah Brooks dive into the hidden challenges of international assignments in Dubai and beyond. With nearly 40% of relocations failing—and 70% of those due to family members not settling in—the conversation explores the real costs for organisations and the human impact on assignees and their loved ones. From cultural onboa...

Send us Fan Mail Dubai is seeing an unprecedented influx of newcomers – around 1,000 people arriving every single day. With the government’s ambitious 2040 Master Urban Plan aiming to nearly double the population, the job market is more competitive than ever. In this episode of The HR & CQ Show , Sarah Brooks and Emma Jordaan dive into the realities of job hunting in Dubai. From cultural dynam...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of The HR & CQ Show , Emma Jordaan and Sarah Brooks delve into the timely topic of Emiratisation , the UAE’s national initiative to increase the participation of Emiratis in the private sector. Joined by special guest Shazia Bharuchi , a British career coach working closely with Emiratis, the trio explore the real-world challenges Emiratis face when stepping in...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, we sit down with Charlotte Stebbing-Mills (Co-Founder of The Wellness Theory ) and Sam Harvey (Founder and MD of Braver Leaders ) to explore the real meaning of leadership and wellbeing in today’s multicultural workplace. We tackle: The rise (and risks) of well-washing Why burnout isn’t just for entrepreneurs The difference between being a manager and being a lead...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of The HR & CQ Show , we sit down with Carmen Rendy and Alex Stanchu, co-founders of Divergent Line HR Consultants , to unpack their bold move from corporate HR to entrepreneurship — and the innovation they’ve brought with them. Together, we dive deep into: Why traditional performance management systems are broken — and what needs to change How their tool RED (...

Send us Fan Mail In this special episode of The HR & CQ Show , we’re joined by none other than Dr. David Livermore , global thought leader on Cultural Intelligence (CQ), author, and  Director of CQ Fellows.  Together, we dive into what the future of work looks like in one of the world’s most diverse and dynamic business hubs,  Dubai .  Whether you're an HR professional, business leader, o...

Send us Fan Mail This episode was brought to you by Sarah Brooks and Emma Jordaan Sarah Brooks is a CIPD-qualified HR professional and the Founder and Managing Director of Fikrah HR, a UAE-based consultancy specialising in strategic talent management, organisational development, and positive workplace cultures. With nearly three decades of HR and business experience across the UK and GCC, she supp...

Send us Fan Mail This episode was brought to you by Sarah Brooks and Emma Jordaan Sarah Brooks is a CIPD-qualified HR professional and the Founder and Managing Director of Fikrah HR, a UAE-based consultancy specialising in strategic talent management, organisational development, and positive workplace cultures. With nearly three decades of HR and business experience across the UK and GCC, she supp...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, Sarah Brooks MCIPD and Emma Jordaan explore the ins and outs of onboarding in Dubai, including:  ✅ Educating new hires about company culture.  🌏 Embracing diversity beyond Emirati culture.  🤝 Navigating cultural differences in the workplace.  📋 Simplifying the visa process for international employees.  🔄 Onboarding internal transfers.  📉 Why 40% of internati...

Send us Fan Mail This episode was brought to you by Sarah Brooks and Emma Jordaan Sarah Brooks is a CIPD-qualified HR professional and the Founder and Managing Director of Fikrah HR, a UAE-based consultancy specialising in strategic talent management, organisational development, and positive workplace cultures. With nearly three decades of HR and business experience across the UK and GCC, she supp...

Send us Fan Mail This episode was brought to you by Sarah Brooks and Emma Jordaan Sarah Brooks is a CIPD-qualified HR professional and the Founder and Managing Director of Fikrah HR, a UAE-based consultancy specialising in strategic talent management, organisational development, and positive workplace cultures. With nearly three decades of HR and business experience across the UK and GCC, she supp...

Send us Fan Mail This episode was brought to you by Sarah Brooks and Emma Jordaan Sarah Brooks is a CIPD-qualified HR professional and the Founder and Managing Director of Fikrah HR, a UAE-based consultancy specialising in strategic talent management, organisational development, and positive workplace cultures. With nearly three decades of HR and business experience across the UK and GCC, she supp...