Recruitment of a CFO for a large Privately Owned Group in Dubai during COVID-19

The Brief

Ash Kohli, CEO of HCP Automotive, was approached by the Chairman of a large privately owned group in Dubai to recruit a Chief Financial Officer (CFO) for the group’s corporate head office. The CFO would be responsible for the group’s overall financial management across its diverse range of industries, including automotive, hospitality, retail, real estate, and manufacturing. The COVID-19 pandemic had made finding suitable candidates for the high-level position even more challenging, with many companies freezing their hiring.

Our Solution

At HCP, we tailored a recruitment solution to meet the client’s specific needs. We leveraged our extensive network of contacts and candidates to identify potential candidates for the role. We also made use of virtual meetings and video conferencing tools to interview candidates remotely, given the pandemic’s travel restrictions.

Our team worked closely with the client to understand their requirements and cultural fit. We identified candidates with relevant experience and a track record of success in financial management, with particular emphasis on those who had worked in multicultural environments and demonstrated the ability to work effectively in a global organisation.

Outcome

After an extensive search and selection process, we presented a shortlist of highly qualified candidates to the client. The Chairman was impressed with the quality of the candidates and the level of service provided by us, particularly given the challenging circumstances caused by the pandemic.

The client successfully appointed a CFO with extensive experience and expertise, bringing a valuable contribution to the group’s financial management. Our recruitment solution demonstrated our ability to navigate the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic and provide a high-quality service to our clients.

Furthermore, in March 2023, the board requested that we source a Managing Director for their automotive division, demonstrating their confidence in our recruitment services.