DAFZA and LinkedIn join hands to enhance national professional networking and recruiting opportunities

UAE - January 17, 2016- The Dubai Airport Freezone Authority (DAFZA) and LinkedIn, the world’s largest professional network on the internet, officially formed an alliance to strategically collaborate on Human Capital and Sales & marketing endeavors.

The move was announced during a special meeting that took place at DAFZA headquarters in the presence of Amna Lootah, Assistant Director General for Finance and Commercial at DAFZA, and Rajai El Khadem, Head of Public Sector at LinkedIn MENA.

This alliance will enable professionals working at DAFZA to expand DAFZA’s awareness, reach and employer brand on LinkedIn as well as access knowledge, information & insights from the world’s largest professional network. Further, this LinkedIn platform will be a good enabler for potential investors around the globe to easily connect with and access DAFZA and its key stakeholders as well as attract professionals and talent from various industries to the Freezone.

For its part, DAFZA will leverage its affiliation with LinkedIn to attract the best talents to the Freezone, actively engage investors and entrepreneurs interested in DAFZA’s potential as a business destination, and further build DAFZA as a globally reputable employer brand. 

DAFZA’s Human Capital Team will be able to access and directly connect with 400 million professional members of LinkedIn worldwide, 17 million of whom are from the Middle East. This alliance thus marks a major milestone in DAFZA’s ongoing efforts to strengthen and promote its digital presence in line with the country’s smart transformation initiatives.

Amna Lootah, said: “this alliance with LinkedIn is an excellent opportunity for us to further extend DAFZA’s thought leadership in the labor market as well as our contributions to the UAE’s economic development. It also reflects DAFZA’s full commitment to cementing its global stature as an employer of choice and the base of some of the region’s best talents and industry names, which will be reflected on DAFZA’s LinkedIn page, along with its relation with the business community of investors and companies. We will work closely with LinkedIn to ensure the successful application of best digital practices, which in turn will help in achieving the objectives of this cooperation.”

Rajai El Khadem, Head of Public Sector at LinkedIn MENA, said: “DAFZA, as one of the key freezone offerings that differentiates Dubai as a business-friendly hub, will realise immense benefit from a strong employer brand and an investor-friendly engagement tone on LinkedIn. Professionals now value an employer’s and partner’s brand more than ever, and a strategic investment in establishing the right presence will only bring business value to DAFZA.” 

To solidify this alliance, Workshops will also be organized under DAFZA Business Lab (D-Lab) to educate the Freezone’s clients on how to grow their businesses through social media and through LinkedIn’s support in particular. The sessions will share the latest social media best practices, trends and insights. SOCIALEYEZ, DAFZA’s digital engagement agency, will help organize the workshops for companies operating at DAFZA in cooperation with LinkedIn and other industry leaders. Among the workshop themes being considered are Social Selling, Social Media Reputation Management, Social Media Crisis Management, and Employee Advocacy.