Championing Emirati talent: du wins Ministry of Economy Award for The Emiratis in the Accounting, Auditing and Financial Management professions

du recognised as a pioneer in training and qualifying Emirati nationals in the profession, either for employees or the community

Dubai, UAE, 29 September 2016:  The Ministry of Economy recognised du as a pioneer in training and qualifying Emirati nationals in the profession, either for employees or the community with an award for The Emiratis in the Accounting, Auditing and Financial Management professions. du representatives, Amer Kazim, Chief Financial Officer, and Mohamad AlSaabri, Senior Director for National Development, received the award on behalf of the company at an awards ceremony held at Jumeirah Creekside Hotel in Dubai. 

“As an Emirati company, we’ve always believed that one of our foremost responsibilities is towards our country’s citizens. Receiving recognition from the UAE Ministry of Economy for helping Emirati talent develop and grow to become real contributors to the UAE’s knowledge economy vision, is an incredible honour. It spurs us to amplify our efforts and continue to enhance our Emiratisation strategies and inspire a nation of tomorrow’s leaders,” said Amer Kazim.

Over the past year, du has placed a stronger emphasis on the retention of Emirati talent by focusing on their growth and development within the business. The outstanding development and retention effort by the company has resulted in a significant reduction in the attrition rate from 18% in 2013 to less than 8% in 2015. du has taken various steps to ensure that it attracts and develops Emirati talent in the invigorating world of Information and Communications Technology. du is investing in Emirati talent across a number of divisions, including finance, to not only benefit the business, but the whole community by inspiring leaders. 

Currently, around a third of all du employees are Emirati nationals in various departments. There are 38 National employees in the Finance and Internal Audit department alone, and this number will grow through the various initiatives du implements to encourage nationals to enter the workplace. These initiatives include the Sponsorship Programme, Graduate Trainee Programme, Career Development Programme and Finance Qualification. Supporting these initiatives is du’s Chief Financial Officer, Amer Kazim, who is a UAE National himself. 

“Being a proud citizen of the United Arab Emirates, I have seen this country develop into the great nation it is today under the auspice of our esteemed leadership. Every day I am inspired by the people I meet, and in turn, I believe that as an Emirati business, it is a collective responsibility of all at du to contribute to the development of our people, community and nation as a whole,” Kazim added. 

“du’s Sponsorship program offers UAE students a chance to earn as they learn to focus on their career path, and benefit from interesting opportunities with du. The main objective for the company is to encourage UAE nationals to make the most of an exciting and dynamic career at du, and make a difference to the future of the nation. The Graduate Trainee program extends to the finance department where the team always welcomes national graduates from universities and colleagues throughout the country. In addition, du participate actively in Career Fairs across the Emirates and in Universities & Colleges Career days.  In terms of career development, du supports the progress of Emiratis in Finance Department and offers training and development to enhance performance and prepare them for higher-level positions within the company”, Mohamad AlSaabri added.