Dubai’s Emaar removes all job titles, with Alabbar also dropping his title of chairman

Dubai developer Emaar is suspending the use of all job titles across the company as part of measures aimed at focusing on ‘talent not titles’, the company’s founder Mohamed Alabbar has said.

In an internal memo sent to company employees seen by Gulf Business, Alabbar – who signed off the note with just his name, omitting the chairman title – said the pandemic had forced the company to pause and re-assess at its business strategy.

“When you reach the end of this email, you will notice something different. I have no job title. And from this moment onwards, nor do you,” he wrote.
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“The recent pandemic has forced us to pause and reflect on every aspect of our business. The products we produce, the systems we use, the people we employ – and most importantly, the culture we create. The challenges we face now will be greater than ever, which is why I now want us to focus on talent, not titles.”

While confirming that structures are needed, Alabbar said new business cards issued to employees will simply state their name with the department.

“For Emaar to continue to succeed, it is vital that every single one of our employees feels empowered to contribute,” the memo read.

“I want to ensure that this propulsion to move outside of our comfort zone, is ingrained in our culture. Our values and our DNA reflect our commitment to enrich the lives of people by winning together, by taking bold actions and complete ownership and by displaying speed in execution.”

It added: “Emaar is not a collection of talented individuals, but a team of great pooled talent. Today, I am announcing what is the smallest change that will have the biggest impact for generations to come.”

Dubai-listed Emaar, one of the world’s largest real estate companies, has taken bold measures to deal with the pandemic.

In April, it implemented a new salary structure, with Alabbar personally taking a 100 per cent salary cut.

Read: Dubai’s Emaar chairman takes 100% salary cut, assures employees ‘this too shall pass’

Speaking last month after Emaar’s annual general meeting, Alabbar said the company showed “significant resilience” during the crisis.

“We in Emaar took several strict measures and procedures that enabled us to ensure the continuity of our business. These included reducing the operating costs, restructuring some of our activities in line with our future vision that revolves around promoting the adoption of digital systems, with a view to maintaining the required level of cash liquidity,” Alabbar said.

“We are working diligently to complete all our projects for delivery within the timeframes originally specified.

“The current conditions in the market are likely to improve and we are optimistic about where the conditions will take us in the short term. However, we must at the same time keep an open eye on the markets, deal with it with extreme caution to avoid being in unfavorable situations, and to be well prepared for the future,” he added.