As HR leaders in the UAE and across the MENA region grapple with rapid technological shifts, regulatory complexity, and evolving workforce expectations, the role of HR has never been more strategically significant. For Vivek Arora, managing director of the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) Middle East & North Africa, the challenge lies in balancing innovation with the human core of the workplace.

“We live in unprecedented times in terms of the pace of evolution of technologies and their impact on the workplace,” Arora said. “HR leaders are experiencing a tension between accelerating GenAI and keeping humans at the center through investing in people, leadership, and manager development, culture, and strategic workforce planning.”

This dual challenge—embracing transformation while safeguarding culture and human intelligence—will form a central theme at the SHRM MENA Annual Conference & Expo 2025 in Dubai.

Emiratisation: from compliance to talent pipelines

In the UAE, Emiratisation continues to reshape workforce strategies. Organisations are expected not only to meet national employment targets but to integrate Emirati talent into meaningful career pathways.

“The balance lies in building skills taxonomies and mapping roles where expats can add value and bring in expertise and skills that are not prevalent in the market, and where Emirati talent can be fast-tracked via internships, mentorship, structured knowledge transfer programmes, rotations, and specialty credentials, while measuring progress regularly,” said Arora.

He cautioned against reducing Emiratisation to “a quota compliance exercise,” instead encouraging firms to build deliberate skills strategies that create complementary capabilities between local and expatriate workforces.

Well-being and the employee experience

Workforce well-being is now firmly on the strategic agenda. According to Arora, regional organisations are experimenting with a wide range of benefits beyond the statutory minimum.

“What we mostly see in focus are flexi hours, discretionary time off, employee recognition programmes, family extended well-being benefits, mental health support, gym memberships, and comprehensive cafeteria-style employee experience platforms augmented by AI,” he said.

The results are telling: “All the organisations administering such programmes report significant improvements to their employees’ overall satisfaction, engagement, and retention in the higher double digits.”

Arora added that HR professionals should share best practices more actively, leveraging regional HR networks to accelerate progress in this critical area.

AI and emerging HR technologies

While AI is already reshaping recruitment and analytics, Arora emphasised that its impact on HR will expand dramatically over the coming years.

“AI use in our region is maturing from the use of LLMs as easy-to-communicate-with assistants through NLP to leveraging GenAI for co-creating solutions to address different HR and organisational requirements to Agentic AI and the automation of entire cycles of work through RPA,” he explained.

Arora also sees strong potential in AI integrations with AR and VR to create adaptive, personalised onboarding and training experiences. “It is very important to look for synergies and explore integration with other technologies,” he noted.

The upcoming SHRM MENA Conference’s HR Tech Expo will spotlight precisely these innovations, offering HR leaders practical demonstrations of region-ready solutions.

Asked for examples of leading practice, Arora highlighted Dubai Police’s pioneering approach.

“They have leveraged technology to design multi-track UAE National programmes aligned to Emiratisation and long-term career mobility focused on future skills readiness, organisational and job architecture suitability, and fresh potential talent engagement,” he said.

The initiative integrates cutting-edge training, scholarship opportunities, and a world-class employee value proposition that aligns closely with community values.

The digital nomad effect

The UAE’s proactive visa policies and infrastructure are attracting digital nomads in increasing numbers, adding a new dimension to HR policy.

“With the advent of new technologies, the solid infrastructure, and the regulations the country has put in place to regulate telecommuting and gig work, it is now more attractive than ever for digital nomads to be weaved into the fabric of the UAE workforce,” said Arora.

But he acknowledged that rigid employment policies could hinder HR from fully tapping into this talent pool. “This is probably the biggest barrier that might limit HR’s capability from possibly employing the ‘best talents’ that come from this background,” he said.

Building culture in distributed teams

Remote and hybrid models demand new management approaches. Arora stressed that HR must play a central role in cultivating inclusivity and performance in geographically dispersed teams.

“It is critical to steer away from traditional clock-in/clock-out working models and start measuring output, as opposed to presence, and use people analytics to monitor workload, fairness, and growth access across locations,” he said.

Leadership and managerial development, he added, will be the differentiator for organisations that succeed in embedding inclusivity at scale.

Compliance and regulation

For HR leaders, adapting to flexible work models also brings regulatory challenges. The UAE has already codified multiple models of work under Federal Decree-Law 33/2021, but organisations must remain vigilant.

“HR professionals must keep abreast of all regulatory and legislative changes and updates from UAE government agencies concerning any changes in the compliance landscape,” Arora advised. He pointed to the need to track tax, social security, and permanent-establishment risks for cross-border telework arrangements.

SHRM’s role, he added, is to keep professionals updated through newsletters and events, while encouraging them to seek legal guidance where required.

Long-term workforce planning

The rise of digital nomadism is reshaping workforce planning across the MENA region. For Arora, HR must anticipate a blended workforce model combining a core employed population with a flexible “cloud” of specialists.

“Organisational culture and values will become more challenging to control; therefore, it is crucial that both HR and the organisational leadership double down on organisational values, coaching for managers, and promoting transparent and controlled work paths so the organisational culture can scale across borders,” he said.

At the same time, this shift could fuel regional innovation and strengthen global partnership networks.

The future of HR events

Arora also reflected on how HR platforms themselves must evolve. “As the employment shift continues and work models continue to evolve, focus must shift in tandem towards promoting skills taxonomies tracking, evolving internal talents and complementing them with digital nomads, and integrating AI in all aspects of HR and digital/organisational transformation,” he said.

He also called for stronger collaboration between event organisers and government agencies to expand regulatory awareness, alongside skill-based workshops and mental health interventions tailored for the region.

“This is precisely why the SHRM MENA Annual Conference & Expo serves as such a pivotal gathering—offering HR professionals not just global perspectives, but actionable, region-specific insights to navigate hybrid and location-independent workforce models.”

Ultimately, Arora believes the future of HR in the MENA region lies in striking the right balance between embracing disruptive technologies and keeping people at the heart of decision-making.

“Balancing AI with human oversight is a firm belief for SHRM that manifests in how the organisation quantifies the ROI formula to include HI—Human Intelligence and Ingenuity,” he said.

As the region’s first and largest low-cost carrier (LCC), Air Arabia has played a defining role in transforming travel across the Middle East and beyond.

In this conversation with Gulf Business, group CEO Adel Al Ali shares insights on the airline’s journey, strategy and future plans.

Air Arabia has set a benchmark as the MENA region’s first and largest LCC. Tell us about this journey since its 2003 launch — the successes, growth, and transformation.

It’s been a great journey, and overall, we’re very happy. Of course, like any journey, there were some bumps along the way. But we take pride in how Air Arabia has changed the way people travel in this region.

The airline has made flying more accessible and helped grow tourism and trade. We’ve connected families, created jobs, and transformed travel into something that’s for everyone — not just the wealthy.

How has Air Arabia adapted to evolving travel trends and consumer perceptions?

People and businesses have changed in the last 20 years, driven by technology and global exposure. Travel became something people wanted to do repeatedly. We provided the platform to enable that.

When we started, many people didn’t even understand what a low-cost airline was. Today, it’s become second nature. We gave people choices, and we went beyond capital cities to secondary airports, making travel more personal and accessible.

Over time, we’ve helped people understand the aviation industry, not just as passengers but as informed stakeholders. The more people understood, the more they travelled — and we grew together.

What are three key milestones that shaped Air Arabia into the success it is today?

First, the business model itself — bringing the low-cost, value-for-money airline concept to the region. That alone changed the game.

Second, overcoming perceptions. Initially, low-cost meant low-quality or unsafe to many in this region. But we proved that safety and service were paramount. Once passengers experienced the product, they saw that it was among the best economy offerings out there.

Third, going public. We were the first airline in the Arab world to list. That connected our customers to the business — they became shareholders. It built loyalty and transparency.

We’ve also weathered geopolitical disruptions and crises such as the Covid-19 pandemic. Looking back, these challenges made us stronger and more agile.

How has technology played a role in shaping operations and customer experience?

Massively. Operationally, tech helps us fly better, manage fuel, and run multiple hubs remotely. We can operate out of Morocco, Egypt, Pakistan, and the UAE from one central team.

On the customer side, it’s been a total shift. In 2003, just 10–12 per cent of bookings were online. Today, most customers book through mobile, engage with us digitally, and only appear physically at the boarding gate. Ticketless travel was once unheard of — now it’s standard.

AI, real-time data, contact centers replacing call centres — it’s all enabled faster service and deeper customer knowledge. Tech is now a top-three cost after aircraft and fuel, and it’s an investment we’ll continue to make.

With sustainability top of mind, how is Air Arabia approaching sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) and greener operations?

Technology allows us to monitor efficiency, including fuel burn and engine performance. We continuously work on reducing environmental impact — newer engines, smarter flight paths and SAF initiatives. Sustainability and efficiency go hand in hand, and we’re fully committed to both.

Air Arabia is known for its consistent growth—new hubs, underserved routes and fleet expansion. What’s the thinking behind this strategy?

Our strategy is demand-driven. We go where there’s a need — whether that’s connecting families, supporting trade, or unlocking tourism. Before us, most airlines only served capital cities. We started flying to smaller airports — Alexandria and Upper Egypt, not just Cairo; smaller cities in Pakistan, not just Karachi; and regional destinations in Central Asia.

We build markets. We started flying to Poland just two years ago, and we’re already expanding to three airports there. Sometimes other airlines follow us into those markets — and that’s healthy. It stimulates demand and grows the industry.

What challenges do you see shaping the aviation sector today, and how are you navigating them?

Challenges never go away —they just evolve. Post-Covid, supply chain issues like delays in aircraft and spares have been tough. Our region’s climate — dusty and hot — affects engine performance.

Oil prices remain a cost factor, but we hedge fuel purchases, so we manage it. Currency volatility, regulatory hurdles across different jurisdictions, strikes in various markets — these are part of the reality. You have to stay agile and adaptable.

During Covid, we shifted resources to Morocco when Asia was shut, then moved them back. Our model allows us to respond quickly. That flexibility is key.

Beyond being a transport provider, what role does Air Arabia play in regional economic development?

Aviation drives prosperity. When we started in 2003, Sharjah Airport had 200,000 passengers annually and maybe 1,000 staff. Today, it’s more than 20,000 staff and a full-fledged ecosystem — from taxis to restaurants and hotels.

Every new flight creates economic ripple effects — jobs, tourism, infrastructure. We’ve seen that in Sharjah and across the UAE. It’s not just about travel; it’s about enabling economic growth and improving quality of life.

What values have helped Air Arabia grow, and what can other companies learn from your approach?

Keep it simple. Stick to your promise. We’ve had the same business model for 20 years because it works. Change only when it adds value to customers or operations — don’t change just for the sake of it.

Leadership is about surrounding yourself with the right people and letting them do their best. If you insist on everything being done your way, you miss out on new ideas and innovation. It’s about empowering your team.

Read: Air Arabia reports Q2 2025 net profit of Dhs415m

What’s next for Air Arabia as we move into the second half of the year and beyond?

We’re growing. We have 120 aircraft on order, with five arriving in Q4 this year. Some of these have longer range, enabling us to fly nine-hour sectors east, west, or north.

We’re expanding our network, especially in the Arab world. We’re also investing in our people — our leadership development is a key focus. The brand has strong recognition across the region, and we’re excited to share our expertise more broadly and continue building a more connected and competitive aviation industry.

In today’s digitally driven world, the race between cyber attackers and defenders is more intense than ever. Every enterprise, regardless of industry, relies on a vast web of interconnected systems, cloud services, on-prem applications, and hybrid collaboration tools.

This interconnectedness, while essential for agility and growth, introduces a critical risk: the exploitation of zero-day vulnerabilities.

The recent discovery of a critical zero-day vulnerability impacting SharePoint on-premise servers, referred to in industry circles as “ToolShell” (CVE-2025-53770), is yet another reminder of the evolving and unpredictable threat landscape.

This flaw, which allows unauthenticated remote code execution, was actively exploited in the wild before any formal patch was released.

It’s a textbook case of how attackers continue to innovate and why organisations must rethink how they manage cyber risk, especially for unknown and unpatched threats.

Zero-day realities: Not “if,” but “when?”

Zero-days are by nature invisible, until they’re not. They represent flaws in software or systems that developers and defenders aren’t yet aware of, but attackers may have already discovered and weaponised. This asymmetry creates a dangerous window of opportunity for malicious actors. In ToolShell’s case, attackers were able to execute arbitrary code remotely, potentially gaining full control of affected systems.

While this particular case is notable, it is by no means unique. Whether targeting collaboration platforms, email servers, web frameworks, or even security tools themselves, zero-day vulnerabilities are becoming a standard tactic in the modern attacker’s playbook. This brings forth a pressing question: how can organizations prepare for threats they cannot see?

Building cyber resilience: From reactive to proactive

Effective cybersecurity in the face of zero-day threats requires a multi-layered and forward-looking strategy. Here are five key focus areas every organization should adopt:

Assume breach and minimise blast radius

The first shift in mindset must be this: assume a breach is inevitable. This isn’t pessimism, it’s realism. By adopting an “assume breach” posture, companies can invest in segmentation, access controls, and identity protections that limit how far an attacker can move once inside.

Privileged access should be limited, lateral movement should be monitored, and sensitive data must be isolated.

Adopt extended detection and response (XDR)

Detection is no longer enough; organizations need tools that correlate behavior across endpoints, identities, cloud workloads, and networks. XDR platforms provide that visibility, enabling faster detection of anomalies and coordinated response across environments.

When a zero-day is exploited, the ability to see the full kill chain and isolate affected systems becomes mission-critical.

Invest in threat intelligence and real-time updates

Staying ahead means being informed. Enterprises should subscribe to threat intelligence feeds and work with cybersecurity partners who offer real-time updates, including Indicators of Compromise (IOCs) and hunting queries, even before public advisories are issued. Early detection and context-rich threat intel can dramatically reduce dwell time and response lag.

Integrate vulnerability management with active monitoring

Traditional vulnerability management often runs on a monthly cadence, too slow for today’s environment. Modern organizations need continuous vulnerability exposure assessments that integrate with their detection tools. If a system is found to be vulnerable, real-time flags should trigger proactive isolation or prioritization in patch pipelines.

Foster cross-team collaboration and executive visibility

Cyber risk is a business risk. IT, security, and executive leadership must collaborate closely to ensure that the organization’s risk tolerance, response protocols, and communication plans are well understood and exercised.

Business continuity planning should include simulations for zero-day incidents — not just ransomware or known malware.

From defence to anticipation

While patching known vulnerabilities remains essential, organsations can no longer rely solely on post-exploit remediation. The key lies in anticipating threats through behavioral analysis, automated response, and architectural resilience.

Emerging technologies, including AI-powered security platforms, are helping analysts detect suspicious patterns even without a known signature.

This level of proactive defense is increasingly becoming the gold standard. It’s also critical to eliminate blind spots. Tools should be able to detect unexpected process executions, unusual SharePoint or IIS behaviors, and anomalous command-line arguments, signs that something like ToolShell may be at play.

Staying one step ahead

Zero-days will continue to surface. Some may grab headlines; many will fly under the radar. But the organisations that thrive in this reality are those that don’t wait for the news to act. They invest in proactive visibility, rapid containment, and flexible response strategies.

The ToolShell vulnerability may fade from news cycles in weeks, but the lesson it carries must remain: in cybersecurity, speed and preparedness make all the difference. The winners are those who treat zero-day defense not as a one-time effort, but as a core capability woven into the fabric of their technology, their processes, and their culture.

The writer is senior director, solutions engineer at SentinelOne, a global leader in AI-powered cybersecurity.

Emirates Post has unveiled a commemorative stamp collection titled “League of Arab States: 80th Anniversary,” celebrating the founding of the League in 1945 and its ongoing role in fostering regional unity and cooperation.

The release follows recommendations from the Secretary-General of the League of Arab States and forms part of wider regional celebrations marking this milestone. Developed in partnership with the League’s General Secretariat, the stamp design symbolises Arab unity and reflects the League’s institutional legacy over the past eight decades, a WAM report said.

Read-Arab Postal Day: Emirates Post issues joint commemorative stamp

Drawing inspiration from the League’s visual identity, the design highlights key values such as independence, integration, and solidarity. It also showcases 80 years of diplomatic efforts, institutional growth, and contributions to cultural and economic development across the Arab world.

The stamp pays tribute to the League’s mission of safeguarding Arab identity and promoting regional stability and prosperity. It also underscores the organisation’s enduring relevance in shaping collective Arab action on the global stage.

This latest release reinforces Emirates Post’s commitment to honoring major national and regional events and reflects its broader efforts to support Arab cooperation initiatives across the postal sector and beyond.

Aviation is undergoing one of its most profound transformations, one that is not driven by new aircraft or routes, but by algorithms.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is no longer a back-office tool or emerging experiment. It’s fast becoming the engine room of the modern aviation experience, reshaping not only how airlines and airports operate, but how they connect with the people they serve.

The commercial pressures facing the sector today are relentless: fuel prices, operational bottlenecks, pilot shortages, passenger expectations, sustainability mandates. And yet, within this pressure cooker, AI has emerged as a strategic release valve. Done right, it’s helping aviation leaders build resilience, unlock profitability, and deliver the kind of personalised service travelers increasingly expect.

One of the most effective applications we’ve seen is Lufthansa’s flight operations optimisation platform. It digests data from a staggering number of sources , aircraft telemetry, crew availability, airspace restrictions, weather , and offers real-time routing and resource recommendations. Not hypotheticals. Real suggestions that operations managers are acting on 90% of the time. That’s a sea change in how decisions are made, with measurable benefits in fuel savings and on-time performance.

At ground level, the picture is just as compelling. Biometric boarding gates at Denver International. AI-powered debris detection systems at Changi Airport. And in Hong Kong, a fully automated baggage handling system that processes more than 15,000 pieces of luggage per hour with remarkable accuracy. These aren’t gimmicks. They’re setting the standard for modern airport infrastructure.

Then there’s the passenger experience. In a market where loyalty is hard won, AI is helping airlines move beyond reactive service to proactive hospitality. American Airlines is using AI to tailor everything from seat upgrade offers to travel recommendations, all based on previous behavior and contextual data. For frequent travellers, that small touch of relevance often makes the difference between a one-time flyer and a lifetime customer.

AI’s value goes beyond the customer-facing sphere

AI’s value also extends well beyond the customer-facing sphere. British Airways is using RFID systems to reduce baggage mishandling. TAV Technologies is applying AI and computer vision to minimise aircraft turnaround times.

Predictive maintenance tools are flagging equipment issues long before a delay becomes inevitable. And the deeper we embed AI into operations, the more we see its compound effect,not just cost savings, but smarter planning, smoother workflows, and happier passengers.

Of course, integration doesn’t come easy. Legacy systems are a challenge. So is data governance. Considering in addition to this facial recognition and biometric tracking, there are important conversations to be had around privacy and ethics. But these are solvable issues. What’s harder to engineer is the cultural shift: getting aviation leaders to see AI not as a patch or pilot, but as core infrastructure.

We now see a clear inflection point. The airlines and airports moving fastest on AI today will shape the benchmarks for the entire industry tomorrow. This isn’t about adopting shiny tools; it’s about making strategic bets on where value creation will happen next.

As someone who’s been in the room with industry decision-makers, I’ll say this. Those who embed AI deeply into their operations,across ground, air, and digital touchpoints,are the ones who will define the next decade of aviation. They won’t just be more efficient. They’ll be more adaptable, more trusted, and more competitive.

Because in the skies, as in business, altitude is nothing without foresight. And AI is what’s giving this industry its clearest view yet.