Hiring across the UAE and wider Gulf is not slowing down; it is becoming more deliberate.

Amid ongoing geopolitical uncertainty, companies are recalibrating their workforce strategies, shifting away from rapid expansion toward more targeted, risk-aware hiring. The result is a labour market that remains active, but increasingly defined by precision rather than pace.

“What we are seeing is not a contraction in hiring, but a recalibration,” says James Randall, Middle East sales director at HireRight. “Organisations across the UAE and wider Gulf remain growth-oriented, but they are approaching hiring with greater discipline and precision.”

Despite external pressures, underlying labour market sentiment remains strong. According to Gallup’s State of the Global Workplace 2026 report, 76 per cent of employees in the UAE believe it is a good time to find a job—well above the regional average.

For employers, this confidence is translating into a more focused approach to recruitment.

“Businesses are prioritising roles tied to operational continuity, revenue generation, and regulatory compliance,” Randall explains. “Rather than scaling headcount aggressively, organisations are focusing on workforce quality, resilience, and long-term value.”

Government measures aimed at supporting labour market stability have also reinforced employer confidence, ensuring that hiring continues even as companies navigate a more complex risk environment.

Selective hiring replaces broad freezes

While reports of hiring freezes have emerged in some sectors, Randall emphasises that these are typically targeted rather than systemic.

“In most cases, organisations are not pausing hiring altogether; but they are becoming more selective and more rigorous in how decisions are made,” he says.

The shift is most visible in how companies assess talent. With the cost of a poor hiring decision rising, employers are placing greater emphasis on verified credentials and consistent screening processes.

“We are seeing organisations move away from fragmented or ad hoc hiring checks towards more structured, source-driven screening frameworks,” Randall notes, adding that this is particularly critical in the Gulf’s highly international workforce.

Hiring timelines are also extending slightly—not due to hesitation, but because of deeper due diligence. “Hiring is no longer just about filling roles quickly, but about making defensible, high-confidence decisions,” he adds.

The current environment is also exposing a clear divergence between cyclical and structural sectors.

Industries tied to discretionary spending—such as tourism, hospitality, and parts of retail—are more sensitive to short-term disruptions. Similarly, sectors with complex supply chains are adjusting hiring as they manage operational risk.

In contrast, long-term growth sectors continue to show resilience.

“Technology, construction, energy, financial services, and the public sector continue to show steady hiring demand,” Randall says. These industries are underpinned by national development strategies, infrastructure investment, and ongoing economic diversification.

The distinction, he explains, is fundamental. “The divergence is primarily driven by the distinction between cyclical and structural demand.”

With over 60 per cent of Middle East CEOs continuing to invest in digital transformation and workforce growth, according to PwC, demand for future-facing skills remains firmly intact.

Cross-border hiring adds complexity

As workforce mobility increases, particularly among expatriate talent, companies are also facing new challenges around verification and compliance.

“The international nature of the Gulf workforce remains a key strength, but it also introduces greater complexity,” Randall says.

Employers are now required to validate candidate information across multiple jurisdictions, each with its own regulatory frameworks and data standards. This has elevated background screening from an administrative step to a strategic priority.

“Background screening is no longer a back-end process; rather it is a critical enabler of hiring confidence,” he explains.

The ability to verify talent accurately, across borders and at speed, is becoming essential—not just for compliance, but for maintaining business continuity in a highly mobile workforce.

In this evolving landscape, hiring is increasingly intersecting with risk, regulation, and corporate governance.

“A resilient hiring strategy today is defined by balance, combining accuracy, speed, and compliance without compromising any of them,” Randall says.

This includes structured recruitment frameworks, consistent identity verification processes, and a growing shift toward continuous screening, particularly in regulated or high-risk roles.

“In a highly mobile workforce, risk is not static,” he notes. “Organisations increasingly recognise the need for ongoing visibility rather than relying solely on point-in-time checks.”

Trust becomes the new currency

Ultimately, the most significant shift may be less about hiring volumes and more about the role of trust in workforce strategy.

“As hiring becomes more global, digital, and fast-moving, organisations face increased exposure to risks around identity fraud, misrepresentation, and compliance gaps,” Randall says.

At the same time, regulatory expectations are rising, pushing companies to adopt more transparent and auditable hiring practices.

In this context, hiring is no longer just a human resources function—it is a core business capability tied to risk management and long-term resilience.

“The organisations best positioned to succeed will be those that recognise hiring as a strategic capability,” Randall adds. “Building a workforce that can be trusted, across borders, at scale… is becoming essential.”

Read: Salary cuts amid regional tensions? What UAE employees need to know

Apple on Monday named longtime hardware boss John Ternus as its next CEO, turning to another insider to steer the iPhone maker after Tim Cook as it navigates a world radically altered by artificial intelligence, a technology it has lagged on.

Cook, a supply-chain genius who boosted Apple’s market value by $3.6tn in his 15 years at the helm, will stay on as executive chairman when Ternus takes over on September 1, Apple said in a statement.

Ternus, who joined Apple in 2001, has played a central role in reviving products such as the Mac, which has gained market share against PCs. Though he has kept a low public profile, he has been deeply involved in shaping Apple’s biggest products such as iPads and AirPods.

The transition comes at a crucial time for Apple. After years on top of the most-valuable company scoreboard, Apple has lost its crown to AI chipmaker Nvidia, as investors have fretted over its lack of innovation in the technology that is changing how people work, create and get information.

Integrating AI into the iPhone – the most successful consumer product in history – may be Ternus’ hardest challenge.

In January, Apple struck a deal with longtime rival in smartphones, Alphabet’s Google, to use Google’s Gemini in an effort to improve its Siri virtual assistant.

Despite introducing a form of AI to the public imagination in 2011 with Siri, Apple has not yet scored a hardware or software product hit centered on new AI technologies, while emerging rivals such as OpenAI’s ChatGPT have attracted hundreds of millions of users.

In particular, Siri has not yet become an “agent” – the term that AI firms use for systems that carry out complex tasks like a human assistant.

“I expect his biggest challenge and efforts will be focused on getting a better AI story and offering together that relies more on Apple’s own capabilities and less on third parties,” said Bob O’Donnell, head of tech consulting firm TECHnalysis Research.

Apple gave Ternus airtime recently

At 50, Ternus is the same age Cook was when he took over CEO duties from Apple co-founder Steve Jobs.

Apple, which rarely allows its executives to speak publicly, has sought to elevate Ternus’ profile in recent years, having him speak with the press about Apple’s products.

He showed off the iPhone Air in September, the biggest revamp of the firm’s top-selling product in nearly a decade.

Ternus will also have to fend off rivals such as Meta Platforms, whose augmented-reality glasses have become a surprise hit with just a fraction of the capabilities – and price tag – of Apple’s $3,499-plus Vision Pro headset. Nvidia, too, has announced its own personal computer and is working on chips that can power laptops.

“The promotion of Mr. Ternus indicates the company will focus on new hardware devices such as folding phones, glasses, VR devices and AI pins,” said Gil Luria, managing director of D.A. Davidson & Co.

Cook oversaw historic growth

Apple shares declined about 0.5 per cent after regular trading hours when the news was announced, after being up about 1 per cent during regular trading. The stock has soared 20-fold since Cook took over as CEO in August 2011.

Cook, 65, was recruited by Jobs from Compaq at a time when that firm was riding high on the 1990s PC boom and Jobs was working to rescue Apple from the brink of insolvency.

He made his early reputation at Apple by building out its sprawling supply chain with contract manufacturers in China, a model that became the envy of Corporate America because it kept expensive factory operations and product inventories largely off Apple’s books while maximizing profits.

Apple’s decades of investments in China helped fuel that nation’s rise as the world’s workshop, a phenomenon that even Cook has found hard to shift away from.

Despite opening assembly operations in India and Vietnam, Apple still sources many key parts and subsystems from China, and Cook has not yet been able to present a “Made in USA” iPhone to US President Donald Trump, despite hundreds of billions of dollars of investment in Apple’s U.S. supply chain partners.

Cook, who presented a custom golden plaque to Trump last year, will continue to engage with policymakers, the company said.

Over his tenure, Cook became a celebrity CEO in his own right. He was the first Fortune 500 CEO to come out as gay in 2014 and took public stances on issues such as workplace diversity and corporate sustainability.

Separately, Apple said that Johny Srouji, who has overseen Apple’s custom chip and sensor designs, has been named chief hardware officer. Srouji will continue to oversee that group, along with the hardware engineering group that Ternus once led, which will now be overseen by Tom Merieb.

Peet’s Coffee is rolling out the return of its “License Plate Discount” campaign across select drive-thru locations in Dubai, introducing a limited-time activation aimed at boosting footfall and customer engagement during the pre–back-to-school period.

Running from April 19 to April 23, 2026, the campaign will be available at Peet’s Coffee Furjan West Pavilion, Peet’s Coffee Al Wasl Road, and Peet’s Coffee Motor City.

The promotion ties discounts directly to customers’ vehicle license plates, with the last two digits determining the percentage discount applied to orders. For example, a plate ending in 56 qualifies for a 56 per cent discount, while higher numbers such as 95 unlock up to 95 per cent off, capped at Dhs75.

In addition, vehicles displaying the UAE country code “971” are eligible for a flat Dhs75 discount, aligning the campaign with national identity and community engagement themes.

The activation comes as Dubai enters a seasonal transition period, with schools set to resume shortly. By combining a gamified mechanic with a time-bound offer, the campaign is designed to increase repeat visits and drive incremental sales across drive-thru formats.

The initiative also reflects a broader trend among food and beverage (F&B) brands in the UAE, where experiential and locally relevant campaigns are being used to differentiate offerings and enhance customer interaction.

The offer is valid daily from 5:00 am to 1:00 am across participating drive-thru outlets for the five-day campaign window. Discounts are applied per transaction and subject to the AED 75 cap.

The UAE is taking another step toward cleaner transportation, as EMX and EMPALA have signed a new agreement to deploy electric bikes across delivery operations, targeting the fast-growing last-mile logistics sector.

The initiative comes as part of broader efforts led by the Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure (MoEI) to advance green mobility and reduce emissions in high-impact industries. The ministry played a key role in facilitating the partnership between EMX, the logistics arm of 7X, and EMPALA, a joint venture between MoEI and PACT Carbon.

Read more-RTA, Terra to install battery-swapping stations for electric delivery bikes

The agreement focuses on integrating electric bikes into delivery fleets, supporting the UAE’s long-term sustainability ambitions under the UAE Net Zero 2050 Strategy and the UAE Energy Strategy 2050, according to a WAM report.

Urban delivery services have seen rapid expansion in recent years, driven by the surge in e-commerce and logistics demand. This growth has also increased pressure on transportation systems to adopt cleaner and more efficient solutions.

Under the new agreement, EMPALA will supply a fleet of electric bikes specifically engineered for the UAE’s climate and operating conditions. These bikes are expected to improve efficiency while significantly reducing fuel consumption and carbon emissions linked to daily delivery activities.

EMX will integrate the electric bikes into its logistics network, aiming to enhance operational performance while shifting toward more sustainable transportation methods.

Officials highlight impact on emissions and efficiency

Eng Sharif Al Olama, undersecretary for Energy and Petroleum Affairs at MoEI, emphasised the importance of the initiative in addressing environmental challenges.

“This agreement is part of the ministry’s efforts to accelerate the transition to sustainable, low-emission transportation systems through practical initiatives that drive real transformation in sectors with a direct impact on the carbon footprint, particularly the delivery sector,” he said.

“Expanding the use of electric bikes represents a significant step toward reducing emissions and improving energy efficiency,” Al Olama added.

He further stressed the importance of collaboration between public and private sectors in achieving national goals.

“We believe that strategic partnerships with the private sector are a key pillar in achieving national strategic objectives. EMPALA represents a national model for enabling the transition to green mobility by providing integrated solutions, including electric vehicles, supporting infrastructure, and sustainable operating models,” he said.

Private sector sees logistics evolution

Industry leaders also pointed to the broader implications of the partnership for the future of logistics in the UAE.

Tariq Al Wahedi, group CEO of 7X, described the collaboration as a key milestone in building a more sustainable logistics ecosystem.

“This collaboration marks an important step in advancing more sustainable and efficient logistics solutions and highlights the importance of integrated national efforts to accelerate the adoption of low-emission operating models,” he said.

“Through EMX, 7X is supporting a more flexible and sustainable operating model that balances service efficiency with environmental responsibility,” Al Wahedi added. “This partnership reflects our belief that the future of logistics will be built on impactful partnerships, practical technologies, and the ability to translate national commitments into tangible outcomes.”

Innovation tailored for UAE conditions

EMPALA’s leadership highlighted the technological and economic benefits of the initiative, noting that the electric bikes were specifically designed to meet local requirements.

Dr Oleg Paltin, founder and CEO of EMPALA, said the company has invested heavily in developing solutions suited to the UAE market.

“We developed the company in partnership with the Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure from the outset to meet the needs of this market and support the UAE’s ambitions in the energy sector,” he said.

“We have invested significantly in designing an electric bike tailored to the country’s operating requirements, delivering a solution that creates direct economic value for our partners, alongside its positive environmental impact.”

The partnership underscores the UAE’s commitment to accelerating the adoption of clean transportation solutions, particularly in sectors with rapidly growing demand. By targeting last-mile delivery, the initiative aims to deliver measurable environmental benefits while supporting the country’s transition to a low-emission economy.

Western analysts have spent a year debating whether the Gulf states could survive real military pressure.

Some think tanks, academics and thinkers were polite but skeptical. The posited assumptions included a perception of wealthy states, capable of procuring sophisticated hardware but not of fielding it under fire, underwritten by oil and gas revenues as well as American guarantees rather self sustaining models and strategic planning.

With the start and now potential end of Operation Epic Fury, that thesis has been proven unfounded in full and the implications for what is taking place across the gulf are immense and reassuring.

The air defence numbers tell the story plainly and dispel all myths. The UAE alone has engaged over 2,000 projectiles, recording interception rates above 90 percent for ballistic threats while keeping its airports, financial institutions, and government functioning throughout.

Saudi Arabia, drawing on years of live operational experience against Houthi strikes before this conflict began, maintained comparable rates across a defensive architecture that includes one of the world’s largest Patriot-based air-defence architectures, outside the United States.

Kuwait, Qatar, and Bahrain all intercepted sustained salvos, showing that this has been a Gulf-wide defensive effort, not something borne by the UAE and Saudi Arabia alone. The GCC’s sustained air defence capabilities seem to be on par with far more battle-tasting nations such as Israel or Ukraine.

Defence procurement cycles do not move on the strength of exhibition halls or interoperability briefings. They move when buyers watch systems perform under live fire and stop having to imagine whether they work. The Gulf’s defence is a massive endorsement to systems that will further proliferate globally post conflict. Furthermore, urgency produces both innovation and development.

We will likely see a GCC transform into not just a far greater defence purchaser but a bastion of domestically produced defence systems. Much of that infrastructure is already in place.

The GCC entered this conflict better prepared to capitalise on that shift than most outside observers appreciated. The UAE’s EDGE Group reported revenue of approximately $4.9bn in 2024, expanded its product portfolio from 30 items in 2019 to 201 by last year, and carried an order backlog of $12.8bn before a single missile was fired in March.

A defence cooperation framework signed with South Korea’s procurement agency in late February was valued at roughly $35bn. At UMEX in Abu Dhabi in January, EDGE unveiled the VORTEX-E autonomous kinetic counter-drone interceptor, a system reported with speeds of up to 350 km/h.

Weeks later, that kind of capability stopped being a product demonstration and became an operational requirement across every GCC air defence cell.

Saudi Arabia’s trajectory is equally consequential. Through SAMI, the kingdom has driven domestic defence content from 4 per cent in 2018 to 25 per cent by end of 2024, with a stated target of 50 per cent by 2030 under Vision 2030.

At the World Defense Show in Riyadh in February which closed $8.8bn in contracts across 1,486 exhibitors from 89 countries just sixteen days before the conflict began SAMI inaugurated an 82,000 square meter land industrial complex capable of producing 1,500 military vehicles annually and launched autonomous systems and land vehicle subsidiaries.

That show will look different when the next edition convenes. So will every defence conference on the GCC calendar.

The precedents for what follows are instructive.

Israel’s defence exports reached a record $14.7bn in 2024, with air defence systems making up nearly half the total, a direct consequence of decades of operational validation that transformed their platforms into products that buyers no longer needed to take on faith.

Combat credibility shrinks timelines and opens export markets that peacetime marketing cannot reach. The Gulf is now entering that phase, and across all six GCC members rather than in any single state.

There is a deeper dimension to this that the procurement figures alone do not capture. The region’s governments did not merely hold together under pressure. They governed with calm and confidence.

Emergency arms packages totaling $23bn were fast-tracked from Washington within weeks of hostilities beginning, reflecting not charity but confidence in partners who had demonstrated the institutional capacity to absorb and deploy advanced systems at scale.

The old characterisation of Gulf security, specifically that of so-called wealthy buyers of imported protection, dependent on foreign guarantees, functional only in benign conditions has been overtaken by events and a demonstration of Gulf-wide competent leadership and long-term planning.

The coming defence industrial boom across the GCC will be driven by something harder to manufacture than procurement budgets: the lived experience of being targeted and holding the line.

That kind of validation is the compound return on decades of investment in both hardware and institutional depth. The GCC will thrive through this conflict and perhaps be more attractive hubs than ever and could expect a global defence boom that draws even more capital, customers, and expats to one of the best protected economic hubs on earth.

• Eitan Charnoff is Founder and CEO of Potomac Strategy, a GCC-based public affairs and geopolitical consultancy and an expert on drone and missile response and rescue operations.