Halian’s Progressive Insights in the Transformative Technology Landscape

Exclusive interview with Stuart Fry, Group Chief Executive Officer for Halian, Austin Fraser, and Austin Vita

Can you provide an overview of Halian’s approach to technological transformation?

At Halian, we take a holistic approach to identifying our client’s goals and assisting them in achieving these as quickly as possible. We accomplish this by offering personalised and tailored recruitment and managed services, as well as outsourcing solutions. Our strong local presence in regions such as the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Saudi Arabia, Germany, and the United Kingdom (UK) enhances our recruitment capabilities and technological solutions.

What are the significant transitions that Halian has undergone over its established 20-year history?

After establishing the company in the UK in 1996, Halian expanded to Luxembourg and the Middle East in 2007 and 2008. We then launched Smart Services in the UAE, offering managed services for Oracle and the first Talent services for TDIC in Abu Dhabi.

In 2020, we established Search, a practice offering permanent recruitment and headhunting services across all our markets. Following a management buyout by a private equity firm, we rapidly expanded, opening offices in Greece and Belgium, and acquiring Staffgroup GmbH, Staffgroup SAS, Staffgroup International Ltd, and Staffgroup Zug. This year, we merged with Austin Fraser, Austin Vita, and Austin International, forming the Halian Group with over 15 offices worldwide, including in the United Kingdom (UK), Germany, Belgium, France, Luxembourg, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Saudi Arabia, and the United States of America (USA).

How does Halian ensure the success of its Smart Services in diverse regions like the Middle East and Europe?

Halian’s Smart Services offers comprehensive managed IT infrastructure and operations services, DevOps, Project Management, PMO, and service function outsourcing. We provide expertise either on-site or remotely through our Center of Excellence to ensure service continuity, free up internal resources, and enable organisations to focus on their core business.

In the Middle East and Europe, we ensure the success of our Smart Services by engaging clients at every step of our partnership. Through collaboration, Halian delivers effective talent management and digital transformation services, including cloud migration, training, re-skilling, and job mobility.

Can you elaborate on how technology is revolutionising the financial and commerce sectors for consumers and businesses?

Technology has revolutionised the financial and commerce sectors in the Middle East, benefiting both businesses and consumers. In the financial industry, the proliferation of mobile banking, digital wallets, and other fintech innovations, such as peer-to-peer lending, has made an enormous impact.

In the commerce sector, the rise of online marketplaces, such as Amazon and Noon, and social marketplaces, like Instagram Shopping and WhatsApp Business, have transformed the industry. For businesses, the use of social platforms and Artificial Intelligence (AI) offers a broader reach to a global customer base, cost-effective marketing, and allows valuable data insights to be gathered for strategic decision-making.

Governments in the region are also supporting these digital transformations through progressive regulations and the establishment of innovation hubs, such as Dubai’s Fintech Hive and Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 initiative. 

What are the current challenges organisations face in technology recruitment aspect and how does Halian effectively address these challenges to ensure businesses’ success?

There are numerous challenges that organisations encounter when it comes to recruiting in the technology industry. These difficulties often include the task of finding top talent for specialised and niche positions, hiring a large number of contractors for a project, and effectively onboarding and managing new hires.

Our approach to overcoming these challenges is through providing our clients with dedicated and specialised teams that have the tools and network to source the right profiles required in a short amount of time.

Could you provide your insight on Halian’s strategic vision for the UAE market in the coming years?

Halian’s strategic vision for the UAE market in the coming years centres on revolutionising how customers address their technology and hiring challenges. This vision is supported by Halian’s dedication to innovative workforce and intelligent service solutions, which have already demonstrated their effectiveness in improving customer engagement.

A crucial element of this strategy is promoting diversity and inclusion by helping the UAE attract top talent from around the world. This dual approach not only meets immediate technological, and recruitment needs but also aligns with the UAE’s broader aspirations of becoming a global hub for talent and innovation.