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3:00pm - 5:00pm, 10 February 2026
(Europe/London)
(Europe/London)
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Request a callback using the form below.
Event Details
International Forum
Tuesday 10th February
Registrations and refreshments 2:30pm-3:00pm
Meeting: 3:00pm-5:00pm
Venue: Trowers & Hamlins, 3 Bunhill Row, London EC1Y 8YZ
Networking drinks from 5:00pm
Key Takeaways
- Gain clarity on the most promising sectors and opportunities for staffing businesses in Saudi Arabia and UAE.
- Key economic metrics you should consider when expanding to the Middle East
- Understanding of the legal and tax considerations when expanding to the Middle East – specifically Saudi Arabia & UAE
- Key milestones you should specify for the first 12 months of your expansion plan for the Middle East
Meeting Agenda
Welcome and Introduction
Stephen Shorter, Group CEO, Cobalt Recruitment
APSCo Update
Moya Rylands, Commercial Director, APSCo UK
The economic landscape of The Middle East
Mashary Osman, Head of International Trade, The Arab British Chambers of Commerce
A broader look at the relative economic conditions across the Middle East, with a particular focus on the hiring and employment trends and what opportunities they offer for recruiters looking to expand overseas.
Panel Discussion - How can companies adapt their strategies to succeed in a region with diverse cultural, legal, and economic landscapes?
Mashary Osman, Head of International Trade, The Arab British Chambers of Commerce
Chris Griffin, Managing Director, Team Support Healthcare
Zeeshan Mehtab, EMEA Business Director, CCL
We’ve brought together a panel of members who are working in the Middle East to discuss their experiences, and give practical insights and strategies based on the lessons they’ve learned along the way.
Leader Exchange
Maximise your time at this meeting with our Leader Exchange session - this is designed to deliver tangible outcomes. Guided by experienced business professionals, this discussion will ensure you gain real value from your attendance. You’ll collaborate with sector peers to tackle key challenges and leave with clear, actionable strategies you can implement immediately. This session isn’t just a conversation, it’s designed to be a catalyst for measurable business impact.
Speakers
Mashary Osman
The Arab British Chambers of Commerce, Head of International Trade
Chris Griffin
Team Support Healthcare, Managing Director
Chris Griffin has a 15 year track record in the recruitment industry, predominantly working with Public Sector organisations across contingent/permanent recruitment, international recruitment and SOW/Outsourced provision. He’s led medium scale businesses and supported multiple organisations through restructure, process optimisation and sale.
Chris originally went to the Middle East (Dubai) in 2021 with a brief to open an outsourcing business in order to compete with India, the Philippines and South Africa. This included identifying office space, setting up infrastructure, employee engagement, visa’s and off-boarding when the business eventually closed. Having moved his current business operations from the UK to Dubai in 2023, Chris is well placed to give insight into the day to day, real world challenges faced by organisations looking at the Middle East as a serious alternative to the UK or as a strategic growth market.
Zeeshan Mehtab
CCL, EMEA Business Director
Zeeshan has over a decade of recruitment and staffing experience in the energy sector. After joining CCL in 2018, Zeeshan has earned his spot at the helm of CCL's headquartered office in London; leading the charge into new markets by leveraging his knowledge of workforce solutions across the nuclear and power sectors.