Tell us about yourself and your background
I was born in Manchester UK to an English mother and Pakistani father, which gave me an appreciation and curiosity for different cultures and faiths. I studied Political Science at University and once dreamt of being the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. After a year of working in the Houses of Parliament, I quickly realised that working in politics and the bureaucracy that came with all of it wasn’t for me. With a passion for social mobility and a curiosity of working with big businesses, I decided to join the executive search world 16 years ago.
What inspired/led to you founding McCabe + Partners?
I had spent a decade working for some brilliant boutique search firms however, I felt my industry was failing. Frustrated by the inequalities experienced by many and failing to find a business that shared my own personal values, I saw a real need in the market to create a more progressive and impact driven recruitment model. One that genuinely puts people and planet at the heart of everything we do. Too many businesses were talking about DE&I, but very few delivered on these commitments. Finding great talent is the easy part howeve,r I felt it was time for the recruitment industry to be more accountable and transparent in everything we do. Becoming a father also pushed me to be more ambitious and to create an impact that I hope my children will be proud of one day.
What does McCabe + Partners do?
McCabe + Partners is an executive search and talent advisory first and foremost. We are obsessive connectors, determined to support businesses compete in the war for talent. We operate globally, serving some of the most successful private equity, publicly listed and sovereign wealth funded businesses in the world. Hiring C-suite and Board members across the Consumer and Technology sectors.
We are more than just a search firm though. We help Founders get introduced to investors, particularly female founder led businesses who are severely overlooked in the fundraising process. We are determined to help move the needle on female founders getting funded and have supported a number of UAE based, in particular ESG driven companies, raise funds at pre-seed to Series A. 5% of our time is donated pro-bono to support ESG driven start-ups, giving them access to our network for full time and fractional talent to help build their initial team for growth.
How are you unique in the market?
We are the first B Corp certified executive search and talent advisory in the MENA region. This means we have been independently verified to certify that our business meets the highest social and environmental standards. Since 2021, we have donated 5% of our revenue each year to Gulf For Good, one of the longest serving charities in the UAE, who have been supporting many children’s charities around the world. As a result of our work, hiring for great businesses around the world, our donations have directly helped support an orphanage in Tanzania achieve their fundraising goal to shelter and educate children, increasing the capacity from 20 to 50 children.
We are also proud of the fact that more than 60% of our placements are deemed as underserved individuals, notably female, people of colour and people of determination. We recognise the imbalances in the C-suite which is why we have made a conscious effort to ensure our hiring processes not only unearth exceptional talent but are fully inclusive at all times. Our hope is that our competitors will join us in this mission for equality and report on their impact too.
What are your core values?
Impact hiring. We are dedicated to fostering a diverse, equitable, and inclusive workforce by actively seeking and supporting talent from all backgrounds. Environmental stewardship. We integrate sustainability across our operations, aiming to reduce our environmental footprint and promote resource efficiency. Community and Social Value. Our work extends beyond our business goals, as we aim to create a lasting positive impact on the communities we serve. Through strategic partnerships, community involvement, and responsible business practices, we contribute to the well-being of society, prioritising social value in every aspect of our operations.
You are the only B Corp certified executive search and talent advisory in the MENA region; can you tell us what that means? And what actions you are taking towards ESG?
B Corp is a certification for businesses that meet high standards of social and environmental performance, accountability, and transparency. It is granted by B Lab, a nonprofit organisation, to companies that demonstrate a commitment to using business as a force for good. In January 2024, we became the first executive search and talent advisory in the MENA region to gain this accreditation, joining a community of 8,000+ companies around the world. Most notable examples being the likes of Patagonia, Chloe and Warby Parker.
There are many actions we are taking as a business towards ESG. Our primary business is done from the SEE Institute, a net zero carbon building in The Sustainable City, powered 100% by clean energy. We have proper measures in place to manage our waste as a business, mostly e-waste. We align with many of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals such as UNSDG4 Quality Education through our charitable donations. We are also dedicated to supporting UNSDG5 Gender Equality as evidenced by the fact 65% of our placements are deemed to be underserved individuals while also providing pro-bono services to female founder led start-ups.
How are you revolutionizing the talent/recruitment industry in the UAE?
Like most companies right now, we are identifying how AI can help improve our processes and efficiencies. We have recently deployed some great AI tools that has seen our ability to source and qualify talent in more sophisticated manner. Our new CRM platform powered by AI has increased our productivity, data is getting captured more effectively and responsibly which is enabling us to produce reports and candidate assessments in a much quicker time without compromising on quality.
While we are based in the UAE, more than 70% of our clients are actually based outside of the UAE. Our proposition to clients is that talent is global and mobile. As we deliver searches in North America, Europe, Middle East and APAC we have a good view on talent and trends in all parts of the world. Compared to a decade ago, talent in the UAE is now abundant. We can credibly benchmark against global talent in our network to give our partners the best access to not only the best local talent but also those operating outside of the region.
How do you help established businesses become more sustainable?
We have been supporting larger businesses in their transition to become more sustainable and responsible since our inception. Sustainability is no longer a silo function and responsibility that once upon a time fell under CSR. It is an everyone and every department agenda. You can and should be more sustainable with your time, money, and people. Businesses that fail to embrace sustainability face the risk of becoming distinctly irrelevant in years to come. Separate from hiring ESG champions across supply chain, logistics, technology, marketing and finance, we have helped connect our clients to third party suppliers and solutions. We have helped traditional fashion retailers incorporate circular practices, whether that be material innovation, or introductions to closed loop and reverse logistics operators. We feel it our duty to inform our clients of ESG trend and solutions beyond talent that can enhance their business profitably and sustainably. Our role in ESG, is centred more around the “S” on social which is often the most overlooked yet often most tangible if businesses are willing to change their mindset.
What has been your biggest success as a company?
From a recruitment perspective, we recently hired a C level professional to Loblaw, a $40billion grocery and general merchandise business in Canada. As a boutique business based in Dubai, being able to outpitch and deliver against the global giants of our industry is a great feeling. To be hiring C level talent to a publicly listed business on the other side of the world really demonstrates our ability unearth top talent and work globally.
On a social level, I am proud of the contributions and outcomes our business continues to make for those who need it the most. When I launched McCabe + Partners three years ago, the world really didn’t need another search firm. However, I think we are proving that there is a place for one that delivers for our clients but ultimately helps supports children get their basic right to shelter, food and education.
What are your top tips for recruiting and maintaining top talent?
Businesses that embed purpose into their business model experience higher retention rates. It is no longer just about incremental salary increases to keep leaders engaged. Everyone should have skin in the game. There are no longer companies and people, there are just people. Accountability and ownership really does drive innovation and loyalty. A salary increase makes you happy once a year. A healthy culture keeps you happy every day. Open communication, recognition, focus on wellbeing, trust and growth opportunities will enable businesses to attract and retain the best talent.
What do you see as the future of the talent/recruitment industry in the MENA region?
The MENA region really is the place to be right now. There is an appreciation globally that the MENA region really is a safe and secure environment to live and do business. Talent is migrating here tenfold, Europe is stagnant with better paid salaries and work life balance experienced here in the MENA region compared to Europe and parts of North America. The UAE and KSA governments have made access to visas much easier therefore seeing more highly skilled individuals move to the region on short and long term arrangements. That coupled with government support both financially and regulatory in promoting sectors centred around AI, Blockchain and Technology will really ensure that the MENA region continues to attract and retain the best minds and skillsets.
What is next for McCabe + Partners?
We are looking for more people to join our mission. We have experienced 30% growth year on year therefore we are actively seeking ambitious search professionals that want to join our business. We are looking to extend our market share in particular in areas linked to Climate Change. We are the first generation to feel the effects of climate change, and the last generation able to do something about it. Our goal is to help work with ambitious Climate Tech companies that have the ability to navigate us out of this crisis.
How can readers find out more about you and McCabe + Partners?
To keep up to date with our work, follow our LinkedIn company page and keep an eye out for impact reports which you can view on our website www.mccabeandpartners.com
