Meet our MD

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  1. How long have you been in Dubai?

    Since 2007

  2. Why did you start your own Recruitment Company here?

    Because I saw a gap in the market for a quality mid to senior level recruitment service and had lost faith in my previous company's vision.

  3. What makes JCA Associates different from other agencies in Dubai?

    Our people – we have a very strong team from the ground up, our staff work very hard and will go the extra mile for our clients – this is part of our culture and our staff are rewarded very well for this. We also have ISO9001 accreditation, and therefore we will only take on work that we specialise in rather than trying to cover the whole recruitment market.

  4. What are the main challenges you face as a business?

    Finding the right talent for our own business is always tough, and getting invoices paid on time!

  5. What is the most important aspect to being successful in the Middle East?

    It’s all about relationships, having been here for 9 years means that I have built a strong network based on trust and being able to deliver on what we say we will be able to do. This has given us a very good reputation in the market and therefore we have a lot of quality business referred to us.

  6. What plans do you have to expand JCA Associates beyond MEA in the coming years?

    We are currently looking at the UK and European markets very seriously as one of our team is moving back to London. Other than that, we may look to expand into APAC at some stage.

  7. What has been the most valuable lesson of your career?

    Always go with your gut instinct, if you do not feel 100% comfortable with something it’s probably not the right thing to do.

  8. Who is your role model and why?

    I have a lot of respect for Sir Richard Branson and Sir Alex Ferguson. Richard Branson is dyslexic and left school very early to start his career in the Music Industry and hasn’t looked back since. His best quality for me is the way that he is a very visible part of the business and always appears warm and friendly, although he’s clearly a very determined and successful entrepreneur. Sir Alex is the ultimate leader and the best Football coach the UK has ever seen. I have been lucky enough to visit Old Trafford many times over the years and watch my favorite football team play under him.

  9. What would be your top tips for someone wanting to relocate to Dubai?

    Be patient – both in your career and your personal lives. You may not get your dream job straight away and will need to gain 1-2 years of regional experience behind you before really progressing. From a personal point of view there is a lot of form filling and paperwork required to carry out the most basic of tasks but it’s gradually getting better.

  10. Tell me about a project you are particularly proud of...

    Relocating my best client from the UK to secure both him and his wife with jobs in Dubai. Both are doing exceptionally well and remain close friends to me.

  11. What motivates you after 16 years in recruitment?

    Meeting new people, new clients and taking on new challenges. Having to pay the bills gets me to work in the morning but working with my team to grow the business is what keeps me there.

  12. What is the biggest mistake you ever made at work and what did you do about it?

    Working with a Partner company many years ago that let me and a big client down in Germany. What I took from that is that if something is outside of your scope and you do not have someone you can trust 100% to deliver then leave it for someone else to take on – it’s not worth risking your reputation.

  13. Where is your favourite place in Dubai?

    My home with my family, or to go out, it would probably be the Madinat Jumeriah – so many great bars and restaurants.

  14. What do you do in your spare time?

    Spending time with my family, keeping fit, travelling and DJing if I can find the time!