📍Dubai Is Calling: What Oscar Orellana-Hyder Wants Westerners to Know

If you’ve followed me for a while, you know I’m a sucker for new frontiers.And lately, one signal keeps getting louder: a growing number of Canadians and Americans—myself included—are turning their attention to the UAE. Not just because the job market here feels uncertain. But because the Middle East, and the UAE specifically, still believes in building.Where the future isn’t something to fear—it’s something you shape.To explore this shift, I invited Oscar Orellana-Hyder, a seasoned headhunter and founder of Cordell Partners, to the podcast. He’s spent the last 10 years in Dubai and Abu Dhabi helping global executives relocate and succeed—and he brings a rare mix of candor and context.💼 From private equity operators to job seekers, here are five things to know:🔑 1. Relationships are more important than ResumesTrust is built slowly. Business is done face-to-face. If you're used to North American speed, prepare to slow down—and go deeper.🌍 2. The Region Is Building—Not Just HiringSovereign wealth funds, family offices, and regulators are shaping an ecosystem. It’s no longer about extracting capital from the Gulf. It’s about contributing to it.📈 3. Middle Management Roles Are BoomingEspecially in compliance, risk, and finance. But don’t expect to land anything without local context and trusted connections.💰 4. Yes, There’s No Income Tax—But It’s Not CheapSchooling, housing, healthcare... it adds up. Do your homework before assuming you’ll save big.✈️ 5. Builders Thrive HereIf you’re entrepreneurial, positive, and flexible, the UAE rewards it. Oscar put it best:“The people who succeed here aren’t running from London. They’re running toward something.”📣 If you’re even considering making a move—or raising capital in the region—this episode is for you.🎧 Listen to the full conversation.🗺️ And if you're headed to the UAE this fall—let’s connect.#privateequity #valuecreation #UAE #dubai #abudhabi #globaltalent #leadership #careerstrategy #capitalallocation #futureofwork  Peggy Van de Plassche is a value creation strategist and senior advisor with over 20 years of experience in private equity, financial services, healthcare, and technology. She works with investment firms, boards, and C-suite leaders to accelerate portfolio company performance, drive operational transformation, and unlock long-term value. Peggy specializes in the execution of complex value creation plans—spanning capital allocation, digital enablement, transaction advisory, and leadership alignment. Her work consistently bridges strategy and implementation, helping investors and operators maximize EBITDA and enterprise value. A founding board member of Invest in Canada, she also brings deep expertise in public-private partnerships and institutional capital deployment—critical levers for competitive advantage in today’s global landscape. Her clients have included BMO, CI Financial, HOOPP, OMERS, GreenShield Canada, Nicola Wealth, and Power Financial. Learn more at peggyvandeplassche.com.#privateequity #privatemarkets #alternativeinvestments #investing #investments #invest #venturecapital #investor #entrepreneur #digitaltransformation #ai #exit #tech #technology #finance #financialservices #healthcare