DUBAI, 2 October 2007 — Financial recruitment firm Akamai is targeting new clients in the Middle East after obtaining its DIFC license.
Mike Brennan, CEO of Akamai Financial Markets, said “the GCC and particularly Dubai is a key part of our international strategy and our entry has received high levels of client sponsorship. Our goal is to build the region’s leading financial markets executive search firm which will form an integral part of our overall international offering to clients.”
The operation will be headed by Russell Adam, head of Akamai’s EMEA Investment & Wealth Management Practice, who has been appointed managing director, GCC, and will report to Brennan.
“As with our recent entry into Tokyo and Singapore, our team analyzed the market and found no well- capitalized international competitor of any significant critical mass offering our range of services,” Brennan said.
Besides offering specialist executive search services, Akamai will also offer a range of high-value bespoke business intelligence products unique to the region, designed to help clients strengthen their market position. “Many of our clients are looking to partner with an international firm such as ourselves,” he added.
who can identify international talent on their behalf,” Brennan added.
Nasser Al-Shaali, chief executive officer of DIFC Authority, said: “Akamai is a respected and influential force globally and their presence will raise the recruitment bar regionally and internationally.”
Akamai’s strengths are its significant global capability, market knowledge, office network and research and consulting teams — making it ideally placed to identify and access talent globally.