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In 2025, hiring across CEEMEA became more demanding, not only because talent remained competitive but because decision-making became even more layered. Localisation priorities in Saudi Arabia and the UAE, multi-country stakeholder groups, and extended interview cycles meant that delivery depended on disciplined execution and consistent candidate care.
At DNA Recruitment, our role this year was to bring structure to complexity: calibrating expectations early, presenting strong shortlists fast, and staying close to candidates throughout the process to protect engagement and offer outcomes. That approach also supported our growth beyond core Life Sciences mandates, with increased activity across new sectors and new role types.
Our year was largely shaped by the organisations and partners we work with, and this review brings together the key highlights and market signals we observed throughout 2025 – shared in the hope they’ll be useful for your team as well. We’d also like to thank you for the collaboration and trust this year, and we look forward to what we can achieve together in 2026.
1. Our Top 3 Achievements of 2025
Localisation hiring delivered at scale (UAE & KSA)
Localisation remained a key focus across the Gulf in 2025. In Saudi Arabia, we supported an estimated 100+ Saudi national–focused roles, with demand concentrated in Medical Devices and Pharmaceuticals and coverage across junior to mid-level commercial, regulatory and people functions. In the UAE, we continued supporting Emiratisation-aligned hiring through clear role scoping and disciplined candidate engagement.
SEE OUR ARTICLE: Emiratisation: Overview and New Rules for 2024
Stronger senior delivery with long-term partners
2025 marked our highest number of senior-level hires to date for established partners. This strengthened long-term relationships and reinforced DNA’s position as a trusted search partner for critical commercial hires.
Broader scope beyond our core sector
We successfully expanded into FMCG, with growing activity in industrial/production hiring, alongside increased demand for Government Relations and Employee Relations roles. This reinforced our ability to translate our recruitment methodology into adjacent areas where commercial talent is equally business-critical.
2. Most Frequent Requisitions
Across CEEMEA, we recruit for a wide range of job titles. In 2025, our most frequently filled roles included:
- General Manager
- Sales Manager
- Product Manager
- HR Manager / HR Business Partner
- Head of Marketing
We also saw growing demand for Government Relations/Public Affairs and Employee Relations, as well as production/manufacturing roles in the UAE and Saudi Arabia.
3. Fastest Senior-level Recruitment: 3 weeks (KSA)
Recruitment in 2025 often involved longer interview cycles and wider stakeholder groups. Even so, one of our fastest management-level searches was completed in approximately three weeks for a General Manager role in Saudi Arabia, supported by strong market knowledge, an established candidate relationship, and clear alignment throughout the process.
4. Inspiration of the Year
Inspiration in 2025 came from seeing trust translate into action — candidates transitioning into stronger roles, clients building teams that moved business priorities forward, and referrals that followed when relationships were handled with care. It also shaped the themes we explored this year, including the impact of the first 90 days and the growing importance of soft skills in performance-driven teams.
SEE OUR ARTICLE: The Soft Skills Shift: What Top-Performing Employees Bring Now
5. The Greatest Lesson
In 2025, the biggest differentiator was candidate continuity. In longer, multi-round processes, the searches that moved forward were the ones where we stayed consistently close to candidates — proactive check-ins, clear timelines, and expectation alignment — keeping engagement high and protecting offer outcomes.
SEE OUR ARTICLE: Long Hiring Cycle: 6 Proven Ways to Keep Candidates Engaged
6. Our Top Recruitment Locations
In 2025, we recruited actively across CEEMEA, with delivery spanning:
Saudi Arabia, UAE, Turkey, Algeria, Tunisia, Morocco, and South Africa.
This footprint reflects the cross-border nature of commercial hiring and the growing need for region-wide talent strategies.
7. Recommended Industry Events
In 2025, we strengthened our regional visibility through key industry touchpoints, with two events standing out:
Arab Health
A concentrated set of conversations with hiring leaders and partners that surfaced real priorities, capability gaps, and what decision-makers needed to move processes forward.
Global Health Exhibition
A strong Saudi lens on market direction — deeper insight into localisation priorities, employer expectations, and the realities shaping hiring decisions in KSA.
8. Team Achievements and Celebrations
2025 gave us plenty to celebrate — record targets achieved, strong collaboration, and meaningful milestones. We recognised Karolina as she stepped into a new chapter with her well-deserved maternity leave, and celebrated Kasia’s promotion, reflecting the leadership growth that supported our delivery this year.
We marked our results with a company trip to Norway, and closed the year with a Christmas celebration connected to a local tradition — a Bolesławiec pottery workshop.
9. Career Advancement Program: Growing Participation, Broader Offer
In 2025, our Career Advancement Program (CAP) expanded with growing participation and a broader offer focused on clarity, positioning, and consistent communication. We also strengthened our Outplacement & Transition Support, and introduced DNA of Success – Gulf Career Lab — a structured programme for professionals entering the Gulf job market, combining regional insight with a Gulf-ready CV and LinkedIn, a targeted outreach plan, and interview preparation.
If you’re considering a career move, book a meeting with Daniel, our dedicated consultant, to discuss how our Career Advancement Program can support your next step and strengthen your market positioning.
Elevate Your Team in 2026 with Our Expertise!
As we reflect on team successes, memorable moments, and impactful activities in 2026, we look forward to elevating your team with our tailored expertise in the coming year.
In our pursuit of excellence, we have consistently delivered exceptional results for multinational Life Sciences companies like yours. Here are some key services we offer:
- Retained & Contingent Search
- Executive & Senior Commercial Search
- Recruitment Process Outsourcing (RPO)
- Nationalisation Hiring Support (UAE & KSA)
- KSA Market Entry Hiring Support
- Inclusive Hiring
- Outplacement & Transition Support
Contact Katarzyna Kusy to discuss how our services can be tailored to meet your company’s specific needs.
Published: 18 December 2025
