Dubai has become one of the three cities, with London and New York, where the principals we work for actually live. Family offices have moved to the DIFC and the ADGM in Abu Dhabi, founders have relocated after exits, and families from Europe, India, Russia and East Asia have made the UAE their primary residence. The household and office teams have had to be built locally, often quickly, in a market where the senior private service talent pool is still forming. Oplu has a Dubai presence and runs UAE searches with the London team's candidate reach.

Roles we place in Dubai and Abu Dhabi

The office. Dubai family offices hire Executive Assistants, Chiefs of Staff and finance and operations staff, from Financial Operations Associates in a single family office to Directors of Operations. Remote and hybrid arrangements are more common here than in London, with staff in Dubai supporting a principal who splits the year between the Gulf and Europe. Investment hiring, for CIO and Analyst roles, is growing as offices move from allocation to direct deals.

The household. Dubai villas in Emirates Hills, Palm Jumeirah, Jumeirah Golf Estates and Al Barari run with a House Manager or Estate Manager, a team of housekeepers, a Private Chef and drivers. Childcare is a large part of our Gulf work: British, European and bilingual nannies, Governesses and Tutors and Newborn Care Specialists, many of them placed from London.

Luxury and hospitality. The Gulf's hotels, members' clubs and luxury brands hire General Managers, Food and Beverage Directors and brand leadership through us when they want candidates who have worked for principals as well as for operators. Chefs de partie and senior kitchen roles for private palaces in Abu Dhabi come through the same practice.

How Oplu works in the Gulf

Most senior household and office candidates for Dubai are relocation candidates, and we say so at the start. We know which London and European candidates will move, what they expect, and what has gone wrong for the ones who moved without preparation. Local sourcing covers staff already in the UAE on existing sponsorships and the growing group of experienced private staff who have settled in Dubai.

Searches are led by a Managing Director. Fırat Bay leads family office and executive support mandates; Antonia Edwards leads household and hospitality mandates. Interviews are by video in the first round and in person in Dubai or London for finalists. Cultural fit matters here in a specific way: a candidate has to be comfortable with the household's customs, its calendar, and in many cases with staff from a dozen nationalities.

Discretion is as important as in London. We do not advertise senior Gulf roles and we do not disclose the family's name until shortlist.

Compensation in Dubai

The UAE does not levy personal income tax on salaries, and Dubai packages are built differently: a base salary plus housing or a housing allowance, flights home, medical insurance, and often a car and schooling for senior roles. Comparing a Dubai offer with a London salary needs the whole package, and candidates know it. Household staff on live-in arrangements expect accommodation, food and flights as standard. The Family Office Salary Guide, the Private Staff Salary Guide and the Luxury Hospitality and Brands Salary Guide give the ranges; we benchmark Gulf packages against current searches before advising.

Employment notes for the UAE

Work authorisation and residence requirements depend on the candidate, role and employing entity. A Golden Visa holder, for example, may need a work permit without a new employer-sponsored residence visa. Most private-sector roles follow the UAE Labour Law alongside any applicable free zone rules; DIFC and ADGM have separate employment frameworks. Pension, gratuity and workplace savings arrangements depend on eligibility and the applicable regime, as do probation and notice terms. Domestic workers are covered by a separate law with its own contract form, rest days and repatriation rules. Where a new visa is needed, we allow 2 to 6 weeks for planning, subject to the route and approvals. We confirm the employing entity and the work authorisation and residence route before an offer is made.

Working with Oplu in Dubai

The first conversation is confidential, with a Managing Director in Dubai or by video. We scope the role, the package, the visa route and the household's or office's working rhythm before the search opens.

Questions we are asked about hiring in Dubai

Should we hire locally or relocate someone? For junior household roles, locally; for senior office and household leadership, usually a relocation candidate with Gulf experience or a strong reason to move. We present both where both exist and tell you what each costs.

How long does the visa take? Where a new visa is needed, we allow 2 to 6 weeks after offer for planning. Processing depends on the route, candidate and approvals. We confirm the requirements before offer so the start date is realistic.

Can staff be employed by our London family office and work in Dubai? A UK employment contract alone does not establish permission to work in the UAE. The employing entity, work authorisation and residence status must fit the arrangement. Employer-sponsored residence is not required in every case; we confirm the route before the search opens.

Do you place staff in Abu Dhabi and Riyadh as well? Abu Dhabi, yes, through the same practice. We take Saudi briefs selectively, usually for families we already work for in the UAE or London.