Options Group Launches New Office in Dubai, UAE

Options Group, a leading global executive search and strategic consulting firm, announces the opening of its Dubai office to meet the growing demand for executive search and strategic consulting services in a number of emerging Middle East markets. The Firm received a license by the Dubai International Finance Centre (DIFC) to operate as an executive search firm under the name Options Group (Middle East) Ltd. For the past 2 years, Options Group has been doing senior consulting work in the region, especially in Islamic Finance.

Nasser Al Shaali, CEO, DIFC Authority, welcoming Options Group said “The sustained economic growth that has taken place here in Dubai and across the region over the past several years has led to unprecedented demand for experienced professionals, especially in the financial services sector,” he says. “As the leading international financial centre in the wider region, the DIFC is committed to providing the infrastructure and support necessary to maintain the current level of growth. We are extremely pleased, then, to welcome Options Group to the growing DIFC family.”

Jonathan Duckfield joins Options Group as an Executive Director and will lead execution, research and administrative staff in Dubai. Jon has over 12 years of executive search experience and had been in Dubai since 2005 with the largest regionally-based executive search firm in Dubai. Jon specializes in all areas of Global Markets with a particular emphasis on Private Equity and Asset Management. "We are very excited that Jon will be joining us in the Middle East Region,” says Options Group CEO Michael Karp.

David Korn, Options Group’s Managing Partner for EMEA, adds that the Firm already has been working on retained mandates in the region, including a search for one of the largest local banks to fill multiple management positions. “Options Group has had success with placements in Energy Derivative Marketing and Islamic and Derivative Structuring,” says Korn.

“We have seen a tremendous talent shortage in Dubai’s emerging financial services industry and we look forward to further capturing that market in the future,” adds Ike Suri, Co-COO of the Firm. As European and Asian banks continue to expand into the Middle East, Options Group’s plan is to help its existing and new clients there. “Our mission in EMEA is to assist clients not just in established cities like London, but emerging money centers such as Dubai as well,” says Suri.

Options Group, which is headquartered in New York, has offices in London, Hong Kong, Newport Beach, São Paulo, Shanghai, Sydney and Tokyo. “Options Group continues to grow into emerging markets such as Brazil, China, and EMEA to meet an increasing demand for real-time financial services data and information globally,” says Karp.