Al-Futtaim, the leading UAE business conglomerate, and LinkedIn (NYSE:LNKD), the worlds biggest professional network on the Internet, have publicized the increased investment in the Groups use of LinkedIns Talent Solutions offering as part of its ongoing recruitment strategy.

Since 2013, Al-Futtaim is evaluated to have saved AED 12 million by using LinkedIns Talent Solutions products to identify and recruit the best talent. In the same period, 53 per cent of all hires at Al-Futtaim have been impacted by LinkedIn at some stage in the recruitment progression, and the groups follower-base on LinkedIn has grown nine times to over 140,000 followers.

John Harker, Chief Human Resources Officer, Al-Futtaim, said: With nearly 200 companies in the group, it can be a very challenging task to ensure that the best talent is matched with the correct opportunity. Our partnership with LinkedIn guarantees that our talent needs are met while it helps position our brand as a preferred employer in a dynamic and demanding job market.

Ali Matar, head of LinkedIn Talent Solutions, MENA, said: One of the strongest testaments to LinkedIns impact in talent attainment is that organisations such as Al-Futtaim are clearly seeing value. Ultimately this means more relevant jobs for our members, including the 16 million in the MENA region. Were happy to play a role in connecting more talent with opportunity for more and more candidates and employers, ultimately generating increased economic opportunity for the workforce.

Since using LinkedIn to recruit, Al-Futtaim has made more than 275 hires through LinkedIns Talent Solutions. While the majority of these parts have been in the UAE, more than 25 per cent have been in other GCC markets. Senior roles such as Directors and Managers encompass nearly 35 per cent of these hires.

Strengthening talent brand
The groups popularity beyond the UAEs borders is proven by the fact that more than 76 per cent of followers on LinkedIn come from outside the UAE, including the GCC, the Levant, UK, USA, India and more.

The industries represented by Al-Futtaims followers on LinkedIn align closely with the key business areas within Al-Futtaim, including:
Automotive
Retail
Real Estate
Architecture and engineering
Professional services
Finance and insurance
Technology (software and hardware)