Dubai-based training and consultancy firm, Human Network International (HNI), has announced the launch of a new branch office in Saudi Arabia, marking the expansion of the company’s footprint in the MENA region. The development will see HNI grow its portfolio of programs delivered in the Kingdom, with a new focus on training for technology awareness.
With a track record of more than a decade in the region, HNI has emerged as a leading provider of short courses and leadership development programs for government and semi-government organisations, as well as businesses across the GCC. The firm counts some high profile organisations among its clients, including Mubadala, DEWA, RTA, and SABIC, to name a few.
Specialising in the design and development of leadership and management programs, the company has trained employees at every level, from high-potential starters to middle and senior managers. Courses run for up to two years and provide practical and comprehensive coaching, with assessments and graduation projects. HNI also caters to fresh graduates, to help support countries with their nationalisation program.
Since starting out, HNI has diversified its training across a range of business disciplines and soft skills and extended its offering internationally, including in the USA and Europe. As it now establishes a presence in the Saudi market, industry-driven courses such as technology language, cybersecurity awareness, and metaverse are being added to the training portfolio.
The expansion comes as KSA drives forward its ambitious plans for economic diversification as part of the government’s Vision 2030 strategy. HNI has already played a part in training 2000 mid-level managers and future leaders for one of the world’s largest companies in the oil and gas sector. The firm now aims to support the goals of Vision 2030 to upskill the current and emerging workforce, to prepare it for the knowledge-based jobs of the future.
Speaking about the launch of the new branch office, HNI Founder and CEO, Hanan Nagi, said, “We have been working in KSA for several years and have seen a growing demand for corporate training that is benchmarked against world-class standards of content and delivery. Being on the ground here will enable us to support more businesses and organisations to equip their people with vital job-related skill through our growing portfolio of bespoke professional development solutions.”
The expansion is a significant milestone for entrepreneur Hanan, who came to the UAE from Egypt in her early 20s. Following an impressive tenure as Learning and Development Manager for TECOM Investments, where she was the first Egyptian to be awarded a prestigious Dubai Government Excellence Award, Hanan established HNI to fill a gap in the region’s training and development landscape.
“I wanted to establish a learning provider that could offer quality service with international standards, yet still understand the local culture, speak the language, and be cost-effectively priced”, Hanan explained. “We have since trained over 55,000 people from a wide variety of sectors, helping them develop core business skills that advance both their own professional development, and the contribution they make to their organisation.”
The HNI training portfolio has grown to cover a diverse range of subjects, from business communication and customer service, to finance, HR, marketing, procurement, and quality management. In addition to its geographic expansion, the company has established a dedicated team to develop training content using online simulations, video animation, and digital gamification, to pioneer the next generation of learning methods.
