NMC Healthcare has announced plans to hire 1,500 staff in the UAE as it stabilizes following a major restructuring effort. The company has stabilized after financial irregularities, which pushed it to the brink of collapse.
“Our existing facilities are expected to grow. We are adding around 200 doctors from the beginning of last year to this year. These 200 doctors need supportive staff, or probably another two, so you're looking at probably 1,200 to 1,500 people we will add to our workforce this year with an acquisition,” said David Hadley, CEO of NMC Healthcare, in an interview.
The company currently employs between 11,500 and 12,000 workers across its facilities in Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, and other emirates.
The new roles are expected to span doctors, nurses, technicians, and administrative staff, reflecting sustained demand for healthcare services across the country.
Established in 1975, the healthcare group was listed on the London Stock Exchange in 2012 but was delisted after financial irregularities and placed under the administration of creditors led by Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank.
After the financial irregularities in NMC in 2020, the company faced credibility issues with creditors and suppliers. Following the administration took over, the lenders formed a committee that established strict regulatory and ethical practices and introduced new technology to prevent further irregularities.
“We've put in place different committees across the group, which make sure that there's not one person making decisions. There's a group of people that are held accountable, and those committees report to the board, which eventually has the right oversight. That governance structure didn't exist before. We've put it in place and made it very difficult for such an event to occur again,” said Christopher Habib, chief strategy officer, NMC Healthcare.
“We've been working over the last two years to ensure that NMC turns into a hospital group, instead of a group of hospitals, that are functioning independently. Now, things are well organised, well put in place. People have KPIs. There's a well-defined org structure and operating model to take this company forward. This should have been functioning in the past,” Christopher Habib said during a recent media briefing.
Habib revealed that the hospitals were operating independently, with each facility having its general manager, who would make all the decisions, such as hiring doctors and what services to offer.
The group is also reviewing selective acquisition opportunities in the UAE and considering a broader rebranding as it prepares for its next phase of growth.