A global study of MBA students at top European, US and Asian schools has revealed that the Middle East needs to do more to attract top international talent.

Hill & Knowlton’s eighth annual Corporate Reputation Watch study shows that the Middle East is among the regions that are losing the reputational battle in the global hunt for talent.

The study shows that despite booming economies, soaring foreign direct investment and high oil prices the Middle East is still among a group of key emerging markets whose reputations have yet to attract the best global talent.

The study found that based on what they have read or heard about the Middle East, only 20 per cent of students in the world’s MBA schools say they are interested in working in the region, compared with 57 per cent who say they are not interested in working here.

European students are relatively more interested in working in the Middle East (32 per cent versus 20 per cent overall).

When considering some individual emerging markets the study shows that students at the European business schools see the UAE and Dubai specifically as more attractive than their peers in other parts of the world (40 per cent versus 30 per cent).

Dave Robinson, CEO, Hill & Knowlton Middle East, said: “This is a critical issue for the region. With governments and companies in the Middle East adopting aggressive growth strategies and with the move towards international business practices, the need for the best graduate talent has never been greater. The Middle East is in the front line of the global war for talent.

“Today’s MBA students will be among the corporate leaders of the next 15 to 20 years. In order to join the ranks of the top global companies it is vital that organisations in the Middle East have the ability to attract the world’s best management talent.”

Industry sectors: winners vs losers

The study also found that there are particular industry sectors which are failing to attract the interest of the best international talent.

For multi-billion dollar industries such as alcohol, chemicals and tobacco, more than twice the number of MBA students are not interested in working in them than those who are: alcohol (51 per cent versus 20 per cent); chemicals (48 per cent versus 19 percent); and tobacco (67 per cent versus 13 per cent).  Interestingly both the pharmaceutical industry and, of particular concern to Gulf countries, the oil and gas industries also are in the situation where their reputations put off slightly more students than they attract.

Reputation is an important factor

Companies need to know that in the war for talent, they must do all they can to win and their external perception is possibly the most vital weapon in their armoury. The study confirms the importance of reputation with almost three quarters (73 per cent) of MBA students stating that corporate reputation plays an extremely or very important role when considering where to work after completing their MBA, with only one fifth (20 per cent) saying it is fairly important. In fact, only four per cent said that reputation was not important.

The results also show significant international mobility among business’ most sought after talent with over three quarters (76 per cent) of those surveyed stating they are looking to change either industries or firms following graduation. Only one fifth (19 per cent) said they are intending to return to the firm that they worked for prior to their MBA. A fifth (20 per cent) of students surveyed want to move to another country from that which they are studying, whilst one quarter (25 per cent) are studying outside of their home country and plan on staying there.

Robinson said: “MBAs graduating in a post-Enron world have a strong preference for the companies with the best reputations. It is clear that recruiters of top talent will need to provide more<