Hewitt Associates, a global HR consulting firm has announced the launch of  a research and innovation centre dedicated to the development of Arab national talent across the Middle East.

The Acumena Centre will serve as the region’s leading think tank on emerging human capital issues, particularly on matters that are distinctive to the development of Arab national talent in the Middle East, said a Hewitt statement.

Its vision is to provide independent research and analysis aimed at influencing and informing national human capital policies within the Arab states.

Hewitt’s Centre will seek to connect theory and practice by asking relevant questions and providing rigorous research and insights into the unique attributes and dynamics of the Middle East’s most valuable asset – its people.

The Acumena Centre will turn the spotlight on human capital development in the Middle East, ranging from understanding the macro talent demographics within Arab countries, to partnering with organizations in developing their national talent.

Commenting on the launch, David Jones, Hewitt’s senior leader for the Middle East practice, said, "It is an indisputable fact that the Middle East economies need to graduate from being dependent on natural resources to being fuelled as contemporary knowledge economies reliant on human resources."

"To truly evolve as sustainable growth economies of the future, the Arab states need to effectively engage and mobilize their human resources. This is not a regular process of change that can be left to evolve at it’s own pace, rather it requires nothing less than a revolution in how we understand and execute talent strategies in nations and organizations across the region.”

In alignment with its vision, Hewitt’s team of experts at The Acumena Centre are launching their inaugural research study, ‘Qudurat’ in June.

Qudurat will be the first and largest study of its kind in the region – unique in its methodology and approach. It will seek to discover aspects that drive and motivate Arab national talent within the workplace, thereby impacting their engagement and performance.

Hewitt will be building a network of partners and participants for the research study. The insights from the research would be valuable to governmental institutions, private sector organizations, academic institutions and other stakeholders looking to advance Arab national talent in diverse capacities.

"Advancement of national talent in the Middle East requires focused thought, relevant research, active debate and deliberate action," Jones observed.

"Through its work, Hewitt’s The Acumena Centre will act as a centre for thought leadership in this area, working to provide pertinent and rational insights towards maximizing the human capital opportunities in the Middle East," he added.-TradeArabia News Service