The move, designed to optimise internal efficiencies, also solidifies Serco’s commitment to gender equality and the development of female talent

Dubai, United Arab Emirates: Serco, a leading provider of public services, has promoted its Chief People and Culture Officer Hana Abu Kharmeh to Chief Operations Officer (COO) – a new role for the Middle East region. The appointment means that Hana will now lead the company’s technology and transition teams, in addition to continuing to oversee the Middle East’s human resources (HR) and workforce management (WFM) functions.

The promotion comes following a period of growth for the business, with Serco continuing to strengthen its technology capabilities as a key enabler for its people led service offering. Hana will now be instrumental in driving forward innovation, whilst ensuring the quality and consistency of delivery are maintained.

Effective immediately, the new role will see Hana bring together her leadership skills having previously led Serco’s people department for the past five years, where she was instrumental in positioning Serco as an employer of choice for nationals, developing local talent and fostering a culture of employee growth and wellbeing. Some of Hana’s most notable achievements include surpassing the company’s Emiratisation targets sevenfold (with Serco recently winning a NAFIS UAE Award from the Emirati Talent Competitiveness Council in recognition of its efforts) and increasing the number of female nationals in the business by 133% so far this year, when compared to 2022.

Reporting into Phil Malem, Serco Middle East’s CEO, Hana will continue to sit on Serco’s executive leadership team, where over 50% of the positions are held by women. Additionally, 42% of critical management roles are also held by female employees. In 2023 19% of promotions and new roles went to women, a clear trajectory towards an equitable workplace. These figures signal the effectiveness of Serco’s inclusive policies and wider commitment in bringing the government’s national visions to life and impacting a better future.

Hana originally joined Serco’s Middle East business in 2019, as a regional human resources business partner, before being promoted to regional human resources director a year later. Hana started her career in IT and technology, specialising in programming and network engineering. Before joining Serco, she held leadership positions in previous roles at Kuehne + Nagel and Maersk, representing markets across the region.

Hana also holds a Six Sigma Black Belt PMP, a qualification that requires knowledge and expertise in implementing the Six Sigma business strategy and demonstrates the capabilities of the holder to effectively run businesses. This diverse background is highly relevant to her new role, further underpinning her capability to drive forward innovation and maintain quality and consistency in service delivery.

Phil Malem, CEO of Serco Middle East said: “I congratulate Hana on her promotion to Chief Operations Officer. Hana has been a pivotal part of our success story, expertly leading our people function with dedication and foresight. Her proven leadership skills are true assets to the business, and in her new role I’m looking forward to Hana further embedding her innovative mindset and strive for continuous improvement into our culture.

“At Serco we are committed to establishing a workplace where diversity thrives and career advancement, regardless of gender, is supported through internal policies and strategy. Hana’s journey is a prime example and I hope her promotion is an inspiration to other women, both inside and outside Serco.”

Hana Abu Kharmeh, Chief Operations Officer at Serco Middle East said: “I’m privileged to be taking on this new position, working closely with Phil and the team to deliver exceptional service to our customers. As we continue to invest in our end-to-end capabilities and services, we are strengthening our offering in the region, cementing our role as a trusted partner to governmental organisations. Technology and innovation is at the heart of what we do – bringing together the right people, the right technology and the right partners to create innovative solutions that make positive impact and address some of the most urgent and complex challenges facing the modern world.”

The announcement follows a strong first half of the year for Serco internationally and within the region, which includes continued investments in the region’s space sector, as well as the acquisition of sustainability and engineering consultancy, Climatize.