Nominations are now open for the 7th Annual MENA HR Excellence Awards, which recognise prominent individuals and employers for excellence in the HR function.

Dubai, UAE -- (ReleaseWire) -- 03/04/2015 --The awards are a highlight of the 10th Annual Human Assets Expansion Summit MENA which will take place on May 20th and 21st at the Grosvenor House in Dubai, and is organised by French business facilitation group, naseba.

The categories currently taking nominations for the awards include the coveted 'Employer of the Year', recognising the winning organisation for its commitment to supporting employees at all levels. Additional categories include exceptional nationalisation initiatives, talent management and employee engagement strategies, learning and development practices as well as outstanding HR professionals from both public and private sectors.

Nominations are open to individuals and organisations within the Middle East who meet the criteria specified in the nomination forms, available for download from the official website, www.humanassetsmideast.com.

Centred on the theme 'HR Innovations: Transforming People, Processes and Technology', this year's summit focuses on advancing human capital management through innovative practices in order to achieve organisational excellence. Furthermore, it addresses the essential role of analytics and how HR leaders can leverage data to improve operational performance, showcase best practices on employee retention and talent management as well as present nationalisation strategies that drive change.

"HR is no longer an isolated discipline. HR leaders must work hand in hand with senior management in order to translate their business goals into a cohesive human capital strategy. We are experiencing tremendous change in our profession -- we have actually become change agents ourselves and this brings along extraordinary opportunities and certain challenges," explains Paolo Emilio Testa, Director of Human Resources MEMA at Hewlett-Packard and speaker at the upcoming summit. "Such platforms enable us to openly review our challenges with industry peers and share best practices, which is essential for progressing the HR function," he continues.

About The Summit
The summit is bringing together up to 120 HR experts and thought leaders from leading organisations in the Middle East. Confirmed speakers for the event include: Taha Khalifa, Regional General Manager MENA at Intel; Matt Ayoub, Associate Director – Human Capital at Mubadala; Daniel Nerron, Corporate Executive Director HR & IT at Arabian Bemco Contracting Company; Fareda Abdullah, VP – Human Capital and Corporate Communications at Majid Al Futtaim; Haitham Samman, Global HR Director for Alcatel-Lucent; Edward Matti, Managing Partner at CCM Consultancy; Khalid Al Almeri, Youth Motivator and Social Columnist at The National; John King, Head of Leadership & Development at Landmark Group; Dr. Yazan Hatamleh, Group Chief HR & Admin Officer at Arabtec; David Al Ashhab, Head of HR at Standard Chartered Bahrain and Murad Salman Mirza, Board Member of the Global Diversity & Inclusion Foundation.

Creator of the Human Assets Expansion series and CEO of naseba, Sophie Le Ray, emphasised: "The Middle East is undergoing a seismic shift in its employment and HR landscape, and we need strategies to cope with the challenges ahead. Nominations for the 7th Annual MENA HR Excellence Awards recognise the thought-leading individuals and organisations that draw on expertise from all corners of the globe, their visionary outlook and forward-thinking leadership, to help model the strategies that we will all be adopting over the years ahead in the changing HR world. "

To date, the Human Assets Expansion series has connected up to 1,500 HR professionals over the last 9 years. The event features two days of high-quality networking, inspirational speakers, and potential business opportunities.

For further information on nominating an individual or organisation, please contact: Hammad Khilji, naseba Marketing Manager, on:

Tel. +971 43 67 13 76, or visit the website: http://www.humanassetsmideast.com