A CEO or board member in Riyadh, Dubai or Doha decides from your first page whether to read on. Most senior CVs do not fail because the experience is weak. They fail because they read like a job description instead of a record of results.
What Gulf decision-makers look for
Scale, in numbers
Budget, team size, revenue, users, countries. Numbers are how boards compare leaders.
Outcomes, not duties
What changed because you were there. Growth, savings, speed, risk reduced.
Regional relevance
GCC experience, or clear proof you can lead across cultures and markets.
A clear story
Every move should make sense. Short stints need a one-line reason.
People leadership
Evidence you build teams and develop successors, including local talent.
Before and after
This is the single biggest change most executives can make. Turn every responsibility into a result.
Illustrative example. Use your own real, provable numbers.
The page-one blueprint
- 1Header. Name, target title, location, phone, email and LinkedIn. Many Gulf employers also look for nationality and notice period, because they affect visas and start dates.
- 2Executive profile. Four or five lines: who you are, the scale you work at, your sector and what you are known for.
- 3Signature achievements. Three to five results with numbers. This is the part most readers remember.
- 4Career history. Newest first. Two lines of context per role, then results.
- 5Education, certifications and languages. Arabic is a real advantage in many roles. If you have it, say so.
Five mistakes that cost interviews
- A generic objective statement. “Seeking a challenging role” tells the reader nothing. Lead with your profile.
- Responsibilities with no results. If a sentence has no outcome, it is taking up space.
- Six pages of history. Two to three pages is right for most senior leaders.
- A CV and LinkedIn that tell different stories. Boards check both. Titles, dates and results should match.
- The wrong photo. A photo is optional. If you include one, use a professional headshot only.
Your CV is not your history. It is your business case.
Ameera Marshall, FounderBefore you send it: a 60-second check
| Does every role show at least one number? | Yes / No |
| Does your profile name the role you want next? | Yes / No |
| Does page one prove your scale? | Yes / No |
| Does your LinkedIn match your CV? | Yes / No |
| How many pages is it? | 2 to 3 |
| Are your location and notice period clear? | Yes / No |
Want a CV that opens doors at board level?
Our Executive CV Writing is built from the recruiter’s side of the table: we know what gets shortlisted because we do the shortlisting.
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