NMC Healthcare plans to recruit about 1,500 employees in the UAE this year as the hospital operator continues its recovery following the financial crisis that nearly led to its collapse five years ago.
The hiring drive will support the expansion of existing facilities and the addition of around 200 doctors recruited between last year and this year. Each new physician requires nursing, technical and administrative support, pushing total workforce growth into four figures, the company said.
“Our existing facilities are expected to grow. We are adding around 200 doctors from the beginning of last year to this year. These 200 doctors need supportive staff, or probably another two, so you’re looking at probably 1,200 to 1,500 people we will add to our workforce this year with an acquisition,” said David Hadley, chief executive of NMC Healthcare, in an interview with Khaleej Times.
NMC currently employs between 11,500 and 12,000 people across hospitals and clinics in Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah and other emirates. Founded in 1975, the group was listed on the London Stock Exchange in 2012 but was delisted after financial irregularities emerged in 2020. The company was subsequently placed under creditor administration led by Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank.
Since then, NMC has undergone a wide-ranging restructuring aimed at restoring financial stability and rebuilding confidence among lenders, suppliers and patients. The process included the introduction of tighter governance controls and new compliance systems.
Christopher Habib, NMC’s chief strategy officer, said the group had replaced a fragmented decision-making culture with formal oversight structures.
“We’ve put in place different committees across the group, which make sure that there’s not one person making decisions. There’s a group of people that are held accountable, and those committees report to the board, which eventually has the right oversight,” Habib said. He added that the previous governance gaps made the company vulnerable to misconduct.
Habib said NMC was also working to change how its hospitals operate. Previously, facilities functioned almost independently, with general managers deciding which doctors to hire and which services to offer. That approach led to internal competition between nearby hospitals rather than coordination.
“We’ve been working over the last two years to ensure that NMC turns into a hospital group, instead of a group of hospitals,” he said. He added that the company now operates under a unified structure with defined performance targets, reporting lines and an operating model designed to support long-term growth.
Hadley said creditors would eventually exit their ownership of the company, though the method and timing of any sale remain undecided. He also confirmed that NMC is exploring potential acquisitions in the UAE and is considering a broader rebranding as part of its next phase.
The recruitment plan signals growing confidence in the group’s recovery and reflects rising demand for healthcare services across the UAE, as NMC seeks to re-establish itself as a major private healthcare provider in the region.
