Bob Khattab
CEO and Co-Founder of Foreground.
The View
Dubai, United Arab EmiratesDesign the organization, build the capability, then find the people. In that order.
Most performance problems are not strategy problems. They are structural.
The same holds for a career.
Sessions
Hundreds of people reach out to connect and discuss.
- One to oneWith me, never an associate
- PreparedYour material read before we speak
- In confidenceNothing said leaves the session
- Held onMicrosoft Teams, in English or Arabic
Schedule of Fees
For Organizations
Foreground / GCC and MENAClient work runs through Foreground.
If you are an organization with a mandate, it goes to the firm directly.
Advisory
Organizational design, operating model development, workforce strategy and HR transformation.
Learning
Leadership development and team capability programs.
Talent
Executive search and senior appointments across functions and industries.
Track Record
2008 to presentForeground
A people and organizational advisory firm working across the GCC and MENA.
Virtucruit
An embedded recruitment model operating as Flexi.
Riyady
An initiative focused on entrepreneurial development and founder support in the UAE.
The Recruiters Academy
Practitioner-led training for recruitment professionals across the GCC.
Libra Opportunities
More than a decade of senior and executive search across the region.
Wharton Executive Education
Human resources management and services.
Questions
Before You BookI receive hundreds of requests to connect and discuss. Reading someone's material properly and giving them undivided attention takes real time, and the fee is what lets me say yes to that instead of leaving the message unanswered. You get a prepared, considered answer rather than a polite deferral.
No. This buys my time and my judgment. It does not buy shortlisting, an introduction, or consideration for any mandate. Nothing about a paid session changes how a search is run.
You decide what to bring, and a specific role is a legitimate thing to bring. But Foreground's searches run under client mandate and under confidentiality. Details of a live process go only to people already in that process, and a paid session does not change that.
No. This is not CV writing and not profile rewriting. What you get is a read of your position and your options from someone who sits on the hiring side of the table. What you do with that is yours.
If you have one decision in front of you right now, book Direct Answer. If you want to understand how the market reads you and which directions are open, book Market Read. If you are at a genuine inflection point and want something written to work from, book Executive Review.
Payment is taken at booking and the slot is confirmed once it clears. You receive a calendar invitation with a Microsoft Teams link. If you sent your CV or a question, I read it before we speak, so the session starts where it should rather than with introductions.
English or Arabic, whichever you prefer. Tell me which when you book. I work in both, and switching between them mid-session is not a problem.
You can reschedule free of charge up to 24 hours before the session. Inside 24 hours the fee is not refunded, and a no-show forfeits the session. The time is held for you and prepared for, which is what the fee covers.
All sessions are priced and charged in US dollars. If you are browsing from the Gulf, the figure shown on this page is a conversion for reference, and the amount that reaches your card is the dollar price.
Yes. Nothing said in a session leaves it. Any notes I take are for my own use in preparing your answer, and nothing is shared with Foreground clients, colleagues, or anyone else.
No. Client work runs through Foreground directly. A mandate, a restructure, a leadership gap or a search does not come through this page, and it is not what these sessions are for.
The best decisions are the ones you take advice on early.
Pick the length that fits the question.