
Peggy Van de Plassche
Peggy Van de Plassche is a seasoned advisor with over 20 years of experience in financial services, healthcare, and technology. She specializes in guiding boards and C-suite executives through transformational change, leveraging technology and capital allocation to drive growth and innovation. A founding board member of Invest in Canada, Peggy also brings unique expertise in navigating complex issues and fostering public-private partnershipsâkey elements in shaping the Future of Business. Her skill set includes strategic leadership, capital allocation, transaction advisory, technology integration, and governance. Notable clients include BMO, CI Financial, HOOPP, OMERS, GreenShield Canada, Nicola Wealth, and Power Financial. For more information, visit peggyvandeplassche.com.
Peggy Van de Plassche
đDubai Is Calling: What Oscar Orellana-Hyder Wants Westerners to Know
If youâve followed me for a while, you know Iâm a sucker for new frontiers.
And lately, one signal keeps getting louder: a growing number of Canadians and Americansâmyself includedâare turning their attention to the UAE. Not just because the job market here feels uncertain. But because the Middle East, and the UAE specifically, still believes in building.
Where the future isnât something to fearâitâs something you shape.
To explore this shift, I invited Oscar Orellana-Hyder, a seasoned headhunter and founder of Cordell Partners, to the podcast. Heâs spent the last 10 years in Dubai and Abu Dhabi helping global executives relocate and succeedâand he brings a rare mix of candor and context.
đź From private equity operators to job seekers, here are five things to know:
đ 1. Relationships are more important than Resumes
Trust is built slowly. Business is done face-to-face. If you're used to North American speed, prepare to slow downâand go deeper.
đ 2. The Region Is BuildingâNot Just Hiring
Sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and regulators are shaping an ecosystem. Itâs no longer about extracting capital from the Gulf. Itâs about contributing to it.
đ 3. Middle Management Roles Are Booming
Especially in compliance, risk, and finance. But donât expect to land anything without local context and trusted connections.
đ° 4. Yes, Thereâs No Income TaxâBut Itâs Not Cheap
Schooling, housing, healthcare... it adds up. Do your homework before assuming youâll save big.
âď¸ 5. Builders Thrive Here
If youâre entrepreneurial, positive, and flexible, the UAE rewards it. Oscar put it best:
âThe people who succeed here arenât running from London. Theyâre running toward something.â
đŁ If youâre even considering making a moveâor raising capital in the regionâthis episode is for you.
đ§ Listen to the full conversation.
đşď¸ And if you're headed to the UAE this fallâletâs connect.
#privateequity #valuecreation #UAE #dubai #abudhabi #globaltalent #leadership #careerstrategy #capitalallocation #futureofwork
Peggy Van de Plassche is a value creation strategist and senior advisor with over 20 years of experience in private equity, financial services, healthcare, and technology. She works with investment firms, boards, and C-suite leaders to accelerate portfolio company performance, drive operational transformation, and unlock long-term value. Peggy specializes in the execution of complex value creation plansâspanning capital allocation, digital enablement, transaction advisory, and leadership alignment. Her work consistently bridges strategy and implementation, helping investors and operators maximize EBITDA and enterprise value. A founding board member of Invest in Canada, she also brings deep expertise in public-private partnerships and institutional capital deploymentâcritical levers for competitive advantage in todayâs global landscape. Her clients have included BMO, CI Financial, HOOPP, OMERS, GreenShield Canada, Nicola Wealth, and Power Financial. Learn more at peggyvandeplassche.com.
#privateequity #privatemarkets #alternativeinvestments #investing #investments #invest #venturecapital #investor #entrepreneur #digitaltransformation #ai #exit #tech #technology #finance #financialservices #healthcare