Latest news with #MichaelPage
Perth Now
3 days ago
- Health
- Perth Now
Grim prediction for flu season in WA prompts urgent warning
WA is in the grips of a horror flu season with the number of people in hospital with the virus more than doubling the same time last year, with experts warning the worst is yet to come. WA Health figures show that, as of June 8, nearly one in five recorded flu cases have ended with the person being admitted to hospital. There have been 8083 recorded influenza infections so far this year, more than double the 3488 cases this time last year. Of those 8083 cases, 1489 people have been admitted to hospital — more than double the 692 hospitalisations at the same time last year. It's also almost twice the five-year average of 765 hospitalisations. The high spread of the disease comes as health experts warn a further spike is expected in coming weeks as the middle of winter nears. In May alone, there were 1797 cases of the flu recorded across the State — 936 more than May last year. Australian Medical Association WA president Michael Page said it had been an unusual flu season, with baseline rates of the infectious disease remaining higher even throughout summer. Dr Page said the fact the community had forgotten good hygiene habits adopted during the COVID-19 pandemic could be helping to spread the disease. However, he said WA's low vaccination rates was the number one cause. A poster issued by the WA Department of Health recommending handwashing procedure. Credit: Supplied 'There was that cultural shift during COVID where people would be cautious and stay home when sick and keep their kids home from school,' he said. 'The community has reverted to going back to work when they feel able to and sending their child to school with a runny nose. 'This would definitely be impacting the spread but the number one issue is vaccination. 'We do have unacceptably low rates of influenza vaccination in WA — some of the lowest in the country.' WA's flu vaccination rates are below the national average in all age groups with only 11.6 per cent of five to 15-year-olds vaccinated so far this year and 15.7 per cent of six month to five-year-olds jabbed. We need a new approach and we need to put a bit of time and effort into working out what the underlying reason is that people are not taking up vaccination in the way they used to. Almost 15 per cent of 15 to 50-year-olds have been vaccinated while 25.7 per cent of 50 to 65-year-olds and almost 55 per cent of over 65s have had the jab. Dr Page called on Minister for Preventative Health Sabine Winton to find a new approach to boost flu vaccination rates. 'I think all the hospital system needs is another big wave of infection to just push it even further behind in its ability to treat patients,' he said. 'We need a new strategy in Western Australia — we've got a minister for preventative health and I hope that she's looking very seriously at the impact of low vaccination rates on the overall health system, as well as on the health of individuals. 'More shocking billboards of people on their last breath in hospital is not the solution here. 'We need a new approach and we need to put a bit of time and effort into working out what the underlying reason is that people are not taking up vaccination in the way they used to.' The Kids Research Institute and Perth Children's Hospital infectious specialist Chris Blyth also urged West Australians to get vaccinated to prevent a further spike in cases, which would in turn lessen the pressure on the State's hospitals. 'Our influenza season has started by all accounts and so we expect case numbers to climb — not just in children, but in all populations,' he said. 'We know it spreads quickly in all populations, and we do know that children, particularly primary school children, are great vectors for influenza in the community. 'That's why we have a primary school program in Western Australia and we know that vaccinating primary school children reduces the amount of transmission in the community. 'Normally it takes a week or two to develop immunity from an influenza vaccine so those unvaccinated people out there should take the opportunity now as we expect that numbers will peak in the coming weeks.' Data shows the flu has been spreading the most rapidly among five to nine-year-olds followed by zero to four-year-olds. The Wirth family was struck down with the flu earlier this year, with two-year-old Mia the worst hit. With high fevers for six days, Renee Wirth rushed her young daughter to urgent care and the GP where she was diagnosed with Influenza A. 'Influenza A was scary for me, we had to sleep on her floor as her fevers were hitting hard every four hours,' she said. 'She was getting bad blood noses and we were having to syringe small amounts of Hydralite into her just to keep her hydrated. 'This is the sickest Mia had ever been. We were hospitalised with RSV and pneumonia last year, which I thought was scary, this was far worse. The Wirth family was struck down with the flu earlier this year, with two-year-old Mia the worst hit. Credit: Jackson Flindell / The West Australian 'She tired easily for a good month post-influenza.' Ms Wirth said she believed a lack of hygiene played a part in the spread of influenza this season. 'As a teacher, the last two years I have never been so sick with constant virus after virus hitting me, or the kids in my class. Daycare was the same,' she said. 'We were sick every second week. I truly believe it's the lack of hygiene from people sneezing and coughing then touching door handles, light switches, or sending kids to school thinking it's a cold when it's not. 'People don't want to use sick days unless they have to, which also means people are going to work, using public transport or sending kids to daycare unwell, which impacts families like ours.' A spokesperson for Ms Winton said the Minister would continue to work with doctors and health professionals to find ways to encourage more people to get a free flu vaccination. 'With winter here, the Cook Government is urging all Western Australians to protect themselves and their loved ones against influenza through our free flu vaccination program,' the spokesperson said. 'Now in its fourth year, this important program is helping ensure eligible Western Australians can access their free flu vaccination ahead of the peak season. 'Last year, the State Government launched the successful 'Don't Assume You're Immune' campaign, which continues to play a key role in raising awareness about the importance of immunisation and countering harmful misinformation about public health. 'The campaign has driven more people to seek out accurate, trusted information from sources like the Immunisation WA website. 'The Minister recently met with the AMA and will continue to work with doctors and all health professionals to find ways to encourage more Western Australians to take up the opportunity of a free and safe flu vaccination.'
The National
3 days ago
- Business
- The National
Million dollar sign-on bonuses offered to attract financial services professionals to UAE
Financial services professionals in the UAE and the Gulf are being increasingly offered perks like sign-on bonuses, a rarity in the region, as companies seek to attract and retain talent. Asset management firms, private equity companies and hedge funds are hiring robustly, according to recruitment consultants. 'We're not really used to sign-on bonuses in the Middle East. But some of the sign-on bonuses currently being paid to portfolio managers within multi-strategy hedge funds are between $3 million and $5 million,' says Oscar Orellana-Hyder, co-founder of Dubai-based executive search firm Cordell Partners. Adam Man-Cheung, senior director at recruitment consultancy Michael Page, agrees that there's been a 'noticeable increase' in companies offering sign-on bonuses. These depend on the candidate, their seniority, specialism and tenure in the business. Such a perk wasn't prevalent a few years ago in the region, although it has been internationally. When candidates join, they need to forego their existing bonuses, so the sign-on bonus is in recognition of that, he explains. Carried interest agreements Another perk being offered to FS professionals is carried interest, according to Mr Man-Cheung. Carried interest refers to a share of profits earned by general partners of private equity, venture capital and hedge funds. 'We are also seeing more long-term incentives being used to incentivise, attract and retain candidates,' he says. 'This illustrates a maturing of the market and aligning with international financial services standards that we've seen for years in the more defined jurisdictions like London, New York and Hong Kong.' The UAE, the Arab world's second-largest economy, aims to attract more investments in financial services, Minister of Investment Mohamed Alsuwaidi told the Investopia conference in Abu Dhabi in February. 'We are still far behind where we would like to be in financial services,' he says. 'For me, there's definitely significant room to grow there, whether it's in the asset management business, whether it's in the insurance business, whether it's even in the banking and whether it's technology or FinTech or so on.' A growing list of asset managers, insurers, financial institutions and investment houses have chosen to set up base in the UAE in recent years. New York-based BlackRock, the world's top asset manager with nearly $11.5 trillion in assets under management, received a commercial licence to operate at Abu Dhabi's ADGM in November. 'There is appetite to do business here, deploy funds and set up offices. The government has a commercial mindset and incentivises plans to help businesses grow. In other European or US geographies, it's very difficult as there's a lot of red tape and politics,' Mr Orellana-Hyder says. 'Safety and security here is also better than London and New York. There is also a good family environment. All these soft factors complement the UAE's tax-free environment. The potential taxation of carried interest in London is also a massive factor why talent is moving out.' Which roles are in demand? A 'fairly large' influx of international asset managers is coming to the region, and a lot of them are setting up in Saudi Arabia and Abu Dhabi, Michael Page's Mr Man-Cheung says. Compliance professionals and fundraising roles have seen strong demand over the past few years. Existing international asset management firms are now looking to set up some of their investment teams here, too, he adds. Mr Orellana-Hyder says many US and European hedge funds, investment managers and asset managers are in the UAE this month to find an office, to identify who they could raise funds from, and to source talent. They go to New York University Abu Dhabi, Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi or Insead to hire graduates. 'The Dubai Financial Services Authority signed 154 new licences last year. To get a license in DIFC and ADGM, you need people in compliance, risk, finance and a senior executive officer. Over time, you also hire portfolio managers and analysts,' he says. 'We are hiring financial services professionals from developed markets in Europe, London, Singapore, Hong Kong and South Africa. More and more North Americans are also coming and setting up their office here.' When larger companies want to hire wealth managers, relationship managers, fundraising and compliance professionals, they favour people with regional experience and understanding of local compliance regulations. When the role is less specialised, they often go for international experience, Mr Man-Cheung says. Perks and bonuses This new ecosystem of investment managers is used to being paid 'New York-level salaries and bonuses', according to Mr Orellana-Hyder. 'Flexibility is right up there on people's radars. The compensation packages are getting more imaginative. I recently organised a pet allowance to move a dog from West Hollywood to Abu Dhabi for $8,000,' he says. Mr Man-Cheung says the typical bonus in PE firms and asset management investment teams is about six to 12 months' salary. 'The usual bonus in investment banking in a good year is about 13 to 14 months' salary, whereas in a bad year, it's worth about three months' salary. For back-office and mid-office teams, the bonus is usually about two to four months' salary because they're not fee-generative roles,' he says. The salaries for digital assets jobs are higher because there's potentially higher risk, according to Mr Orellana-Hyder. Compliance jobs in digital assets are very popular. Hiring in this space is mostly driven by crypto exchanges, crypto hedge funds and the underlying blockchain providers. Meanwhile, while family offices 'can be very tight on salaries … if you are loyal and dedicate time to them, they can reward you very well', he says. 'On average, regulators offer probably 20 per cent or 30 per cent salaries less than industry players. But you get a lot of visibility working for a regulator. That's attractive to people who have already made their money and are at a later stage in their career.' Banking jobs under pressure With many banks, regionally and globally starting to struggle, they are losing talent to funds and new start-ups, Mr Orellana-Hyder says. 'Gone are the days when graduates were desperate to work for Deutsche Bank, Goldman Sachs or Morgan Stanley. The big brands are losing people to boutique brands,' he says. 'In the next year or couple of years, we're going to see a real uplift of boutique banks, boutique asset managers, the smaller, more agile and nimble ones will be able to compensate better.' Similarly, Michael Page's Mr Man-Cheung says that with the digitalisation of banks, there will be a reduction in lenders' retail headcount. But it is business as usual in wholesale corporate banking, he adds.
The National
3 days ago
- Business
- The National
Hefty sign-on bonuses offered to attract financial services professionals to UAE
Financial services professionals in the UAE and the Gulf are being increasingly offered perks like sign-on bonuses, a rarity in the region, as companies seek to attract and retain talent. Asset management firms, private equity companies and hedge funds are hiring robustly, according to recruitment consultants. 'We're not really used to sign-on bonuses in the Middle East. But some of the sign-on bonuses currently being paid to portfolio managers within multi-strategy hedge funds are between $3 million and $5 million,' says Oscar Orellana-Hyder, co-founder of Dubai-based executive search firm Cordell Partners. Adam Man-Cheung, senior director at recruitment consultancy Michael Page, agrees that there's been a 'noticeable increase' in companies offering sign-on bonuses. These depend on the candidate, their seniority, specialism and tenure in the business. Such a perk wasn't prevalent a few years ago in the region, although it has been internationally. When candidates join, they need to forego their existing bonuses, so the sign-on bonus is in recognition of that, he explains. Carried interest agreements Another perk being offered to FS professionals is carried interest, according to Mr Man-Cheung. Carried interest refers to a share of profits earned by general partners of private equity, venture capital and hedge funds. 'We are also seeing more long-term incentives being used to incentivise, attract and retain candidates,' he says. 'This illustrates a maturing of the market and aligning with international financial services standards that we've seen for years in the more defined jurisdictions like London, New York and Hong Kong.' The UAE, the Arab world's second-largest economy, aims to attract more investments in financial services, Minister of Investment Mohamed Alsuwaidi told the Investopia conference in Abu Dhabi in February. 'We are still far behind where we would like to be in financial services,' he says. 'For me, there's definitely significant room to grow there, whether it's in the asset management business, whether it's in the insurance business, whether it's even in the banking and whether it's technology or FinTech or so on.' A growing list of asset managers, insurers, financial institutions and investment houses have chosen to set up base in the UAE in recent years. New York-based BlackRock, the world's top asset manager with nearly $11.5 trillion in assets under management, received a commercial licence to operate at Abu Dhabi's ADGM in November. 'There is appetite to do business here, deploy funds and set up offices. The government has a commercial mindset and incentivises plans to help businesses grow. In other European or US geographies, it's very difficult as there's a lot of red tape and politics,' Mr Orellana-Hyder says. 'Safety and security here is also better than London and New York. There is also a good family environment. All these soft factors complement the UAE's tax-free environment. The potential taxation of carried interest in London is also a massive factor why talent is moving out.' Which roles are in demand? A 'fairly large' influx of international asset managers is coming to the region, and a lot of them are setting up in Saudi Arabia and Abu Dhabi, Michael Page's Mr Man-Cheung says. Compliance professionals and fundraising roles have seen strong demand over the past few years. Existing international asset management firms are now looking to set up some of their investment teams here, too, he adds. Mr Orellana-Hyder says many US and European hedge funds, investment managers and asset managers are in the UAE this month to find an office, to identify who they could raise funds from, and to source talent. They go to New York University Abu Dhabi, Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi or Insead to hire graduates. 'The Dubai Financial Services Authority signed 154 new licences last year. To get a license in DIFC and ADGM, you need people in compliance, risk, finance and a senior executive officer. Over time, you also hire portfolio managers and analysts,' he says. 'We are hiring financial services professionals from developed markets in Europe, London, Singapore, Hong Kong and South Africa. More and more North Americans are also coming and setting up their office here.' When larger companies want to hire wealth managers, relationship managers, fundraising and compliance professionals, they favour people with regional experience and understanding of local compliance regulations. When the role is less specialised, they often go for international experience, Mr Man-Cheung says. Perks and bonuses This new ecosystem of investment managers is used to being paid 'New York-level salaries and bonuses', according to Mr Orellana-Hyder. 'Flexibility is right up there on people's radars. The compensation packages are getting more imaginative. I recently organised a pet allowance to move a dog from West Hollywood to Abu Dhabi for $8,000,' he says. Mr Man-Cheung says the typical bonus in PE firms and asset management investment teams is about six to 12 months' salary. 'The usual bonus in investment banking in a good year is about 13 to 14 months' salary, whereas in a bad year, it's worth about three months' salary. For back-office and mid-office teams, the bonus is usually about two to four months' salary because they're not fee-generative roles,' he says. The salaries for digital assets jobs are higher because there's potentially higher risk, according to Mr Orellana-Hyder. Compliance jobs in digital assets are very popular. Hiring in this space is mostly driven by crypto exchanges, crypto hedge funds and the underlying blockchain providers. Meanwhile, while family offices 'can be very tight on salaries … if you are loyal and dedicate time to them, they can reward you very well', he says. 'On average, regulators offer probably 20 per cent or 30 per cent salaries less than industry players. But you get a lot of visibility working for a regulator. That's attractive to people who have already made their money and are at a later stage in their career.' Banking jobs under pressure With many banks, regionally and globally starting to struggle, they are losing talent to funds and new start-ups, Mr Orellana-Hyder says. 'Gone are the days when graduates were desperate to work for Deutsche Bank, Goldman Sachs or Morgan Stanley. The big brands are losing people to boutique brands,' he says. 'In the next year or couple of years, we're going to see a real uplift of boutique banks, boutique asset managers, the smaller, more agile and nimble ones will be able to compensate better.' Similarly, Michael Page's Mr Man-Cheung says that with the digitalisation of banks, there will be a reduction in lenders' retail headcount. But it is business as usual in wholesale corporate banking, he adds.
USA Today
13-06-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Jared Cannonier vs. Michael Page added to UFC 319 in Chicago
Jared Cannonier vs. Michael Page added to UFC 319 in Chicago The lineup for the UFC's return to the "Windy City" continues to build with the addition of a former title challenger to the lineup. Jared Cannonier (18-8 MMA, 11-8 UFC) is set to take on Michael Page (23-3 MMA, 2-1 UFC) at UFC 319, which takes place Aug. 16 at United Center in Chicago. UFC officials announced the middleweight booking Friday. Although a card placement wasn't announced, the matchup almost certainly will be part of the pay-per-view main card. UFC 319 is headlined by a middleweight title fight between champion Dricus Du Plessis and challenger Khamzat Chimaev. Page had a high-profile UFC debut at UFC 299 15 months ago and outworked Kevin Holland for a unanimous decision at welterweight. He dropped his follow-up to Ian Machado Garry, but in February threw a wrench into the middleweight division with an upset of Shara Magomedov. Now the longtime Bellator standout will look for a second straight at 185 pounds in the UFC. Cannonier fought for the middleweight title in mid-2022, but dropped a decision to then-champ Israel ADesanya. He had back-to-back wins over former title challengers Sean Strickland and Marvin Vettori after that, but fell back in to the pack when he dropped bouts to Nassourdine Imavov and Caio Borralho in 2024. Earlier this year, though, the "Killa Gorilla" got back on track with a fourth-round knockout of Gregory Rodrigues in a bonus-winning performance in his latest UFC main event. A win over Page would be another high-profile one to add to his resume and keep him in contention at 185. With the addition, the latest UFC 319 lineup now includes:
Entrepreneur
11-06-2025
- Business
- Entrepreneur
Editor's Note: Home Working is Great – Until the Company Gets Too Big
53% of employees say they would consider quitting if asked to increase their in-office presence, emphasizing the ongoing demand for flexible work arrangements. Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own. You're reading Entrepreneur Middle East, an international franchise of Entrepreneur Media. The new survey on employment sentiment in the UAE, by Michael Page, a global recruitment consultancy, makes fascinating reading. "Despite economic uncertainty, 77%of professionals in the UAE are actively exploring new job opportunities, a sharp rise from 65% in 2024," the survey said. Basically a polite way of saying the majority of your colleagues (and probably you as well) are job hunting. "Companies that can offer clear answers to the pressing questions of today's professionals are better positioned to stand out in a complex talent market," the survey said. It added that recent years have brought dramatic shifts in workplace dynamics in the country, fueled by evolving priorities, new expectations, and rapid AI advancements. But here is the really key bit: while only 34% currently work hybrid, 53% of employees say they would consider quitting if asked to increase their in-office presence, emphasizing the ongoing demand for flexible work arrangements, it said. Unless I read that wrong, what this is saying is that the majority of people would give up their job, and step into the unknown, rather than having to consider actually coming into work. I know there are multiple views on this. But the main point I believe is that companies need to be clear from the outset what their policy is, otherwise, it leads to a muddled work environment where nobody is quite sure who is where and what they are doing. This is especially true is companies with over 200 staff, where communication break downs between those in and out of the office are more common. I have heard many stories of fairly large organizations – some with over 500 staff – where at least 10% are often believed to be "missing." The bigger the organization, the easier it is to disappear from everything but the payroll. "The message from UAE professionals is loud and clear. They want clear answers, purpose, trust, flexibility, and future-focused leadership, said Jon Ede, Regional Director UAE at Michael Page. He couldn't be more right. But in my view, home working policies can be very effective – until companies reach a certain scale, probably the 200 staff mark.
