Siren’s Digital Expert James Relocates to Dubai
You’ve been in Dubai for a month already now, what’s been the most surprising change that you have noticed to your working life?
‘I would say that there have been a couple of stark differences between working life in Dubai compared to the UK. The main difference seems to be that people are more open to opportunities and initiating business conversations. There is a real opportunity to be had here and everyone can sense it, and everyone wants to capitalise on it.
Within a shared office building environment, teams from other companies here are willing to take five to explore avenues for mutual growth and that opportunity-seeking positive attitude seems to extend into Dubai itself. This refreshing – and faster – change of pace is exciting and is definitely something which I have noticed’.
Looking at our paid ads strategy, particularly in Dubai for 2025/26, what are some of the big changes we can expect now that you have moved to our overseas office?
‘On my part, being localised and embedded within the Dubai community will give our campaigns for our Dubai based clients more nuance and accuracy. Our paid strategy will benefit massively from having more boots on the ground, experiencing the same seasonality and culture as that of our clients.
Having more of us from the UK now situated abroad is giving us a better understanding of the Dubai market and its varied international audience of expats. With a larger Dubai team, our approach can become more proactive and flexible, letting us focus on building stronger relationships with new clients by seeing them in person and establishing a network of local businesses which we can work alongside’.
Working in the UAE, what is the biggest positive about working in such a vibrant city, beyond the sunshine?
‘The sunshine is definitely a positive, though coming from Birmingham it was a shock a first!
There is definitely a different energy here. There is a real optimism and ambition in the air and it’s contagious. The entrepreneurial spirit of Dubai is something to be experienced. People are always starting something new or trying to solve problems and that’s really motivating.
From a business perspective it’s a golden opportunity for Siren. There are lots of businesses which are trying to grow and rise above the noise and that appetite for growth and innovation – particularly in digital marketing – is a massive positive’.
Clients love face to face meetings compared to a zoom call with dodgy WiFi. How do you think meetings, proposals with potential clients and sharing results will be benefited by having another member of Siren Birmingham visiting them in-office?
‘There’s no substitute for having a meeting face to face, especially with a client. Building trust quickly is essential in digital marketing and video calls can sometimes hinder that. Cues get missed over a Google Meets call when your client is in a tiny little box in the top corner of your screen; you miss when a client leans in to speak or goes to speak but then doesn’t and even something as trivial as dodgy WiFi can create a disconnect between you and the client which can harm the rapport you’ve worked hard to cultivate.
When you’re face to face, that natural discourse can happen and you can gauge the mood of your audience and their engagement. Zoom calls can be really transactional if you’re not careful whereas a proposal in person feels much more collaborative, conversational and ultimately more rewarding and productive’.
There must have been some challenges which came with settling down in a different country. New house, new routines etc. What is the main challenge you have faced during the move?
‘Yes, the complete lack of routine when you first move was a challenge, though you settle into a new routine faster than you might expect. I’d just renovated my house in the UK and had a routine around that.
There were plenty of parts of my life which had become second nature; I didn’t have to think about which shops I needed to go to, to get groceries, or my route into the office. What to do on weekends etc., all of that was integrated already. When you move on a permanent basis, you are starting from scratch, though we have been able to adapt in the last couple of weeks and build new routines’.
Your Dubai clients must have been thrilled with the news that you were moving to their city – and their time zone! – how has moving to the UAE impacted the relationships you have with your clients both in the UK and locally?
‘From the UK side, honestly not a lot has changed beyond the difference in timezone. I’m 3-4 hours ahead which usually means that by the time my UK clients are starting their day, from my end a lot of the workflow has been done and so accounts can be processed more quickly.
On the Dubai side, even the essentials: monthly meetings, sharing insights, going through reports… Doing these things face-to-face is much more personal. The crux of it is that UK clients are not affected by the move, but Dubai clients benefit from that personal relationship which comes naturally when meeting with them regularly at their offices’.
Is there anything you miss from the UK, now that you are a Dubai resident?
‘Mainly my family. I’m missing my little nephew massively and all of the home comforts which come with being around your loved ones like a proper family Sunday roast and spending time with friends.
Obviously I’m missing The Blues. Definitely missing the football. We’ve had a really strong start to the season so it’s killing me not to be there to see it but thankfully, my season ticket will still be waiting for me when I get back to the UK’.
Siren Dubai is moving faster than ever thanks to the vital work of James and his team. See how far we’ve come as well as our plans for operations in the future by reading all about our work in the UAE and beyond.
