e& drives AI-first workforce transformation with Oracle Cloud

Global technology group e& is accelerating its artificial intelligence (AI) strategy by modernising human resources for its 10,000-strong workforce using Oracle Fusion Cloud Human Capital Management (HCM).

In a move that underscores both its digital ambitions and regulatory commitments, e& is deploying the platform on Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI) dedicated region. The initiative reflects a broader shift in how major regional enterprises are approaching workforce transformation, embedding AI not only in customer-facing services, but also at the core of internal operations.

Headquartered in Abu Dhabi, e& serves customers across 38 countries spanning the Middle East, Asia, Africa and Europe. Its portfolio ranges from advanced connectivity, entertainment and streaming services to financial services, cloud computing, cyber security, internet of things (IoT) platforms and AI-powered enterprise solutions.

As the group positions itself as a digital-first, multi-market technology player, its leadership recognised that its people strategy needed to evolve in parallel. The adoption of Oracle Cloud HCM is intended to equip employees and managers with AI-driven tools that support smarter decision-making, continuous learning and more personalised experiences.

“Modernising the employee experience is a strategic priority,” said Marwan Bin Shakar, chief technology officer at e& UAE. “Oracle Cloud HCM enables us to embed AI across our people processes, enhancing talent development and delivering more personalised employee experiences on a secure, locally deployed OCI Dedicated Region.”

The deployment represents more than a system upgrade. By integrating embedded AI, generative AI and AI agents directly into HR workflows, e& is reshaping recruitment, performance management, skills development and workforce planning.

Operating across diverse geographies brings complexity, regulatory differences, varied labour markets and fragmented HR systems. One of the primary objectives of the transformation was to standardise processes across regions while improving visibility into workforce data.

“With Oracle Cloud HCM, e& has been able to standardise HR processes across geographies, improve workforce visibility, and equip employees and managers with AI-driven insights to support smarter talent decisions,” said Ali Al Mansoori, group chief people officer at e&.

Routine tasks such as interview scheduling, candidate screening and follow-up communications have been automated, accelerating time-to-hire and reducing recruitment costs. Advanced AI algorithms help match candidates to roles based on skills, experience and predicted fit, which will improve hiring quality.

e& is expanding the use of AI-powered digital assistants to enhance candidate and employee engagement. Conversational interfaces, spanning text, chat and voice, will offer round-the-clock support throughout the recruitment journey. Beyond hiring, embedded AI tools such as the Learning and Training Advisor Agent, Oracle Grow and Oracle Dynamic Skills are designed to create a more adaptive workforce. These capabilities recommend skills and learning opportunities aligned to employees’ current roles and future aspirations, helping staff set and achieve goals while supporting managers in delivering more comprehensive performance reviews.

A defining feature of the project is its deployment on OCI Dedicated Region, installed within the UAE to meet national data sovereignty requirements. For organisations operating in highly regulated sectors or jurisdictions, keeping sensitive data within national borders is increasingly critical. The OCI dedicated region provides the full suite of Oracle Cloud services in a customer’s own datacentre or designated location. This will allow e& to adopt the latest AI-driven innovations while maintaining control over data residency, security and performance.

“e&’s transformation into a digital-first, multi-market technology group requires an HR platform that can scale with its ambitions and support a highly diverse workforce,” said Yassine El Bakiouli, vice-president – business applications, Gulf Region, Oracle. “Oracle Cloud HCM has enabled e& to modernise its people operations by bringing together workforce data, embedded AI and advanced analytics to create more intelligent and personalised employee experiences. Running these applications on OCI Dedicated Region helps ensure e& can adopt innovation at pace while addressing security, performance and data sovereignty requirements.”

For Oracle, the deployment reinforces its expanding footprint across the Gulf and wider Middle East. The company has been investing heavily in regional cloud infrastructure, including public cloud regions and dedicated cloud deployments, to support governments and enterprises navigating regulatory requirements. The collaboration with e& illustrates how global technology providers and regional champions are aligning strategies: combining hyperscale cloud capabilities with local deployment models to accelerate AI adoption responsibly.

As enterprises across the Middle East intensify investment in AI, workforce readiness is becoming a strategic differentiator. e&’s deployment of Oracle Fusion Cloud HCM on OCI dedicated region offers a blueprint for organisations seeking to modernise HR while complying with national regulations.