YASMINE ARKAM
Toronto,ON
Summary
HR has always been about people for me. With over 12 years of experience across Canada, Europe and the Middle East, I have worked across the full spectrum of HR. From talent acquisition and performance management to employee relations, engagement, and organizational development.
I enjoy partnering closely with leaders to bring clarity to complex people matters while making sure individuals feel supported and treated fairly. I am bilingual in English and French and comfortable operating across different markets and cultures. My approach is practical, thoughtful, and rooted in the belief that strong businesses are built on strong relationships.
Overview
13
13
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Director, Talent Acquisition & People Engagement
Burson
Toronto, Canada
07.2024 - Current
- Lead national workforce planning and headcount strategy in partnership with Finance and executive leadership.
- Oversee full performance management architecture including calibration, succession planning, and talent reviews.
- Serve as HR Business Partner for Quebec and Toronto, advising on employee relations, engagement, and retention strategy.
- Optimized HR systems and recruitment infrastructure across Canada to enhance operational effectiveness.
- Advised on restructuring and role clarity to strengthen leadership capability development.
Senior Manager, Talent Acquisition
Burson
Toronto, Canada
06.2022 - 06.2024
- Designed and executed national recruitment strategy, aligning talent acquisition with business needs across Corporate Affairs, Public Affairs, and Digital functions.
- Built executive hiring pipelines and enhanced structured interview methodology to improve candidate selection quality.
- Partnered with leadership to drive succession planning and capability mapping initiatives, ensuring talent alignment with organizational goals.
People & Culture Manager / HR Business Partner – MENA
Hill + Knowlton
Dubai & Abu Dhabi, UAE
10.2020 - 05.2022
- Led People & Culture operations across five countries, enhancing employee engagement for 500+ employees.
- Partnered with regional CEO to align workforce planning and restructuring initiatives with strategic business goals.
- Designed and implemented regional performance management frameworks.
- Managed complex employee relations under UAE labor law and regional compliance standards.
- Led compensation reviews and developed talent mobility strategy to optimize workforce capabilities across markets.
HR Business Partner
Yallacompare
Dubai, UAE
06.2020 - 10.2020
- Developed HR structure, performance management framework, and compensation architecture to align with business goals.
- Collaborated with founders to define workforce planning and scaling strategy, ensuring alignment with organizational growth objectives.
- Collaborated with management to develop HR strategies aligning with business goals.
- Facilitated employee onboarding and training programs for new hires.
- Advised leaders on employee relations issues and performance management best practices.
Talent Acquisition Partner
Uber (Careem)
Dubai, UAE
06.2019 - 06.2020
- Led strategic hiring initiatives across legal, finance, strategy, and commercial functions to align talent with organizational goals.
- Collaborated with leadership to support regional expansion efforts, ensuring effective talent acquisition to meet business needs.
- Collaborated with hiring managers to identify staffing needs and job requirements.
- Developed and implemented effective sourcing strategies to attract diverse talent.
- Conducted thorough interviews to assess candidate qualifications and cultural fit.
Lead Recruitment Officer
Etihad Airways
Abu Dhabi, UAE
04.2014 - 06.2019
- Led international recruitment campaigns across Europe, the Middle East, and Asia for operational staff.
- Managed executive and specialized aviation hiring initiatives, aligning talent acquisition with organizational needs.
- Enhanced time-to-fill and hiring quality metrics globally, contributing to more efficient recruitment processes.
Onboarding Administrator
Etihad Airways
Abu Dhabi, UAE
05.2013 - 03.2014
- Managed onboarding compliance and immigration documentation to ensure smooth transition for international hires.
- Coordinated cross-functional onboarding processes to facilitate effective integration of new employees.
- Coordinated administrative tasks for flight operations and crew management.
- Managed scheduling and logistics for staff training sessions and events.
- Processed travel requests using internal booking systems efficiently.
Education
MBA - Management
ESG Paris
FranceBachelor of Economics - Finance
University of Algiers
AlgiersSkills
- Talent acquisition
- Performance management
- Succession planning
- Workforce planning
- HR optimization
- Employee engagement
Certification
- CHRL Candidate
- Harvard ManageMentor Certification
- UofT Certificate — Organizational Behaviour, Compensation & Labour Relations
Timeline
Director, Talent Acquisition & People Engagement
Burson
07.2024 - Current
Senior Manager, Talent Acquisition
Burson
06.2022 - 06.2024
People & Culture Manager / HR Business Partner – MENA
Hill + Knowlton
10.2020 - 05.2022
HR Business Partner
Yallacompare
06.2020 - 10.2020
Talent Acquisition Partner
Uber (Careem)
06.2019 - 06.2020
Lead Recruitment Officer
Etihad Airways
04.2014 - 06.2019
Onboarding Administrator
Etihad Airways
05.2013 - 03.2014
MBA - Management
ESG Paris
Bachelor of Economics - Finance
University of Algiers