With digital transformation taking center stage in the MENA region, the marketplace with an existing community of nearly 10,000 quality-assured independent consultants and experts for management consulting and financial services aims to address critical project needs of business clients
18 July 2022, Dubai, United Arab Emirates – As companies struggle with chronic skills shortages in the existing workforce or to attract senior management executives with the industry know-how to propel them forward, Outsized, an on-demand talent marketplace has announced its launch in the MENA region to bridge the gap between the clients with flexible talent needs and consultants to help them land their dream projects and charge fair rates.
In addition to finding the experts to fulfil the business needs, the team at Outsized also assists clients in scoping out the project and listing down the deliverables from all the parties involved for a smooth and seamless experience. It then uses shortlisting algorithm as well as human curation to narrow down potential individuals that meet the requirements of the client. Companies in the financial services sector such as banking – retail or digital, fintech, payments, investment houses, insurance and finance companies, strategy consultants or management consultants can engage with the brand to find talent and execute projects related to project management, risk management, data analytics, business analytics, mergers & acquisitions, proposition design, regulatory compliance, digital transformation, to name a few.
The marketplace has 10,000 fully vetted independent consultants and expert freelancers including digital transformation specialists, project & programme managers, strategy consultants, data scientists, actuaries, innovation consultants, agile coaches, and business analysts, curated for management consulting and financial services clients in Asia, MENA and South Africa.
The marketplace aims to provide value not only to enterprises but also to the independents by offering them fully scoped projects to earn consistent long-term (3 to 12 months) income at market validated rates, paid on time.
Another key feature of the platform is the Community initiative that caters exclusively to independent talent allowing them to connect and support each other as well as providing several unique features such as instant access to curated and personalized project opportunities, peer-to-peer learning in the form of mentorship and live webinars, skill-based peer focus groups and access to a database of upskilling resources. 
Vikram Malhotra, Managing Director – MENA at Outsized, commented “With the ever-increasing demand for deep expertise, there is a newfound need to have agile talent on board, and this is bound to grow in the foreseeable future. In a recent survey of CEO’s by a prominent consulting firm, it was noted that expertise was a key choke point for 70% of the companies these executives led. Finding the right talent is becoming more challenging as new specialties and niche skillsets arise. Having the right talent on board can help companies improve their performance and grow faster by closing gaps in skills and knowledge. Marketplaces such as Outsized is allowing companies to reinvent the relationship between an employee and the workplace, enabling them to tap into the global talent pool.”
The use of independent consultants, professionals and enterprise-grade freelancers was first witnessed in the US and Europe. At the onset of the pandemic, businesses across the globe had to pivot and dive head-first into remote working. It was during this phase, companies in the MENA region especially in countries such as UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Omar, Qatar, and Bahrain have witnessed high surges of expert freelance talent.
The trend of remote working and the availability of jobs not restricted to a geographic location are speeding up the growth of many sectors, especially financial services, in the Middle East region.
About Outsized
Outsized is the leading provider of on-demand independent consultants and professional freelancers to the financial services and management consulting sectors in Asia, MENA and South Africa.
Outsized’s independents add both strategic expertise and implementation capacity and capabilities to client teams to accelerate business performance and execute critical initiatives. Vetted top independent talent are matched to relevant projects and contract roles with their clients in insurance, banking, financial inclusion, and management consulting. With offices in Cape Town, Singapore, Mumbai and Bahrain, Outsized is leading the way in enabling the professional freelance market to thrive in Asia and Africa.
