DUBAI—Hewitt Associates, a global HR Consulting Firm announced today the launch of The Acumena Centre—a research and innovation centre dedicated to the development of Arab national talent across the Middle East.

The Acumena Centre will serve as the region's leading think tank on emerging human capital issues, particularly on matters that are distinctive to the development of Arab national talent in the Middle East. The vision for The Acumena Centre is to provide independent research and analysis aimed at influencing and informing national human capital policies within the Arab states.

Hewitt's Centre will seek to connect theory and practice by asking relevant questions and providing rigorous research and insights into the unique attributes and dynamics of the Middle East's most valuable asset—its people. The Acumena Centre will turn the spotlight on human capital development in the Middle East, ranging from understanding the macro talent demographics within Arab countries, to partnering with organizations in developing their national talent.

Commenting on the launch of The Acumena Centre, David Jones, Hewitt's senior leader for the Middle East practice, said "It is an indisputable fact that the Middle East economies need to graduate from being dependent on natural resources to being fuelled as contemporary knowledge economies reliant on human resources. To truly evolve as sustainable growth economies of the future, the Arab states need to effectively engage and mobilize their human resources. This is not a regular process of change that can be left to evolve at it's own pace, rather it requires nothing less than a revolution in how we understand and execute talent strategies in nations and organizations across the region."

In alignment with its vision, Hewitt's team of experts at The Acumena Centre are launching their inaugural research study, 'Qudurat'.Qudurat will be the first and largest study of its kind in the region—unique in its methodology and approach. It will seek to discover aspects that drive and motivate Arab national talent within the workplace, thereby impacting their engagement and performance.

Qudurat will be launched across the Middle East in June 2010. Hewitt will be building a network of partners and participants for the research study. The insights from the research would be valuable to governmental institutions, private sector organizations, academic institutions and other stakeholders looking to advance Arab national talent in diverse capacities.

For more details on partnering with Hewitt and for ongoing updates onThe Acumena Centre and Qudurat please visitwww.hewitt.com/middleeast.

Hewitt is the world's foremost HR Consulting Firm, reputed for its emphasis on providing research-based thought leadership and for its pragmatic approach to solving complex and varied challenges of its clients. Hewitt has successfully partnered with private and public sector clients within MENA for over eight years, leveraging its depth and breadth of expertise in the region. In 2009, Hewitt launched its flagship Best Employers™ study in the Middle East, the largest employee research project in the region. The Acumena Centre will draw on Hewitt's expertise from around the world, along with its in-depth understanding of the region.

Mr. Jones concluded by stressing "Advancement of national talent in the Middle East requires focused thought, relevant research, active debate and deliberate action. Through its work, Hewitt's TheAcumena Centre will act as a centre for thought leadership in this area, working to provide pertinent and rational insights towards maximizing the human capital opportunities in the Middle East."

About Hewitt Associates
With more than 65 years of experience, Hewitt Associates (NYSE: HEW) is the world's foremost provider of HR outsourcing and consulting services. The firm consults with more than 2,300 companies and administers HR, health care, payroll and retirement programs on behalf of more than 300 companies to millions of employees and retirees worldwide. Located in 33 markets, Hewitt employs approximately 23,000 associates.

Hewitt Associates has been operating in Middle East market since 2002. Hewitt's Middle East operations are headquartered in Dubai, which serves as the regional hub for its business. In the region, Hewitt successfully partners with over 100+ clients across different areas of human resource and business support. Hewitt's current client base in the Middle East is spread across all the GCC countries, Egypt, Lebanon and Jordan.

Hewitt offers HR solutions that seamlessly blend its global expertise with a strong regional flavor. The focus areas for consulting in the Middle East reflect the current business requirements in the region.

For more information, please visit www.hewitt.com/middleeast. 

Our service offerings in the Middle East include:

• Compensation and Rewards
• Leadership
• Talent and Performance Management
• HR Effectiveness
• Corporate Transactions & Transformation
• Actuarial Services