(November 17, 2025) When Anas Kadiyarakam, Regional Manager-Human Resources of UAE’s leading healthcare group Burjeel Holdings walked onto the stage last week at the Emirates Labour Market Awards, it marked a turning point in a career built consistently, and often behind the scenes. The longtime Abu Dhabi resident, who began his professional life in the city 16 years ago, was named the top winner in the ‘Outstanding Workforce – Management & Executives’ category this year. For him, the recognition is, as he calls it, “the highlight of my career” and a milestone that affirms years spent shaping people’s systems in one of the UAE’s most demanding sectors like healthcare. “Coming from Kerala, India with hopes and ambitions, I never imagined I would one day be recognized at a national level in the UAE, he tells Global Indian.
In the past, Anas has been honoured with the Heroes of the UAE Medal and granted the Golden Visa. His latest award came with a wide set of recognitions in the form of Dh100,000, a trophy, and a lot of other gifts but what matters more to him is the validation of a decade-plus of structured work. From Kerala’ Kozhikode to Abu Dhabi’s national stage, the HR Professional’s ascent has been steady and grounded. Anas won the award alongside co-winner Abdullah Albriki who serves as the Head of Cybersecurity at Emsteel.
Anas Kadiyarakam receives Outstanding Workforce Award from Sheikh Theyab bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan
Career-defining honour backed by the UAE’s highest offices
The Emirates Labour Market Award (EMLA) is endorsed by the UAE Cabinet and held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President of the UAE, Deputy Prime Minister, and Chairman of the Presidential Court. It is one of the nation’s highest recognitions in the labour sector. Organized by the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MOHRE), the award celebrates outstanding private-sector establishments, honours exceptional workers, and showcases best-in-class practices that elevate the country’s labour market across all economic sectors.
This prestigious honour was conferred under the patronage of Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan and presented by Sheikh Theyab bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Chairman of the Presidential Court for Development and Fallen Heroes’ Affairs. It places Anas among the UAE’s most distinguished professionals contributing to its labour landscape. The national significance of this recognition is immense as he was selected as a winner from more than 18,000 applications in the award’s third edition this year.
Values from India, growth from the UAE
“India is my roots, and the UAE is my wings. My values, culture, and early foundation come from India while the UAE is the place that shaped my professional identity and gave me an environment to grow, contribute, and lead. Over the past 16 years, UAE has become more than a workplace. It feels like home,” Anas mentions adding. “I stay connected to India through my family, traditions, and memories. UAE has given me purpose, opportunity, and a strong sense of belonging. I see it as a beautiful balance.”
Anas Kadiyarakam
From foundational HR roles to leadership positions
Anas’ journey in the UAE began in 2009 when he joined leading healthcare group Burjeel Holdings’ LLH Day Care Center as an HR Executive. It was an entry point that involved mastering the fundamentals comprising documentation, onboarding, staffing, and employee engagement, long before he appeared on any organisational chart as a leader. From there, he moved steadily upward: Senior HR Executive, Assistant Manager, Musaffah Region Manager, and later Regional Manager-Human Resources, overseeing hospitals as well as strategic international HR projects under Burjeel Holdings.
As he puts it in his own words, he “grew from foundational HR roles into a leadership position where I now manage large-scale HR operations and people strategies.” His early years were shaped by constant collaboration with clinical and non-clinical teams, a practice he says helped him understand “how policies and practices directly impact patient care and staff wellbeing.”
The healthcare sector, particularly in the UAE, rewards professionals who understand both its human side and its operational urgency. Over time, Anas became known as someone who could design systems that balanced organisational goals with people-first frameworks, an approach he would lean on heavily during the sector’s most defining test.
Leadership under pressure: The pandemic years
Nothing in Anas’ career tested his capabilities like the COVID-19 crisis. As the HR lead at Mafraq COVID-19 Hospital, a mission-critical facility under Burjeel Holdings, he found himself operating in a high-stakes environment where staffing decisions, support mechanisms, and morale interventions had immediate consequences.
Earning Heroes of the UAE Medal and a Golden Visa
His role placed him on the frontlines of a system stretched thin. The pressure was relentless, the uncertainty constant. Yet his work supporting healthcare teams earned him two of the UAE’s highest recognitions for service: the Heroes of the UAE Medal and a Golden Visa issued soon after. These acknowledgements, he says, marked a period that strengthened his understanding of resilience and responsibility. “Receiving the Golden Visa was a deeply emotional moment for me. It felt like the country was saying, ‘Your contributions matter. You belong here,'” he remarks adding, “For me, it wasn’t just a visa, rather a validation of years of dedication, resilience, and passion for serving the UAE’s healthcare sector. It strengthened my sense of responsibility and inspired me to give even more to the nation that trusted, supported, and elevated me,” he mentions.
Anas on the occasion of the UAE Flag Day
Journey from India to the UAE
Before moving to the UAE, Anas worked with Wipro and Rasna International in India after completing his MBA in Human Resources Management & Services from Anna University, Chennai. His professional certifications in CHRM and CHRP strengthened his ability to build systems rooted in global standards while attuned to local realities.
His own articulation of his expertise reveals the depth of his HR philosophy. He describes his work as spanning “manpower planning, hospital commissioning, talent acquisition and retention, staff optimization, performance management, employee engagement, and succession planning.” For him, HR is not an administrative wing, rather a strategic, influential, and intimately connected to community impact.
What drives him most is the opportunity to design “HR frameworks that not only meet organizational goals but also empower people to grow and excel in their roles.” This belief has informed every stage of his professional ascent. It also aligns with his long-term goal of positioning HR as “a strategic driver in healthcare, building inclusive cultures, developing next-generation leaders, and creating sustainable people practices.”
A year of dual recognitions
The Emirates Labour Market Awards brought more than personal achievement for Anas. Burjeel Holdings’ LLH Hospital secured a win in the Healthcare Company sub-category which was a hat-trick for the hospital at the national level. Anas, who played a key role in preparing the nomination with the team, describes the institutional win as equally meaningful.
People-first approach
Today, as the Regional Manager-Human Resources Managr at LLH Hospital, Anas oversees broad workforce strategies and operations. Yet he remains grounded in the idea that good HR systems are built not on metrics alone, but on empathy and empowerment. He is focused on shaping environments where professionals can thrive, and institutions can evolve without losing sight of their core purpose.
“Looking ahead,” he says, “I am committed to shaping HR as a strategic driver in healthcare,” an ambition that encapsulates his belief in people-first organisations capable of enduring and adapting.
Anas Kadiyarakam
A story of steady leadership
There are many ways to describe Anas’ story—immigrant success, professional resilience, industry leadership, but he sees it more simply. It is the story of a professional who built his career by the demands of a rapidly evolving healthcare system and guided by the belief that effective HR can change the fabric of an organisation.
And perhaps that is what makes this year’s recognition so meaningful. It is not the closing of a chapter, but the affirmation of a journey built on discipline, and a commitment to people at the heart of healthcare.
- Follow Anas Kadiyarakam on LinkedIn
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