A Year of Ownership: EER in 2022

It is almost exactly 12 months since Marie O’Neill and Aideen Hopkins took over as co-owners of EER and since that time the company has experienced a game-changing year filled with new acquisitions, a growing team, expanded remits, a total rebrand and more.

To mark the occasion and take a look back, we sat down with Aideen and Marie to get their unique perspective on what 2022 has been like for EER and what might be in store for 2023 and beyond……

Let’s kick things off with a general one, how have you found the last 12 months and what has been different about life at EER as owners?

Aideen: We have both been at EER for so long and in senior leadership positions that I think we thought this year as owners would be business as usual, but it has been anything but.  Not only has it flown by, it has been extremely busy and we have had to tackle challenges in a whole new light, as well as having the opportunity to impact the direction of EER in a whole new way.

Marie: Absolutely!  This year has been intense to say the least, it has been our busiest and our best year ever with double growth across the business, especially in our corporate services division.  Managing that type of rapid growth with Aideen has been exciting and exhausting, which is luckily where we both thrive!

What made you want to take over as co-owners of EER?

Marie: Having been part of the management of EER for over 10 years, Aideen and I were already pretty devoted to the company and its future.  We instinctively knew that we wanted to play a larger role in its development and so the chance to become co-owners was an easy decision that would pair our complimentary strengths into a dual role that would allow us to steer EER into a new era of growth.

Aideen:  The opportunity to do this together was a real bonus, especially as we bring different skills sets to the table but are very aligned in our vision for the company.  Being able to support each other and rely on the other person’s expertise is a rare gift and an ideal one for successful business ownership.

What have been the highlights of your first year as owners?

Aideen: I am really proud of how hard our team has worked and I would definitely say the highlights have been our acquisition of Enigma Relocation and the launch of our new corporate branding.

Marie:  Our growth this year really has been phenomenal and I am especially honoured to have welcomed so many great new team members.

Do you feel an increased responsibility to succeed as leaders since you are women?  

Aideen: I think both of us consider it our duty to be the best leaders we can be, regardless of gender.  Our business is all about people, from our clients to our employees, so we are focused on leading from the top down and creating an environment where our team feels empowered, supported and inspired, so we can achieve more for our company and our clients.

EER recently launched its stylish new corporate branding, why did you choose to rebrand and during such a busy year? 

Marie: Rebranding was really an inevitable step for us once we took over as owners.  The company is so different today from what it was in the beginning and we needed to reflect that.  This rebrand was an opportunity to mirror our new ownership and direction with a more professional and more fitting corporate look.  It was also an integral part of our strategic brand development, so it was important to ensure it was completed within the first year of our ownership.

What would you most like prospective clients to know about the ‘new’ EER?

Marie: Ultimately I would want to relay that we have built an organisation that really cares about our clients and our team.  We are focused on forming partnerships that foster positive outcomes for everyone we work with.

Aideen:  Our number one priority is to listen to what our clients need, so that we can offer bespoke support to fix their pain points and deliver the services they need.

EER is headquartered in the UAE, what is unique about this location in terms of corporate services, relocation and immigration services?

Aideen: The whole environment of the UAE is centred on progress and innovation.  To live and work in an arena where the authorities are so determined to foster diversification and growth in the population, infrastructure, laws and economy is a rare occurrence.  Their recent efforts to bring corporate services more inline with international standards has been particularly effective in attracting long-term foreign investment.

Marie: I think you would be hard pressed to find a location that is more welcoming or offers such a variety of entrepreneurial opportunities than the UAE.  This region is already been recognised as experiencing unrivalled growth, which is part of the reason why we have had such a busy year.  The unique appeal of the UAE marketplace continues to grow year on year, so any companies looking to drive their business forward need to be a part of it.

Finally, what is next in store for EER?

Both:  That is easy, more growth.  We are not ones to rest on our laurels.  2023 will be an even bigger year for EER with big expansion plans in a variety of areas.  But you’ll have to stay tuned to find out more as we can’t reveal anything yet…..

Make sure you stay tuned to all of EER’s news by following them on their social media channels – Linkedin, Facebook and Twitter.  If you have any questions about corporate services, immigration or relocation, you can get in touch via info@eerme.com or +971 (0)4 421 1819.