Aarti Fernandes

Head of Talent Acquisition, Serco Middle East

Aarti brings over 17 years of experience as an HR professional specialising in talent acquisition, strategic workforce planning, and change management. Currently serving as the Head of Talent Acquisition for the Middle East at Serco, Aarti leads the regional Talent Acquisition team and represents the region within the Global Resourcing Model. Her expertise includes driving organisational transformation, implementing AI-powered recruitment technologies, and designing innovative talent pooling strategies. These efforts have significantly reduced her time-to-hire and direct sourcing rates while enhancing overall recruitment efficiency.
Aarti is passionate about topics such as AI in recruitment, strategic workforce planning, operational efficiencies, and fostering a high-performance culture. Her experience spans leading multiple international mobilisations across the UAE, KSA, and Iraq, spearheading the transition to a centralised service models, and designing data-driven dashboards for enhanced reporting.


Outside of work, Aarti loves hitting the high notes—literally! She is a member of the all-female a cappella choir, Dubai City Sound. She finds that it’s such a joy to create harmonies with this amazing group of women, and it gives her a real sense of connection and teamwork. Singing is Aarti’s creative escape and reminds her of the power of collaboration, discipline, and shared passion – qualities she carries into her professional life. Whether it’s hitting the right notes on stage or solving challenges at work, Aarti believes creativity and teamwork can make all the difference.

What’s a professional achievement of yours from 2024 that you are proud of?

I am particularly proud of successfully securing business investment in AI-driven recruitment technologies. Building on the foundation laid in 2023, I demonstrated the value of integrating smart recruitment tools like HireEZ and Swordfish, which have significantly reduced our time to offer and time to connect with candidates in 2024. These measurable successes not only improved our recruitment delivery but also paved the way for further investment in a global enterprise project to implement Phenom People, an Intelligent Talent Experience platform. This initiative is set to revolutionize our hiring process, reinforcing our commitment to innovation and excellence in talent acquisition at Serco.

How has the RL Community/helped you this year?

The RL Community has been a great source of support and inspiration this year. While I was only able to make it for the last conference of the year, the WhatsApp group has been a great source of thought-provoking discussions, shared insights, practical advice and innovative ideas. I really appreciated the collaborative environment and willingness to share best practices and new approaches amongst the community of professionals. It’s a privilege to be part of such a dynamic and supportive network.

Finally, what is your prediction for the TA industry for 2025?

In 2025, I think Talent Acquisition will be focused on finding that perfect balance between technology and the human touch. AI and data-driven tools will play an even bigger role in tackling challenges like skill shortages and making the hiring process more personalised and efficient. At the same time, there’ll be a strong focus on building real connections by creating inclusive workplaces, fostering diversity, and strengthening employer brands. The future of TA will be about using tech to work smarter while keeping people at the heart of everything we do.