Gilbert Espiritu is the Executive Vice President of Human Resources and Administration at Orient Insurance. JONATHAN YBERA/EXPAT MEDIA

Gilbert Espiritu: Meet Filipino HR boss in UAE

At the UAE’s top insurance firm, a Filipino runs the HR show. Who is he? Gilbert Espiritu, the Executive Vice President of Human Resources and Administration at Orient Insurance. It is the highest position ever achieved by a Filipino expat within the Al Futtaim group of companies, Espiritu says, adding that it came just as he was mulling retirement after being in the UAE for 15 years. "I'm so happy and humbled. My promotion makes me the first Filipino at that level in my company,” Espiritu tells Expatmedia.net. His role has now expanded to overseeing HR and administration for Orient Insurance in the Middle East and the region. The long-time Dubai resident has worked in Orient Insurance since 2008; headhunted in Manila to lead its HR team in Dubai. Espiritu says that although he didn’t know much about Dubai at the time, he thought he would shift his focus to embrace a new opportunity in the desert city. Being away from his family was a “big adjustment”, “But I felt that I was given the opportunity to play around within my field," he says.

Early days in Dubai

“I actually cried on my second day in Dubai because I knew I had to stay here for one year before going back to the Philippines,” he recalls. Luckily for Espiritu, Dubai proved to be “the land of opportunity”; allowing him to show that Filipinos are just as competent and qualified with senior executive roles. Working at Orient Insurance, he has proven that he can lead a diverse organization with more than 20 nationalities. Working in a diverse environment was not foreign to Espiritu, who has worked in multinational companies in the Philippines including UPS, and Chevron and travelled a lot on business trips. "I think in HR, it does not matter which line of business you are into because you are dealing with people and making a difference into their lives regardless of the industry," he said. As HR head, it is Espiritu’s job to make sure employees are trained, engaged and motivated to do their jobs better. With the backing of a highly supportive and skilled team members, business has soared year on year, and Espiritu gained the trust and confidence of his boss and senior management.

Leaving the office on time

As the big boss of HR, what does Espiritu expect from employees? He allows his team to work independently while producing positive results in their job. He also wants them to be productive, leave the office on time and enjoy quality time with self, family and friends. “Eight hours of work is enough, beyond eight hours; sometimes, it gets the best out from you,” he says. Gilbert Espiritu is the Executive Vice President of Human Resources and Administration at Orient Insurance. He believes in work-life balance and encourages employees to spend time with their families and what matters to them at the end of the day. “It’s important to build relationships with your family, friends and loves ones, physical intimacy,” says Espiritu, who reveals he travels to the Philippines at least twice a year to see his family. “December is a must. I always celebrate my Christmas and New Year in the Philippines. The rest is based on special occasions,” he said.

Expat lessons

As a long-time expat in Dubai, Espiritu says one of the biggest lessons he learned was financial literacy. He remembers “starting from scratch” when he arrived in Dubai with only $200 in his pocket. “We always consider savings as our basis for financial instability, which is okay but not enough. You have to make sure that you manage your finances well in different forms; savings, insurance, investment, emergency fund and others,” he says. He says expats should practice “delaying gratification”, which means “If you want something for yourself and if you can delay it, then don’t spend,” he advised. To everyone who dreams of becoming successful, Espiritu advices: “Be true to yourself. Know your strengths and accept your flaws. You have to show them what you’ve got and keep on improving yourself. If you are capable to do the things that are given to you, then at the end of it, you will be able to reach wherever you want and success will be in your hands.” RSZP/Expat Media This story also appears in the Expat Media Special Edition magazine
For all the latest news from the UAE and the world, follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram and subscribe to our YouTube page