Building Dubai from the ground up
Born and raised in Dubai, Mehr knew the local market well, but the task ahead was far from simple. “It started off with just me,” she recalls with a laugh. “I was attending all the leadership meetings, talking about what needed to be done, and I was the only one here.”
Soon, more teammates joined, and the Dubai office began to take shape. “Our first team lunch was a small, informal moment,” Mehr says. “Today, those gatherings reflect a mighty, high-energy team with real presence in the market. It’s incredible to see how far the office has come in such a short time.”
But getting there wasn’t easy. The first six months were marked by trial and error. “We only began hiring in earnest a few months in, and early on not every conversation converted,” she admits. “Building a new office in a new market is inherently iterative. We had to constantly reassess our approach, identify where we could improve, and refine our strategy to build something sustainable.”
Since then, Mehr has focused on strengthening Third Bridge’s presence across the region through partnerships with local universities and networking in the wider business community. “Now, when I reach out to candidates, many of them already know who we are,” she says proudly. “That’s been the biggest shift and we’re seeing really good engagement.”
What she's hiring for
Mehr’s hiring efforts are mainly focused on roles in our Client Services teams across Dubai and India at the moment. “We’re predominantly hiring graduates,” she explains, “but we’re also looking for people with two or three years in sales, client services, or account management.”
She looks for more than experience. “The best candidates are the ones who come in having researched Third Bridge,” she says. “They’re excellent conversationalists and naturally curious.”
Defining success
For Mehr, success means making the right hires and building employer brand awareness across the regions she supports. “My goal is simple,” she says. “Happy hiring managers and new hires who feel proud to be joining Third Bridge.”
The work comes with its challenges, visa processes, cross-border coordination, and hiring across multiple markets including India and Dubai, but that’s what keeps her motivated. “I like that it’s not easy,” she says. “Every day is different, and that makes it interesting.”
A culture built around people
Having worked in the expert network industry before, Mehr immediately noticed what makes Third Bridge stand out. “Third Bridge really cares about people,” she says. “You can see it in how long people stay and in how seriously we take culture fit when hiring. I’ve seen hiring managers pass on candidates who fit the role requirements but not the culture here. You can teach someone how to do their job but you can’t teach them how to be kind or inclusive, and how to work well with others.”
That people-first mindset also shapes how Mehr leads her own team. “My management style is very human,” she explains. “I ask my team how they want to be managed. Some want more structure; others want freedom to figure things out. I try to give people as much ownership and responsibility as I can, even at a very junior level, so they can say, ‘I did this’ and take that with them in their career.”
Working with a startup mindset
Building an office from scratch means doing whatever needs to be done. “We joke that Dubai is like a startup within a multinational company, which means wearing whatever hat the office needs,” she says. “Some days I’m recruiting, other days I’m ordering snacks, onboarding new hires, or helping set up laptops.”
She’s also working closely with teams across Asia to strengthen brand perception and refine how Third Bridge communicates about its roles. “Especially for our night shift team in India,” she explains, “we’ve reframed the role to highlight ownership and growth potential, not just the hours. That small shift made a big difference in how candidates saw the opportunity.”
Life outside work
Outside the office, Mehr pours her energy into a passion for food and family.
“I opened a restaurant with my mom last year called Cuppa Chai,” she says. “It’s a casual Indian restaurant with homey vibes, like going to someone’s house for a meal.”
Advice for future joiners
Mehr’s advice for anyone considering Third Bridge is to be proactive. “You have to make the most of your time here,” she says. “You have to ask for it, and own your growth.”
And for candidates preparing for an interview, she offers one last tip: “The part at the end when they ask, ‘Do you have any questions?’ That’s your chance to shine. I notice the questions candidates ask… and I notice when they say they don’t have any questions. Curiosity goes a long way here.”
