About Abdelaziz Zerouali

Introduction

Abdu is a global citizen at heart. Of Moroccan origin, born and raised in Corsica, France, he left home early with one clear instinct: the world itself would be his greatest school.

Having spent a significant part of his life in London, Abdu built his worldview through constant exposure to different cultures, markets, and ways of thinking. His journey has taken him across Europe, the UK, the USA, Japan, Germany, Egypt, Indonesia, and beyond. For him, learning does not stop at classrooms; it happens on the ground, through people, experiences, and challenges.

He holds a Master’s degree in Business Management, but firmly believes that real education comes from curiosity, adaptability, and the ability to connect with people across borders.

Career Summary

Abdu’s career began in the demanding world of retail,  Regional leader for prestigious brands in France. From the very start, his strength stood out: an exceptional ability to build relationships and deliver results through trust.

Customer service and attention to the details are not skills he learned — they are part of his DNA. His obsession has always been client satisfaction, not as a transaction, but as a partnership. Abdu approaches every engagement as an advisor and contributor, fully invested in helping clients turn their vision into reality.

Operations, performance, and human connection have always gone hand in hand in his career. For Abdu, success is measured not only by numbers, but by long-term impact and loyalty.

Why This Industry?

Abdu approaches talent and organizational growth as an advisory discipline, not a transactional service. He works closely with clients to understand their strategic initiatives, business constraints, and long-term objectives — treating each project as if it were his own.

What motivates him most is being embedded in his clients’ success. The ability to contribute to ambitious projects, connect people to meaningful opportunities, and impacting life's is what gives purpose to his work.

For Abdu, working with human potential is the most powerful lever for transformation when aligned with the right vision and execution.

Industry Insights – Data & AI

Abdu is deeply passionate about Data and Artificial Intelligence. A constant learner, he spends countless hours reading, listening, and reflecting on how AI is reshaping our world. He regularly follows leading AI thinkers and professors through podcasts and long-form discussions, staying close to both the technical and philosophical dimensions of the field.

He firmly believes that AI should not be feared but embraced. As AI pioneer Andrew Ng famously said:

“AI is the new electricity.”

For Abdu, AI is the foundation of every smart decision. It is the language of modern organisations, and the key to sustainable growth. This is why he can talk for hours about data and AI — not as a buzzword, but as a strategic asset that, when used correctly, empowers people rather than replaces them.

What Is his Approach?

Abdu’s approach is rooted in proximity and collaboration. He prioritizes direct engagement with stakeholders, open dialogue, and a deep understanding of challenges before designing solutions.

He operates firmly on the client side, owning strategy, alignment, and outcomes. Execution is delivered through highly specialized delivery teams — experts in their fields — allowing clients to benefit from both strategic oversight and best-in-class operational execution.

This model ensures clarity, efficiency, and long-term partnership rather than short-term results.

Success Stories

Over the years, Abdu has helped build multiple startups in Dubai from the ground up, supporting founders through critical early-stage hiring. He has contributed to building AI and data teams within large organizations and supported strategic projects linked to major data hubs in the region.

His commitment often goes beyond geography — flying to Doha, Saudi Arabia, and across the GCC to meet clients face-to-face. Many of those clients are now close friends, which remains his greatest source of pride and satisfaction.

Fun Fact

Abdu is a friend-magnet who can’t go five minutes without making a new best pal. He has a weird superpower for blending in; he’ll arrive in a brand-new city and somehow end up giving directions to the locals by lunchtime. While everyone else is following a boring map, Abdu is busy getting "lost" on purpose—usually ending up at a random party or on a wild adventure that wasn't in the plan. He basically skips the tourist spots to find the real stories, usually involving a lot of laughs and a "you had to be there" moment.

Why Aventus?

For Abdu, Aventus represents quality over quantity. A place where trust, expertise, and deep regional understanding come before volume.

Aventus is not just a recruitment company — it is a collective of experts working on high-impact, high-stakes projects with transparency and integrity. Client satisfaction is not a KPI; it is a mindset.

This philosophy perfectly aligns with Abdu’s own obsession: doing things properly, building meaningful relationships, and delivering real value.

“true impact comes from what we build, who we help, and the legacy we leave behind”