Fractional COO in Dubai: cost and how it compares to hiring
A clothing brand in the UAE needs someone who holds money, stock, channels and team together. Hiring that person full-time is slow and expensive: search, visa, insurance, end-of-service gratuity and months to get up to speed. A fractional COO starts right away, with fashion experience and a team of specialists, at a predictable price in AED.
When you need it
- The founder runs operations alone and has no time to grow the brand
- You tried to hire a COO and could not find the right person, or the cost did not add up
- You need fashion experience, not generic operations
- You need results within months, not after half a year of onboarding
- You want to work in English or Russian
Why it happens
A full-time hire in the UAE is more than a salary: a work visa, mandatory health insurance, end-of-service gratuity and often recruiter fees. And a wrong senior hire costs months.
A fractional COO is a ready operations unit: 17+ years with clothing brands and a team of specialists in finance, analytics, buying, marketing, legal and more, without hiring, visas or onboarding. We work remotely in your time zone, GMT+4.
What I do
- 01
Audit
2–4 weeks: money, processes, assortment, team and channels, ending with a roadmap
- 02
Money
Financial model and payment calendar with marketplace payouts, 5% VAT and UAE seasons
- 03
Stock
Buying matrix and calendar around Ramadan, Eid, DSF and the slow summer
- 04
Team
Roles, responsibility and incentives, key positions filled
- 05
Channels
Own site, marketplaces and stores in one system
- 06
Checkpoints
Weekly calls and reporting until the system runs on its own
What you get
- Operations that do not need the founder in every decision
- Predictable cash and buying
- No hiring, visa or onboarding
- A clear price in AED and an exit without penalties
Format and price
We start with a consultation (AED 3,700) or the Start package: an operations and finance audit with a prioritised roadmap, from AED 18,500, 2–4 weeks. A turnkey system build is the Full cycle, from AED 73,500 or AED 37,000 a month, 4–8 months. If there is no growth within 3 months, we part ways without penalties.
Questions
01What is the difference between a fractional COO and a full-time COO in Dubai?
You do not hire an employee: no visa, insurance, gratuity or months of onboarding. You get fashion experience and a team of specialists straight away and pay for a package: Start, Full cycle or Partnership.
02How much does a fractional COO cost in the UAE?
Consultation: AED 3,700; Start (audit and roadmap): from AED 18,500; Full cycle: from AED 73,500 or AED 37,000 a month; Partnership with e-commerce: from AED 37,000 or AED 27,500 a month.
03Can you work remotely with a Dubai brand?
Yes: calls in your business day, access to sales, stock and accounting data, weekly checkpoints. In English or Russian.
04What if it does not work?
If there is no growth within 3 months, we part ways without penalties.
See also
Review your brand’s situation
A short call is enough to see whether working together makes sense. One conversation can change the direction