With a 25-year career bridging the worlds between Australia and the Middle East, Adam Malouf is now forging a new path, in a new sector and creating a new, albeit familiar life for him and his family.

The possibility of unchartered opportunity first attracted Adam to Dubai in 2004, long before the UAE was frequented by the volume of expat Australians who now work and live in the region. Initially attracted to the region as a way of fast tracking his legal career, Adam's career rapidly expanded through a series of investment roles and engagements on multiple board and committees, including the Australian Business Council in Dubai and the Australia Arab Chamber of Commerce and the AICD Middle East advisory committee – reinforcing his contribution in both regions.

It was on a family holiday back in Australia when his kids uttered the words ‘Dad we think it’s time, we want to come back to Australia’ that the idea of returning was planted. Having already repatriated once before, Adam knew it was going to take more than a couple of calls to recruiters and a scan of the jobs page in the weekend paper to land the right opportunity. Determined to return with a role - and a meaningful one at that, Adam set about putting together a robust plan to leverage his networks – both in Australia and abroad - as he explored what was possible.

The plan worked and Adam returned in 2023 to the role of COO of the University of Wollongong.