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C-Suite & Executive · Salary in the GCC

Chief of Staff to CEO

Determine and formulate policies and provide overall direction of companies or private and public sector organizations within guidelines set up by a board of directors or similar governing body. In the GCC market, this role is actively hired across Saudi, UAE with 4 recent postings.

In brief

A Chief of Staff to CEO in the GCC region requires leadership, Reading Comprehension, Active Listening, Writing, Speaking. Determine and formulate policies and provide overall direction of companies or private and public sector organizations within guidelines set up by a board of directors or similar governing body. This role is.

Salary across the GCC

Salary across the GCC

Monthly gross median in local currency, by country × seniority.

Chief of Staff to CEO — Monthly gross median in local currency, by country × seniority.
CountryJuniorMid-LevelSeniorLead / Principal
United Arab Emirates63,000 AED108,500 AED168,500 AED233,500 AED
Saudi Arabia60,000 SAR103,500 SAR161,000 SAR223,000 SAR
Qatar66,000 QAR113,500 QAR176,000 QAR244,500 QAR
Kuwait5,150 KWD8,900 KWD13,800 KWD19,100 KWD
Oman5,750 OMR9,900 OMR15,300 OMR21,250 OMR
Bahrain5,450 BHD9,400 BHD14,550 BHD20,200 BHD
Salary breakdown

How Chief of Staff to CEO pay varies in the UAE

UAE · mid-level · monthly gross in AED

Modelled from 500 market signals (Michael Page, Cooper Fitch & Hays surveys + Tabbio posting data) · updated June 15, 2026 · How we estimate

Market signals
500
postings & surveys
Year-over-year
+9%
vs 2025
Hiring demand
High
roles open now
Remote share
40%
fully or hybrid

By company size

Median compensation varies with headcount.

Startup (<50)91,000
Scale-up (50–500)108,500
Enterprise (500+)141,000

Top-paying industries

Median for this role, ranked by sector.

01Fintech
132,500
02Cloud & SaaS
120,500
03E-commerce
108,500
04Government tech
101,000
05Telecom
93,500

Estimates modelled from GCC pay surveys and live posting volume — a directional guide, not a live salary feed.

Required skills

leadershipReading ComprehensionActive ListeningWritingSpeakingMathematicsCritical ThinkingActive Learning

Top hiring companies

  • Substance
  • Substance | Level Up by Substance

Active markets

  • saudi
  • uae
What a Chief of Staff to CEO does
  • 01

    functional teams operate in silos Leadership discussions don’t always translate into action Priorities shift too often without clear trade

  • 02

    up. At Substance, we believe in genuine connections, not just filling roles. If your profile is a strong match, you’ll hear from us within 1

  • 03

    consultants moving into operating roles Strategy or business operations leaders in scale

  • 04

    performing operators looking to move toward General Manager or COO roles We are not looking for personal or confidential secretary

  • 05

    Direct or coordinate an organization's financial or budget activities to fund operations, maximize investments, or increase efficiency.

  • 06

    Confer with board members, organization officials, or staff members to discuss issues, coordinate activities, or resolve problems.

  • 07

    Prepare budgets for approval, including those for funding or implementation of programs.

  • 08

    Direct, plan, or implement policies, objectives, or activities of organizations or businesses to ensure continuing operations, to maximize returns on investments, or to increase productivity.

See the full job description →
Country
Seniority level
Estimates modelled from GCC pay surveys and live posting volume
Frequently asked questions

  • What is the average Chief of Staff to CEO salary in the UAE?

    The median monthly gross salary for a mid-level Chief of Staff to CEO in the UAE is estimated from sample Gulf pay data. The figures scale with seniority — juniors earn roughly 55-60% of the mid level, seniors about 1.5×, and leads/principals close to 2×.

  • Which GCC country pays Chief of Staff to CEO salaries the most?

    Qatar and the UAE typically lead for Chief of Staff to CEO salaries, with Saudi Arabia close behind. Kuwait, Bahrain, and Oman pay in local currency but the gross AED-equivalent is usually somewhat lower.

  • Are these figures gross or net?

    All numbers are monthly gross base pay — before housing or transport allowances, bonuses, or statutory deductions. GCC payroll typically has no income tax for residents, so gross and net are close for most expats.

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