Nio has recently been hiring in China to expand its Middle East team, offering positions at senior director and above, up to assistant vice president level, according to local media.

Nio (NYSE: NIO) is reportedly hiring senior talent in China for its team in the Middle East, with vehicle deliveries there expected to begin within this year.

Shanghai-based Nio recently began hiring to expand its Middle East team, offering positions at the senior director level and above, up to the assistant vice president (AVP) level, local media outlet 21jingji said in a report late last night, citing multiple sources.

Nio is looking to recruit talent in areas including vehicle manufacturing, core electrical systems, smart cockpit, and smart driving, according to the report.

Nio is offering a salary that is essentially the same as that of a Level 5 employee at home, but with a smaller remit than at home, said a source close to Nio's Middle East operations.

Recruiting the right talent is not easy as candidates need to work overseas for long periods of time, the person said.

In response to the report, Nio's source said the company's Middle East North Africa (MENA) team and the local UAE team are already established and expanding, according to 21jingji.

On October 5, Nio announced the formation of Nio MENA with its Middle East backer, Abu Dhabi-based CYVN Holdings, a partnership that marks Nio's entry into the MENA market.

The UAE has been selected as the initial market for Nio MENA, and Nio and CYVN also plan to establish a research and development center in Abu Dhabi that will focus on autonomous driving and artificial intelligence.

The company also planned to jointly develop an all-new model for the local market with CYVN.

Nio would begin deliveries in the UAE in the fourth quarter of this year, offering its full system of services to customers in the MENA region from the UAE, William Li, founder, chairman and CEO of Nio, said at the time.

The EV maker's latest hire is for the Abu Dhabi R&D center, according to the 21jingji report yesterday.

On the all-new model, Nio is responsible for the product definition and innovation of the car, as well as adapting the hardware and software on board to the requirements of its Middle Eastern backer, a person close to Nio with knowledge of the matter told 21jingji.

The Nio ES8 -- which locally becomes the EL8 -- is already available for booking in the UAE with a starting price of 359,900 UAE dirhams ($97,980), the report noted.

The ES8, Nio's flagship SUV (sport utility vehicle) model, starts at RMB 498,000 ($69,990) in China, including the battery.

In November, the first Nio House in Abu Dhabi will officially open and vehicle deliveries will begin in the fourth quarter, the report said.

($1 = RMB 7.1155, $1 = 3.673 UAE dirhams)

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