Abstract: This study examines the role of cultural intelligence in the relationship between openness personality and job performance from work role transition perspective. This study uses hierarchical regression analysis to test the hypotheses in a sample of 332 expatriates from Malaysia. The results show that the variance in job performance attributable to openness personality is partly a direct effect and partly an indirect effect mediated through cultural intelligence. The findings provide evidence that in addition to the direct effect openness personality predicts cultural intelligence and cultural intelligence in turn predicts job performance among expatriates in Malaysia. Finally, this study discusses managerial implications and highlights future research directions.