Global Head of Thought Leadership

Job description / Role

Established in the 1930s as a trading business, Al-Futtaim Group today is one of the most diversified and progressive, privately held regional businesses headquartered in Dubai, United A"rab Emirates. Structured into five operating divisions; automotive, financial services, real estate, retail and healthcare; employing more than 35,000 employees across more than 20 countries in the Middle East, Asia and Africa, Al-Futtaim Group partners with over 200 of the world's most admired and innovative brands. Al-Futtaim Group's entrepreneurship and relentless customer focus enables the organisation to continue to grow and expand; responding to the changing needs of our customers within the societies in which we operate.

By upholding our values of respect, excellence, collaboration and integrity; Al-Futtaim Group continues to enrich the lives and aspirations of our customers each and every day.

We are currently seeking an experienced communications professional to join our Communications team in the capacity of Global Head of Thought Leadership.

Overview of the role
The Global Head of Thought Leadership at Al-Futtaim Group is a pivotal role that focuses on strategically positioning the company in targeted countries. This individual will be instrumental in aligning the Group's long-term growth, sustainability initiatives, digital transformation, and commitment to people, communities, and art with the company's core objectives. A key aspect of this role is to develop and execute a comprehensive thought leadership and strategic engagement strategy that resonates with the Group's focus markets.

Responsibilities include leading strategic engagements to enhance visibility and awareness of Al-Futtaim Group, collaborating with internal stakeholders for insights and content, and identifying key industry trends and topics for effective messaging. The role involves planning and executing the Group's participation in high-profile global events and forums and curating its own thought leadership events to assert its position as a thought leader.

The role demands a data-driven approach to inform strategies and measure the impact of initiatives. As a leader of a small, high-performing team, the individual must possess exceptional communication skills, a creative yet strategic mindset, and the ability to inspire and motivate the team.

What you will do
- Develop and execute a comprehensive thought leadership and strategic engagement strategy aligned with the company's objectives and focus markets.
- Lead on strategic engagement to raise awareness, increase visibility and support Al-Futtaim Group positioning across key industries, markets and audiences.
- Collaborate closely with internal stakeholders to gather insights, data, and content to support thought leadership initiatives.
- Identify key themes, trends, and topics relevant to Al-Futtaim Group's industries and expertise to support in developing and amplifying messaging aligned with our brand and communications strategies.
- Spearhead the development and implementation of strategies to foster strategic partnerships with key business stakeholders worldwide, elevating Al-Futtaim Group's global presence and brand positioning.
- Plan Al-Futtaim Groups participation at high-profile conferences, forums, and events such as the World Economic Forum, World Government Summit, and Future Investment Initiative.
- Identify additional key global events for Al-Futtaim Group participation that will support our positioning as thought-leaders in key industries and markets
- Curate, plan and execute Al-Futtaim Group's own thought leadership events.
- Ensure planning and delivery of Al-Futtaim Group event participation is to the highest standard, reflecting the company's ambitions as a global thought-leader aligned with our brand strategy.
- Support in developing messaging and briefings for Al-Futtaim Group representatives engaging in speaking opportunities.
- Cultivate relationships through strategic engagement with industry influencers, experts, and outlets to amplify the company's thought leadership positioning and presence.
- Oversee the creation and dissemination of thought leadership content including articles, whitepapers, reports, and blog posts.
- Monitor and analyze market trends, competitor activities, and industry developments to inform thought leadership efforts.
- Track and measure the impact and effectiveness of thought leadership initiatives, providing regular reports and insights to senior management.

Requirements

Required skills to be successful
- Proven track record of developing and executing successful Thought leadership strategies that have driven growth, increased brand awareness, and enhanced brand perception.
- Exceptional communication and storytelling skills, with the ability to articulate the brand's vision and values compellingly.
- Creative thinker with a strategic mindset, able to see the big picture while also focusing on the details that drive brand excellence.
- Leadership skills with the ability to inspire, motivate, and develop a high-performing team.
- Cultural sensitivity and the ability to work effectively across a diverse, global organization.

What equips you for the role
- Bachelor's degree in Marketing, Journalism, Communications, or related field, with a Master's degree preferred.
- A minimum of 10 years of experience in Thought leadership, with at least 5 years in a senior leadership role managing global brands.

We're here to provide excellent service but a little help from you can ensure a five-star candidate experience from start to finish.

Before you click "apply": Please read the job description carefully to ensure you can confidently demonstrate why this opportunity is right for you and take the time to put together a well-crafted and personalised CV to further boost your visibility. Our global Talent Acquisition team members are all assigned to specific businesses to ensure that we make the best matches between talent and opportunities. We not only consider the requisite compatibility of skills and behaviours, but also how candidates align with our Values of Respect, Integrity, Collaboration, and Excellence.

As part of our candidate experience promise, we also want to make ourselves available to you throughout the application process. We make every effort to review and respond to every application.

About the Company

Established in the 1930's, the Al-Futtaim Group initially operated as a trading enterprise. Rapid development throughout the 1940's and 50's saw it establish itself regionally as an integrated commercial, industrial and services organisation, positioning itself one of the leading business houses in the lower Gulf region. Today, it operates collectively over 40 companies bearing the Al-Futtaim name, dominates many market segments in the UAE, and has expanded its sphere of operation to include Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Oman and Egypt.

The Group comprises a diverse range of strategically positioned operating subsidiaries and associate companies, structured to give the Al-Futtaim Group the flexibility and versatility to keep ahead of local competition while keeping pace with the ever-evolving global business scenario. The Groups continued investment in world-class systems technology is clear evidence of its commitment to maintain leading edge performance and service delivery.

The success of the Al-Futtaim Group can be attributed to a business approach that combines the ability to change with the traditional values of integrity, service and social responsibility that define its core business philosophy. This, linked with the Groups belief in decentralisation, gives the heads of the operating companies a high degree of functional autonomy and authority, providing the Group with essential flexibility, and individual employees a clearly defined work culture and sense of responsibility.