Events Director

Job description / Role

A major Saudi group is hiring an Events Director to lead a global events portfolio from Dubai. This is a senior role for someone who can build a world-class events strategy, deliver flawless execution across multiple markets, and turn events into measurable commercial outcomes (brand, partnerships, pipeline, and reputation).

You’ll be the person who brings structure, standards, and momentum — while still being hands-on enough to get the job done when the pressure is on.

What you’ll do
- Own the global events strategy and calendar (flagship events, trade shows, partner activations, VIP/hospitality, internal leadership events)
- Lead end-to-end delivery: concept ? budgeting ? vendor selection ? production ? on-site execution ? post-event reporting
- Manage agencies and suppliers across regions (production, creative, AV, staging, venues, logistics, travel)
- Build event frameworks and playbooks: brand standards, SOPs, risk plans, run-of-show, stakeholder comms, approvals
- Partner with commercial teams to align events to growth goals (FMCG/Food/Trade): lead gen, distributor engagement, buyer meetings, government/industry relationships
- Own budgets and ROI: negotiate hard, track spend, and report outcomes clearly (not vanity metrics)
- Lead and develop an events team (and cross-functional stakeholders), setting a high bar for quality and accountability

What we’re looking for
- Proven global events leadership experience (Director level), managing multi-country portfolios
- Strong preference for FMCG / Food / Global Trade exposure (trade shows, buyer events, distributor conferences, industry forums)
- Track record of delivering complex events with senior stakeholders and VIP protocols
- Commercial mindset: understands how events drive revenue, partnerships, and brand trust
- Strong operational discipline: timelines, budgets, vendor management, risk and contingency planning
- Dubai-based (or ready to relocate) with flexibility to travel internationally

Nice to have (not required)
- Experience delivering major trade exhibitions (e.g., Gulfood-style scale), global roadshows, or multi-market product launches
- Arabic language capability and GCC cultural fluency
- Experience working in large groups with matrix stakeholders and high governance/approval standards

- 10–15+ years events experience with 5+ years leading global / multi-market portfolios at Head/Director level
- Based in Dubai (or GCC) with strong regional fluency and global delivery experience (Europe/Asia/US or multi-region)
- Commercial operator: treats events as a growth channel (pipeline, partnerships, distributor enablement, brand trust), not “brand theatre”

Industry fit (strong preference)
- FMCG / Food / Global Trade experience:
- Trade shows and exhibitions (buyer meetings, distributor engagement, category showcases)
- Product launches, customer conferences, retail/distributor conventions
- Government/industry forums and high-protocol stakeholder environments

Core capabilities (must-have)
- Strategy + calendar ownership:
- Builds annual global events strategy, prioritises by impact, and aligns to commercial objectives
- End-to-end delivery excellence:
- Concept ? budgeting ? vendor selection ? production ? on-site execution ? post-event reporting
- Creates repeatable playbooks: SOPs, run-of-show, brand standards, stakeholder comms, approvals
- Budget ownership and negotiation:
- Manages multi-million AED budgets (or equivalent), tight cost control, strong vendor negotiation
- Clear ROI reporting beyond vanity metrics (leads, meetings, partner outcomes, revenue influence)
- Stakeholder management:
- Confident with C-suite, VIPs, and matrix organisations
- Can say “no” diplomatically, manage expectations, and keep decisions moving
- Vendor/agency leadership:
- Runs agencies hard with clear briefs, SLAs, timelines, and quality control
- Strong production knowledge: AV, staging, fabrication, venue operations, logistics, travel

Operational strength (what separates top candidates)
- Risk and contingency planning is second nature (site safety, crowd flow, comms plans, backup suppliers)
- Calm under pressure on-site; decisive when things go wrong
- Strong governance: approvals, procurement, contracts, and compliance in large organisations

Team leadership
- Has built and led teams (in-house + contractors), sets standards, coaches, and holds people accountable
- Can scale delivery through systems, not heroics

Nice-to-have “accelerators”
- GCC cultural fluency and Arabic language capability
- Experience delivering major exhibitions at Gulfood / World Expo / large trade fair scale
- Experience with Saudi stakeholders and high-governance environments (matrix approvals, protocol, brand protection)

Salary:
AED 55,000 to 62,000 per month inclusive of fixed allowances.

About the Company

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