Commercial Director

At the forefront of this dynamic environment is our Commercial Director, a strategic leader entrusted with guiding the development and implementation of comprehensive commercial strategies for Expo City's diverse portfolio of products and offerings currently under Entertainment and Events Department

The Commercial Director's mandate is clear: drive revenue growth, cultivate strategic partnerships, and enhance Expo City's venues and cultural attractions market positioning. This entails the development and execution of comprehensive revenue generation strategies, including maximizing income from ticket sales, event space rentals, sponsorship agreements, and merchandise sales.

The main responsibilities for this role include:

• Develop and execute comprehensive revenue generation strategies to maximize income from rentals of event spaces, ticket sales, , sponsorship agreements, merchandise sales, and other revenue streams.
• Identify and cultivate partnerships with corporate sponsors, cultural organizations, and local businesses to enhance the organisation’s visibility and generate additional revenue through sponsorship deals, co-promotions, collaborative events and mega events and conferences
• Build and lead a high-performing commercial team, providing guidance, support, and professional development opportunities to ensure staff members are equipped with the skills and resources needed to achieve departmental goals.
• Negotiate favourable terms and conditions for rental agreements, sponsorship contracts, vendor partnerships, and other business arrangements, protecting the institution's interests while fostering mutually beneficial relationships with external stakeholders.
• Analyse and segment the market to identify and target key customer groups, tailoring strategies to meet diverse customer needs and preferences.
• Identify and capitalize on new business opportunities to expand the Expo City Dubai product offerings.
• Lead the identification, development and launch of new revenue-generating products and services, tailored to meet the evolving needs and preferences of target audiences.
• Develop and manage the commercial department budget, monitor financial performance, and implement cost-effective strategies to optimize profitability while maintaining high-quality standards.
• Conduct comprehensive market research to understand visitor demographics, behaviours, and preferences, segmenting the market effectively. Develop targeted marketing campaigns, pricing strategies, and promotions to engage specific audience segments, while continuously monitoring market trends, competitor activities, and customer feedback to inform strategic decisions and maintain competitiveness.
• Develop and oversee the implementation of effective KPIs and performance metrics to monitor and evaluate the success of commercial strategies. 

12+ years of industry experience, including a minimum of five years performing the Commercial Director role as well as:

• Bachelor’s degree or diploma in Business, Finance, Marketing, or a related field.
• Deep knowledge of the UAE entertainment market, including B2B and B2C segments, with expertise in educational products, cultural products, and entertainment products.
• Proven experience as a Commercial Director or similar leadership role in similar industry, with a strong record in strategic commercial planning, execution and achieving revenue targets.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to engage effectively with a range of stakeholders, including partners, customers, and team members.
• Strong analytical, numerical, and problem-solving skills as well as robust fact-based analysis.
• Advanced problem solving and root cause analysis combined with proven ability to communicate and report the same.