Exhibition Director - Arabic speaker

The Exhibition Director (ED) is a pivotal leadership role responsible for driving the long-term growth and commercial success of the event. The role makes two key contributions to the business: developing the strategic direction for future growth and ensuring the highest standards of event delivery through effective execution. The Exhibition Director must possess exceptional communication, reporting, and presentation skills, as the role requires regular engagement with senior executives, government officials, and key stakeholders across the Government of Saudi Arabia and Informa Markets. Operating in a fast-paced environment, the successful candidate must be adaptable and able to respond effectively to the evolving demands of the event. The Exhibition Director will be responsible for developing, leading, and executing the long-term strategy for the event in line with the objectives outlined in the Tahaluf business plan. This strategy must align with the broader strategic objectives of the Tahaluf portfolio and support the continued growth of the brand. The role carries full accountability for the commercial and operational performance of the event, including exhibition sales, sponsorship, visitor marketing, conference and content development, and on-site event delivery. The Exhibition Director is responsible for ensuring the event achieves its revenue, expenditure, and operating profit targets. As part of the event's strategic development, the Exhibition Director will work collaboratively with Government stakeholders and the wider Informa Markets business, including Media, Data, and Client Solutions teams, to support the overall objectives of both the event and the wider organisation.

Responsibilities

Champion and foster a positive, collaborative team culture where colleagues feel engaged, motivated, and valued; Act as an ambassador for the event by building and maintaining strong relationships with clients, government stakeholders, industry associations, business leaders, partners, and suppliers; Develop a strong and collaborative partnership with the Commercial Director, ensuring the sales team and external sales agents remain focused, motivated, and equipped to achieve agreed commercial objectives; Build and maintain effective relationships with internal stakeholders across Tahaluf and Informa Markets; Establish a trusted leadership partnership with the EVP and AVP, collaborating on portfolio strategy, financial planning, budgeting, quarterly forecasting, and identifying opportunities to grow the brand globally; Develop and implement a rolling strategic plan to drive the continued growth and success of the event; Position and maintain the exhibition as the leading event within its sector, strengthening market share, brand recognition, and customer value; Prepare, manage, and deliver the annual budget and quarterly forecasts, ensuring financial targets are achieved; Define the strategic direction, positioning, and profile of the event in line with the evolving needs of the industry and its audiences; Maintain a thorough understanding of the industry, including market trends, customer requirements, and the competitive landscape, to inform strategic decision-making; Create an environment where people feel motivated, valued, supported, and empowered to perform at their best; Lead the development of team members through regular performance reviews, coaching, mentoring, and career development in line with company guidelines.

Requirements

A minimum of 5 years experience leading large-scale B2B exhibitions, with a proven track record of delivering commercially successful events; A Bachelor's degree or equivalent professional experience; Proven experience as an Exhibition Director or in a comparable leadership role with full commercial and operational responsibility; Demonstrated ability to develop and execute strategic plans that drive business growth and market leadership; Strong commercial acumen, with experience in financial reporting, budgeting, forecasting, and P&L management; Excellent communication, presentation, and interpersonal skills, with the ability to influence and engage stakeholders at all levels; A strong networker with the ability to build, maintain, and leverage long-term relationships with customers, partners, industry bodies, and key stakeholders; A collaborative leadership style with the ability to work effectively across cross-functional teams and build trusted internal and external partnerships; The ability to understand current affairs, market trends, regulatory developments, and the wider political landscape, and translate these insights into successful event strategies and commercial opportunities; A creative and innovative mindset, with the ability to use market intelligence to shape compelling event content, enhance the customer experience, and develop new products or multi-platform brand extensions; A strong understanding of customer and industry needs, with the ability to develop commercially viable solutions that deliver value to key customer communities; Highly adaptable, resilient, and comfortable working in a fast-paced environment with changing priorities; A proven ability to lead, motivate, and develop high-performing teams.

Nice to have

Arabic language proficiency (spoken and written); Previous experience working within the Middle East; Experience within the safety, security, fire protection, emergency management, or chemical resilience sectors.

Benefits

Medical Insurance for individual and family; Annual leave – 28 days; School fees contribution, 40,000 SAR per child per year, up to a max of three children; Wellbeing Benefits; Remote working on Sundays; Working anywhere – 2 months every year; Family visa costs* (up to a max of three children); Individual annual flight allowance* (Expat only); Local Relocation Package*: Paid flight to Riyadh (for you and your dependents); 30 days accommodation or suitable serviced apartment from your arrival date; Alternatively, if you already have accommodation in Riyadh and do not require a hotel or serviced apartment, then we provide a one-off payment of SAR 5,000; SAR 2,500 towards shipping goods/excess baggage costs on production of receipts/invoices; International Relocation Package*: Paid flight to Riyadh (for you and your dependents); 60 days accommodation or suitable serviced apartment from your arrival date; Alternatively, if you already have accommodation in Riyadh and do not require a hotel or serviced apartment, then we provide a one-off payment of SAR 5,000; SAR 2,500 towards shipping goods/excess baggage costs on production of receipts/invoices