Chief Executive Officer

Overview

We seek a visionary and entrepreneurial Chief Executive Officer to anchor our company from Dubai, steering its future growth in the retail and food-service sectors. Positioned centrally in the supply chain, our business links products, brands, and distribution networks to supermarkets, convenience stores, HORECA, and food-service operators regionally. The ideal candidate will innovate beyond traditional approaches to enhance value creation, explore new market avenues, and cultivate an agile and ambitious organization.

Key Responsibilities

• Define and implement a compelling long-term vision and strategic plan tailored to retail and food-service clients.
• Take full accountability for the profit and loss, emphasizing revenue growth, improving margins, and sustaining positive cash flow to maximize enterprise value.
• Pursue creative business development through novel models, channels, partnerships, and revenue sources that extend beyond current operations.
• Establish and nurture a high-performing executive leadership team and foster a dynamic, success-driven company culture.
• Serve as the company’s representative to the board, shareholders, major customers, suppliers, and partners.
• Develop measurable business objectives tied to the strategic direction.
• Enhance and broaden relationships with retail chains, distributors, and food-service/HORECA clients.
• Drive commercial excellence via improved sales, pricing strategies, category management, and market access plans.
• Oversee operations and supply chain efficiency, ensuring service quality and scalable performance.
• Recognize and capitalize on growth opportunities including new markets, channels, partnerships, mergers and acquisitions, and innovations.
• Build, guide, and hold accountable an effective executive leadership team.
• Promote a performance-focused, entrepreneurial, and customer-centric organizational culture.
• Maintain rigorous governance, risk control, and compliance across business operations.
• Provide clear, transparent reports on performance, risks, and strategic progress to the board.

Required Qualifications and Experience

• At least 10 years of progressive professional experience demonstrating increasing leadership responsibilities.
• A minimum of four years occupying a top-executive role such as CEO or General Manager.
• Proven background in the retail and/or food-service industries, including FMCG, distribution, food supply, or related B2B sectors.
• Track record of successfully driving revenue growth, profitability enhancement, and enterprise value creation.
• Strong commercial awareness combined with excellent financial and operational management skills.
• Fluent English communication skills with the ability to effectively manage various stakeholders.
• Possession of a bachelor’s degree is mandatory; an MBA or equivalent postgraduate qualification is preferred.

Preferred but Not Required

• Familiarity with the UAE/GCC market dynamics, customers, and business landscape.
• Existing connections within regional retail, distribution, and food-service sectors.
• Proficiency in Arabic language.
• Experience scaling enterprises, entering new markets, or leading organizational transformation or turnaround efforts.

Leadership Characteristics

• Forward-looking and pragmatic: setting ambitious goals while remaining engaged in operational details.
• Innovative and unconventional thinker who challenges norms to identify hidden opportunities.
• Ability to make firm decisions amidst uncertainty with sound judgment and a proactive attitude.
• Effective, inspirational communicator who builds confidence among teams, customers, and the board.
• Resilient, flexible, and comfortable working in a dynamic and rapidly evolving regional market.