Head of Gulf

# Job - Head of GulfDubai,United Arab EmiratesFull timeJR1124497## Job DescriptionWith over 200 brands sold in nearly 180 countries, we’re the world’s leading premium drinks company. Bring your passion and use your curiosity as you explore, collaborate, and innovate to build brands consumers love. Together with passionate people from all over the world, you’ll test new ideas, learn and grow, and unlock a brighter, more exciting future.Join us to create a career worth celebrating.**About the Function**Our Sales team love building relationships, connecting with customers to sell our much-loved brands in new and vibrant markets where they can thrive. They help sell our iconic brands across 180 countries every year.We’re operating across different markets, channels, and areas of expertise. Using your curiosity and passion, you’ll make the most of consumer insight and digital platforms, reaching new customers, markets, and celebrations to help us achieve our growth potential. We’ll support your learning and growth as you develop your career with us and work with people across our business to realise your fullest potential**Market Context and Role Scope**The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) is one of the most complex, volatile and opportunity-rich regions globally, characterised by rapid growth, regulatory sensitivity and significant diversity across markets. The region spans 17 countries, including sanctioned and dry markets, and serves a population of approximately 500 million people with highly diverse cultural, religious and socio-economic profiles. With around 95% of the population Muslim, the beverage alcohol industry operates in a uniquely sensitive environment where reputation, compliance and stakeholder management are critical to sustainable success.The total beverage alcohol landscape in MENA is shaped by frequent shifts in political, cultural and religious dynamics, resulting in evolving government legislation, changing consumer behaviour and continual Route to Market complexity. Success in the region requires sophisticated RTM design, strong distributor partnerships and the ability to adapt at pace to changing regulatory and market conditions.At the same time, MENA is undergoing a structural transformation. Governments are accelerating diversification agendas most notably through Saudi Vision 2030 and UAE Vision 2030 to reposition the region as a global hub for tourism, hospitality and luxury experiences. This evolution creates significant long-term growth opportunities for Diageo, particularly across on-trade, travel retail, luxury, local bottling, non-alcoholic beverages and emerging alternative channels.Within this context, MENA represents a strategically critical growth engine for Diageo, encompassing developed, emerging and frontier markets, primarily operating through distributor-led models. The Commercial Director – MENA leads across this breadth and complexity, shaping differentiated market and channel strategies, unlocking growth through premiumisation and innovation, and ensuring Diageo wins responsibly and sustainably across on-trade, B2B, travel retail and increasingly omni-channel and e-commerce routes to market.Within MENA, the Gulf remains the biggest region in terms of NSV mainly driven by the UAE. The region will be driving the growth of MENA in the next 5 years.UAE being the biggest market in the region, it showcases a mix of 4 channels:1. Very advanced On-trade where the biggest global groups are operating in Dubai.2. Fast-growing retail channel which is yet untapped for Diageo although it doubled year on year3. E-commerce with Spirits now being sold online.4. FTZ Middle East, a strong yet volatile channel that needs close control on pricing and stock movement.**Purpose of the role**The Head of Gulf is a key member of the Commercial Team and reports to the MENA Commercial Director. This highly strategic role will be responsible for driving value market share and best practices in well-established markets like UAE and build and develop new RTC in markets like Saudi Arabia. The role leads and inspires an international team of 6 FTEs and extended team of Diageo’s distributors in the region.**Key Responsibilities**· Lead the development and implementation of the market strategy to optimize growth opportunities, market share win and profit enhancement.· Create value by locking strategic pricing and trade terms across the value chain and by achieving the triple Win for Diageo, Distributor and Customer.· Develop an omnichannel strategy ensuring a cohesive consumer experience across all channels (e-com, on trade and off trade).· Lead the relationship with key and relevant stakeholders (external and internal), especially distributors while keeping a sustainable, mutually profitable and strong partnership.· Lead the negotiation with distributors while securing access to depletions and relevant market data to increase action plan and