Director of GCC Business DevelopmentDubai / Saudi Arabia / GCC | UK-GCC Private Capital

UK-GCC Private Capital is seeking an exceptional Director of GCC Business Development to lead our business development and strategic relationship-building activities across the GCC, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain and Oman.

This is a senior commercial role for a highly connected, entrepreneurial business development professional who understands the GCC's real estate, private capital, investment and wealth management ecosystem and has the relationships, credibility and drive to engage directly with senior decision-makers.

The successful candidate will play a central role in expanding UK-GCC Private Capital's presence across the GCC, working with some of the region's largest real estate developers, investment funds, sovereign and institutional investors, family offices, wealth managers, private equity firms, banks and growth-focused businesses.

A major priority will be securing the participation of leading GCC real estate developers and investment businesses in the UK-GCC Private Capital Investment Summits in London, including participation in the Real Estate Exhibition and associated investor programmes.

The role will also be responsible for growing our annual membership base across the GCC and developing long-term commercial relationships with organisations seeking access to UK and international private capital.

The Opportunity

As Director of GCC Business Development, you will own and drive the GCC commercial growth strategy.

You will be expected to operate at senior level across the region, developing relationships with decision-makers and converting those relationships into memberships, summit participation, exhibition participation, sponsorships, strategic partnerships and cross-border business opportunities.

A key part of the mandate will be to build a strong pipeline of leading GCC real estate developers and secure their participation in the UK-GCC Private Capital Investment Summits in London, giving them access to UK institutional capital, private capital, family offices, investment funds and other strategic investors.

You will also identify and sign up UK-GCC Private Capital annual members, including investment funds, wealth management businesses, family offices, real estate companies, financial institutions and other businesses seeking to expand their UK-GCC relationships.

This is not a traditional sales position. We are looking for someone who can open doors, build trust at C-suite level, create strategic partnerships and convert relationships into measurable commercial results.

Key ResponsibilitiesGCC Business Development

Develop and execute the GCC business development strategy across UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain and Oman.
Capital Formation for the cross border investment opportunities.
Build and manage a high-value pipeline of prospective members, sponsors, delegates, exhibitors and strategic partners.
Identify new commercial opportunities across real estate, private capital, investment, banking, wealth management and related sectors.
Establish relationships with CEOs, founders, CIOs, investment directors, heads of business development and other senior decision-makers.
Lead client and prospect meetings, presentations and commercial discussions.
Develop territory-specific business plans and measurable revenue targets.
Provide regular pipeline, market intelligence and business development reporting to the leadership team.

GCC Real Estate & London Investment Summits

A major focus of the role will be developing the GCC real estate programme and securing participation from leading developers and real estate investment businesses.

You will:

Identify and engage the GCC's leading real estate developers, investment companies and property groups.
Capital Formation for the cross border investment opportunities.
Secure their participation in the Real Estate Exhibition at the UK-GCC Private Capital Investment Summits in London.
Develop relationships with senior executives responsible for international investment, capital raising, investor relations and strategic partnerships.
Present the value proposition of accessing UK and international private capital through the London summits.
Secure exhibition participation, speaking opportunities, sponsorships and strategic partnerships.
Build long-term relationships with participating developers beyond the summit itself.
Identify opportunities for UK investors and GCC real estate businesses to develop cross-border investment relationships.

Membership Development

You will be responsible for growing the UK-GCC Private Capital membership base across the GCC. You will develop targeted prospect lists, conduct senior-level outreach, present membership opportunities and convert qualified prospects into annual members.

Cross-Border Business Development

Identify investment and commercial opportunities connecting GCC capital with the UK and international markets.
Develop relationships between GCC investors and UK businesses, investment opportunities and strategic partners.
Work closely with the UK-based leadership team to develop cross-border initiatives.
Identify opportunities for capital raising, investment, joint ventures, strategic partnerships and market entry.
Represent UK-GCC Private Capital at relevant GCC conferences, investor meetings and business events.
Act as a senior ambassador for the platform across the region.

Relationship & Account Management

Build long-term relationships with strategic members, sponsors, developers and institutional partners.
Manage senior stakeholder relationships and ensure high levels of engagement.
Identify opportunities to expand existing accounts and partnerships.
Maintain accurate CRM records and commercial pipelines.
Ensure members and strategic partners receive ongoing value from their relationship with the platform.

What We Are Looking For

We are looking for an ambitious, commercially driven and highly credible GCC business development professional with an established network across the region.

Essential Experience

Demonstrated track record in new business development within real estate, private capital, investment banking, wealth management, asset management, financial services or a closely related sector.
Strong existing network among senior decision-makers in Dubai, Saudi Arabia and/or other GCC markets.
Proven ability to originate, develop and close high-value commercial relationships.
Experience engaging with real estate developers, investment funds, family offices, institutional investors, financial institutions or corporate groups.
Strong business planning skills, including market analysis, go-to-market strategy and pipeline development.
Proven experience in contract and commercial negotiation.
Strong account management and relationship development capabilities.
Demonstrated ability to influence and negotiate with C-suite and senior investment professionals.
Deep understanding of the GCC business environment and cross-border investment dynamics.
Excellent communication, presentation and stakeholder engagement skills.
Ability to operate independently and build a market from the ground up.
Strong commercial mindset with a demonstrable record of delivering measurable business development results.

What Success Looks Like

Within the first 12–24 months, success will include:

Building a significant GCC commercial pipeline.
Securing participation from leading GCC real estate developers in the London Investment Summits.
Growing the number of GCC-based annual members.
Securing new sponsors, exhibitors and strategic partners.
Establishing relationships with major investment funds, family offices, wealth managers and institutional investors.
Creating new UK-GCC cross-border investment and commercial opportunities.
Increasing the profile and market presence of UK-GCC Private Capital across the GCC.
Delivering measurable revenue and membership growth.

Primary location: Dubai and/or Saudi Arabia, with flexibility depending on the candidate's GCC network and location.

Apply

If you are a high-performing GCC business development professional with an established network across real estate, private capital, investment or financial services, we would like to hear from you.

Please apply with your CV and a short covering statement outlining your GCC network, relevant business development track record and the types of relationships you could bring to UK-GCC Private Capital.

UK-GCC Private Capital is an equal opportunities organisation and welcomes applications from candidates with diverse backgrounds and experience.