Executive Director - Freight Management

We are currently looking to appoint an Executive Director to build, launch and lead a new Freight Forwarding business from inception. The successful candidate will take end-to-end ownership of the business build, covering commercial strategy, regulatory and legal establishment, international network development, office and infrastructure deployment, carrier sourcing, sector propositions, technology implementation and full P&L performance. The mandate is to translate the approved Target Operating Model into a scalable, commercially successful multimodal freight forwarding operation spanning Air, Ocean, Road, Customs Brokerage and Contract Logistics.

This is a genuine build-and-operate leadership mandate within a major group undergoing significant transformation. The role requires an individual who can combine strategic leadership and long-term business design with a highly practical, hands-on approach to execution.

Our client, headquartered in Dubai, is a leading semi-government conglomerate with a significant regional presence.

Key Responsibilities:

• Develop and execute the roadmap for launching the Freight business, converting the approved Target Operating Model into clearly defined implementation phases covering organisational design, recruitment, capabilities and operational readiness.
• Lead all UAE licensing and regulatory requirements, including mainland and free-zone structures where appropriate, customs brokerage approvals, financial guarantees and bonds, IATA cargo accreditation, FIATA membership, NVOCC requirements where relevant, and appropriate freight liability insurance.
• Establish the physical operating footprint, including gateway locations, CFS and bonded warehouse solutions, transport resources, yards and regional hub infrastructure.
• Own the selection and deployment of the core freight management technology platform, such as CargoWise or an equivalent solution, integrating finance, operations, CRM, shipment visibility and reporting from the outset.
• Define the international network model, determining the optimal balance between directly owned locations and strategic agency partnerships based on target trade lanes, anticipated volumes and commercial priorities.
• Lead the establishment of overseas entities and offices in priority markets, including market assessment, location selection, incorporation, licensing, leadership recruitment and commercial launch.
• Develop a robust international partner ecosystem across Air, Ocean and Road freight, negotiating agreements covering exclusivity, reciprocity, commercial terms, profit sharing, credit exposure, service standards, liability and compliance.
• Establish processes for integrating international partners into the Group's systems, operating procedures and governance framework.
• Utilise established freight forwarding networks, including organisations such as WCA, Pangea or comparable platforms, to accelerate global reach during the initial growth phase while the proprietary network is developed.
• Manage international network performance, partner relationships, commercial disputes and inter-office financial settlements.
• Develop a genuine cross-trade proposition, enabling the business to manage shipments between international third-party markets in addition to UAE-originating import and export activity.
• Lead strategic procurement relationships with airlines, shipping lines, road carriers and other logistics providers across all modes, including airfreight rates, block space and charter arrangements, ocean service contracts, NACs, co-loading agreements and GCC cross-border trucking.
• Create and commercialise a differentiated multimodal product suite covering airfreight consolidation, LCL and buyer's consolidation, FCL, sea-air solutions through Dubai, breakbulk and out-of-gauge cargo, charter services and regional road freight corridors.
• Launch scheduled consolidation services across priority trade corridors such as Europe–UAE, Asia–UAE, Africa, the Indian subcontinent and intra-GCC markets, supported by appropriate pricing, tariff and yield management structures.
• Establish procurement controls covering carrier allocations, rate management, seasonal capacity planning and mechanisms designed to protect gross margins.
• Maintain full accountability for the Freight business P&L, including revenue generation, file-level profitability, gross profit, EBITDA, working capital, DSO, budgeting and forecasting.
• Build the commercial organisation, including field and inside sales, trade-lane specialists, tender and RFQ teams, pricing functions and CRM/pipeline management disciplines.
• Introduce appropriate sales governance, quotation controls, performance measures and incentive structures to support sustainable revenue growth.
• Define customer segmentation across global strategic accounts, regional key accounts, SMEs and internal Group volumes, developing differentiated commercial and service propositions for each segment.
• Lead the acquisition, implementation and retention of strategic customers, including SLA development, customer governance, QBR structures and mobilisation plans for new accounts.
• Establish customer credit, onboarding and receivables processes in partnership with Group Finance, ensuring disciplined commercial risk management.
• Develop specialist industry propositions aligned with regional market opportunities, with particular emphasis on Oil & Gas and Energy Projects; Automotive; Perishables and Food Logistics; E-commerce and Retail; Government and Defence; Industrial Projects; Pharma and Healthcare; and Events and Exhibitions.
• For each priority vertical, establish the required leadership capability, develop tailored solution frameworks, obtain relevant certifications and accreditations, and build an initial portfolio of reference customers.
• Develop a dedicated project logistics capability covering route engineering, method statements, route surveys, lifting and handling plans, marine warranty requirements and project cargo risk controls.
• Establish end-to-end multimodal operating procedures, including SOPs, milestone controls and performance dashboards covering shipment profitability, data integrity, operational service levels and customer KPIs.
• Embed appropriate HSE, trade compliance and governance standards from launch, including sanctions screening, export controls, denied-party checks, anti-bribery controls, dangerous goods procedures and management systems aligned with ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and ISO 45001 principles.
• Create a control tower and customer service model capable of providing enhanced visibility and support for strategically important accounts, including 24/7 coverage where required.
• Lead the digital transformation of freight operations through automated shipment milestones, electronic documentation, customer-facing portals and API integrations with carriers, customs and other logistics stakeholders.
• Build the organisational structure in line with the approved workforce plan, recruiting and developing the leadership team and broader workforce in partnership with Group HR.
• Establish capability development, talent management and succession frameworks to support the long-term growth of the business.
• Provide regular executive reporting on launch progress, operational milestones, commercial performance, financial results and key risks to the GCEO and Group leadership.
• Act as the senior external representative for the Freight business with major customers, airlines, shipping lines, transport providers, customs and port authorities, free zones and relevant industry organisations.

Knowledge, skills & experience:

• Bachelor's degree from a recognised university; an MBA or relevant postgraduate qualification would be advantageous.
• Minimum 15 years experience within freight forwarding or international logistics, including at least 5 years operating at Country Manager, Regional Head, Managing Director or equivalent level with direct P&L ownership.
• Strong evidence of successfully launching, transforming or scaling a freight forwarding operation, ideally involving greenfield establishment, market entry, international network development or significant business turnaround within the GCC.
• Extensive commercial experience negotiating international agency partnerships, airline and ocean carrier agreements and strategic logistics relationships.
• Comprehensive multimodal knowledge covering Air, Ocean, Road, Customs Brokerage and Contract Logistics, with a strong understanding of trade-lane development, consolidation, cross-trade and forwarding products.
• Demonstrable success in establishing and growing at least one specialist logistics vertical, such as project cargo, automotive, perishables, government or another comparable sector, into a commercially sustainable business.
• Proven track record of delivering significant revenue, gross profit and EBITDA objectives, ideally with responsibility for a business generating USD 50M+ in annual revenue.
• Experience implementing freight management platforms such as CargoWise or comparable systems, alongside experience managing organisations of 100+ employees.
• Entrepreneurial and entrepreneurial-minded approach, with the confidence to create processes, infrastructure and teams where established systems do not yet exist.
• Strong commercial instincts combined with rigorous financial, operational and risk management discipline.
• Highly effective negotiator with established relationships across airlines, shipping lines, transport providers and international forwarding networks.
• Demonstrated ability to attract, lead and develop senior management teams across multicultural and geographically diverse environments.
• Strong executive presence and credibility when engaging with C-suite leaders, government entities, regulators, carriers and major customers.
• Fluency in English is essential; Arabic language capability would be an advantage.