Head of Leasing

About the job

ABOUT EYEWA & THE OPPORTUNITY

Eyewa is the largest and fastest-growing omnichannel eyewear retailer in the Middle East. Since 2017, we've grown from an online store into a regional powerhouse of 250+ owned-and-operated stores across the GCC, backed by a $100M Series C led by General Atlantic and a business that is both profitable and growing at over 50% year-on-year. Our mission is simple and ambitious: make high-quality eyewear accessible to everyone, everywhere.

Our stores are where the Eyewa brand comes to life, and the locations and markets we choose are fundamental to our growth. As we continue expanding across the region, we are looking for a commercially sharp Head of Expansion to lead our physical growth strategy across existing and future GCC markets.

This is an opportunity to shape where one of the region's fastest-growing retail brands goes next - identifying new markets and opportunities, securing the strongest locations, and turning ambitious growth plans into a high-performing regional store network.

THE ROLE

As Head of Leasing, you will own Eyewa's retail expansion strategy across the GCC. You will determine where we should grow, build the expansion pipeline, evaluate new markets and locations, and secure the right sites on the right commercial terms.

You will lead the expansion lifecycle from market mapping and site evaluation through commercial negotiation, lease signing, and handover. Working closely with Retail, Finance, Legal, Construction, Operations, and senior leadership, you will ensure every expansion decision is commercially sound and every approved location progresses at pace.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Regional Expansion Strategy

• Own Eyewa's physical expansion strategy across existing and future GCC markets.
• Identify priority countries, cities, districts, malls, high streets, and emerging retail destinations.
• Build a multi-year expansion pipeline aligned with the company's regional growth plans.
• Assess new market opportunities based on customer demand, competition, regulatory requirements, real estate availability, and commercial potential.
• Develop clear market-entry and location strategies for new GCC markets.
• Maintain a detailed view of upcoming developments, competitor activity, rental benchmarks, and regional retail trends.

Site Identification & Evaluation

• Build a strong pipeline of high-potential locations through landlords, developers, mall operators, brokers, and direct market relationships.
• Evaluate opportunities using footfall, demographics, accessibility, visibility, competition, rental costs, sales potential, and expected returns.
• Lead site visits and prepare commercially grounded business cases for senior leadership approval.
• Ensure every proposed location supports Eyewa's brand positioning, operational requirements, and financial targets.
• Identify high-potential locations and emerging retail destinations before they become obvious to the wider market.

Leasing & Commercial Negotiations

• Lead commercial negotiations from initial proposal through to heads of terms and signed lease.
• Secure competitive rents, rent-free periods, fit-out contributions, break clauses, exclusivity rights, and other favourable terms.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with the region's leading landlords, developers, mall operators, and brokers.
• Partner closely with Finance and Legal to ensure every agreement protects the business and delivers sustainable store economics.
• Support renewals, relocations, renegotiations, and exits where required.

Expansion Pipeline & Store Delivery

• Own the regional expansion pipeline from initial opportunity through to lease signing and handover.
• Work closely with Retail, Construction, Design, Finance, Legal, and Operations to keep store openings on track.
• Establish clear timelines, ownership, decision points, and approval processes across every project.
• Identify risks and dependencies early, remove blockers, and maintain momentum across multiple markets and locations.
• Provide clear reporting on pipeline status, upcoming decisions, commercial exposure, and expansion performance.

Team & Capability Building

• Lead and develop the expansion team, setting a high bar for commercial judgment, execution, and ownership.
• Build scalable processes, governance, and reporting to support continued regional growth.
• Create a disciplined expansion playbook that enables Eyewa to move quickly without compromising on location quality or store economics.
• Develop the internal capability required to support entry into new markets and continued growth across the GCC.

WHO YOU ARE

• 10+ years of experience in retail expansion, leasing, real estate, or property development, with strong knowledge of GCC markets.
• Proven tenant-side experience within retail, fashion, F&B, pharmacy, hospitality, or another consumer-facing business.
• A strong track record of building expansion pipelines, securing high-performing retail locations, and negotiating complex commercial agreements.
• Experience evaluating or launching into new cities or markets is a strong advantage.
• Strong relationships across the GCC's landlord, developer, mall operator, and brokerage ecosystem.
• Commercially sharp, with a strong understanding of store economics, occupancy costs, lease structures, and investment returns.
• Confident building business cases and challenging opportunities that do not meet the required commercial standards.
• Able to lead multiple negotiations and store projects across different markets without losing pace or attention to detail.
• A builder, not a caretaker — energized by finding the next growth opportunity and creating the structure required to deliver it.
• Ambitious, hands-on, and comfortable operating in a fast-growing regional business.
• Fluent in English; Arabic is a strong advantage.
• Willing and able to travel regularly across the GCC.