Manager, FDI Research

Manager, Research – Foreign Direct Investment (FDI)

ENTITY: Dubai Economic Development Corporation (DEDC)

Location: Dubai, UAE

About the Role

We're looking for a Manager, Research to lead market research, economic intelligence and investment insights that power the foreign direct investment attraction strategy. You will play an important role within our FDI team — turning global trends, sector data and investor intelligence into the target lists, briefs and reports that directly shape who we approach, how we position Dubai, and how we win investment.

This is a research-to-decision role: your work won't sit in a folder — it will go straight into investor engagement, executive briefings and strategic decision-making.

What You'll Do

• Lead the FDI research and market-intelligence agenda, aligned to investment attraction priorities and sector strategies.
• Research macroeconomic, geopolitical, sector and company developments across priority sectors: Manufacturing, Logistics, Financial Services, ICT/Digital, Real Estate & Construction, and Tourism — and priority investor segments: MNCs, Family Businesses/Family Offices, and SMEs.
• Monitor global and regional FDI trends, capital flows and investor behaviour to spot opportunities for Dubai.
• Build and continuously refine target investor and prospect lists by sector, market and strategic priority.
• Partner closely with Investment Attraction and CRM teams to supply the company intelligence, sector insights and investor profiles that move prospects through the pipeline.
• Produce high-quality outputs — sector reports, market assessments, investor profiles, benchmarking studies, dashboards and executive presentations.
• Support investment missions, roadshows, conferences and strategic meetings with research and briefing materials.
• Benchmark leading Investment Promotion Agencies (IPAs) and competing investment destinations, and recommend practical enhancements to our research, targeting and promotion approach.

What We're Looking For

• Bachelor's degree in Economics, Business, Finance, Statistics or a related quantitative field (Master's a plus).
• 10+ years experience in FDI research, economic/market research, investment promotion, or strategy consulting with an investment or location-strategy focus.
• Demonstrated experience producing research that has directly informed investment decisions, target investor lists, or attraction strategies.
• Strong analytical skills, with comfort using investment/economic databases (e.g. fDi Markets, Orbis, Refinitiv, Capital IQ) and visualisation tools (Power BI, Tableau).
• Track record of producing executive-ready reports and presenting to senior stakeholders.
• Experience working within or alongside an Investment Promotion Agency, government economic body, sovereign investment institution, or investment-focused consulting practice is highly valued.

Why Join Us

You'll be part of a team shaping the investment story on the global stage — with direct visibility into the strategic decisions your research drives, and the chance to benchmark and compete against the best Investment Promotion Agencies in the world.

To apply, submit your CV along with a short note on a piece of research or analysis you're most proud of, and the decision or outcome it influenced.

Only Shortlisted candidates will be contacted, Thank you for your interest in the role.