We are recruiting a Regional Commercial Director for an established international beauty group with a significant presence across the Middle East.
Based in Dubai, this is a senior leadership appointment with responsibility for driving commercial performance, strengthening market positioning and developing the business across a diverse regional landscape.
The position requires a strong understanding of the prestige beauty industry, particularly the relationship between brand strategy, distribution, retail execution and consumer demand.
The successful candidate will work closely with regional leadership, brand teams and international stakeholders to ensure commercial priorities are aligned with the wider ambitions of the business.
An important part of the mandate will be to assess the performance and potential of individual markets, identify opportunities for sustainable growth and ensure that commercial decisions support both profitability and the long-term positioning of the brands.
The role will suit an established commercial leader who combines strong financial and analytical capabilities with an informed understanding of how prestige beauty businesses operate across the Middle East.
Key Responsibilities
Regional Commercial Leadership
- Take responsibility for the commercial performance of the business across designated Middle Eastern markets, with clear accountability for revenue growth, profitability and market development.
- Develop regional commercial plans that reflect the different characteristics, competitive environments and consumer behaviours of individual markets.
- Work closely with regional management to establish annual business priorities, commercial targets and longer-term growth opportunities.
- Evaluate existing market performance, identifying areas where distribution, brand visibility, productivity or commercial execution can be improved.
- Provide leadership and direction to country and commercial teams, ensuring a consistent approach to business planning and performance management.
- Balance short-term commercial objectives with the longer-term development and positioning of the brand portfolio.
- Maintain a strong understanding of market developments, competitor activity and changes in consumer purchasing behaviour.
Distribution & Retail Partnerships
- Oversee relationships with key retail partners, distributors and commercial accounts across the region.
- Lead commercial negotiations, annual business agreements and joint business planning with strategic partners.
- Review the effectiveness of existing distribution arrangements, identifying opportunities to improve market coverage, profitability and brand representation.
- Work with retail partners to strengthen productivity, visibility and the overall consumer experience at point of sale.
- Evaluate opportunities for new distribution channels and commercial partnerships, ensuring they are appropriate for the positioning of the brands.
- Maintain strong relationships with senior decision-makers across department stores, beauty retailers, specialist distribution businesses and other relevant channels.
- Ensure commercial agreements are supported by clear performance expectations, appropriate investment and regular business reviews.
- Identify opportunities to strengthen the organisation's negotiating position and improve the quality of commercial partnerships.
Market Development & Growth
- Assess opportunities for business expansion across established and developing markets within the region.
- Develop commercially sound proposals for new market initiatives, distribution opportunities and strategic partnerships.
- Identify gaps in market coverage and recommend appropriate commercial solutions.
- Work with international and regional teams to evaluate the potential of new product categories, brand introductions and distribution models.
- Monitor the changing competitive landscape, including the growth of independent beauty brands, emerging retail formats and digital distribution.
- Ensure market development decisions are supported by a clear understanding of consumer demand, financial returns and operational requirements.
- Establish realistic growth plans that consider the maturity, potential and commercial challenges of individual markets.
Brand Portfolio & Commercial Positioning
- Work closely with regional marketing and brand teams to ensure commercial activities support the positioning and development of the portfolio.
- Translate international brand priorities into commercially relevant regional plans.
- Understand the differences in consumer behaviour, product preferences and purchasing patterns across skincare, makeup and other prestige beauty categories.
- Ensure commercial growth is achieved without compromising brand equity, distribution quality or the consumer experience.
- Partner with marketing teams on product launches, promotional investment, retail activation and key trading periods.
- Review the commercial contribution of individual brands, categories and product ranges, identifying opportunities to improve performance.
- Support the introduction of new products and initiatives through effective planning with retail partners and internal teams.
- Provide regional commercial insight to international stakeholders, particularly where local market requirements differ from global assumptions.
Financial Performance & Business Planning
- Take ownership of regional commercial budgets, sales forecasts and agreed financial objectives.
- Monitor revenue, margins, commercial investment and profitability across markets and distribution channels.
- Work closely with Finance and Supply Chain teams to improve forecasting accuracy, inventory planning and stock availability.
- Review the financial performance of key accounts and distribution partners, ensuring commercial investment delivers appropriate returns.
- Establish clear performance indicators and maintain regular business reviews with regional management.
- Identify commercial risks and take appropriate action to address underperformance.
- Evaluate pricing structures, promotional activity and trading terms to ensure competitiveness while protecting margins.
- Present business performance, market developments and commercial recommendations to regional and international leadership.
Retail Performance & Consumer Experience
- Work with retail and commercial teams to improve performance across department stores, beauty retail chains, boutiques and other relevant points of distribution.
- Assess retail productivity, conversion, average transaction values and other commercial performance indicators.
- Ensure appropriate attention is given to the quality of retail execution, product presentation and customer engagement.
- Collaborate with Education and Training teams to strengthen product knowledge, service standards and selling capabilities.
- Identify opportunities to improve the performance of underdeveloped retail locations and commercial accounts.
- Work with retail partners to ensure staffing, merchandising and promotional activity are aligned with business expectations.
- Support the development of initiatives designed to improve customer retention, repeat purchasing and brand loyalty.
Digital & Omnichannel Development
- Work with digital and e-commerce teams to strengthen online commercial performance across the region.
- Evaluate opportunities with established online beauty retailers and digital distribution partners.
- Ensure commercial planning reflects the increasing importance of digital channels in the prestige beauty market.
- Support a coordinated approach to pricing, product availability, promotional activity and brand presentation across physical and online channels.
- Review digital sales performance and identify opportunities to improve commercial results.
- Monitor emerging retail technologies, online consumer behaviour and changes in the regional beauty purchasing journey.
Regional Leadership & Stakeholder Management
- Lead, support and develop commercial teams across the region, establishing clear expectations and accountability.
- Build effective working relationships with country management, regional functional leaders and international headquarters.
- Encourage greater collaboration between Commercial, Marketing, Finance, Supply Chain, Retail and Education teams.
- Provide guidance to local teams on negotiations, account management, market planning and commercial decision-making.
- Develop a strong understanding of the capabilities within the regional organisation and identify opportunities to strengthen commercial leadership.
- Represent the business in senior-level meetings with retail partners, distributors and other external stakeholders.
- Communicate regional market developments and business requirements clearly to international leadership.
- Maintain a practical and commercially focused approach to decision-making, particularly when balancing regional market requirements with global brand priorities.
Candidate Profile
We are looking for an established commercial leader with substantial experience in the prestige beauty industry and a strong understanding of the Middle Eastern retail and distribution landscape.
The successful candidate will have operated at regional or senior country leadership level, with responsibility for commercial performance across multiple markets, brands or distribution channels.
Experience within an international beauty group is strongly preferred, particularly where the individual has managed relationships with major retail partners, distributors and regional commercial teams.
The candidate should demonstrate:
- Approximately 12–15 years or more of progressive commercial experience, with significant responsibility within prestige beauty, skincare, cosmetics or fragrance.
- A proven record of delivering commercial growth across multiple Middle Eastern markets.
- Strong knowledge of the GCC beauty industry, including the commercial structures, distribution models and retail dynamics of key markets.
- Experience managing senior relationships with department stores, specialist beauty retailers, distributors and strategic commercial partners.
- A thorough understanding of commercial negotiations, joint business planning, pricing, margins and profitability.
- Experience managing substantial sales budgets, forecasting and regional financial performance.
- The ability to develop commercial strategies that consider both immediate business requirements and longer-term brand development.
- Experience working within an international matrix organisation and managing relationships with regional and global headquarters.
- Strong analytical capabilities, with the ability to interpret market performance and make commercially sound decisions.
- Experience leading and developing teams across different markets and cultures.
- An understanding of the operational relationship between sales, marketing, retail, education and supply chain functions.
- Exposure to digital commerce and the evolving distribution landscape within the beauty industry.
- Established relationships within the Middle Eastern prestige beauty sector would be highly advantageous.
- Excellent communication, negotiation and stakeholder management skills.
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