Departer is a leading German Executive Search firm with over 20 years of experience in global leadership recruitment. We specialize in placing executives in medium-sized enterprises and private equity portfolio firms across DACH, MEAI, ASIA and ANZ regions. With a deep understanding of the DACH economy, we facilitate successful placements within global management teams across corporate headquarters and entities abroad.

For one of our long-standing German clients, an internationally successful company operating in the construction and infrastructure sector, we are looking for a Managing Director GCC (m/f/d). The role offers an excellent opportunity for an ambitious commercial and sales-driven leader to take the next step into a full 360° Managing Director position. Based in the UAE, the Managing Director (m/f/d) will take increasing ownership of the regional business, leading a team of approximately 80+ employees and working closely with the German headquarters to further develop and structure the organization and its market presence.

This is a high-visibility step-up opportunity for an ambitious leader who wants to move beyond a pure sales or functional management position and develop into a full 360° Managing Director for the GCC. The successful candidate will join an established international business, work closely with senior stakeholders in Germany and have the opportunity to shape the next phase of the company's regional growth.

The role is particularly suited to a hands-on, entrepreneurial leader who enjoys building teams and taking ownership, and someone who is ready to grow with the responsibility of the organization.

Your duties and responsibilities will include:

• Take overall commercial and organizational responsibility for the GCC business, progressively assuming full 360° Managing Director responsibility
• Drive sales, business development and customer acquisition across the GCC, developing new opportunities and strengthening existing relationships
• Lead, develop and motivate a regional team of approximately 80+ employees, with team leadership and people development being a key priority of the role
• Build a high-performance culture through leadership by example, accountability, empowerment and close personal engagement with the team
• Act as a hands-on business leader who is equally comfortable developing strategy, visiting customers, supporting sales activities and addressing operational topics
• Take increasing responsibility for the broader business, including commercial performance, operations, production/manufacturing, supply chain and organizational development
• Identify and develop new market opportunities across the GCC and translate them into sustainable revenue and business growth
• Build and maintain strong relationships with key customers, partners and regional stakeholders
• Work closely with the German headquarters and international leadership team, ensuring effective communication, alignment and implementation of global business objectives
• Further professionalize and scale the regional organization while maintaining an entrepreneurial, agile and customer-focused approach
• Take ownership of budgets, targets and overall business performance as the scope of responsibility develops
• Contribute to the continued growth and strategic development of the business across the GCC

To be successful in this role you should have the following skills and experiences:

• A degree in Engineering, Business Administration or a related discipline is preferred, but relevant professional experience and a strong track record will also be considered
• A strong track record in sales, business development or commercial leadership, ideally within a project-driven, industrial, construction or infrastructure-related environment
• Proven team leadership experience and the ability to lead, motivate and develop larger teams
• A hands-on, proactive and entrepreneurial mindset, with the willingness to personally drive topics forward rather than relying on large support structures
• Strong people skills, emotional intelligence and the ability to build trust and credibility across different cultures and levels of an organization
• A natural leadership-by-example approach and the ambition to develop both people and the business
• The commercial instinct and energy to identify opportunities, build relationships and convert them into tangible business results
• The ability to move comfortably between strategic thinking and operational execution
• Experience in the GCC and a strong understanding of the regional business environment
• Exposure to manufacturing, production or operational environments is beneficial, but not a prerequisite
• The ambition and maturity to progressively assume responsibility across the full business, including commercial, operational and organizational topics
• Strong communication and stakeholder-management skills, with the ability to work effectively with the German headquarters and international colleagues
• Fluency in English; Arabic or Hindi would be a strong advantage