Salt
Event Director / Show Director
- Permanent
- Dubai, United Arab Emirates
- Experience 10 - 15 yrs
Job expiry date: 31/05/2026
Job overview
Date posted
16/04/2026
Location
Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Salary
Undisclosed
Compensation
Comprehensive package
Experience
10 - 15 yrs
Seniority
Director
Qualification
Bachelors degree
Expiration date
31/05/2026
Job description
The Event Director / Show Director is responsible for full end-to-end ownership of B2B trade shows and large-scale business events, including strategy, execution, commercial performance, and operational delivery. The role involves leading cross-functional teams across sales, marketing, operations, and content to ensure events are commercially successful, industry-relevant, and aligned with market demand. Responsibilities include managing P&L, driving revenue through exhibitor sales, sponsorships, partnerships, and ancillary revenue streams, and ensuring profitability targets are achieved. The role requires oversight of event strategy, including annual business planning, audience development, market expansion, and identification of new product or regional opportunities. The Event Director ensures strong content programming by curating high-quality conference agendas, speakers, and advisory boards to drive engagement and thought leadership. Additionally, the role focuses on marketing and audience growth, stakeholder engagement, and maintaining strong industry relationships with sponsors, exhibitors, government entities, and partners. The position demands strong leadership, commercial acumen, and the ability to deliver high-quality events under pressure while maintaining excellence in execution and stakeholder satisfaction.
Required skills
Key responsibilities
- Define and execute the overall event vision, positioning, and long-term growth strategy for B2B trade shows and conferences while ensuring alignment with commercial objectives, audience development goals, and industry relevance.
- Own full P&L responsibility for assigned events, including revenue forecasting, cost control, and profitability management, ensuring financial performance targets are consistently achieved.
- Drive revenue generation through exhibitor sales, sponsorships, partnerships, and ancillary revenue streams by working closely with sales teams to optimize pricing strategies and account targeting.
- Develop annual business plans for events, including revenue targets, audience acquisition strategies, market expansion initiatives, and identification of new product or regional growth opportunities.
- Oversee content and programming by curating conference agendas, selecting speakers, and managing advisory boards to ensure high-value, industry-relevant thought leadership content.
- Lead marketing and audience development initiatives by collaborating with marketing teams to drive attendee acquisition, brand positioning, and engagement across digital, PR, and campaign channels.
- Manage full event operations and delivery, ensuring seamless coordination of logistics, vendors, timelines, budgets, and onsite execution while maintaining high-quality standards and attendee experience.
- Lead and develop cross-functional teams across sales, marketing, operations, and content, setting KPIs, performance expectations, and fostering a high-performance culture.
- Build and maintain relationships with key stakeholders including sponsors, exhibitors, government entities, and industry partners to enhance event credibility, reach, and commercial success.
Experience & skills
- Proven experience in B2B trade exhibitions, conferences, or large-scale business events with a strong track record of commercial ownership and revenue generation.
- Demonstrated experience managing full P&L responsibility for large-scale events, including multi-million-dollar revenue and profitability targets.
- Strong leadership experience managing cross-functional teams across sales, marketing, operations, and content functions in fast-paced environments.
- Expertise in commercial negotiation, sponsorship sales, exhibitor acquisition, and strategic partnership development within the events industry.
- Strong strategic thinking ability with proven experience translating event vision into executable business plans and measurable outcomes.
- Excellent stakeholder management and communication skills, with experience engaging senior executives, government entities, and industry leaders.
- Analytical mindset with ability to interpret market trends, audience data, and performance metrics to optimize event performance and growth strategies.
- Bachelor’s degree in Business, Marketing, Communications, or related field, or equivalent professional experience in the events industry.