Business Development Manager

Our client is a fast‑moving organisation built for impact. They operate at the intersection of global research, market intelligence and executive engagement – helping leaders make confident decisions in markets that are shifting faster than ever.

They combine rigorous analysis with real‑world commercial insight, giving senior decision‑makers the clarity to act, adapt and stay ahead. Their teams work across more than 170 countries, delivering intelligence on political, economic and business trends that shape industries and open new opportunities.

Alongside this, their executive networks bring C‑suite leaders together to exchange perspectives, pressure‑test ideas and understand how macro forces translate into commercial outcomes. It’s a space where strategy, market insight and senior‑level conversation come together and where strong commercial operators can thrive.

This role sits at the centre of their growth engine. You’ll be joining a business with global reach, a reputation for analytical excellence and a product set that genuinely influences how organisations think and act. It’s an opportunity to build relationships at the highest levels, open new markets and drive commercial momentum in a business that’s scaling its impact worldwide.

The Opportunity

We are seeking a Business Development Manager to drive growth across the non‑government and non‑financial services sectors in the Gulf region. This is a high‑impact commercial role combining:

• A portfolio of flagship research, data and economic intelligence solutions
• Senior‑level membership, briefing and executive engagement offerings in the UAE

The role requires a strategic seller who can map, penetrate and expand within large organisations and conglomerates, engaging multiple stakeholders and unlocking enterprise‑wide opportunities.

You will:

• Own the full sales cycle, from strategic account mapping and prospecting through to close
• Develop a deep understanding of large organisations across non‑government and non‑financial sectors, including ownership structures and subsidiaries
• Build multi‑threaded relationships across different departments
• Sell both data‑led subscriptions and executive C‑suite membership offerings

Success in this role depends on your ability to:

• Map complex organisations and identify decision‑making structures
• Translate geopolitical and macroeconomic shifts into commercial value
• Navigate longer, consultative sales cycles with senior stakeholders

What you’ll bring:

• Strong experience in B2B sales (SaaS, DaaP, information services, or consulting), with a demonstrable passion for geopolitics and economics
• Deep contextual knowledge of the Middle East market, including its economic and geopolitical drivers
• A refined and sophisticated communication style suited to senior‑level engagement
• Ability to build and maintain trusted partner relationships at C‑suite/executive level
• Proven ability to prospect, build pipeline and close new business
• Exceptional ability to distil complex data into clear “so what?” insights for clients
• Commercial comfort with data‑led propositions, including analytics workflows and APIs (no deep technical expertise required)
• Strong Salesforce hygiene and forecasting discipline
• Arabic language skills are a plus
• Based in UAE, with regional travel as required