MEA Business Execution Head, Managing Director

About the role

Citi is looking for a Head of Middle East and Africa (MEA) Business Execution, a C16 Managing Director, based in Dubai. The role reports to the MEA Cluster & Banking Head and partners with the International COO team and the MEA Senior Leadership Team to turn the cluster's strategy into disciplined execution across 26 presence countries and 33 hub-managed countries. It covers business management, governance, controls, regulatory coordination and organizational effectiveness.

Key responsibilities

• Lead the MEA Cluster's business management agenda, turning strategic priorities into operating plans and tracking delivery
• Drive financial planning, resource allocation and capacity management with Finance
• Oversee the governance architecture, including key governance forums, and coordinate regulatory interactions and submissions across MEA jurisdictions
• Work with Risk, Compliance, Legal and Internal Audit to maintain a robust risk and control environment
• Sponsor strategic initiatives, prepare Board, CEO and senior management deliverables, and drive process improvement
• Manage competitive intelligence, coordinate internal and external audits, and lead the workforce management agenda
• Represent the Cluster on committees and advise the MEA Cluster & Banking Head

Required profile

• Bachelor's degree required; MBA or equivalent strongly preferred
• 15+ years of experience in financial services, with a track record in business management, strategy or risk and control
• Experience in emerging markets, and familiarity with the Middle East and Africa region strongly preferred
• Proven experience managing regulatory relationships and submissions across multiple jurisdictions
• Prior experience at or near Managing Director level, with exposure to senior management, the Board and regulators

Required skills

• Strong analytical and financial acumen, with the ability to synthesize complex information
• Board- and CEO-ready written and verbal communication
• Program and project management discipline
• Deep understanding of governance, risk and control in a regulated banking environment
• Influencing skills in a matrixed, multi-geography organization