AI Data Lead

Location: Dubai, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Sr Director – AI Data Leader

Role Summary and Overview

The AI Data Leader spearheads the organization's data and AI strategy, aligning it with business goals and product priorities in a player–coach capacity that blends technical depth with strategic vision while mentoring and developing teams.

We are looking for an entrepreneurial, value-driven senior Data & AI executive with 15+ years leading Data and AI transformations across MENA, UK & Europe, proven in Data & AI practice pipeline forecasting, P&L ownership, Go-To-Market and Delivery Excellence, who builds high-performing diverse teams, delivers enterprise-scale data platforms, AI/ML Ops and responsible AI programs, and translates complex technical capability into measurable business outcomes as a trusted C-suite advisor and industry thought leader.

Key Responsibilities

• Define and drive the organization's Data & AI strategy, covering data infrastructure, AI/ML models, partnerships and talent.
• Own P&L for Data & AI across MENA, setting the strategic growth path for transformation, sales growth and operational leadership.
• Establish and grow regional delivery centers serving MENA, UK & Europe.
• Lead the AI/ML lifecycle from research and prototyping through deployment and monitoring to improve detection accuracy, reduce false positives and uncover new use cases.
• Create and scale unified DataOps, BI/DW and AI teams for Advanced Analytics using agile practices across tools, code and cloud infrastructure.
• Define and execute enterprise Data & AI strategy covering architecture, data platform roadmaps and productization of AI models.
• Provide architectural guidance and hands-on oversight across Azure Data Services (Data Factory, Synapse, Data Lake), Azure Analytics, Databricks, GCP and Informatica.
• Review and validate data engineering pipelines, cloud architecture designs, data platform builds and AI/ML model deployments, embedding data governance, data quality, security and compliance best practices.
• Track emerging AI, GenAI and cloud data platform technologies and bring relevant innovations to client solutions.
• Collaborate with Product and Engineering to embed AI into the product roadmap and customer solutions with production-ready, continuously optimized models.
• Drive consultative selling and commercial capture: lead RFP responses, develop sales toolkits and playbooks, and orchestrate multi-service-line structured deals.
• Advise clients across sectors and translate business problems into data and AI solutions.
• Partner with best-in-breed vendors to accelerate capability while building internal data and AI foundations and growing the Data & AI partnership landscape.
• Ensure AI/ML initiatives are ethical, explainable and compliant with regulations such as AML and data protection laws.
• Build and lead a high-performing team, mentoring engineers in Data/AI/ML practices and fostering an inclusive, collaborative culture with communities of practice.
• Hire, coach and mentor senior managers and Data & AI capability leaders, driving growth-minded culture and high retention of top talent.
• Enhance Client's position as Trusted Thinking Partner of Choice by developing innovative data transformational solutions and building Client brand through industry events, conferences, Data/AI marketing initiatives and POVs.

Must Have 

• AI Certifications & Relevant Project Experiences.
• 15+ years in Data & AI, including P&L ownership, Go-To-Market and Delivery Excellence across MENA, UK & Europe.
• Proven leadership in end-to-end Data transformations and enterprise-scale data platforms across multiple countries and verticals.
• Deep hands-on expertise in Azure Data Services, Databricks, Informatica, Snowflake and GCP, with strong command of data engineering, cloud architecture and AI/ML model lifecycle.
• In-depth knowledge of end-to-end Data & AI practices, architectures, ML techniques and Data/AI trends and transformation.
• Demonstrated consultative selling, RFP response and multi-service-line deal orchestration against sales targets.
• Experience building, growing and mentoring large, diverse teams including senior managers and Data & AI capability leaders.
• Development and delivery oversight across cloud, on-prem and hybrid models.
• Strategic thinking to align technology with business objectives.
• Education: Bachelor's degree, MBA.

Good to Have

• Experience at Tier 1 advisory, consulting or large systems integrator firms, preferably with an onsite-offshore model.
• Experience in ethical AI, regulatory compliance and explainable AI.
• Experience orchestrating global, matrixed deal structuring teams across TCO, multi-tower, digital, consulting and managed services deal types.
• Strong references from key stakeholders (buyers, influencers) in large local enterprises and top buyers within and adjacent to the industry.