Informa PLC is a leading international events, intelligence and scholarly research group. Our purpose is to champion the specialist. Through hundreds of powerful brands we work with businesses and professionals in specialist markets, providing the connections, intelligence and opportunities that help customers grow, do business, make breakthroughs and take better informed decisions. Informa is listed on London Stock Exchange and a member of the FTSE 100, with over 11,000 colleagues working in more than 30 countries.

Each of our operating divisions has a distinct focus:

Informa Connect aims to provide expert content you cannot Google, and access to specialist networks and communities, through major branded annual events and specialist digital communities and content services.

Informa Markets creates global platforms for industries, specialist markets and customers to trade, innovate and grow, delivering over 550 events annually, specialist digital content and actionable data solutions.

Informa Tech aims to inspire the global technology community to design, build and run a better digital world by providing research, media, training and events to specialist technology communities worldwide.

Taylor & Francis commissions, curates, produces and publishes scholarly research and reference-led content in specialist subject areas, advancing research and enabling knowledge to be discovered and shared.

Our fifth division is Global Support, which provides shared, efficient business services and function-specific expertise to each of Informa's operating divisions

The Opportunity
A fantastic opportunity to join the World’s Largest Events Business and to drive the Strategic Partnership between the Kingdom and Informa plc Located in the heart of the Gulf, Bahrain is home to an established and prestigious exhibition industry. Leading consumer brands including Jewellery Arabia and the Autumn Fair, sit alongside a specialised energy portfolio including MEOS GEO and KOGS, attracting audiences of over 150,000 annually. The recently opened, state-of-the-art, exhibition venue, new airport and supporting infrastructure provide extraordinary opportunities for growth, reflected in Bahrain’s 2030 Vision. As the kingdom seeks to diversify its economy and expand in key economic sectors including tourism, business services, manufacturing, and logistics, we, at Informa, are well placed to help realise the Vision through the International Trade and inward investment, delivered through a thriving events industry.

See our event videos for Jewellery Arabia and MEOS GEO 2023
https://vimeo.com/informa/jahighlights?share=copy
https://vimeo.com/informa/meosgeo?share=copy

Report from the last Jewellery Arabia, here: Jewellery Arabia Report
https://youtu.be/lbgp3kqA3tA

Who are we
We are an established team of experienced exhibitions professionals. Hailing from every continent, we bring major brands to the middle east to deliver outstanding events. We deliver international audiences, high-calibre speakers and collaborate closely with government partners. We take pride in our longstanding partnerships and government collaboration and strive to grow not only our existing brands, but also launch into new sectors. 

Who are you?
An ambitious and experienced exhibition professional with a passion for new experiences and business development. You may already be based in the middle east or be new to the region but you must understand the region’s customs and traditions, familiar with opening doors, building key relationships and identifying strategic opportunities to grow the business.

This unique opportunity is a two / three-year placement with a review of how the business has developed by the end of the second year. 

Business Development

• Lead relationship building with the country’s most strategically important customers, government and industry bodies, and the broader community.
• Build out the Bahrain Strategic Plan.
• Identify and deliver profitable new business opportunities within region.
• Develop in-depth and long-term strategic partnerships to grow the business.
• Initiate and complete proposals & presentations for strategic alliances with key government and NGOs.
• Identify strategic opportunities where existing established brands within Informa can be launched in-country.
• Maintain strong internal relations where teams are working collaboratively and towards the same goals.
• Build strong commercial relationships with the key venue provider within Bahrain, to assist with the delivery of future events.

Financial & Commercial Performance

• Develop and manage annual budgets, aligned to the three-year business plan, with a focus on sustainably growing the operating profit of the business, driving revenue, managing costs and maximizing performance.
• Achieve financial metrics and commercial goals as relevant to the business area.
• Develop and deliver business plans to increase quality, scale and importance of existing product portfolio.
• Ensure marketing & sales capabilities are aligned to Informa best practice, working with Group/Divisional marketing centres of excellences and sales leads to support improvement initiatives.
• Deliver customer-oriented objectives (e.g., customer retention, event reputation and customer NPS).
• Work effectively with finance functions to ensure accurate and timely reporting as well as effectively resolving financial issues that impact customer relationships.  

Product leadership and brand management

• Accustomed to leveraging customer insight, market analysis and data to tailor value propositions and develop new, complementary products. 
• Use research and customer insight to inform decisions.
• Develop engagement strategies and value creation for exhibition partners – exhibitors, visitors, delegates and sponsors.
• Experience of building or developing a brand and related marketing and audience growth programs, you will work with the team on:
  - Brand positioning
  - Creative & design 
• Articulation of value propositions
  - Key messages
  - Pricing

​​​​​​​People Leadership

Create an environment which embeds teamwork and collaboration, enabling colleagues to reach their potential and managers to be effective people managers utilising Informa Markets’ Talent Development framework
- Establish regular career, performance and development discussions and promote a culture of continual learning, along with the HR team.
- Provide regular and structured feedback to colleagues and managers, and coach/mentor them to drive a high-performance culture and promote inclusion.
- Manage performance improvement and disciplinary processes where necessary in partnership with the HR team. - Initiate recognition programs to reward and recognise individual and team achievement.

Corporate Governance

• ​​​​​​​Uphold and promote the principles and values of the Company Code of Conduct when working with colleagues, customers, suppliers, third parties, our shareholders, the environment, our communities, governments and the law

Key Qualifications & Qualities

• Bachelor's degree or higher in business administration, marketing, finance, or related field.
• Ability to develop relationships at senior levels and own the management and interaction with high value customer/partner accounts.
• Senior role in business development, sales and marketing.
• Excellent analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making skills.
• Exceptional leadership and management skills.
• Demonstrates gravitas, drive and entrepreneurial and emotional intelligence.
• Previous exhibition/conference industry experience.
• Effective communication and negotiation skills.
• Strong business and commercial acumen.
• Detail-oriented.
• Arabic language and experience in the Middle East are advantageous.

The Offer
This is a great opportunity to join the team and make a real impact on the future growth of the Bahrain events industry. We offer: -

• Competitive annual salary.
• Opportunity to join and develop your skills and experience in the World’s largest Events company.
• Discretionary annual performance bonus.
• Medical insurance.
• 30 days annual leave.
• Relocation package.
• Hybrid working.
• Flexible working.