Event Director - LIONS Riyadh

Job description

The Event Director of LIONS Riyadh is a pivotal leadership role, responsible for defining the strategic direction, commercial success, creative ambition and overall delivery of the Festival. Working across Tahaluf, LIONS and key stakeholders, the Event Director will translate the overall vision into a clear business and delivery plan, ensuring commercial, content, marketing, audience, partnerships, operations and experience teams are aligned behind shared priorities and objectives. The role will lead the development of LIONS Riyadh as a distinctive regional Festival within the global LIONS ecosystem, ensuring it carries the authority and creative standards of LIONS while building a proposition that is relevant to Saudi Arabia, the GCC and the wider Middle East. The Event Director will be responsible for building a commercially sustainable platform with a strong and differentiated position across creativity, marketing, media, culture and business, while ensuring the Festival delivers clear value for audiences, partners and stakeholders. The role requires exceptional leadership and stakeholder management, with the ability to operate confidently across senior government, global brands, agencies, media organisations, creative leaders and international partners. The successful candidate will combine strategic thinking, commercial discipline, creative judgement and operational leadership, with the ability to make decisions, manage complexity and maintain momentum across a large cross-functional programme. Key Responsibilities Develop and own the overall event strategy, business plan, budget and long-term growth roadmap, establishing clear commercial, audience, content and experience objective Own overall revenue, expenditure and operating profit performance, driving commercial growth across sponsorship, strategic partnerships, brand experiences, hospitality and other revenue opportunities. Oversee the development of a compelling event proposition, content programme, audience strategy and end-to-end customer experience, ensuring LIONS Riyadh delivers a distinctive, world-class festival. Lead and align teams across Sales, Partnerships, Content, Marketing, Operations, Creative, Finance and Project Management to deliver against shared objectives. Build a high-performing, collaborative team culture, providing direction, coaching and performance management to develop talent and drive accountability. Build and manage senior relationships with government stakeholders, strategic partners, global brands, agencies and industry leaders to strengthen the event's positioning and long-term success. Own the master event plan, overseeing critical milestones, dependencies, resources and onsite delivery to ensure operational excellence and a seamless festival experience. Establish effective governance, reporting and decision-making processes, proactively managing risks, resolving challenges and acting as the senior escalation point across the project. Maintain a deep understanding of the global and regional creative, advertising, marketing, media, technology and cultural landscape, identifying emerging trends, competitive developments and opportunities for growth. Champion LIONS Riyadh's positioning within the global creative ecosystem, working with key stakeholders to build industry credibility, international participation and a lasting presence in the region. Lead post-event performance reviews, evaluate commercial and strategic outcomes, and translate insights into continuous improvement and long-term growth plans for future editions. Bachelor’s degree in Business, Marketing, Events, Communications or a related discipline. Significant senior leadership experience within major events, media, creative industries, entertainment, culture or premium international platforms. Proven experience leading large-scale, complex, multi-functional events or businesses with full commercial and operational accountability. Experience launching, scaling or repositioning a major brand, event or platform is highly desirable. Relevant senior leadership experience may be considered in place of formal qualifications. Qualities & experience Significant senior-level experience leading large-scale events, exhibitions, festivals, conferences or major commercial platforms. Experience leading multidisciplinary teams and managing senior functional heads. Strong business acumen, experience of reporting, budgeting and forecasting Excellent communicator with strong presentation, negotiation and relationship-management skills. Strong understanding of the global creative, advertising, marketing, media and communications industries Strong creative judgement and ability to translate market intelligence into differentiated festival experiences and business opportunities. Understanding of the Saudi and GCC market, alongside a strong international outlook is an advantage Experience working with global brands, intellectual property owners or international strategic partners is highly desirable. Strong stakeholder-management skills across government, private sector and international partners. Core Benefits: Medical Insurance for individual and family Annual leave – 28 days Remote working on Sundays Working anywhere – 2 months every year School fees contribution, 40,000 SAR per child per year (up to a max of three children) Wellbeing Benefits Residency visa including yearly dependent fees Individual annual flight allowance for expats Local Relocation Package*: Paid flight to Riyadh – individual and family 30 days accommodation or suitable serviced apartment from arrival date or a one-off payment of SAR 5,000 Up to SAR 2,500 reimbursement of shipping goods/excess baggage costs *If eligible International Relocation Package*: Paid flight to Riyadh – individual and family 60 days accommodation or a suitable serviced apartment from your arrival date, or a one-off payment of SAR 5,000 Up to SAR 2,500 reimbursement of shipping goods/excess baggage costs Paid flight home for individual and end-of-service gratuity payment when leaving the company (if applicable) *If eligible We work hard to make sure life at Tahaluf is rewarding, supportive and enjoyable for everyone. We’re not solely focused on a checklist of skills. We champion energy and ambition and look for colleagues who will roll their sleeves up, join in and help make things happen. We don't just accept difference, we celebrate it. We welcome applicants from all backgrounds and circumstances and base hiring decisions on relevant qualifications and merit. We are proud to provide a disability-friendly environment. If you require any support or adjustments to participate in our interview or selection processes, please let us know. Tahaluf is the largest B2B live and on-demand events organiser in Saudi Arabia by space, attendance, colleagues, and revenue. It is a joint venture between Informa PLC, the Saudi Federation for Cybersecurity, Programming and Drones (SAFCSP), and the Events Investment Fund (EIF). Tahaluf is bold, visionary, and determined to make an impact. Our team fosters a culture of collaboration, creativity, and a little fun, here teamwork rules and work feels as exciting as the events we create. Scaling at this pace also requires exceptional local partners, and Tahaluf is proud to work with a range of government and non-government organisations at the forefront of Saudi Arabia’s B2B and B2C large-scale events scene. Be part of something BIG with Tahaluf’s series of record-breaking events: LEAP and Cityscape - the largest events in the world in their respective fields of tech and real estate; Black Hat MEA - a Guinness World Record holder for the largest CTF competition during the event; and CPHI Middle East - the largest pharma debut event in history, to name just a few. Tahaluf is making a huge impact on the global events sector. Join our ambitious and highly committed team, unafraid to push boundaries and disrupt the status quo. From day one, you’ll dive into large-scale projects under the guidance of a supportive leadership team that will encourage your personal development and open doors to new opportunities. About LIONS Riyadh LIONS Riyadh marks a bold new chapter for the world’s most prestigious platform for creative marketing. Launched by Tahaluf in partnership with LIONS and Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Media, it is a distinct Festival within the global LIONS community, home to the renowned Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity. Designed to amplify Middle Eastern creativity on the global stage, LIONS Riyadh will showcase the region’s talent, ideas and storytelling while connecting its creative industries with the world’s leading networks, brands and decision-makers. The inaugural three-day Festival takes place at KAFD, Riyadh, from 6–8 December 2027. It will bring together regional and global CMOs, creative leaders, agencies, brands and emerging talent around creative excellence, effectiveness, culture and the future of the industry.