Head of GCC Corporate Affairs, International Investment Firm, UAE

Hanson Search is partnering with an international investment business to appoint a Head of GCC Corporate Affairs, based in the United Arab Emirates. This is a senior, highly visible role at the centre of the firm’s regional growth. It shapes how the firm engages with government, sovereign and business stakeholders across the Gulf, positioning it as a long-term partner to the region as well as a long-term investor.

About the Head of GCC Corporate Affairs

Following a highly successful first phase in the region, the firm has established a strong local presence and built senior relationships. It has also developed a credible pipeline of investment opportunities. The GCC is now a principal focus for new investment, with a rapidly growing regional team and an expanding network across its investment teams, portfolio companies and impact initiatives.

The Head of GCC reports into the  Corporate Affairs Director in the UK and works closely with the Chairman, CEO, regional leadership and investment teams. Leading a small, focused function, they will ensure the firm engages the right people for the right reasons with the right preparation and follows through consistently.

 Strategic Engagement Responsibilities

• Stakeholder Strategy: Develop and maintain the firm’s regional stakeholder map and engagement plan, identifying relationship gaps, overlaps and sensitivities. Link engagement to investment, portfolio and wider political priorities.
• Senior Engagement Advisory: Assess significant meeting and event requests directed to the Chairman, CEO and senior principals. Advise whether to accept, delegate, defer or decline based on stakeholder importance, strategic relevance, relationship history, timing and any risk or protocol considerations.
• Corporate Reputation and Media: Shape and protect the firm’s corporate profile in the region and support local media engagement alongside the wider Corporate Affairs team.
• Sponsorship and Partnerships: Provide input into sponsorship, partnership and charitable proposals using a consistent framework, so that support is credible and proportionate. Support should also be aligned to the firm’s purpose and focused on a small number of regional themes.
• Governance: Work with the firm’s Middle East governance board to map and report on critical regional relationships.
• Business Council Liaison: Act as the firm’s point of contact with a bilateral business council in which the Chairman holds a senior role. Support engagement where there is a legitimate firm interest, while maintaining a clear separation between the two roles.
• Team Leadership: Direct a dedicated engagement coordinator responsible for the CRM, meeting pipeline, briefing commissions and action tracking.

Experience and Skills

• Significant senior experience in government relations, public affairs, corporate affairs or strategic advisory within the GCC. Time as a government special adviser, or in a comparable role close to senior decision makers, would be ideal.
• An established network and genuine credibility with government, sovereign and business stakeholders across the UAE and the wider Gulf.
• Strong commercial acumen, ideally gained in or alongside investment, financial services or a multinational business, with the ability to distinguish access from genuine strategic value.
• A nuanced understanding of the region, recognising Abu Dhabi, Dubai and the wider GCC as distinct markets with their own dynamics.
• Sound judgement, absolute discretion and strong political antennae, with the confidence to challenge requests and decline diplomatically.
• Experience advising chairs, chief executives or ministers, as well as managing high-profile visits and engagements.
• Exposure to media relations, corporate reputation and sponsorship or partnership decision making.
• Excellent written communication skills, with the ability to produce concise, well-judged briefings at pace.
• Willingness to travel across the region as required.

What’s on Offer in the UAE

The role offers a competitive compensation package and the opportunity to build a new function from the ground up. You’ll gain direct exposure to senior leadership in a growing regional platform backed by an established international investor.

Apply for This Head of GCC Strategic Engagement Role

To find out more about this Head of GCC Strategic Engagement position, apply via the form below and a member of the Hanson Search MENA team will be in touch.

Hanson Search Group is a global talent consultancy providing executive search, recruitment and leadership advisory services. Built on more than twenty years of trusted relationships, we operate as a connected global platform of specialist practices with expert consultants embedded in key markets. Our specialist practices include investor relations and corporate communications executive search, where we partner with organisations to appoint the leaders shaping policy engagement.