Head of AI

We have partnered with a leading diversified group with a global footprint to hire a Head of AI. The Group is moving AI from ambition to execution across multiple businesses, and this person will lead that shift. You will own AI strategy, build the team and the platform, and deliver production systems that move commercial numbers. The remit is Group-wide, the mandate is clear and the opportunity to build from the ground up is real. This role suits a technical AI leader who has taken systems into production at scale and can sit equally comfortably in an engineering review and a boardroom. About the role: • Define and lead the Group's AI strategy, identifying and prioritising high-value use cases across business units • Build and lead a cross-functional AI organisation spanning engineering, data science and MLOps • Own architecture and delivery of production AI systems, including GenAI, LLM applications, agentic workflows and traditional ML • Establish governance, security and responsible AI standards that the Group can trust • Partner with business leaders to drive adoption and measure ROI against clear commercial outcomes • Evaluate and select AI platforms, vendors and partners, and keep the Group ahead of a fast-moving market About you: • 10+ years in AI, machine learning or data science, with at least 3 years leading teams • Proven record of deploying AI and ML systems into production at enterprise scale • Hands-on understanding of LLMs, retrieval and orchestration frameworks, MLOps and cloud AI platforms • Experience building an AI function or Centre of Excellence from scratch • Commercially minded, able to connect AI investment to revenue, cost and customer outcomes • Credible with executives, regulators and technical teams alike