Retail Director - Launching a Global Premium Home & Lifestyle Brand

• Launch and growth of a premium retail brand • Shape future expansion Our client is a leading UAE group launching an established international premium lifestyle brand across the market. With the first UAE location currently being developed, the business is building its retail platform from the ground up with ambitions to establish a strong local footprint before expanding further across the Middle East. • Lead the launch and ongoing operation of the brand across the UAE. • Own the retail strategy, commercial performance and day-to-day operations of the store network. • Lead new store openings from pre-opening planning through to successful launch. • Build the retail organisation, including Store Managers and customer-facing teams. • Drive sales, conversion, productivity, service standards and customer experience. • Establish operating procedures, performance standards and consistent ways of working across the business. • Partner with senior leadership on site strategy, future openings and wider Middle East expansion. • Create a high-touch, design-led retail experience aligned with the brand's international positioning. • Develop strong store leadership teams capable of supporting future scale. Competitive package and benefits. • The successful candidate will be a senior retail leader with experience managing luxury, premium or design led lifestyle brands. • They will have a strong track record across multi site operations, new store openings, commercial performance and team leadership, ideally within the UAE or wider GCC. • Particularly interested in candidates who have operated within premium home, interiors, lifestyle or adjacent luxury retail environments where customer experience, consultative selling and high service standards are central to the proposition. • The role requires a hands on operator initially who is equally comfortable building the fundamentals of a new retail business and contributing to its longer-term growth strategy.