Head of Sales LIONS

About Tahaluf and LIONS Riyadh

Tahaluf is Saudi Arabia’s largest B2B live and on-demand events organizer, a joint venture between Informa PLC, the Saudi Federation for Cybersecurity, Programming and Drones (SAFCSP), and the Events Investment Fund (EIF). The company is known for large-scale events such as LEAP, Cityscape, Black Hat MEA, and CPHI Middle East. LIONS Riyadh, launched by Tahaluf in partnership with LIONS and Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Media, is a new festival designed to amplify Middle Eastern creativity globally. The inaugural three-day festival will take place at KAFD, Riyadh, from 6–8 December 2027, bringing together regional and global CMOs, creative leaders, agencies, brands, and emerging talent.

Role Summary

Tahaluf is seeking a Head of Sales LIONS to drive and accelerate revenue for LIONS Riyadh. This full-time role, based in Riyadh, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, requires a proven sales leader with 5-10 years of experience. The Head of Sales will lead the commercial strategy and revenue growth, building premium partnership propositions for global and regional brands, agencies, media owners, and technology companies. The position involves a consultative sales approach, focusing on building long-term strategic partnerships rather than solely selling inventory.

Key Responsibilities

• Own and deliver the overall commercial and sales strategy for LIONS Riyadh, including revenue targets, sector priorities, account strategy, and go-to-market plans.
• Develop creative commercial propositions beyond traditional exhibition space, such as brand experiences and bespoke participation opportunities.
• Identify and develop high-value strategic accounts across global and regional brands, agencies, media, technology, entertainment, platforms, and government-linked organizations.
• Lead, coach, and develop the sales team, fostering a consultative sales culture focused on strategic account development.
• Maintain strong pipeline discipline, forecasting, and revenue reporting, ensuring clear visibility of conversion, account progression, risks, and opportunities.
• Support the planning and execution of rebooking campaigns for the exhibition.
• Collaborate with Marketing to develop client-facing thought leadership, research, case studies, and proof points.
• Develop a strong understanding of the Saudi, GCC, and international creative, advertising, marketing, and media landscape to identify new revenue opportunities.
• Use audience insight, market intelligence, and client research to develop propositions around specific communities, sectors, and business objectives.

Team Management and Communication

• Build a commercially ambitious team capable of selling through insight, relevance, and ideas.
• Ensure the team can confidently engage senior clients across various creative industries.
• Coach the team to develop consultative and solutions-led sales approaches.
• Conduct regular training sessions, one-to-ones, and annual meetings for objective setting and appraisals.
• Communicate regularly with all group functions within the portfolio to ensure optimal teamwork.
• Liaise with Sales Operations for timely processing of contracts, invoicing, and floorplan updates.
• Work closely with Content, Marketing, Creative, Partnerships, and Operations to develop relevant client solutions.
• Ensure client requirements and market feedback are communicated back into Festival planning and product development.
• Maintain strong communication with LIONS to align commercial activity with brand standards.

Reporting and Operations

• Demonstrate financial and numerical astuteness.
• Present weekly exhibition figures and pipelines to the Senior Management team.
• Prepare reports detailing weekly sales performance and projections.
• Track performance across client segments, products, and markets to identify growth opportunities.
• Monitor the quality and value of the commercial pipeline to attract appropriate brands and organizations.
• Provide clear market intelligence and client feedback to inform Festival strategy.
• Liaise with the Operations Department regarding floorplans, special events, and bespoke client requirements.
• Assist and provide support to the Operations team onsite.
• Oversee relevant sections of the online exhibitor manual or customer center.
• Ensure commercial propositions are operationally achievable and deliver promised client experiences.
• Work with Creative and Operations teams to support high-quality brand environments and activations.

Marketing Collaboration

• Demonstrate a clear understanding of marketing processes.
• Contribute to marketing direction and feed into marketing plans and schedules.
• Work closely with the Marketing team to design, create, and write copy for marketing materials and websites.
• Ensure sales narratives clearly communicate the value, audience, and distinctive positioning of LIONS Riyadh.
• Collaborate with Marketing and Content teams to translate speakers, programs, audience insights, and Festival developments into stronger commercial conversations.
• Support account-based marketing initiatives for priority brands, agencies, and industry sectors.