Head of Digital & AI

Overview

Lead the end-to-end digital and AI transformation of a major UAE group. Partnering with a leading Abu Dhabi‑based holding group, the Head of Digital & AI is an executive role accountable for the full digital and AI agenda across the enterprise. This is a rare mandate with board‑level sponsorship, a defined operating model, and a well‑resourced delivery partnership. The role reports to the Chief Information & AI Officer and includes two direct reports.

• Define and execute the enterprise Digital & AI strategy aligned to business objectives, safety, operational resilience, and growth.
• Translate board‑level strategy into multi‑year roadmaps across enterprise systems, digital platforms, and AI products.
• Act as executive sponsor for the transition to an AI‑enabled product‑led operating model.

• Own the enterprise application landscape (ERP, HRMS, AMOS, Digital Ocean, GRC, ESG) and processes spanning crew, fleet, finance, procurement, compliance, and analytics.
• Ensure enterprise systems are digitized, integrated, standardized, data‑ready, and AI‑enablement ready.
• Govern system modernization, vendor roadmaps, and lifecycle decisions (build, buy, retire).

• Own and evolve the AI Target Operating Model, Interface Team, Delivery Squads, and Run & Operate.
• Enforce clear separation of duties across portfolio and value ownership, delivery execution, operational reliability, and security governance risk.
• Enforce the decision‑rights model approved by Steer Co.

• Sponsor the AI Product Portfolio across Everyday AI and Enterprise AI.
• Chair portfolio‑level stage gates, investment prioritization, architecture and data readiness, governance and risk approval, operational acceptance, and scaling.
• Ensure all AI initiatives have clear business cases, measurable KPIs, and ongoing value realization tracking.

• Act as executive counterpart to the primary AI delivery partner for capability build and delivery.
• Define boundaries between client‑side control governance run and partner‑led delivery acceleration.
• Ensure the delivery partner operates within architecture standards, security and data governance guardrails, and defined acceptance and handover criteria.
• Prevent long‑term vendor dependency through capability transfer and internal enablement.

• Ensure Responsible AI, data protection, security, and regulatory compliance are embedded by design across enterprise systems, digital platforms, and AI solutions.
• Sponsor AI governance councils and escalation forums.
• Maintain audit‑ready assurance across all digital and AI initiatives.

• Build and lead high‑performing digital and AI teams across product, data, engineering, governance, and change leadership.
• Sponsor the AI Champions program and enterprise‑wide adoption initiatives.
• Drive cultural shift toward product thinking, automation‑first mindset, and data‑driven decision making.

• Enterprise digital and AI roadmap approval.
• AI portfolio funding and prioritization.
• Architecture and platform standards.
• AI governance stage‑gate approvals.
• Operational go‑live authorization for critical digital and AI systems.
• Delivery partnership scope and escalation authority.

• 15 years in enterprise digital transformation leadership covering enterprise systems leadership, data & AI programs at scale, and operating model design and execution.
• Proven experience running large, complex vendor ecosystems in regulated environments.
• Bachelor’s or Master’s in Engineering, Computer Science, or a related discipline.
• Executive presence able to engage confidently at board and Steer Co level and translate strategy into multi‑year delivery.

• PMI‑CPM AI or AI Business Leadership certifications.
• TOGAF or equivalent Enterprise Architecture.
• Cloud and AI platform certifications (Azure preferred).