Market Lead

Market Lead will be responsible for understanding their respective market in depth and identifying the companies, investors, and opportunities that have the strongest strategic fit with Abu Dhabi.

• Develop a clear understanding of the respective market, its major companies, investment trends, outbound FDI activity, and sectors with international expansion potential.
• Identify areas where capabilities within the market can address specific requirements or opportunities within Abu Dhabi’s economy.
• Maintain an updated view of major companies, investors, and emerging businesses that should be targeted by ADIO.

• Build and continuously develop a targeted pipeline of high-quality companies aligned with Abu Dhabi’s priority clusters and wider economic objectives.
• Assess companies based on strategic fit, potential investment size, technology or capability transfer, employment creation, regional expansion potential, and overall economic contribution.
• Prioritize companies with credible potential to establish regional headquarters, operating businesses, manufacturing facilities, R&D capabilities, or other strategic operations in Abu Dhabi.

• Proactively originate investment opportunities rather than relying primarily on inbound enquiries.
• Engage companies at senior decision-making level and understand their international expansion strategies.
• Develop the investment case for Abu Dhabi and work with the relevant internal teams to move opportunities from initial engagement through to establishment.
• Maintain ownership and momentum of opportunities throughout the investment journey.

• Establish and maintain strong relationships with key market stakeholders, including chambers of commerce, business councils, industry associations, investment institutions, family offices, corporate networks, and other relevant aggregators.
• Candidates should ideally bring an existing network within their respective market and demonstrate the ability to access senior corporate decision-makers.
• Develop relationships that can continuously generate qualified companies and investment opportunities for Abu Dhabi.

• Act as the link between international companies and the relevant teams across ADIO and the wider Abu Dhabi ecosystem.
• Coordinate with the relevant clusters to ensure company targeting reflects Abu Dhabi’s actual sector requirements and priorities.
• Facilitate investor requirements relating to establishment, licensing, industrial land and facilities, government engagement, ecosystem introductions, and other market-entry requirements, where applicable.
• Ensure investors receive coordinated support throughout their establishment and expansion journey.

• Identify and develop high-value investor engagements in the respective markets.
• Support ADIO roadshows, delegations, round tables, and strategic missions based on a clearly defined target-company pipeline.
• Identify relevant international events where ADIO’s participation can generate tangible investment opportunities.
• Support major Abu Dhabi-based events by bringing relevant companies, investors, and senior decision-makers from their respective markets.
• Ensure events and missions are linked to measurable follow-up opportunities rather than being treated as standalone activities.

• Maintain a structured market pipeline covering target companies, active engagements, investor visits, opportunities under development, and companies progressing toward establishment.
• Provide regular updates on key opportunities, challenges, required government support, and expected investment outcomes.
• Work closely with internal stakeholders to ensure appropriate follow-up and accountability for each opportunity.

• The Market Leads should ultimately be assessed on their contribution to FDI and Abu Dhabi’s economic objectives, with emphasis on outcomes rather than activity alone.

• Quality and strategic relevance of companies identified and engaged.
• Value and quality of the FDI pipeline generated.
• Number of qualified investment opportunities originated.
• Number of strategic companies brought to Abu Dhabi for substantive investment discussions.
• Conversion of opportunities into company establishments and realized investments.