Commercial Director

JOB PURPOSE: To lead the commercial strategy, revenue growth and profitability of an assigned exhibition or event portfolio. The Commercial Director is accountable for delivering ambitious financial targets, accelerating new business, strengthening strategic partnerships and building high-performing sales teams. The role combines strategic leadership with hands-on commercial execution, leveraging market intelligence, technology and innovation to maximize revenue opportunities, enhance customer value and sustain competitive advantage. KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES: 1. Commercial Strategy & Revenue Growth • Develop and execute commercial strategies to deliver revenue, profitability and growth targets. • Drive new business acquisition, customer retention, account expansion and revenue diversification. • Maximize revenue across exhibition space, sponsorship, partnerships and other commercial products. • Identify emerging markets, industry trends and opportunities for portfolio expansion. • Develop compelling commercial propositions aligned with customer needs and market demand. 2. Sales Leadership & Performance • Lead, coach and develop high-performing sales teams with clear objectives, KPIs and accountability. • Establish a performance-driven culture focused on productivity, pipeline conversion and revenue delivery. • Drive effective sales planning, forecasting and disciplined CRM management. • Identify capability gaps, develop talent and implement initiatives to improve commercial effectiveness. • Lead negotiations and support the closure of strategic, high-value opportunities. 3. Strategic Partnerships & Market Development • Build and maintain senior-level relationships with key accounts, sponsors, government entities, industry associations and international partners. • Develop strategic partnerships that strengthen event positioning, industry relevance and commercial performance. • Expand market reach through international sales channels, country pavilions, agents and new customer segments. • Represent the portfolio at major industry events and strategic stakeholder engagements. 4. Commercial Innovation, Data & Technology • Leverage CRM analytics, AI-enabled tools and sales automation to improve prospecting, productivity and conversion. • Use market intelligence, customer insights and competitor analysis to inform commercial decisions. • Identify new sponsorship concepts, revenue models and customer engagement opportunities. • Champion digital transformation, data quality and continuous improvement across the commercial function. 5. Financial & Commercial Governance • Own revenue budgets, sales forecasts and commercial performance against agreed targets. • Optimise pricing, yield, product mix and commercial profitability. • Maintain robust pipeline visibility, forecast accuracy and financial accountability. • Collaborate with Finance on payment performance, commercial risk and revenue reporting. • Ensure compliance with company policies, contractual standards and commercial governance. 6. Cross-Functional Leadership & Customer Experience • Collaborate with Marketing, Content, Operations and Finance to align commercial priorities with event strategy and delivery. • Shape event propositions based on customer feedback, market opportunities and industry developments. • Strengthen exhibitor and sponsor experience to drive retention, repeat participation and long-term customer value. • Contribute to the portfolio's strategic direction, market positioning and sustainable growth. Key Performance Indicators Performance will be measured against agreed commercial objectives, including: • Revenue achievement, profitability and year-on-year growth. • New business acquisition and revenue contribution. • Customer retention, rebooking and account exp