COMPANY DESCRIPTION

Informa Markets, a division within Informa, creates global platforms for industries. We organise over 500 large-scale branded and transaction-oriented events in 14 specialist markets. These are typically not-to-be-missed annual events where buyers and sellers build relationships, see and show products and do business.
We also provide year-round online platforms where companies showcase their businesses and products and buyers conduct research, generating valuable leads, and we provide data and digital content that supports the flow of knowledge and transactions in markets.

EXPERIENCE & EDUCATION

• College degree preferred
• 10+ years’ experience managing teams
• Deep understanding of hotel commercial operations and distribution systems
• Experience across Leisure, Corporate, and MICE domains (hotels and DMCs preferred)
• Proven track record in strategic partnership management within hospitality industry
• International market experience, preferably within IMEA region (especially within Dubai)

TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS

• Proficient in Microsoft Suite applications
• Experience with international booking systems
• Knowledge of IMEA hotel industry (especially Dubai) regulations and compliance requirements

The Director of Housing for Informa Markets & Informa Connect IMEA leads strategic hotel contracting and accommodation solutions across India, Middle East, Africa and Turkey for Informa’s exhibitions and conferences. This executive role manages critical partnerships with hotels (individual properties and chains), technology providers and DMCs while overseeing the promotion, sale, reservations and on ground execution to deliver exceptional products to exhibitors, sales agents, visitors, and guests.
Working collaboratively with event marketing, sales, and customer support teams, the Director of Housing and her/his team will help create a comprehensive promotion, sales, and delivery of travel offerings for each event. A fundamental strategic objective involves driving seamless integration of housing products into Informa’s broader Marketing and Sales operations, enhancing both organizational efficiency and customer experience over time.
Beyond core accommodation excellence, the Director of Housing and the team champion strategic expansion opportunities through rigorous market analysis, customer feedback integration, and industry trend monitoring to develop value-added services that strengthen customer relationships and drive revenue and bottom-line growth.
The role demands deep expertise in hotel industry dynamics and market conditions, ensuring profitable accommodation solutions that create mutual value for Informa and its clients. The initial focus of the role will be predominantly on Dubai, and will expand to Informa events throughout the IMEA region over time. Comprehensive responsibilities include budget management, revenue strategy development, and achievement of room night capture goals across all regional events, while maintaining Informa’s reputation for service excellence.

Key Performance Indicators

• Revenue and bottom-line growth generated from hotel room bookings and value-added services across IMEA events
• Continuous improvement of Audience Capture Rates from both exhibitors and visitors over time
• Continuous improvement of Customer Satisfaction metrics measuring housing programme feedback from exhibitors and visitors over time

Main Responsibilities