Head of Business Strategy & Performance

About This Role

Date: Apr 9, 2026

Location:

Dubaï, AE, 114190

Brand: KEOLIS

Contract Type: Permanent contract

The Head of Business Strategy & Performance holds a global, organization-wide mandate to steer the strategic direction of Keolis-MHI, lead enterprise performance, and oversee the development and deployment of business intelligence capabilities. Reporting directly to the Managing Director, part of the Executive Committee as a non-executive member, this role is responsible for driving strategic business change, aligning financial and operational strategies, and ensuring the effective execution of the company’s long-term vision.

Key Responsibilities Strategic

• Lead the development, implementation, and monitoring of Keolis-MHI’s corporate strategy, to deliver the annual budget/GPS of the company during the term of the project.
• Align and lead all performance activities with strategic objectives, ensuring end-to-end visibility and data consistency across all functions.
• Be a strategic advisor to the MD and the Executive Committee on strategy and performance.
• Lead the development and implementation of strategic business initiatives in collaboration with business functions, driving change and ensuring the successful execution of transformation programs aligned with the organization’s long-term objectives and contractual obligations.
• Lead the development of strategic initiatives and transformation programs to support business growth and sustainability.
• Support the Managing Director in preparing executive presentations and strategic meetings, thereby ensuring streamlined communication and decision-making processes at the executive level.

Financial

• Lead Business company-wide performance against strategic objectives and recommend adjustments to ensure financial sustainability and value creation with strong collaboration with the Finance department.
• Lead the Operational company-wide performance against contractual KPIs, with responsibility for ensuring the accuracy, traceability, and justification of all reported figures that may impact financial penalties or incentive payments under the O&M Agreement.
• Support cost-efficiency and productivity initiatives through performance insights, operational trend analysis, and strategic resource planning.
• Develop data-driven business cases to support strategic projects, organizational changes, or operational enhancements that align with long-term value creation.
• Improve though deployment of objective and fact-based tools the overall efficiency and productivity of Keolis-MHI

Stakeholder / Customer

• Provide to the Managing Director and executive team with monthly executive reports reflecting the performance and strategy delivered with strong analysis.
• Lead the attribution process with the RTA, serving as the primary point of contact for all performance-related discussions, including KPI submissions, improvement plans, and the preparation of supporting evidence to ensure timely, accurate, and high-quality responses in line with contractual requirements.
• Ensure excellent communication, identification of strategic alignment and co-dependency’s with executives in decision-making, program management, initiative implementation and teamwork across the organization.
• Identify opportunities to streamline processes, reduce costs, and enhance productivity across the organization.
• Work closely with each member of the executive committee to strategies and generate the right outcome on each critical topic discussed the RTA to deliver the annual budget and GPS.

Operational

• Lead the centralized performance function, ensuring the timely and accurate reporting of company-wide KPIs, including regulatory, contractual, and internal performance measures.
• Lead the preparation and submission of the monthly performance report in compliance with RTA and contract requirements.
• Monitor business and operational KPIs across departments including Operations, Engineering, QHSE, HR, Projects, and others Support Functions.
• Drive root-cause analysis and cross-functional improvement plans to address underperformance and ensure accountability.
• Establish and lead performance governance forums to support executive decision-making and ensure transparency.
• Lead the Business Intelligence (BI) function, through direct management of the Business Intelligence Manager.
• Oversee the implementation of visual dashboards and reporting tools in Power BI, transforming performance management from manual, paper-based processes to automated and digital.
• Coordinate closely with the Engineering Data team, which remains responsible for data preparation and system extraction, to ensure data accuracy and availability.

Capability / People

• Provide strategic leadership to a multidisciplinary team of Performance Analysts and Business Intelligence professionals, ensuring alignment with organizational priorities and service-level obligations.
• Build and embed a high-performance culture centred on data integrity, accountability, and results-driven collaboration.
• Champion talent development by fostering analytical capability, strategic thinking, and professional growth within the team.
• Continuously review and evaluate the performance of the reporting team and provide guidance and development opportunities as needed.
• Promote cross-functional knowledge sharing and performance ownership to elevate the organization’s maturity in enterprise performance and strategy execution.

Dimensions

• Direct strategic ownership of the company’s strategy corporate roadmap, including the execution and tracking of the key strategic initiatives inside the Grand Plan Strategic (GPS).
• Full accountability for centralized performance reporting across all departments, Operations, Engineering & Maintenance, QHSE, HR, and other Corporate Functions.
• Responsible for the preparation, validation, and submission of the KPI Monthly Report to the client (RTA) and group performance reporting requirements.
• Lead authority on KPI performance compliance, with accountability for managing attribution processes and mitigating penalty risks under the O&M Agreement.
• Primary strategic interface with the RTA, Keolis Group (UK Platform and Global HQ), and the Executive Committee on matters related to strategy, transformation, and performance.
• Cross-functional influence over all key departments, ensuring strategic alignment, execution discipline, and integrated business planning.
• Office environment. Occasional travel may be required.

EDUCATIONAL QUALIFCATIONS Min.

Required Desirable

Education

• Engineering, master or bachelor’s degree
• Engineering or Master’s degree

Experience

• Minimum relevant experience, demonstrating increasing levels of responsibility, including in a leadership role related to strategic planning, performance management, or enterprise transformation.
• Performance Management and Analysis:

• Proven ability to lead company-wide performance frameworks and governance processes across diverse departments.
• Strong experience in reporting complex operational and business data, with the ability to produce insightful, executive-level performance reports.
• Advanced understanding of KPI structures, contractual penalty mechanisms, and performance attribution processes in regulated environments.
• Proficiency in data visualization tools such as Power BI, with a focus on automating reports and delivering strategic dashboards.

• Strategic Planning and Analysis:

• In-depth knowledge of strategic planning principles, models, and methodologies including annual planning cycles and long-term transformation roadmaps.
• Demonstrated ability to develop integrated business cases, translate strategy into actionable initiatives, and lead performance-linked execution plans.
• Experience managing the full lifecycle of strategic programs including stakeholder alignment, milestone tracking, and change management.

• Experience in project management and complex multidisciplinary projects:

• Proven track record in leading cross-functional transformation and change programs across complex organizations.
• Skilled in breaking down strategic goals into executable workstreams, managing dependencies, and ensuring timely delivery.

• Working collaboratively and cross-functionally with various business units:

• Strong ability to work collaboratively with Operations, Engineering, HR, Finance, and QHSE teams to align performance with corporate strategy.
• Experience facilitating enterprise-wide workshops, steering committees, and governance forums with executive stakeholders.

• International experience
• Public transportation sector experience preferred.

Skills / Training

• Fluent in English.

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