Head Of Business Strategy And Performance

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.
  
  

• 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
  
  

• 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.
  
  

• 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.
  
  

• 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.
  
  

• 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.
  
  

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

• 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.
  

• Fluent in English.