Events Lead

IMI is a privately-owned, global media group headquartered in Abu Dhabi, UAE, with operations across 19 countries. Our portfolio includes renowned media brands such as Sky News Arabia as part of a joint venture with Sky UK, The National, Al-Ain News, CNN Business Arabic, and a minority stake in Euronews.

Additionally, through Redbird IMI, our joint venture with Redbird Capital Partners, we invest in leading media, sports, and entertainment brands worldwide. We bring the world closer by sharing stories that open minds, connect people, and enrich lives, empowering audiences with news, knowledge, and factual entertainment.

Role Summary:

The Events Lead is responsible for the strategic planning, development, and delivery of high-impact events that elevate IMI’s brand presence and support its overarching business objectives. The role spans internal and external events, industry summits, partner activations, and audience engagement platforms across IMI’s corporate brand and its portfolio of media assets.

This role is pivotal in driving brand visibility, forging stakeholder relationships, and enhancing IMI’s positioning across key markets through exceptional event experiences. The ideal candidate will have a strong track record in event leadership, agency/vendor management, cross-functional coordination, and results-driven execution

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead the end-to-end planning and execution of flagship internal and external events, including trade shows, industry conferences, networking events, product launches, and employee engagement initiatives.
• Translate strategic objectives into experiential event concepts that reinforce IMI’s brand identity and support its positioning in media, innovation, and thought leadership.
• Develop annual event calendars in coordination with marketing, content, communications, and executive leadership.
• Own the events budget, ensuring optimal allocation, spend tracking, and ROI analysis.
• Oversee vendor and agency management, including RFPs, negotiations, contracts, and delivery oversight.
• Secure and manage media partnerships and sponsorships to maximize visibility and value exchange.
• Ensure brand consistency across all event touchpoints, from staging and signage to giveaways and branded experiences.
• Collaborate with asset GMs, editorial teams, and external partners to ensure alignment with content priorities and audience strategy.
• Support the development of KPIs and post-event reports, measuring impact, reach, and areas for improvement.
• Stay up to date on industry trends in event technology, formats, and audience engagement.

Job Requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree in Events Management, Marketing, Communications, or related field.
• 5-7 years of experience in event planning and execution, with at least 3 years in a lead or managerial role.
• Proven experience delivering high-profile events for corporate, media, or government organizations.
• Hands-on experience with corporate events, activations, and sponsorships.
• Strong project management skills, with the ability to juggle multiple priorities under tight deadlines
• Experience in managing external agencies, suppliers, and cross-functional teams.
• Familiarity with marketing and brand integration within event delivery.
• Budget management and reporting experience.
• Creative mindset, solutions-focused, with a strategic approach to brand engagement and experiential design.
• Fluent in Arabic and English (spoken and written) is highly preferred.