Senior Manager – Digital Platforms, Data and AI

Over the many years of its pursuit for investment diversification, the Ghobash Group has capitalized on opportunities in sectors with encouraging growth potential by either buying out established operating companies or founding new businesses to extend value into those markets. As the portfolio of these fully, or majority-owned operating companies grew and became more diversified, the Group established ABAN INVESTMENT in 2008 to administer and facilitate its smooth operation. Each operating company general manager reports into the CEO of Aban Investment and as such it is an actively managed portfolio of companies.

ABAN Investment currently has stakes in Technology, Oil & Gas, Pharmaceuticals, Industrial Chemicals and Supplies, Hospitality, Healthcare, and Consumer Services. It is committed to building high-value businesses, from start-ups and early stage ventures to mergers and acquisitions for more mature businesses.

Responsible for leading the development and delivery of digital platforms, data & analytics, and artificial intelligence initiatives across our group companies. This role will play a critical part in driving automation, digitalization, and data-driven decision-making at scale, by developing related strategies & approaches for the group, and overseeing planning and execution of initiatives. Additionally, the role will drive increased awareness of AI concepts across the leadership team, through education, vendor demos, and hands-on workshops, ultimately leading to greater AI adoption within the group.

Duties and Responsibilities:

1. Digital Platforms

• Oversee the end-to-end development of in-house applications that support business operations and process optimization. Note: these support applications may integrate with core business technologies/applications.
• Lead the implementation of digital automation solutions using Robotic Process Automation (RPA) and low-code/no-code platforms.
• Work closely with business units to identify automation opportunities and translate them into scalable digital solutions.
• Ensure digital platforms are secure, user-centric, and aligned with enterprise architecture and governance standards.
• Manage cross-functional development teams and external technology partners to deliver high-impact solutions.

2. Data & Analytics

• Support the development of a unified data strategy, including data governance, architecture, and lifecycle management.
• Oversee the group’s data lake & warehouse ecosystem, ensuring data integrity and seamless integration with data source systems.
• Drive the adoption of business intelligence tools and self-service analytics across group companies.
• Collaborate with stakeholders to define KPIs and build dashboards that enable data-driven decision-making.
• Manage the data science team to ensure data quality, consistency, and accessibility across platforms.
• Develop a roadmap for the introduction of AI into business intelligence tools

3. Artificial Intelligence

• Develop AI strategies aligned to group/business unit goals, with clear project roadmaps & implementation plans.
• Identify and lead AI initiatives that enhance operational efficiency, customer experience, and strategic insights.
• Work with internal teams and external partners to pilot and scale AI solutions (e.g., predictive analytics, agentic AI, etc).
• Promote responsible AI practices, including model governance and ethical considerations.
• Stay current with AI trends and assess their relevance to business needs.
• Drive awareness and education initiatives to increase understanding and adoption of AI solutions across group businesses.

Accountabilities:

• Manage Group IT budget sections for data, digital platforms, and RPA / automation.
• Ensure cost-effective development of in-house digital applications
• Track and report financial savings from automation, reduced cycle time, and process optimization.
• Team Leadership & Capability Building
• Project & Stakeholder Management: ensure timeline and on-budget project delivery, regular reporting to stakeholders.
• Ensure the successful delivery of AI initiatives
• Oversee the group’s data platform
• Oversee the group’s automation initiatives (outside of core business applications)

• Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering, Computer Science, Data Science, Machine Learning, or related field
• Master’s Degree (MBA, MIS) or Certified in computer science, data science, machine learning, or related field

Experience:

• 8+ years in IT or digital transformation roles, with at least 5 years in a managerial capacity
• Proven experience in (or managing teams for) application development, RPA implementation, and data analytics.
• Familiarity with cloud platforms (e.g., Azure, AWS), BI tools (e.g., Power BI, Tableau), and AI/ML frameworks.
• 10+ years with cross-functional project leadership, ideally in a group/holding company setting
• Knowledge of agile delivery and DevOps practices.
• Ability to design and manage data lakes, data warehouses, and semantic models (e.g., using Azure Synapse, Snowflake, or SQL Server).

Key Skills:

• Strong project management and stakeholder engagement skills.
• Ability to lead cross-functional teams and manage multiple initiatives simultaneously.
• Ability to explain AI concepts to non-technical colleagues