Commercial Sales Event Director - Flagship International Exhibition
London 80,000 + Commission + Excellent Benefits
I am recruiting on behalf of my client for an and experienced Sales Director to lead the commercial strategy for a flagship Pan-African defence and security exhibition and conference.
This high-profile role is responsible for driving exhibitor and sponsorship sales, building strategic partnerships, and ensuring revenue growth across African and international markets. The successful candidate will play a critical role in delivering a world-class event that attracts government, military and industry stakeholders from across the globe.
Develop and execute a comprehensive sales strategy to achieve revenue targets
Drive exhibitor and sponsorship acquisition across defence, aerospace, security, and related sectors
Build and manage strong relationships with defence contractors, government officials, international delegations, and trade associations
Lead and mentor a small but high-performing sales team, monitoring performance and KPIs
Collaborate with marketing, content, and operations teams to ensure consistent messaging and delivery
Oversee international agents and country pavilions to maximise participation
Monitor global defence market trends, identifying new opportunities for growth
7-10+ years of B2B sales experience, ideally within large-scale international exhibitions (experience in defence, aerospace or security strongly preferred)
Proven track record of exceeding commercial targets and growing revenues
Strong network within the African and global defence/security industries (experience with events such as IDEX, AAD, DSEI is an advantage)
Degree educated with excellent commercial and strategic leadership skills
Confident communicator and negotiator with senior-level stakeholders
Experience managing and motivating sales teams
Comfortable working across diverse geographies and cultures
Willingness to travel extensively across Africa and internationally
Strong CRM skills (Salesforce desirable)
80,000 base salary + commission
Excellent benefits
International travel opportunities
This is an exciting opportunity for a commercially astute sales leader who thrives on building global partnerships and delivering growth on a high-profile international stage.
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