Head of Institutional Clients

Role Summary

Strategic Leadership

• Define and execute the institutional business strategy for PhillipCapital DIFC, aligned with Group priorities and the firm’s product capabilities.
• Identify priority client segments, product gaps, and partnership opportunities to accelerate the firm's
• growth.
• Position PhillipCapital DIFC as a relevant institutional counterparty across cash equities, fixed income, FX, derivatives, structured products, prime services, and third-party fund distribution.

Commercial & P&L Ownership

• Own the institutional P&L: revenue, client wallet share, market share, cost management, and profitability.
• Set, cascade, and deliver revenue and client penetration targets across product and coverage teams.
• Drive cross-product monetisation of client relationships and ensure a coordinated single-firm coverage model.

Client Coverage & Origination

• Personally cover a defined portfolio of strategic institutional accounts at the most senior level (CIO, Head of Trading, Head of Markets, Treasurer).
• Build and deepen relationships with regional sovereign wealth funds, asset managers, banks, and corporates; lead origination of new institutional mandates.
• Coordinate global PhillipCapital relationship strategies with regional execution in DIFC.

Product & Distribution

• Partner with product heads (Equities, Fixed Income, FX, Structured Products, Funds, Research) to ensure a compelling, competitive offering for institutional clients.
• Oversee third-party fund distribution and structured product placement activity into the regional institutional base.
• Champion the institutional research and content agenda; ensure differentiated, actionable client communication.

Team Leadership

• Build, lead, and develop a high-calibre institutional coverage and sales team.
• Establish clear coverage models, account plans, and performance metrics.
• Cultivate a high-performance, collaborative culture that attracts senior institutional talent.

Risk, Compliance & Governance

• Operate within the DFSA regulatory framework, including Conduct of Business, Market Conduct, and Client Classification (Professional Client / Market Counterparty) requirements.
• Partner with Compliance, MLRO, Risk, and Legal on client onboarding, suitability assessments, and ongoing supervision.
• Ensure robust controls around best execution, conflicts management, market abuse, and trade surveillance interfaces.

Stakeholder Management

• Represent PhillipCapital DIFC with the exchanges, custodians, prime brokers, liquidity providers, and trade associations.
• Engage actively with PhillipCapital Group institutional leadership globally on strategy, coverage coordination, and best practice.

Experience

• Minimum 10 years in institutional sales, distribution, or institutional coverage at a global or regional investment bank, broker-dealer, or asset manager, with 3–4 years of direct on-the-ground experience in the MENA / GCC domain covering regional institutional accounts.
• Demonstrable track record of building and monetising an institutional client franchise, with established and portable relationships across key MENA institutional accounts (SWFs, asset managers, banks, family offices).
• Multi-asset coverage experience — exposure across equities, fixed income, FX, derivatives, structured products, and/or fund distribution.
• Prior P&L or sub-P&L responsibility within a regulated institutional business.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required; MBA, CFA, or equivalent post-graduate qualification strongly preferred.
• Strong working knowledge of DFSA Conduct of Business, Market Conduct, and Client Classification frameworks.

Skills & Attributes

• Established personal franchise and credibility within the MENA institutional community.
• Strong product literacy across cash and derivative markets; ability to engage credibly with portfolio managers and traders.
• Commercially driven with a disciplined approach to risk, conduct, and governance.
• Proven team builder with the gravitas to attract senior coverage talent.
• Fluency in English required; Arabic and/or other regional languages an advantage.

What We Offer

• Senior leadership mandate to build a flagship institutional franchise across Middle East and Africa, backed by an established global financial services group.
• Competitive base salary, performance-linked variable compensation, and long-term incentives commensurate with seniority and franchise impact.
• Access to PhillipCapital’s global product platform, research capability, and institutional client network.