AI Innovation & Venture - Manager - Dubai

About the Role
In this role, you will contribute to the AI Strategy & Technology team at the company by managing the AI idea intake funnel, developing business cases, supporting investment decisions, and helping to launch an AI startup incubator. You will work closely with various stakeholders, shape ideas into actionable projects, and drive innovation within the organization and for its clients.

How You’ll Contribute
1. Idea intake and qualification

• Lead the day-to-day management of the AI idea intake funnel across Lines of Service and internal teams.
• Work with idea owners, LoS AI & Digital Lab teams, CTOs, AI Leads, and central teams to shape early ideas into clear concept canvases.
• Support Gate 1 assessments by reviewing whether ideas address a real problem, have named demand, are strategically aligned, avoid duplication, and have an initial path to build, buy, partner, or close.
• Coordinate with technical, risk, quality, legal, and compliance stakeholders to identify early feasibility issues, potential red flags, and dependencies.
• Ensure clear written recommendations are produced for Go, No-Go, or Refine decisions.

2. Business case development

• Lead the development of full business cases for approved ideas, working jointly with LoS idea owners and central Tech & AI teams.
• Structure business cases across the required areas: problem statement, strategic fit, market demand, solution approach, risk and compliance, commercial model, ROI, scalability, reusability, and go-to-market potential.
• Challenge assumptions around demand, adoption, pricing, cost, delivery capacity, risk, and long-term ownership.
• Build or oversee financial models covering investment requirements, expected revenue, cost savings, productivity benefits, ROI, payback, and funding thresholds.
• Translate technical concepts into executive-ready narratives and investment committee materials.

3. Investment committee and routing support

• Prepare business cases and recommendations for AI investment committee review.
• Support Gate 2 investment decisions by assessing strategic fit, impact, ROI, reusability, repeatability, and feasibility.
• Support Gate 3 routing decisions by assessing build complexity, R&Q exposure, productization potential, reversibility, eminence, and scalability.
• Coordinate follow-ups, decision logs, approval notes, and rescoping actions.
• Help determine whether ideas should be built centrally, by LoS teams, co-built with partners, bought, or routed through other internal technology processes.

4. Portfolio, ROI, and governance

• Maintain visibility of the idea and business case pipeline, including status, owners, dependencies, decisions, and next steps.
• Support ongoing ROI tracking by ensuring baselines, success metrics, and commercial assumptions are captured during intake and business case development.
• Identify themes across submitted ideas, including duplication, reusable components, common client needs, sector patterns, and potential xLoS opportunities.
• Contribute to governance standards, templates, rubrics, playbooks, and operating procedures for the intake and investment lifecycle.

5. AI startup incubator development

• Support the design and setup of a company-hosted AI startup incubator focused on regional AI startups.
• Help define the incubator’s operating model, selection criteria, governance, value proposition, partnership model, and engagement pathways with the company and clients.
• Source, screen, and assess AI startups based on strategic relevance, technical maturity, commercial potential, founder quality, regulatory fit, and alignment with company priorities.
• Support the development of startup business cases, pilot proposals, collaboration models, and partnership recommendations.
• Coordinate incubator programming, including workshops, mentorship sessions, demo days, client showcases, and internal stakeholder engagement.
• Track startup progress, pilot outcomes, risks, commercial opportunities, and potential routes to scale.

What You’ll Bring

• Strong experience in strategy, innovation, digital transformation, AI, technology consulting, venture building, corporate innovation, product strategy, or business case development.
• Experience developing business cases, investment recommendations, financial models, and executive-level decision papers.
• Strong understanding of AI, emerging technology, digital products, platforms, and the difference between build, buy, partner, and co-build routes.
• Ability to assess ideas across commercial, technical, operational, risk, and strategic dimensions.
• Strong stakeholder management skills, with the ability to work across LoS teams, technology teams, risk, legal, finance, leadership, and external partners.
• Experience with startups, venture studios, accelerators, incubators, corporate venture building, or ecosystem partnerships is highly desirable.
• Comfort working in ambiguity and building new processes from the ground up.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to simplify complex ideas into clear narratives.
• For Manager level: typically 6–8+ years of relevant experience.
• Consulting experience is preferred.
• Experience in the Middle East region is preferred.
• Exposure to AI, data, product development, venture building, or startup ecosystems is strongly preferred.

How You’ll Make a Difference
At the company, we expect all our people to embody the skills and behaviours of The Company Professional framework, helping us deliver on our strategy while growing and developing as leaders at every level.

Why You’ll Love Working at the Company
At the company, you’ll find more than just a job - you’ll build a meaningful career, supported by rewards and benefits that help you thrive. We offer competitive pay, comprehensive benefits, and programs that promote well-being, balance, and personal growth. You’ll have access to continuous learning, digital upskilling, and a collaborative environment that values innovation, mentorship, and diversity. Are you ready to make a difference? Want to unlock new value by applying your unique perspective and talents? You can grow exponentially here. Discover more about Life at the company.