Head of Business Development, APAC (North Asia and Indochina)

Airport Dimensions is part of Collinson, acknowledged as a global leader in customer benefits and loyalty. Collinson has been enhancing the airport experience for over 30 years, with access to lounges, retail, dining, and spa experiences, offers and more. Creators of the world’s largest lounge membership program, Priority Pass provides access to an extensive global lounge and partner network. Using their expertise and products to craft customer experiences. Collinson’s range of services helps global brands acquire, engage, and retain choice-rich customers.

Airport Dimensions Overview

Airport Dimensions want travellers to value their time at the airport. They continuously seek ways to open new dimensions in customer engagement - using a mix of enriching physical experiences and innovative digital services. From comfortable lounges to restful sleep pods, from convenient food ordering to contactless collection of duty free, Airport Dimensions help improve the travel experience while critically helping airports maximize non-aeronautical revenue opportunities, retain airlines, and become more competitive.

Airport Dimensions has a rapid growing network of locations at the world’s leading airports across the United States, United Kingdom, the Middle East, and Asia. Under its brands The Club, Club Aspire, Chase Sapphire Lounge® by The Club, No. 1 Lounges, Sleepover and Gamespace, Airport Dimensions provides award-winning hospitality services tailored to the specific needs of passengers and develops value-added experiences for over 50 airport and airline partners.

Recent successes in enhancing the airport journey include entering the South American lounge market for the first time with Ambaar Club in partnership with Ambaar, expanding the APAC market through acquisition of Blue Sky lounges and opening of Kyra lounge in Hong Kong and the launch of Chase Sapphire Lounge® by The Club in partnership with JPMorgan Chase. Airport Dimensions also operates the prestigious No 1 lounges portfolio and sleep lounge experts Sleepover – offering travellers a personal space for a peaceful sleep. Recently, Airport Dimensions have also entered the gaming world with the launch of Gamespace, the largest gaming facility in the Middle East in Dubai International Airport . Using the latest technologies, Airport Dimensions has invested in driving revenue growth for airports and increasing traveller satisfaction with the launch of digital service Connecta+ – a one-stop e-commerce and passenger loyalty platform.

Airport Dimensions is on an exciting growth path and this role with lead the next stage in that journey across the important APAC region.

Purpose of the job:
Reporting to the Business Development Director, APAC, the Head of Business Development APAC is a critical role in the Airport Dimensions team with responsibility for the continued expansion of our network in key strategic airports in Asia Pacific. This role focusses on pursuing our strategic expansion in North Asia and Indochina.

The Head of Business Development is responsible for developing and implementing winning acquisition strategies for a specific target list of locations in North Asia and Indochina region. It will do so by developing direct relationships with airport and government decision makers and working in conjunction with the wider teams. The role is expected to work together with the APAC management for the commercialization and operationalization of the lounges upon a successful winning bid, partnership and/or acquisition. This is a highly visible role within the organization and the successful candidate will have engagement with a wide range of stakeholders within Airport Dimensions, Collinson, and external organisations.

Key Responsibilities:

• Responsible for driving delivery of new business opportunities across North Asia and Indochina for Airport Dimensions.
• Working with the existing business development team, build a comprehensive prospect list and sales pipeline, moving this pipeline into completed sales over time
• Drive new prospect relationships across North Asia and Indochina region and leverage existing clients/partner relationships to cross sell Airport Dimensions offerings
• Targeting and contacting suitable prospects to open and build relationships in a proactive and value-added manner
• Building relationships and driving value to ensure potential clients provide us with opportunities to pitch our products and services to them
• Provide intelligence on the competitive landscape of each target location
• Provide broad intelligence on key competitors across North Asia and Indochina
• Develop and execute location specific plans factoring individual location dynamics
• Own the pitch process using customer and market insight and clear understanding of client needs to leverage the right capabilities to differentiate and win new business
• Lead the formation of RFP responses in partnership with the Marketing and partnership teams
• Work with Operations to complete the sales cycle ensuring a smooth transition from new business to implementation, and onto account management
• Build strong relationships with assigned internal and external partnership teams establishing clear communication practices. Engage with cross-functional teams to progress individual projects achieving milestones and deadlines
• Work closely with the Commercial Team to develop financial models on all new opportunities
• Work closely with the partnership legal and compliance teams to effectively negotiate our position with Airport Authorities in relation to lease terms and financial obligations
• Produce internal progress reports and updates as may be required
• Represents AD at appropriate airport concession meetings and industry conferences.

Exprience and Skills Required: 

• Minimum of 7-10 years of business development experience with a high degree of ownership in an airport environment.
• Understanding of the airport and airline industry, infrastructure and requirements is essential
• Understanding of various APAC airport markets preferred, particularly North Asia and Indochina

• Exceptional and demonstrated communication skills and comfortable giving presentations to new audiences, including C suite levels

• Proven track record of excellent relationship building resulting in successful business outcomes. A business developer with an ability to lead across the business development cycle from lead generation to closing.

• Ability to process and synthesize significant amounts of disparate information and intelligence, and to assess and share such information and analysis in ways that are clear, timely and actionable

• Good negotiator who can advocate & recommend favorable business & lease terms with government appointed officials and lobbyist organizations. Knows where to draw the line.

• Ability to inform, understand and interpret detailed financial models, strong attention to detail

• Ability to prioritize and manage your time to focus efforts on intentional outcomes

• Ability to work in a small team environment and a self-starter who can work independently

• You need to be an excellent communicator and team player, with the ability to work well under pressure

• You need to have a high level of professionalism with the ability to maintain confidentiality

• Previous experience of working with airport authorities and in airport environments essential
• Ability to travel as needed (estimated 25%) along with flexibility to work from home to balance work / life demands.
• Demonstrated team player with demonstrated success working across cross functional teams
• Ability to understand where opportunities lie and a drive for growth and results

Who are we looking for: 

We are looking for a confident individual who has experience working with cross functional teams to win high-profile proposals. The successful candidate will possess strong presentation skills, have an ability to engage at senior level meetings and be a relationship builder. Someone with experience taking responsibility for their contributions to a greater strategic partnership while working with colleagues across cross functional areas to achieve the broader partnership objectives. Someone who is commercially astute, has a drive to achieve results and is resilient. A builder of bridges, this role requires someone who enjoys creating positive relationships and can win hearts and minds through their communication and personal style. The role will be part of a Regional Business Development team and alignment and engagement across this team will be essential to ensure the successful development of our network and to achieve established objectives.