Head of Data Science and Asset Risk

Overview of the role:

The Head of Data Science & Asset Risk holds a pivotal role within Al-Futtaim's financial services division, responsible for overseeing analytics, forecasting, and risk intelligence. The key purpose is to optimize the company’s automotive and financial services portfolio using data-driven insights. This role combines financial control, risk management, and analytics leadership to support executive and board-level decision-making. Key responsibilities include maintaining market indices and price curves, defining asset risk frameworks, providing risk-driven inputs to capital planning, and acting as the technical authority on asset valuation and risk. Success is measured by the ability to turn data and AI into explainable, regulator-ready financial outcomes and to influence strategic decisions that impact P&L, balance sheet, and return on assets. The position operates at the intersection of CFO-level financial control, CRO-level risk management and CDO-level analytics leadership, supporting executive and board decision-making across the group.

What you will do:

• Own end-to-end analytics, forecasting, and risk intelligence for the automotive and financial services portfolio.
• Turn data, AI, and market intelligence into financial outcomes that drive pricing, leasing, provisioning, capital allocation, and portfolio strategy.
• Maintain authoritative market indices, price curves, and forward-looking scenarios for all brands, powertrains, and segments.
• Define and enforce the Asset Risk Framework covering market risk, EV transition risk, concentration risk, and volatility.
• Provide risk-driven inputs to IFRS9, provisions, ECL, and capital planning.
• Ensure all models are auditable, explainable, and regulator-ready.
• Act as the single source of truth for portfolio value, forward price risk, stress scenarios, and financial impact of market movements.
• Chair the Residual Value & Risk Committees and translate complex analytics into clear financial actions for CFO, CRO, and executive management.
• Influence vehicle pricing and lease structures, portfolio profitability and risk appetite, provisioning and capital allocation, OEM negotiations, and product launches.
• Own the AI-driven asset intelligence platform including data pipelines, forecasting, valuation, and risk models.
• Lead a senior team of data scientists and analytics specialists.

Required skills to be successful:

• Advanced expertise in data science and statistical analysis.
• Proficient in risk management and financial modelling.
• Strong leadership and team management capabilities.
• Excellent communication skills for executive-level reporting and committee participation.

What qualifies you for the role:

• 10+ years of experience in statistics, data science, risk management, pricing, forecasting, or financial modelling.
• Experience in automotive, asset finance, banking, insurance, or management of large portfolios.
• Demonstrated ownership of models crucial to P&L impact.
• Strong background in IFRS9, ECL, stress testing, or portfolio risk management.
• Comfortable operating at CFO, CRO, and board level interactions.

About Al-Futtaim Group Real Estate

The real estate development and operations arm of Al-Futtaim, Al-Futtaim Group Real Estate is responsible for a multi-billion-dollar portfolio across MENA. With high-quality residential, business, retail, tourism, educational and healthcare developments, the master developer caters to the diverse needs of cities and communities in the region. From origination, conception, development, sales, procurement and construction of mega-projects and the leasing, operation and management of these projects after completion, Al-Futtaim Group Real Estate (AFGRE) has been developing and managing owned landbanks, unlocking the economic potential of the region and contributing to future development for more than 40 years.

Our focus is to enable and invest in meaningful relationships to make our properties the best places to live and work, build additional products and services and enable partnerships to create true value to our customers throughout their entire experience with us.

AFGRE is responsible for master planning of all projects in its portfolio, including two large scale mixed use destinations: Dubai Festival City and Cairo Festival City.

About Al-Futtaim Malls

Al-Futtaim Malls provides development and asset management expertise, specializing in building retail-led super regional malls in prime locations across MENA and beyond. With a proven track record of creating both sustainable revenue growth and value enhancement for tenants, Al-Futtaim Malls delivers exceptional experiences and exciting shopping environments for customers.

Part of the Al-Futtaim Group, Al-Futtaim Malls leadership team brings more than 30 years of experience and a deep understanding and knowledge of the retail sector, both from a shopper’s point of view but as curators of space or landlords to other brands. The company has a directly managed portfolio including over 9 million sqft of retail space across four malls in the MENA region and two under development. Malls under the Al-Futtaim Malls portfolio include Dubai Festival City Mall and Festival Plaza in the UAE, Cairo Festival City Mall in Egypt, Doha Festival City in Qatar and Zenata Mall, Morocco.

Leveraging on the expertise of its parent company, Al-Futtaim Malls established PLEX Management Services offering a full array of services including asset management and development, leasing, and brand experience expertise to shopping mall landlords and retail organizations globally. Implementing global best practice and deploying Al-Futtaim Malls’ deep understanding of mall management and retail dynamics, PLEX promises to deliver continuous growth and long-term value for its partners.

About Al-Futtaim Engineering & Technologies

Al-Futtaim Engineering & Technologies offers customers complete engineering and systems integration solutions.

The engineering arm operates in the UAE, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Egypt providing a wide variety of products and services from air conditioning, scaffolding and access solutions, elevators and escalators, control and life safety, facilities management, building products, MEP, energy management, technology infrastructure and digital transformation.

The technologies division provides complete business solutions to large, medium and small customers that include contact centre solutions, business applications, business intelligence, data management, advanced analytics amongst others. The IT infrastructure portfolio comprises IP telephony, ELV systems, networking solutions, professional audio-visual solutions and managed services.

These solutions are further complemented by services that include project management, installation, testing, commissioning and after-sales maintenance contracts.