The wayfinding design consultancy

At the time of this assignment, the wayfinding design consultancy had a multi-million-pound turnover. Revenue was generated from wayfinding strategy and design services, primarily for UK projects. Clients included international architectural practices, corporate companies and major developers.

As the design consultancy’s reputation grew, so did project inquiries from the UAE. As a result, the Managing Partner was splitting their time between the UK and the Middle East. Firstly, recognising the growth opportunity and secondly spreading themselves too thinly would limit the consultancy’s growth, they wanted to open a Dubai studio.

In short, this would show commitment to their UAE clients. It would also give a regional presence to support business growth in the Middles East.

General Manager | Wayfinding design recruitment brief

First of all, the UAE General Manager would be responsible for establishing the business in the Middle East. Secondly, as the business and revenue grew, they’d be required to set up the studio’s creative and client services teams.

The General Manager for the Dubai office would also be responsible for:

• Recruiting and leadership of a multi-disciplinary team
• Full P&L
• Business development
• Project management
• Accounting & finance
• Proposals & tenders
• Wayfinding, creative development & design

Additionally, the person specification for this wayfinding design recruitment brief required senior level creative agency experience.

Initially, as UAE business grew, all design would be completed by the UK creative team. Therefore, our brief was to source a senior business development, or client services, director from a creative or design agency.

Furthermore, the recruitment brief required candidates to speak English. Additional European languages would be advantageous.

Conclusion

First of all, we conducted a full international search. This required sourcing and screening literally hundreds of candidates. Secondly, on completion of our search, we shortlisted potential candidates from the UK and Europe. Following the interview process, which included a trip to Dubai at the final stage for the successful one, an offer was made to a European national. Notably. they were experienced at working at a senior level, within leading global creative agencies. They were also fluent in three European languages.

In under three years, the new General Manager built up the Dubai wayfinding studio to turnover in excess of £1M. Expanding the studio to a team of 10, plus establishing a network of freelancers.

Projects covered complex wayfinding strategies, environmental branding as well as sales centers, guidelines for the built environment, advertising recommendations, and product launches.

Today the Dubai wayfinding consultancy’s work can be seen across some of the most iconic developments throughout Dubai, Abu Dhabi and the Middle East. If you think of the most prestigious projects in the region, it’s highly likely that the studio worked on the wayfinding design and strategy for them

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