Overview

Commercial Sales Event Director - Flagship International Exhibition

London | £80,000 base salary + commission + excellent benefits. I am recruiting on behalf of my client for an experienced Sales Director to lead the commercial strategy for a flagship Pan-African defence and security exhibition and conference. This high-profile role is responsible for driving exhibitor and sponsorship sales, building strategic partnerships, and ensuring revenue growth across African and international markets. The successful candidate will play a critical role in delivering a world-class event that attracts government, military and industry stakeholders from across the globe.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute a comprehensive sales strategy to achieve revenue targets.
• Drive exhibitor and sponsorship acquisition across defence, aerospace, security, and related sectors.
• Build and manage strong relationships with defence contractors, government officials, international delegations, and trade associations.
• Lead and mentor a small but high-performing sales team, monitoring performance and KPIs.
• Collaborate with marketing, content, and operations teams to ensure consistent messaging and delivery.
• Oversee international agents and country pavilions to maximise participation.
• Monitor global defence market trends, identifying new opportunities for growth.

About You / Qualifications

• 7-10+ years of B2B sales experience, ideally within large-scale international exhibitions (experience in defence, aerospace or security strongly preferred).
• Proven track record of exceeding commercial targets and growing revenues.
• Strong network within the African and global defence/security industries (experience with events such as IDEX, AAD, DSEI is an advantage).
• Degree educated with excellent commercial and strategic leadership skills.
• Confident communicator and negotiator with senior-level stakeholders.
• Experience managing and motivating sales teams.
• Comfortable working across diverse geographies and cultures.
• Willingness to travel extensively across Africa and internationally.
• Strong CRM skills (Salesforce desirable).

Package

£80,000 base salary + commission. Excellent benefits. International travel opportunities.

Notes

This is an exciting opportunity for a commercially astute sales leader who thrives on building global partnerships and delivering growth on a high-profile international stage. We are Aspire Ltd, a committed employer.