General Manager – UAE | AI Startup

At Kentrick AI, we are building the intelligent infrastructure that enterprises in this region will run on. By combining agentic AI, cloud-native engineering, and deep domain expertise, we are changing how critical operational work gets done across the Gulf and beyond.This is a rare chance to help build a company from the ground floor. We are headquartered in Abu Dhabi with an R&D hub in Egypt, early enough that the operating model, the team, and the market approach are still being written, and far enough along that there is a real product and real customers to build on. The work is ambitious, the bar is high, and the person who takes this role will shape what the company becomes.Our team is small, technical, and fast. We move on clear judgment rather than perfect information, we build things that scale rather than things that impress, and we stay close to our customers. We are looking for someone who wants that intensity, not someone looking to manage from a distance.The AI market in this region is being defined right now. We intend to be one of the companies that defines it.Role OverviewThe General Manager is a hands-on leadership role for an experienced operator who wants full ownership of a business rather than a function within one. You will run UAE operations end to end and lead our R&D team in Egypt, working directly with the founder on strategy, customers, and growth.This is a player and coach role. You will be in front of enterprise customers closing deals, and in the same week you may be resolving a delivery bottleneck in Cairo, fixing a hiring process, or working through a licensing requirement. There is no support function waiting behind you; you build it.This role is ideal for someone who thrives in ambiguity, leads by example, and is motivated by making systems, people, and outcomes better. If you need a mature structure to operate inside, this is not the right fit. If you want to build that structure, it is.What You Will DoOperator: Running the Business•   Own end-to-end UAE operations, covering commercial, financial, administrative, and delivery activities•    Carry direct commercial responsibility for pipeline, key accounts, pricing, and revenue outcomes•    Manage budgets, resource planning, and vendor relationships with real P&L accountability•    Ensure the UAE entity stays compliant with licensing, regulatory, and employment requirements•    Represent the company externally with customers, partners, regulators, and investorsLeader: Building the Team Across Two Countries•    Lead, grow, and retain the Egypt R&D team, and build a working culture that holds across the distance•    Establish the operating rhythm between Abu Dhabi and Cairo, including planning cycles, priorities, dependencies, and accountability•    Own hiring for both locations: define the bar, run the process, and make the calls•    Coach the team directly through feedback, one-to-ones, and modelling the standard you expect•    Make the cross-border model an advantage rather than a costBuilder: Systems and Process•    Build the lightweight systems a scaling startup actually needs: reporting, forecasting, delivery tracking, and standard operating procedures•    Codify what currently lives in people's heads into repeatable process•    Identify what is slowing the company down and fix it, without adding bureaucracy in the process•    Lead a small number of high-leverage improvement projects each quarter rather than many low-impact onesPartner: Product and Market•    Work with the founder on go-to-market strategy, partnerships, and long-term positioning•    Translate customer and market signals into clear priorities with engineering•    Partner closely with the R&D team on delivery commitments, escalations, and customer-impacting issues•    Own the feedback loop between what customers need and what gets builtWhat You Have•    8 to 12 years of experience, including 3+ years with genuine ownership of a business unit, country operation, or startup function•    A track record of commercial and operational execution; you have carried a number, not just advised on one•    Experience leading distributed or multi-country teams, ideally including engineers•    Enough technical depth in AI and cloud to hold a credible conversation with your engineering team and your customers•    Strong B2B and enterprise commercial instinct, with experience selling and delivering to sophisticated buyers•    Working knowledge of the UAE market, including the regulatory environment, licensing, and hiring•    Excellent judgment under pressure and clear communication in ambiguous, high-stakes situations•    Comfort operating with evolving processes and limited structure•    Immediate or near-immediate availability is strongly preferredNice to Have•    UAE National; this role is eligible for the Nafis program and we strongly encourage Emirati candidates to apply•    Arabic and English fluency•    Hands-on exposure to GenAI or LLM-based products and cloud platforms (Azure / AWS)•    Experience taking a startup from early stage to commercial traction•    An existing network across UAE enterprise, government, or telecom•    Prior experience managing teams or operations in Egypt or the wider MENA regionThe Details•    Location: Abu Dhabi, UAE (hybrid working model)•    Travel: Approximately 30%, primarily to our Egypt R&D hub•    Type: Full time, permanent•    Compensation: Competitive salary and benefits package•    Nafis: This role is eligible for the Nafis program. UAE Nationals are strongly encouraged to apply.•    How to apply: Apply directly through LinkedIn.Kentrick AI is committed to building a team on merit, and we welcome applications from candidates of all backgrounds. In line with UAE national development priorities and the Nafis program, we particularly encourage Emirati candidates to apply.