Museum of the Future Executive Director

MUSEUM OF THE FUTURE

11 / 2018

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR CANDIDATE BRIEFING REPORT

SECTION 1 // THE PROJECT

INTRODUCTION CHAIRMAN’S MESSAGE BACKGROUND

INTRODUCTION

His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, said that shaping the future and making it is no longer a theoretical concept but a key factor for countries to achieve competitiveness in the global arena. “The future is not built on possibilities and numbers but on clarity of vision, planning, action and implementation,” His Highness stated.

‘Dubai Future Foundation’ was launched to play a pivotal role in shaping the future of Dubai alongside the launch of Dubai Future Agenda as a roadmap for the Foundation to shape the future of the strategic sectors in the medium and long term in cooperation with government and private sector entities.

The Museum of the Future is a unique initiative by HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum that explores the future of science, technology and innovation. Open to the public for the first time, the Museum of the Future at the World Government Summit is an exhibition that previews Dubai’s permanent Museum of the Future, which will be opening in 2019.

Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Crown Prince of Dubai, Chairman of the Executive Council, Chairman of the Board of Trustees at Dubai Future Foundation

CHAIRMAN’S MESSAGE In his quest to empower the people of Dubai and improve all aspects of their lives, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE, Ruler of Dubai, outlined a bold, clear approach that places future-readiness at its very core.

The Emirate of Dubai pledged long-term commitment to this development process. A bright future, after all, is not secured overnight; creating the future we want requires determination, hard work and a specific and advanced set of skills, tools and technologies. To that end, we set out – with the full support of Dubai’s leadership –to hone the skills of our current and future generations, develop their abilities and strengthen their knowledge.

Dubai is on a mission to build a bright and prosperous future today, rather than wait for that future to come to us.

Here in Dubai, we are reaping the fruits of our futurefocused approach. The emirate today is a global hub for business and the future economy, and a magnet for the world’s brightest minds, who come here to launch initiatives, explore the challenges of the future and convert them into opportunities for sustainable development. Our government institutions have also become centers of excellence in foreseeing the future.

Dubai is an international role model for promoting partnerships, co-operation and joint ventures across many different sectors. With international technology companies testing their future solutions here, we have ensured our leading position in the future industry. The emirate has achieved in a short period what many countries failed to accomplish over decades.

Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Crown Prince of Dubai, Chairman of the Executive Council, Chairman of the Board of Trustees at Dubai Future Foundation

BACKGROUND

The Museum of the Future is a unique incubator for futuristic innovation and design, currently under construction in Dubai, UAE and will be a destination for inventors and entrepreneurs from around the world.

Opening in 2019, the Museum of the Future builds on over 5 years of temporary immersive exhibitions held at the World Government Summit. These pop-ups led to the conception of the Dubai Future Foundation and the permanent Museum of the Future, set to become the world's largest and most exciting home to tomorrow's trends and opportunities.

Since 2014, the Museum of the Future has held temporary annual multi-sensory exhibitions at the World Government Summit in Dubai. These exhibitions focused on the role of future technology in different sectors such as future technology-enabled government services, healthcare, climate change and food security.

THE PROJECT The Museum of the Future (MoTF) is a public innovation initiative run by the Dubai Futures Foundation. The Foundation was incorporated in 2015 by the Prime Minister and Vice President of the United Arab Emirates, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, and is run under the leadership of Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum. The Foundation has two mandates expressed through its tagline, “See the future, create the future”.

“See the future” represents the Museum of the Future itself. The Museum of the Future will be a global exhibition space dedicated to showcasing emerging trends and technologies and discussing their implications and impacts on the world.

SECTION 2 // THE ROLE

JOB DESCRIPTION R E S PtheOfuture” N S represents I B I L I TtheI Ework S of the Dubai “Create Future Foundation, which owns and operates the R EQUIREMENTS Museum and develops its concepts into real world

prototypes, partnerships, and policies for the Government of Dubai. The Museum is currently under construction and will be opening in September 2019.

JOB DESCRIPTION The Executive Director for the Museum of the Future will be responsible for overseeing all aspects of the short and long-term success of the Museum of the Future. They will work closely with the senior management team to prepare content, marketing, partnerships, and operations plans, as well as oversee and enable the successful execution of these plans from start to finish.

The Executive Director’s job is to coordinate and lead all activities of the Museum. This includes content creation, partnership development, technical planning and execution, budgeting, administration and operations. They will be responsible for working with MoTF staff to ensure a smooth and cutting-edge experience for all staff, partners and visitors to the Museum of the Future, as well as create next generation approaches to what the Museum itself might be.

Beyond operational responsibilities, the Executive Director will also be responsible for developing and evolving the vision of the Museum of the Future as a 21st century cultural institution.

RESPONSIBILITIES Work with Dubai Future Foundation staff to ensure alignment and delivery of larger goals Work with the Creative Director to ensure world-class, mind blowing visitor experiences for opening and beyond Work with the Director of Partnerships & Community to identify strategic partners, arrange deals, ensure growth and prestige, and a steady stream of exciting, educational and engaging events Work with the Director of Communications to develop and deliver the messaging for the Museum to the press and public at large Work with the Directors of Operation and Technical to ensure smooth, cutting-edge functions throughout the entire experience Oversee and execute all strategic, financial, and marketing objectives Develop thought leadership around the future of innovative cultural institutions Be fast, excellent, and deliver miracles.

REQUIREMENTS The Executive Director should have 7 to 10 years’ experience in large-scale events, entertainment, or cultural leadership (including but not limited to theme parks, megaevents, museums, and other top tier global institutions).

They should be knowledgeable in all aspects of cultural and entertainment leadership, experienced in new ways of producing and delivering customer experience, and have a proven track record of successful team leadership.

Most importantly, they should have a vision for what new cultural institutions like the Museum may be like, and the practical experience to help deliver this vision. They will be comfortable working in fast-paced environments that require significant independent decision making and political acumen and have strong strategic and managerial competencies.

Finally, they should have a leading reputation in their field, a deep professional network, and be able to draw upon an extensive international body of talent to help build their team and make the Museum a success.

THE PROJECT The Museum of the Future (MoTF) is a public innovation initiative run by the Dubai Futures Foundation. The Foundation was incorporated in 2015 by the Prime Minister and Vice President of the United Arab Emirates, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, and is run under the leadership of Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum. The Foundation has two mandates expressed through its tagline, “See the future, create the future”.

“See the future” represents the Museum of the Future itself. The Museum of the Future will be a global exhibition space dedicated to showcasing emerging trends and technologies and discussing their implications and impacts on the world.

SECTION 3 // THE PERSON

ATTRIBUTES P“Create R Othe F Ifuture” L E represents the work of the Dubai KFuture E Y Foundation, E V A L which U A Towns I Oand N operates C R I TtheE R I A Museum and develops its concepts into real world prototypes, partnerships, and policies for the Government of Dubai. The Museum is currently under construction and will be opening in September 2019.

ATTRIBUTES This unique, hybrid high-profile role requires an individual that can display the following 5 C’s of leadership: Champion “The Executive Director for the Museum of the Future will be responsible for overseeing all aspects of the short and long-term success of the Museum of the Future”.

The Executive Director will inform, influence, advise and deliver - at both a strategic and operational level - on a broad range of matters. In order to be able to do this they should be multidisciplinary, with knowledge that covers key strategic aims / objectives and reflecting the main thematic focus areas contained therein. The Executive Director will therefore need to champion the vertical strands within the DFF and MoTF remit. This will include evaluating opportunities in an informed manner, providing guidance from a broad and deep personal experience databank and being able to translate how this relates to both strategic and operational delivery.

ATTRIBUTES Communicator “They will work closely with the senior management team to prepare content, marketing, partnerships, and operations plans, as well as oversee and enable the successful execution of these plans from start to finish�.

The Executive Director will need to be able to successfully drive and execute multiple shared value projects and plans.

They will need to be Communicative, Co-active, and Cooperative. As the conduit for facilitating and delivering outcomes the Executive Director must really share the DFF and MoTF vision and be committed to providing the coordinating framework for teams to excel. They should be passionate about the thematic focus areas of emerging trends and technologies, and more importantly about the implications and impacts on the world. They should recognise that MoTF can deliver real world benefits social, economic, environmental and others - which can be sustained for future generations. The Executive Director will therefore fully engage with the aspirations of DFF and the mandate of MoTF, driven by a desire to play their part in making tangible, sustainable, long-term impacts.

ATTRIBUTES Connector “The Executive Director’s job is to coordinate and lead all activities of the Museum. This includes content creation, partnership development, technical planning and execution, budgeting, administration and operations”.

The Executive Director will send the clear message that the MoTF is set to become a major, influential and inexorable force. They will therefore have dual “connection” responsibilities. First, they must be able to (and be seen to be able to) join up the dots within MoTF’s own activities, by being able to identify and respond to multi-actor relationships and determine how these relate to each other in presenting opportunities for collaboration. Secondly, as a global Ambassador, the Executive Director must extend MoTF’s influence beyond Dubai and as such should be a well-respected and recognisable international figure, and an excellent communicator. The “value-add” of the Executive Director being connected with multiple international stakeholders and able to build (and maintain) enthusiasm for MoTF’s activities and initiatives is essential.

ATTRIBUTES Collaborator “They will be responsible for working with MotF staff to ensure a smooth and cutting-edge experience for all staff, partners and visitors to the Museum of the Future, as well as create next generation approaches to what the Museum itself might be”.

The Executive Director will want to create highperforming, flow-to-the-need teams that are able to set and surpass exceptional standards of CX. In order to do this they will need to foster a collaborative spirit, encourage and promote knowledge-sharing throughout MoTF and be empathetic to different points of view.

Although staff will have varying areas of expertise, they will share a similar goal and vision. With their diverse set of specialized skills, the Executive Director will be central to their ability to perform and excel - and problem-solve as a group when required. As a recent McKinsey report eloquently stated, the “collision of ideas and perspectives fosters the emergence of unconventional collaborations and new solutions to tough challenges”.

ATTRIBUTES Creator “Beyond operational responsibilities, the Executive Director will also be responsible for developing and evolving the vision of the Museum of the Future as a 21 st century cultural institution�

The Executive Director will want to gain consensus around strategic decisions rapidly so that MoTF can seize opportunities to support experimentation and innovation.

They will also want to be able to generate ideas as well as respond to them. Therefore, the Executive Director should have a creative entrepreneurial outlook, and be responsive to the (rapid) iterative process that will enable MoTF to have agility of both thought and action. The Executive Director will be able to grasp the concepts of trans-boundary, cross-disciplinary and multi-channel innovation and champion their creation, incubation and delivery. As future-thinkers, they should be able to be able to spot and set trends and be able to define (in broad terms at least) sustainable new concepts and initiatives that MoTF can support, influence or drive.

PROFILE

Reputation o A recognisable person within the sector o Able to represent the museum to the world o Has both gravitas and dynamism

R Intellectual capacity o Creativity and agility of thinking o Thought leadership o Transcends the physicality of the museum space Operational skills o Knows how to run a major venue o Management of an institution and its staff o Understands user / customer experience

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KEY EVALUATION CRITERIA Profile Reputation - recognisable within the sector Able to represent the museum to the world Has both gravitas and dynamism

Qualities Diplomatic - understanding of the local cultural context NextGen - reimagining what museums might be Collaborator and Innovator - builds relationships

Intellectual capacity Creativity and agility of thinking Thought leadership Transcends the physicality of the museum space & content

Competencies Technical and emerging interactives, VR, AR etc.

Content creation and exhibition programming Education, Outreach and Community Engagement Marketing, Branding and Communications

Operational skills Knows how to run a major venue Management of an institution and its staff Understands user / customer experience Requirements 7-10 yrs experience Producing and delivering customer experience Vision, and practical experience of delivering vision Independent decision making and political acumen

Capabilities Knowledgeable – multidisciplinary Connected - multi-actor relationships / wide network Creative - ideator, with agility of both thought and action Passionate - fully engages with and promotes the vision Attributes Adaptable – embraces change and adds ideas Proactive – responds creatively to opportunities Collaborative - team-working across all functions Delivery-oriented – performance targets are met

SECTION 4 // OTHER INFO

ABOUT DUBAI DUBAI TODAY BARKER LANGHAM BARKER LANGHAM RECRUITMENT

ABOUT DUBAI Dubai is located on the Eastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula, in the south west corner of the Arabian Gulf. It is extremely well known for its warm hospitality and rich cultural heritage, and the Emirati people are welcoming and generous in their approach to visitors. With yearround sunshine, intriguing deserts, beautiful beaches, luxurious hotels and shopping malls, fascinating heritage attractions and a thriving business community, Dubai receives millions of leisure and business visitors each year from around the world.

Some 800 members of the Bani Yas tribe, led by the Maktoum Family, settled at the mouth of the creek in 1833. The creek was a natural harbour and Dubai soon became a centre for the fishing, pearling and sea trade.

Since 1833 the reigning Al Maktoum family have ruled Dubai. Under their wise and progressive leadership Dubai has prospered and it is now the business and tourism hub for a region.

DUBAI TODAY The past few decades have witnessed incredible growth throughout all sectors of the Dubai economy. The emirate’s government is constantly working to improve its commercial transparency and introduce dynamic regulations that aid the formation of small and medium enterprises. Dubai’s economy is no longer reliant on oil, but is more diversified, relying heavily on trade, services and finance sectors. With its central geographic location between Asian and European markets, Dubai has worked hard to establish itself as an integral part of the global trade mechanism. Its central location has also allowed Dubai to become a popular and accessible tourist destination.

Courtesy and hospitality are among the most highly prized of virtues in the Arab world, and visitors will be charmed by the warmth and friendliness of the people. Dubai’s culture is rooted in Islam, providing a strength and inspiration that touches all aspects of everyday life. Virtually every neighbourhood has its own mosque, where the faithful congregate for prayer five times every day. One of the largest and most beautiful mosques is Jumeirah Mosque - a spectacular example of modern Islamic architecture.

BARKER LANGHAM Barker Langham is one of the world’s leading cultural consultancy, specialising in the visioning, strategic planning and development of cultural heritage projects in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia and the Americas.

We are Museum Association mentors as well as advisors to UNESCO and the Heritage Lottery Fund. We have also been working in the Middle East since 2005, developing a deep understanding of local history and culture in the region through our collaborations with local communities and stakeholders.

Wherever we are working, we aim to excite, inspire and engage visitors and our clients, who range from governments and academic institutions to commercial and charitable organisations.

We think holistically about our projects, which is reflected in our core services: Strategy // Interpretation // Business Planning // Audiences // Research // Human Resources, Recruitment and Training. www.barkerlangham.co.uk

BARKER LANGHAM RECRUITMENT We are the leading strategic human resource, recruitment and training firm for the global cultural and creative industries that supports the development of cultural and creative projects throughout the world.

Our highly responsive professional and international services include: Human Resources strategy development, Organisational design and planning, Executive Search & Selection, Recruitment Process Outsourcing, Interim & Temporary Staff, Large Scale Recruitment Project Delivery, Training, Mentoring, Coaching and Volunteer Programmes.

We are a global team of highly experienced consultants and industry experts with a proven track record of delivering international recruitment projects.

Our approach gives our clients a competitive edge in an increasingly competitive space, and gives our candidates the opportunity to work with some of the most prestigious and ground-breaking cultural and creative projects in the world. www.barkerlanghamrecruitment.co.uk

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