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An Operations Director with over a decade of experience in the UAE. Providing business set ups to Founders and primary client-facing point of contact on every account, managing relationships, briefs, timelines and expectations from first conversation to final delivery. Equally comfortable producing the work itself: concept decks, brand direction and presentation documents built to an editorial standard. Combines commercial and operational rigour with a creative eye, and is trusted to hold both sides of a project together.…An Operations Director with over a decade of experience in the UAE. Providing business set ups to Founders and primary client-facing point of contact on every account, managing relationships, briefs, timelines and expectations from first conversation to final delivery. Equally comfortable producing the work itself: concept decks, brand direction and presentation documents built to an editorial standard. Combines commercial and operational rigour with a creative eye, and is trusted to hold both sides of a project together.

Michelle Larkworthy

Project Manager, Production Manager, Concept Artist, +2

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An Operations Director with over a decade of experience in the UAE. Providing business set ups to Founders and primary client-facing point of contact on every account, managing relationships, briefs, timelines and expectations from first conversation to final delivery. Equally comfortable producing the work itself: concept decks, brand direction and presentation documents built to an editorial standard. Combines commercial and operational rigour with a creative eye, and is trusted to hold both sides of a project together.…An Operations Director with over a decade of experience in the UAE. Providing business set ups to Founders and primary client-facing point of contact on every account, managing relationships, briefs, timelines and expectations from first conversation to final delivery. Equally comfortable producing the work itself: concept decks, brand direction and presentation documents built to an editorial standard. Combines commercial and operational rigour with a creative eye, and is trusted to hold both sides of a project together.

Available to hire

An Operations Director with over a decade of experience in the UAE. Providing business set ups to Founders and primary client-facing point of contact on every account, managing relationships, briefs, timelines and expectations from first conversation to final delivery. Equally comfortable producing the work itself: concept decks, brand direction and presentation documents built to an editorial standard. Combines commercial and operational rigour with a creative eye, and is trusted to hold both sides of a project together.

Skills

Experience Level

Expert

Expert

Expert

Expert

Intermediate

Intermediate

Intermediate

Intermediate

Language

English

Advanced

Work Experience

Operations Director (Consultant) at Kenshō & Saatorï

January 1, 2025 - Present

Own delivery across the full client portfolio at a boutique concept creation consultancy, working with major UAE developers and hospitality groups including ALDAR, Saddle Group and FAB Hospitality. Run the full project lifecycle from client brief to final deliverable across concurrent retained and project-based accounts, holding responsibility for scope, timeline, budget and quality. Act as primary client contact—managing expectations, navigating changes in direction, and keeping work moving when priorities shift. Lead delivery of concept documents through a tiered process (initial direction, working concept, final concept, final overview) with editorial-standard quality control. Brief, schedule and manage a freelance creative team, allocating work by complexity and cost to protect project margin. Built planning, tracking and reporting processes the business runs on to add structure without slowing delivery. Support new business via pitch preparation, outreach and pipeline tracking;

Sales Manager at Signature Living

September 1, 2024 - December 31, 2024

Sold high-end residential renovation projects across Dubai for a building contracting company. Executed sales plans against target while conducting market research, client visits and presentations. Owned client relationships from first meeting through final design and budget sign-off, then transitioned projects to Project Management with a structured handover. Prepared proposals and layouts, and worked with the Design Department and Quantity Surveyors to produce accurate quotations. Negotiated sales agreements and secured sign-off on project variations, and reported sales performance and market feedback directly to the CEO.

Operations Director at Florette

September 1, 2022 - September 1, 2024

Full operational ownership of an e-commerce and retail business with 50 employees, three stores, and a corporate and events arm. Delivered large-format installations and seasonal activations end to end, including floral installations and 10–12ft Christmas schemes: concept, costing, supplier sourcing, permits, freelance crew booking, install scheduling and on-site delivery to a fixed date. Managed corporate and events work from client brief through proposal and production schedule to delivery. Owned marketing output including brand collaborations, monthly content plans with the Social Media Manager, and campaign/seasonal creative. Streamlined operations across supply chain functions; oversaw Customer Service and complaint resolution. Developed budgets with finance, monitored performance against target, and managed supplier relationships, contract negotiations and payment terms. Led HR and delivered the owner’s growth plan, including new revenue streams and store builds.

Operations Manager at Bishop Design LLC

September 1, 2013 - September 1, 2022

Nine years running office operations, finance and compliance for an award-winning interior design practice delivering projects across the MENA region. Led, mentored and appraised the administrative team; set objectives and KPIs and developed team members over multiple years. Managed client relationships from initial contact to project completion, including proposals, contract terms and negotiation of deliverables and fees. Handled monthly account reconciliations, forecasting, budgeting and payroll; liaised with external accountants on quarterly tax filings. Ran recruitment, visa processing, employment contracts and statutory HR compliance. Managed trade licensing, permits, tenancy and Ejari, and UAE labour law compliance, plus health and safety requirements.