2026 · Hired Head of Lifestyle & Travel
Head of Lifestyle & Travel · a pre-launch Web3 banking platform · Dubai, UAE
A vertical built from zero — placed in 12 days across a global search. VP Team delivered a Head of Lifestyle & Travel for a pre-launch hybrid on-chain banking platform targeting high-net-worth, globally mobile users.
Search Overview
The Challenge
A pre-launch hybrid on-chain banking platform targeting high-net-worth, globally mobile users needed someone to build its Lifestyle & Travel vertical from zero — not to manage an existing one.
The market is full of people who have run these functions at scale; very few have done the foundational work of creating the partnerships infrastructure, service standards, and commercial model from scratch.
The search was further constrained by a strong preference for Dubai-based talent with active UAE market networks, a pre-launch product with no public brand recognition, and the need to move fast to support pre-launch momentum.
What VP Team Did
VP Team anchored the ICP on three non-negotiables: proven vertical ownership from scratch, an active partnership-building track record, and deep UAE market knowledge.
Rather than filtering by fintech background — where this profile barely exists — we searched across B2C tech, mobility, and premium services sectors where hands-on 0-to-1 builders are more concentrated. Outreach was direct and personalised.
Ten profiles were identified and assessed within the first week. Five advanced to client review.
Result
The placed candidate is a senior operations leader with 12+ years based in Dubai, with a track record of building lifestyle, events, e-commerce, and partnership verticals from scratch across B2C and mobility sectors.
Deep local regulatory knowledge, an established MENA network, and a partnership ecosystem built from zero across travel aggregators, premium venues, and service providers in the UAE. No direct fintech or crypto background — offset by strong product curiosity and the critical advantage of being embedded in the Dubai market for over a decade.
The gap wasn't a liability. Being inside the market for a decade was.
Have a similar 0-to-1 search? VP Team builds verticals from zero across MENA and beyond. Let's talk.