Managing Director - South East Asia (Luxury Retail)

HRsource; Singapore; On-site; SGD 125,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

A luxury retail leader is seeking a Managing Director for Southeast Asia, based in Singapore. The role involves steering the regional strategy, ensuring operational excellence, and enhancing brand experience across multiple countries. The ideal candidate has over 15 years in luxury retail and a strong commercial acumen with expertise in regional markets.

Qualifications

• Minimum of 15 years in luxury retail with senior leadership experience.
• Proven track record in managing operations across Southeast Asia.
• Strong understanding of luxury retail dynamics and consumer behavior.

Responsibilities

• Develop and implement regional business strategy.
• Ensure the brand's luxury positioning is reflected in the customer experience.
• Lead and optimize retail operations across Southeast Asia.

Skills

Leadership

Luxury retail expertise

Strategic vision

Commercial acumen

Interpersonal skills

Job description

We are representing one of the world’s most respected luxury retail brands in their search for a Managing Director, Southeast Asia, based in Singapore. With a longstanding heritage and global presence, the brand is synonymous with craftsmanship, exclusivity, and innovation across fashion, fine jewellery, leather goods, and lifestyle collections.

As part of the group’s strategic focus on Southeast Asia, a region of increasing significance in global luxury consumption, this newly defined leadership role will be instrumental in setting the regional direction, driving sustainable growth, and elevating both customer and brand experience across markets.

Role Overview

The Managing Director – Southeast Asia will hold full P&L responsibility for the region, overseeing operations across multiple key markets including Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam, and the Philippines.

This is a highly visible and commercially significant role, requiring a senior executive who can blend strategic vision with hands-on leadership and who possesses deep expertise in luxury retail and regional business dynamics.

The successful candidate will act as both a strategic partner to global HQ and a brand custodian across Southeast Asia, ensuring commercial success while safeguarding the brand’s legacy, positioning, and client promise.

Key Responsibilities

Regional Strategy & Commercial Leadership

• Develop and implement a comprehensive regional business strategy aligned with global objectives.
• Set and deliver annual financial goals across revenue, profitability, market share, and operational efficiency.
• Identify and evaluate market expansion opportunities, including new store openings, e-commerce initiatives, and joint ventures or partnerships.
• Lead strategic planning cycles, ensuring market insights are translated into actionable growth plans.

Brand & Client Experience

• Ensure the brand’s luxury positioning and heritage are consistently reflected in the customer journey across all touchpoints.
• Oversee regional execution of global brand initiatives, campaigns, and activations in collaboration with central marketing and communications teams.
• Drive innovation in clienteling, CRM, and service excellence to strengthen customer engagement and lifetime value.

Retail & Omnichannel Operations

• Lead and optimise retail operations, ensuring commercial performance and operational excellence across flagship boutiques, airport retail, and new formats.
• Partner with digital and omnichannel teams to ensure seamless integration of physical and digital experiences across Southeast Asia.
• Monitor regional KPIs across productivity, conversion, footfall, stock performance, and service metrics.

Leadership & Organisational Development

• Lead, inspire, and develop a cross-functional regional team.
• Foster a culture of high performance, integrity, inclusivity, and brand stewardship.
• Identify and retain top talent while supporting succession planning and organisational growth.

Financial Management & Compliance

• Full accountability for the region’s P&L, budgeting, and forecasting.
• Ensure financial discipline, accurate reporting, and adherence to group policies and governance standards.
• Mitigate business risk by ensuring compliance with local laws, regulatory requirements, and corporate guidelines.

Stakeholder Management

• Act as the key liaison between regional markets and global HQ, representing Southeast Asia’s voice at the global leadership table.
• Build and maintain strategic relationships with landlords, regulators, partners, and other external stakeholders.
• Serve as a brand ambassador across the region and within the wider luxury and business community.

Candidate Profile

Essential Experience & Skills

• Minimum of 15 years of experience, with at least 5–7 years in a senior leadership role within luxury retail or premium consumer brands.
• Proven track record of managing regional operations across Southeast Asia, preferably with experience based in Singapore or other key regional hubs.
• Deep understanding of luxury retail dynamics, high-net-worth consumer behaviour, and market-specific nuances in Southeast Asia.
• Strong commercial acumen with experience managing complex P&Ls, growth initiatives, and multi-market teams.
• Experience leading both physical retail and digital/omnichannel strategies in a premium or luxury context.

Leadership & Personal Attributes

• Globally minded leader with outstanding interpersonal, influencing, and communication skills.
• Culturally agile and emotionally intelligent, with the ability to lead diverse teams across varying market environments.
• Passionate about the luxury industry, with a refined appreciation for brand heritage, customer experience, and product storytelling.
• Hands-on, entrepreneurial approach, balanced with the ability to think strategically and long-term.
• Fluent in English; additional Southeast Asian languages a plus.

Application Process

This will be a rigorous, multi-stage recruitment process, reflecting the strategic importance and sensitivity of the role. Due to the highly specific criteria set by the client, we regret that we will only be able to respond to profiles that closely match the key requirements.

We are welcoming applications from qualified candidates across the globe who bring exceptional leadership experience, deep luxury retail insight, and a passion for building brands across culturally diverse and fast-evolving markets.