Head of Business Development – Real Estate & Store Expansion (Thailand)

Role Overview

We are looking for a seasoned Business Development leader to drive aggressive retail expansion across Thailand. This role will own the end-to-end real estate strategy—identifying high-potential locations, securing best-in-class leasing deals, and enabling rapid store rollouts in

line with business growth objectives. The ideal candidate brings deep expertise in retail real estate, strong developer/landlord networks, and a sharp commercial mindset to unlock high-ROI location.

Key Responsibilities**

1. Location Strategy & Market Expansion

• Define and execute the Thailand retail expansion roadmap aligned with business growth targets
• Identify high-potential micro-markets, high streets, malls, and emerging retail hubs
• Leverage data, footfall analytics, and competitive mapping to drive location decisions
• Build a strong pipeline of priority locations across Tier 1 and Tier 2 cities
• Own the Thailand expansion mandate for both Lenskart and Owndays, significantly accelerating Lenskart's existing store network, while driving continued network growth and portfolio optimization for Owndays

2. Site Identification & Acquisition

• Lead end-to-end site sourcing including high streets, malls, transit hubs, and mixed-use developments
• Evaluate sites based on commercial viability, catchment, visibility, and brand fit
• Develop strong relationships with mall developers, landlords, and brokers to access prime inventory
• Manage the complete store network lifecycle: new store openings, lease renewals, relocations, space extensions, and closures when needed with clear go/no-go recommendations backed by store-level economics.

3. Leasing & Deal Negotiation

• Own lease negotiations, commercial structuring, and closure of agreements
• Optimize rental terms, revenue share models, lock-ins, CAM charges, and exit clauses
• Ensure favorable and scalable lease terms aligned with long-term business strategy
• Partner with legal and finance teams for contract finalization and compliance
• Beyond the retail network, support the company's corporate real estate needs as they arise - office and warehouse space leasing and planning - applying the same commercial and negotiation discipline.

4. Store Rollout & Execution

• Drive seamless handover of sites for store development and launch
• Collaborate with design, project management, and operations teams for timely store openings
• Track project timelines, capex efficiency, and launch readiness

5. Partnerships & Ecosystem Development

• Build and manage relationships with key real estate developers (e.g., mall operators, retail groups)
• Identify strategic partnerships for co-development, shop-in-shop, or franchise models
• Stay ahead of market trends, new developments, and competitor expansion moves

6. Performance & Governance

• Own expansion KPIs including number of store openings, lease efficiency, and ROI
• benchmarks
• Monitor store performance post-launch and refine location strategy accordingly
• Maintain strong governance on documentation, compliance, and reporting
• Own the expansion P&L for Thailand: site-level investment cases, capex efficiency, and payback accountability, ensuring stores pay back within target timelines. Provide relevant BD site-side support to operations during each store's initial years to protect ramp-up and performance.
• Build, lead, and groom the business development team required to deliver nationwide expansion - hiring, capability development, and a repeatable site pipeline and evaluation process.

Key Requirements

• Experience: 12–18 years in Business Development / Real Estate / Retail Expansion
• Proven track record of scaling retail footprint in Thailand (preferably across malls & high streets)
• Strong network with landlords, developers, and leasing agencies in Thailand
• Deep understanding of retail leasing structures, negotiations, and commercial modeling
• Experience in consumer retail, QSR, fashion, or lifestyle brands preferred
• Ability to operate in a fast-paced, high-growth environment with aggressive targets

Leadership Competencies

• Strategic thinker with strong execution bias
• Sharp negotiation and influencing skills
• Data-driven decision making
• Strong stakeholder management across internal and external partners
• Entrepreneurial mindset with ownership and accountability

Why This Role

• Opportunity to lead large-scale retail expansion in a high-growth market
• High visibility role with direct impact on business growth
• Work closely with leadership on strategic market entry and scale