Ralph Straus is an international business executive with more than 25 years of experience in commercial strategy, marketing, organisational transformation and major global events. His expertise spans sport, entertainment and destination development. As Chief Commercial and Marketing Officer at Al Khail Square in Abu Dhabi, Ralph leads the commercial and marketing strategy for a destination combining sport, lifestyle and entertainment.
His previous leadership roles at Expo 2020 Dubai, the International Equestrian Federation (FEI) and FIFA encompassed global marketing, brand strategy, commercial partnerships and audience engagement, with work spanning the FIFA World Cup, the Olympic Games and Expo 2020 Dubai. His experience in the UAE includes destination positioning, venue commercialisation and the development of international event programming that brings together sport, hospitality and entertainment.
Throughout his career, Ralph has built partnerships with international federations, governments, tourism boards and leading global brands. He holds an MSc in Business & Marketing from the University of Groningen and regularly serves as a guest lecturer at business schools.