George Bennett

I'm looking to get in to the oil industry. I bring nearly 20 years’ experience in business development, sales, and management, most recently as Head of Intermediaries at Sanctuary in Dubai, where I manage strategic partners and drive new revenue across international markets.

Throughout my career, including almost two decades within London’s barristers’ chambers, I have operated in highly relationship-driven, performance-led environments where trust, credibility, and commercial judgement are critical. Since joining Sanctuary, my focus has been on strengthening existing partnerships while opening new commercial channels, delivering measurable results within my first eight weeks. This experience has given me a strong grounding in relationship-led sales, negotiation, and working under pressure, all of which are directly transferable to a brokerage setting.

In my current and previous roles, I have developed skills that align closely with the demands of oil broking:

Client relationship management: Building and maintaining long-term relationships with a diverse, high-value client base, consistently generating repeat business and referrals.

Sales and business development: Identifying market opportunities, building trust quickly, and converting relationships into sustainable revenue.

Negotiation: Managing complex fee negotiations and achieving commercially sound outcomes in time-sensitive, high-stakes situations.

Attention to detail: Maintaining accurate records and disciplined follow-up, recognising that reliability and precision underpin client confidence and execution.

My approach to business development is structured, proactive, and data-informed, supported by detailed planning and strategic networking. I have led international business development initiatives that have resulted in new client acquisition and sustained revenue growth, and I am comfortable operating across cultures and time zones.

While I have not previously worked directly in oil broking, I am deliberately seeking to transition into commodities brokerage due to the pace, liquidity, and commercial intensity of the market. The oil sector, in particular, appeals to me for its global reach, constant flow of information, and the importance of relationships, market insight, and execution, all areas where I consistently add value. To support this transition, I am currently studying for my Series 3 license to deepen my technical, market knowledge, becoming licensed and to demonstrate my commitment.

I would welcome the opportunity to discuss how my experience, work ethic, and relationship-driven approach could contribute to an oil brokerage team. Thank you for your time and consideration.

Head of Intermediaries – Sanctuary (In Dubai) (November 25 – Present)

Key responsibilities

 Develop and execute the intermediary channel strategy aligned with overall business objectives

 Lead, manage, and grow relationships with strategic partners

 Drive revenue growth and market share through intermediary networks

 Monitor intermediary performance and take corrective action where required

 Ensure full regulatory, compliance, and governance adherence across all intermediary activities

 Collaborate with sales, marketing, product, and operations teams to optimize partner support

 Represent the intermediary channel at senior leadership and executive forums

 Identify new market opportunities and partnership models to expand distribution

Practice Director, No5 Barristers Chambers (Dec ’24 – November ’25)

Key responsibilities include

• Led the strategic planning and long-term development of the Business & Property Group,

aligning growth objectives with chambers-wide business goals.

• Managed and developed a team of six junior colleagues, fostering a high-performance culture, providing BD coaching & support.
• Designed and implemented business development strategies, ensuring a proactive and targeted approach to client engagement and sector positioning.
• Identified and pursued new market opportunities, including expansion into emerging jurisdictions, resulting in a broadened client base and enhanced group visibility.
• Cultivated and maintained strong relationships with new and existing clients, ensuring consistent delivery of a first-class service and deepening client loyalty.
• Led on fee and contract negotiations, ensuring commercially sound outcomes that supported profitability and market competitiveness.
• Played a key role in recruitment and talent acquisition, including interviewing new barristers and business services staff to support group expansion and capability.
• Acted as a strategic partner to barristers, offering commercially focused input on practice development and client service delivery.
• Draft capability statements and Pitch documents

All GCSE's - in the process of obtaining my series 3