Commercial Manager
Arabian Supplies W.L.L
Total des années d'expérience :16 years, 11 Mois
Took on a new challenge to lead the change and run a bigger team at “Arabian Supplies W.L.L”, which is one of the top 5 FMCG distributors in Qatar, and a subsidiary of “Tadmur Holding Group”.
Managing the complete operations of the company, directly running a team of 213 employees across all departments and channels, and handling more than 23 regional and international suppliers (such as Henkel, Indomie, Tabasco, Weetabix, Holsten, Moussy, Bahlsen, Goody, KFMBC, Capri Sun and others).
Reporting to and acting as a deputy to the General Manager.
Highlights:
• Designed and implemented a new route to market across all channels in the first 6 months on the job that came up with a better distribution efficiency, higher level of customer service and allowed a sales growth of 15% in 2020.
• Restructured the operational procedures of the company to achieve a solid yet lean business flow which helped reduce wasted resources and missing opportunities and improved return of investment which driven profitability up by 3.3 points.
• Renegotiated terms with suppliers and retailers which added an extra 1.67 points to net profit in 2022.
Roles and Duties:
• Managing all commercial and operational elements of the company, and leading all departments including sales, marketing, distribution, demand planning and brand management.
• Optimizing key performance indicators including turnover, stock on hand, pricing, profitability and working capital to ensure a smooth execution of business plan, and delivery of annual budget and monthly forecasts.
• Leading negotiations with retailers and finalizing annual contracts and seeking new ways to develop the business and capture potential opportunities with them.
• Handling relationships with suppliers, and working closely with them to set business plans, negotiate terms, assign budgets, agree on calendars and putting them into action for execution.
• Providing constructive leadership to the business by living its values and creating a collaborative work environment and positive relationships across the organization to enable delivery of superior performance.
• Seeking new ways to develop the business and enhance efficiency of operations to support the team achieving objectives.
• Managing relationships with other business functions across the group (Procurement, Logistic, Public Relations, Media and Human Resources).
“Makeup Forever” is a French cosmetic brand owned by LVMH (Louis Vuitton Moët Hennessy) Group.
Joined the Middle East team as a brand manager for Qatar market; managed 35 team members in 18 retail outlets, and reported to the regional commercial manager.
Highlights:
• Achieved a sales growth of 55% / 2016, 26% / 2017 & 2%/2018 despite market decline.
• Improved the in-store ranking of the brand to achieve “first ranking” at 3 out of 4 retailers within 6 months from joining the company and for the first time since the start of business in Qatar.
• Increased market share by 4% / 2016 and attained the highest market share among makeup brands at Sephora which is the biggest retail group the brand is partnering with.
• Implemented a new commercial and team structure which enhanced profitability of the brand, productivity and morale of the team and provided better efficiency and control of operations.
• Reached an optimal stock level at distributor’s warehouse and applied a new stock policy across all retailers which saved 10% of total cost from ageing and unnecessary stock holding.
Roles and Duties:
• Representing the brand as a delegate to run the business and manage the relationship with the distributor in Qatar market.
• Implementing the brand’s strategy, promoting the brand, developing its portfolio, and instilling its image and guidelines.
• Managing the sales team and monitoring sell-out figures, stock at hand and sell-in schedules to distributors and customers.
• Placing sales forecasts and planning demands for upcoming new, existing and phasing out products.
• Reconciling wholesales figures, sell-in figures and distributors closing stocks against forthcoming sales projections and shipments in the pipeline and taking measures to minimize potential stock shortages.
• Developing the network of local agents and visiting retailers to follow up on all commercial matters.
• Defining sales, investment and expenditure budgets per customer, and setting a yearly calendar for local sale and marketing activities with them.
• Negotiating pricing structures with distributors and customers.
• Managing the P&L and optimizing the organization's resources within budget and guidelines.
• Implementing marketing strategies and calendars cooperatively with the regional marketing team.
• Observing, recording and analyzing market trends and competitors’ activities, and providing quantitative and qualitative reports to the management.
Started with “Nestle Professional” sales team handling key accounts in the foodservice channel, then attained 2 promotions within 18 months to become in charge of the Coffee & Beverage Solutions business in Qatar, responsible for 13 team members and reporting to the country sales manager.
Highlights:
• Demonstrated consistent performance with a double-digit growth throughout the span of 5 years.
• Planned, launched, and successfully led 2 projects to set up and develop new business modules for the beverage solutions operations in 2012 & 2014, resulting in an improved route to market and ownership of 96% of customers from distributors, and set a new basis for relationships with distribution partners and service providers.
• Earned a reward of recognition for “Passion for Winning” for closing 2013 with 36% growth vs.2012 and 5% vs. target, after landing on 11% in 2012 vs.2011 and 6% vs. target, despite the challenges of the new route to market module implementation.
• Improved the efficiency of Nescafe machines by 91% (from 80 to 153 USD/Machine) within 8 months from handling the department, and up to 131% in the following year.
Roles and Duties:
• Managing and training the CBS sales and technical teams responsible for Nescafe machines & cold beverages dispensers.
• Setting up sales forecasts & machines placement plans which reflect in yearly targets, and putting sales strategies to meet the commitment made in these forecasts.
• Working with demand planners to ensure efficient supply & availability of stock as forecasted.
• Initiating action plans, splitting targets among team members & distribution partners, and tracking sales progress to ensure a successful delivery of targets.
• Accompanying team members frequently during sales calls to provide support, required knowledge and training, and help them to close pending deals successfully.
• Conducting regular meetings with customers to build rapport, negotiate quarterly and yearly agreements, and discuss their performance, upcoming activities, trade deals, and new launches.
• Planning yearly activities calendar with customers, and overseeing execution to support and drive their business forward.
• Monitoring machines performance and utilization to ensure a healthy ROI.
• Handling distributors and service providers, and tracking their performance.
Joined Qatar branch as a “Trade Marketing Associate” for Sadia brand; Demonstrated superior initiatives to be promoted after 8 months as an “Assistant Brand Manager” for six brands (Regal Picon, Picon, McCain, Saralee, Aklena, & Radwa) reporting to the Commercial Director.
Achievements:
• Accomplished a sales growth of 20% for Regal Picon & 26% for Mccain in 09 vs. 08.
• Successfully launched and marketed two new product ranges, obtained a market share of 13% after the launch, and reached 1.2% of the market size in the first 3 months while the market was declining by 1.6% as per retail audit reports.
Roles & Duties:
• Putting marketing and promotional plans to serve the brands, assure awareness, and drive them to success in view of the principals’ image, long/short term objectives, and profit motives.
• Managing activities starting from planning phase, passing by creative thinking & design phase, going through the launch, and ending by collecting feedback and results.
• Pursuing distribution penetration & must stock list, and keeping an eye on numeric & weighted distributions.
• Tracking sales progress to ensure the achievement of monthly and yearly targets.
• Optimizing the marketing budget and controlling the P&L.
• Going through negotiations of yearly agreements with retailers such as Lulu and Carrefour, and assigning budgets for rebates and other distribution expenses.
• Conducting regular market intelligence studies to scrutinize market updates, track brands performance, and counteract competitors’ activities.
• Ensuring ideal stock is maintained by analyzing market sales, setting sales forecasts in association with the sales team, placing purchase orders with suppliers, and following up to make sure that shipments in the pipeline are smoothly dispatched.
• Submitting detailed reports to the management and principal companies to enable decision making, in addition to preparing and presenting business reviews and proposals.
Marketing & Sales department at Syria branch, reporting to the Marketing & Sales Manager
Achievements:
• Conducted a qualitative study that came up with a complete understanding of the brands USPs, and several brainstorming sessions to identify the desirable products specifications which were used in the brands building & awareness development projects.
• Participated in the rejuvenation of the labels and packaging of Hana and Halal brands.
• Opened 3 new export markets for a long term supply in less than 6 months.
Roles & Duties:
• Placing marketing & sales plans along with the sales & marketing team, supervising the execution, and reporting the outcomes.
• Handling market-oriented communications by espousing POSM displays, and overseeing branding & BTL activities to enhance the visibility.
• Working closely with the creative marketing agency that was handling brands building & awareness development projects.
• Conducting regular competition & price studies, and suggest action plans and activities to keep the lead over the market as a market leader.
• Acting as an “overseas business development officer” - as an additional task - searching for new export opportunities, and attracting new abroad agents and business partners.
Marketing Department, Reporting to the Marketing Manager
Achievements:
• Participated in and executed a re-positioning plan to develop the image of the mall.
• Successfully planned & executed an outdoor advertising campaign in addition to a mega event with a car draw at the mall.
• Closed deals for a full year booking of all indoor advertising spaces for 2008 in advance.
Roles & Duties:
• Running advertising spaces in the mall, managing bookings of these spaces and handling the advertisers' accounts.
• Planning & managing the events taking place at the mall.
• Executing internal marketing and advertising materials, printings and communication signage in the mall.
• Working with the marketing agency to put and execute marketing and media plans (budget allocation, media planning, booking, printing, etc.).
• Preparing statistics about the turnover of advertising spaces and number of visitors to the mall.
Bachelor's Degree - Business Administration - Double major in Marketing & International Trade 2002 - 2007 / Higher Institute of Business Administration - Damascus - Syria.