Omer Farooq, Head of Shopper & Customer Marketing

Omer Farooq

Head of Shopper & Customer Marketing

Beiersdorf

Location
Saudi Arabia - Jeddah
Education
Master's degree, Marketing
Experience
27 years, 1 month

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Work Experience

Total years of experience :27 years, 1 month

Head of Shopper & Customer Marketing at Beiersdorf
  • Saudi Arabia - Jeddah
  • My current job since October 2019

Beiersdorf is a Multinational Skin Care company with well-known global brands Nivea, Eucerin & La Prairie where I am heading Shopper & Customer Marketing department and National Merchandising along with 4 direct reports, also part of Saudi Management team reporting to GM-ME
Managing 8 H&B categories i.e. Face, Body Lotion, Crème, Deodorants, Men, Lip Care, Shower & Baby

Marketing Activity Manager at Ahmed Mohamed Saleh Baeshen
  • Saudi Arabia - Jeddah
  • November 2016 to September 2019

Reported to CCO. Leading Tea & Sugar Categories’ Consumer & Shopper Marketing Promotions and Pricing strategy for Saudi Arabia and international markets with one direct report
•Key Highlights:
•Rebuilt Marketing Activity structure from scratch to connect with brand strategy and to bring discipline in short and long term promo planning
•Introduced Marketing Activity Plan (MAP) process and developed dynamic budget tracker by sku by channel by month by promo type to bring promo spend efficiency
•Present & align quarterly promo plan to CEO based on updated shopper & market insights to drive business growth agenda
•Deploy & deliver all promos from artwork development to stock availability with supply chain, ROIs with finance and topline growth with sales team

Trade Marketing Director at Arabian Trading Supplies
  • Saudi Arabia - Jeddah
  • November 2013 to October 2016

Reported to GM. Headed Trade Marketing department to manage 8 Business Partners' portfolio include Beverages, Confectionary and Foods categories with 4 direct reportees
•Key Highlights:
•Developed monthly IMS forecast culture with each principle along with right building blocks to achieve agreed monthly, quarterly and yearly AOP
•Introduced Monthly activity planning meetings(APM) with Principles, Trade Marketing Managers and Sales Team
•Rejuvenated Trade Marketing department by managing disoriented Trade Marketing Team to one direction which brought disciplined approach and resulted in strong relationship with Business Partners, Sales, Finance, Supply Chain and HR
•Launched budget control and BDA trackers for Trade investment to ensure transparency at all level
•Reduced Damaged & Expiry issues by half than last year
•Initiated culture of weekly sales phasing meeting with NSM/RSMs
•Led monthly/quarterly Business Reviews with top management of all Business Partners on behalf of ATS Food & Beverages Division

Customer Marketing Manager at Unilever Arabia
  • Saudi Arabia - Jeddah
  • July 2013 to October 2013

Responsible for Customer Marketing plans for Wholesale, Van sales and Self Service Stores
•Key Highlights:
•Led Shopper & customer research and turned understanding & insights into actions through Channel Marketing Plans
•Brought channel input into category plans for consolidated sub-channel plans (WS, C&C, RVS, & Self Service)
•Brought discipline in WS Activation Safwa plan by ensuring right Channel Strategy
•Optimized by Channel GT Assortment along with execution of POSM & on-shelf solutions across Super Market and Super Value Stores

Category Operations Manager at Unilever Arabia
  • Saudi Arabia - Jeddah
  • January 2011 to June 2013

Handled Categories of Hand & body, Face care, Deodorants and Beverages which include Vaseline, Dove, Fair & Lovely, Ponds, Axe, Rexona, Lipton, Brook Bond and Knorr brands
•Key Highlights:
•Developed Trade Category Plans for all channels (MT, GT & Pharmacy)
•Improved 10% forecast accuracy by ensuring right building blocks by channel
•Initiated culture of joint Planning of Customer/Shopper Activations/NPDs between Brand Team, Category Operations and distributor
•Grew Skin Care Category sales by 25% in 2011 vs 11% Category growth
•Grew Deodorants Category sales by 18% in 2011 by revising channel strategy
•Exited 2012 with 5% sales growth in Beverages Category vs 4% Category growth

Unilever Pakistan at Unilever Pakistan Ltd.
  • Pakistan - Karachi
  • February 1997 to December 2010
National Sales Manager - MT at Unilever - Pakistan
  • Pakistan - Lahore
  • February 2009 to December 2010

Managed entire company portfolio for Local Modern Trade (LMT) at National level with 4 direct and 15 in direct key account sales team
•Key Highlights:
•Improved business efficiencies with key customers by negotiating Joint Business Plans
•Delivered 31% CC (profit contribution) in 2009 by managing Trade A&P budget through effective planning & execution of shopper based activations
•Achieved 90% compliance of Perfect Store model (6P’s)
•Introduced

Trade Category Manager-Beverages at Unilever
  • Pakistan - Lahore
  • July 2007 to January 2009

Handled biggest portfolio of Unilever Pakistan includes Lipton, Supreme, A1, and Pearl Dust
Key Highlights:
 Grew GSV by 23% in 2008
 Developed & executed TCP & POP vision strategy template by channel for the business which is being used for all other categories as a point of reference
 Improved Sales forecasting up to 90%
 Optimized Trade investment by pulling out traditional Trade discounts from bulk packs to better utilize money in in-store consumer activities
 Reduced activated volume by 40% which resulted in minimal dependency on wholesalers and had accelerated growth in C & D class van outlets
 Implemented shopper based channel activations in key urban towns to Win at POP level

Regional Sales Manager at Unilever - Pakistan
  • Pakistan - Karachi
  • May 2004 to June 2007

Led two Provinces i.e. Sindh & Balochistan market with 7 direct and 88 indirect reports
Key Highlights:
 Got “Best Growing Regional Award” and “Best Growing Category Award” in 2006
 Got “Best Performance Award” in 2005 on achievement of outstanding results in Karachi
 Achieved Chairman value award of “Bringing out the best” in 2005
 Brought out the business from valley of death to growth mode by changing the traditional way of selling from wholesale to direct distribution in 2005
 Successfully restructured Karachi and interior Sindh distribution network by working on citadel approach which resulted in 50% sales growth in 2006

Regional Sales Manager- National Training Manager-Institutional at Unilever - Pakistan
  • Pakistan - Lahore
  • January 2002 to April 2004

 Grew 42% in 2003 in stagnant HORECA market through Grip, Grab, Grow model
 Got “Appreciation and Value Addition Award” from Unilever SVP Asia
 Became “preferred Supplier” for potential HORECA and International Chain Accounts
 Developed LET (C & D class) channel with customized offering
 Recovered 1 to 2 years old receivables from distributors
 Got recommendation of cluster leader for sales training of 4 countries
 Broke mental barrier and effectively implemented 4x6 selling techniques in sales
 Successfully conducted ‘C’ standard assessment in the light of sales KPIs

Area Sales Manager-Institutional at Unilever - Pakistan
  • Pakistan - Lahore
  • April 2000 to December 2002

 Grew business by 35% in 2001 by strengthening B2B relationship with potential HORECA and ICAs customers
 Activated 100 new Key account customers in 2001
 Imparted product application knowledge to DSRs level with the help of professional chef
 Re-engineered Lahore area by adding one new distributor to cater new segment

Management Trainee
  • February 1997 to March 2000

Handled brand management of all B2B products as well as monitoring field staff sales performance nationwide
•Doubled Mayonnaise business by introducing Salad Bar promotion concept
•Improved GP margins by close coordination with the Cost & Planning Manager for costing of the products
•Launched Sales Database Operation System
•Initiated and developed Trade Promotion Calendar in light of Brand plans

Education

Master's degree, Marketing
  • at Pak American Institute of Management Sciences
  • January 1996

Diploma, Sales And Marketing Management
  • at University of Wales
  • January 1994

Bachelor's degree, Business Administration and Commerce
  • at Punjab College of Commerce
  • January 1994

Specialties & Skills

Budget Tracking
Channel Management
Sales Growth
Team Management
Team Leadership
BUDGETING
MANAGEMENT
MARKETING
ACCREDITED PROJECT MANAGER
APPROACH
BRAND MANAGEMENT
BUSINESS PLANS