Senior Manager Business Development, Buying, Sourcing
Seven Seas International General Trading LLC.
Total years of experience :25 years, 10 Months
Recruited in a General Trading LLC. Company as a General Manager to plan and execute the company direction and growth.
• Developed strategy and business plans in line with each Client's requirement.
• Delivered outstanding sales growth by increasing business with existing Clients and developing / fostering new ones.
• Maximize client satisfaction and ensured that the Client's interests are vigorously protected by supervising contract compliance, royalty reporting, collections, branding and product approvals.
• Developed close relationship with retailers, developing trade marketing / brand promotion plans.
• Set budgets and targets and to monitor the company's performance and growth.
• Forecast trends and potential market opportunities.
• Provide guidance to workforce and devise strategy, business planning as well as day-to-day operations.
• Monitor and implement operational procedures for efficient workflow.
• Developed reliable supply and sourcing of garments, textile products, industrial machineries, equipments and other misc. products from China, Taiwan, Korea, japan, Germany, USA & UK.
Selected Achievements
• Led the growth of the company to +20% in revenues, becoming one of the most recognized names in the industry.
• Initiated strategic market plan to analyze key strengths, weaknesses, competitors and new business opportunities. This strategy strengthened our position in the market, as well as brought the company to develop a unique and profitable niche within the UAE region
• Increased the overall profits by approx. +15% after developing cross-company quality control expenses mechanism and managing the effectiveness of employees.
Recruited in a newly start up buying house from day first as a Manager sourcing/business development with a challenge to develop apparel export business to US & European region with limited resources to deliver proof of buying house concept.
• Developed customer base in USA including importers, brand manufacturers and stores.
• Led teams of merchandisers, quality controllers, sales, and administration departments with continuous coaching and direction.
• Successfully maintained and developed new supplier base in Pakistan, Bangladesh, India & China. Kept a good relationship creating win-win scenario.
• Facilitate customers in developing & identifying latest apparel designs, trends, colors, styles along with developing new innovative fabrics, processing, washes etc.
• Setting up sales target with board of directors.
• Maintain complete P&L with cost reduction at every level.
• Identified the opportunity in off-price apparel, developed suppliers, agents, and wholesalers of off-price quality garments from China, Pakistan, Bangladesh, India, Vietnam, Indonesia, and Sri-Lanka.
• Developed business with off-price importers in USA with one mission, top quality garments with most competitive bargained prices.
Selected Achievements
• Being integral part of startup apparel buying house in 2003. This has become a global sourcing arm for apparel, textile retail products. Achieved sales of 5 Million US$ by second fiscal year.
• Developed business with KiK, which is the largest textile discounter chain of retail store in Germany and operates over 2, 800 stores in Germany, Austria, Czech Republic, Hungary, Slovakia and Slovenia.
• Developed and implemented strategy to diversify into other new products and new markets such fashion accessories, footwear and increased sale up to 15%.
• Successfully developed ladies fashion wear brand locally in Pakistan and achieved 85% sales target within 1st year of launch.
Recruited as a merchandiser in a garment manufacturing unit with cross functional duties to follow up with all production related departments including knitting, dyeing, and finishing, sewing, packing, shipping and business development departments.
• Acted as mediator between the off shore customers’ mainly in USA and Europe and in house production team in order to make sure a smooth on time delivery of goods as per quality and requirements.
• Worked with American retailers, Wal-Mart, Target & JC Penny and continuously learned international apparel retail manufacturing standards.
• Handling of client’s visits to Pakistan, independently dealing all issues
• Worked almost in all departments including product development, accessories/trims development, fabrication, sampling, sewing, finishing/packing. On a good performance, headed product development department along with merchandising.
• Coordination with logistics agents for smooth delivery of goods at destination. Making export documents & handling/follow up of logistics in order to avoid delays in shipment.
Selected Achievements
• Within period of 8 months become Manager Merchandising leading team of 5 merchandisers
• Achieved merchandiser of the year award.
• Authorized to give price quotes within 8 months of joining.
• Carried out activities appropriately in order to increase sales by 15% in 2002 through getting export production orders of apparel different markets specially USA.
Recruited as an entry level assistant merchandiser with goal to learn practical implementation of textile and apparel industry what I have studied during my BS.Hons Textile management degree.
• Handled large retail accounts such as Wal-Mart, Target, Kohl’s, American eagle, and Tommy Hilfiger independently.
• Routine tasks included costing, sample development, all daily and weekly reporting, Follow ups of orders in order to achieve targets.
• Productions follow ups with related departments to keep control on timely delivery.
• Worked and learned almost complete vertical integrated production processes from fabrication, sewing, trims development, sample development, production and shipping essentials including export documentations.
Selected Achievements
• Within one year of joining promoted to Merchandiser based on good performance.
• Within two years of joining promoted into league of Senior Merchandisers.
• Selected from team of merchandisers to handle Tommy Hilfiger account.