IT Lead - MEA, Global IT – Foundation Markets
McDonald's Corporation
Total years of experience :22 years, 3 Months
-Provide strategic planning and oversee the development and implementation of system-wide technology programs across 17 countries within Middle East and Africa.
-Ensure that the existing IT systems support long-term growth strategies and image brand building.
-Establish and utilize performance metrics and tools to ensure maximum reliability and availability of platform resources.
-Assist local IT lead in developing the market budgets.
-Stay up to date on all industry trends, innovations, methods and processes to determine new IT solutions that fulfill complex business needs and improve business processes and decision making.
-Supported local markets in building business cases and liaised with MEA GMs and DLs (Development Licensees) to assist them in all technology-related decisions.
-Led continuous market engagement with local CIOs to:
o Share best practice
o Host subject-matter experts to share the latest IT and security technologies.
o Communicate regional project updates and statuses
o Ensure alignment of global initiatives and priorities.
-Built demand road maps and aligned with the Global IT functions for deployment.
-Liaised between the local markets and global IT functions.
-Created MEA Deployment & Training Center after the success of MEA deployment model.
-Member of MDS (McDonald’s Delivery System), a governance board in charge of the delivery platform enhancement (call center, online, web portal and mobile application).
-Initiated and ran a RFP (Request for Proposal) to identify a strategic regional partner to roll out the digital menu board and content management solution across 17 countries; throughout contract negotiations that included pricing, logistics, maintenance, support, training, etc.
-Developed and managed MEA Deployment Model identifying resourced, prioritizing projects, optimizing deployment methods and securing funding which resulted in USD 1 Million saving in the IT deployment cost.
-Roll out cashless solution on both in-store and online.
-Enhanced the customer digital experience by deploying self-ordering kiosk and Table Service.
-Led the deployment of the McDonald’s Delivery System and McDonald’s Delivery Application in 13 countries across Middle East and Africa.
-Upgraded the delivery portal and introduced McDonald’s Delivery application in Bahrain, UAE, Jordan, Kuwait, Jeddah, Riyadh and Pakistan.
-Led the deployment of NP6: an upgraded POS system that is considered the base of any new digital innovations and solutions.
-Reporting Directly to the Managing Director.
-Provided strategic leadership and operational management of the IT organization and systems supporting 25 restaurants.
-Successfully led the update of a critical system that had major setbacks.
-Maintained and supported all systems (infrastructure, hardware and software) for the restaurants.
-Continuously and proactively assessed sustainment of IT processes / systems.
-Established and maintained supplier relationship.
-Improved operations efficiency and effectiveness through the development of integrated business / IT
solutions in partnership with different business units:
o Development of an attendance system in the restaurants that is linked and integrated with the HR,
payroll and accounting modules in the Head Office.
o Establishment of a data network connection between all restaurants and HO for easier and faster
remote IT support and data collection (Accounting, Marketing, Purchasing and Call Center).
• Founded “RAM IT Services” call center to support principal client, McDonalds Delivery Services, among others.
• Executive management of entire company operations including financials, staffing and IT.
During my role as an IT director, I also worked in parallel with McDonald‘s International:
-Led successful deployment of a web reporting solution (WebCockpit) for APMEA regions / markets:
-Purchased, tested, customized and piloted third party web reporting solution to fit division / region
requirements. Administer additional market's requirements gathering for future releases.
o Managed end to end life cycle of project implementation and successfully went live in markets across APMEA.
o Provided level 2 support to local teams: "train the trainer" in project phase and ongoing support in
hyper care / sustain phases.
-Drove successful adoption of major technology required to support key business operational initiative, Made For You (MFY):
o Led end-to- end project life-cycle to implement required infrastructure, hardware, software upgrade
and configuration to support MFY initiative all over the region.
o Led region / division control over testing and the implementation of restaurant system upgrades, hot
fixes and new releases to markets.
-Ran first line UAT process for regions and work with developers to resolve any issues before publishing system modifications to markets.
-Provided guidance on market UAT testing and local implementation of system modifications and configuration and use of new features.
-Quality, Production and Marketing Management.
-IT & Pre-press Management:
o Implemented and managed Prinect Software (Complete workflow management system from Heidelberg).
o Restructured and implemented complete IT infrastructure automating business flows.
Successfully completed the training of AMPEA PM++ Project Management Course.
• Field of interest: IT, Management and Marketing. • Projects: o IT: Design and development of a database using Microsoft Access. o Marketing: Booking on-line for entertainment events in Lebanon (Full Web Design and Full Market Study)
