Senior Manager Global Marketing Promotions
Etihad Airways
Total years of experience :22 years, 10 Months
A core member of the senior commercial team driving tactical activity globally by proactively assessing market conditions, monitoring competitor actions and daily performance. Manages an annual tactical marketing budget of over US$ 8 million. Reports to Vice President Marketing.
Highlights:
- Leading a team of 3 direct reports (specialists) supporting a team of outstation marketers. Specialization includes tactical promotions, database marketing, cargo marketing, recruitment advertising and events management.
- Steering the commercial strategy team involving sales, revenue management, alliances and marketing to analyze performance and identify tactical opportunities.
- Planning and implementing a global tactical calendar catering to multiple channels.
- Running post-promotion evaluation to assess real impact of sales and net incremental revenue.
- Conceptualizing, developing and launching virtual clubs within Etihad’s loyalty program - Etihad Guest - targeted at specific niche groups e.g. high-net worth individuals, football aficionados and front-line travel agents.
- Managing the development of trade marketing tools and overseeing sales blitzes run globally (across 80+ markets).
- Overseeing the development and execution of a database promotion calendar which includes campaigns aimed at acquiring members or activating members using recency-frequency-value (RFV) model.
- Supervising the planning and execution of a global integrated marketing plan for Etihad Cargo, with focus on branding, trade events and tactical activation amongst freight forwarders.
- Managing requirements of the recruitment team to hire top class professionals by organizing targeted media plans and creative based on the nature of the roles to be filled.
- Initiated and executed high-profile sponsorship assignments including Etihad’s brand ambassador Katrina Kaif as well as the worldwide premiere of Bollywood blockbuster “My Name is Khan” starring Shah Rukh Khan.
In addition to managing the communication requirements of specific divisions earlier, the role was enhanced to incorporate planning and execution of tactical promotions for the passenger division. Based on excellent performance, was then promoted to Senior Manager Global Marketing Promotions.
Started at Etihad with a remit that involved managing the marketing communication requirements of specific divisions at Etihad Airways, namely Etihad Cargo, Etihad Holidays and Recruitment & Emiratization. Line Manager - Head of Marketing Communications.
Aerovista Group is a private aviation company based in the UAE since over 13 years. Operating a fleet of Boeing 737s, the airline conducts charter and leasing projects throughout the Middle East, CIS countries and North Africa. Its customer base includes leading airlines, governments, NGOs and charter brokers from the region.
Was a member of the CEO’s management team focusing on revenue-building initiatives for the group via a diversification strategy, whilst ensuring the core business unit remained stable and profitable.
Highlights:
- Developed the group business plan which focused on expansion of the charter and leasing business and entry into ancillary businesses e.g. travel, DMC, commercializing flight operation support etc.
- Set up a new business unit - a travel and tours agency - which involved recruiting a professional team, securing necessary permits from IATA, BSP & local authorities, liaising with airlines, hotels and destination management companies and implementing financial management systems.
- Managed the launch of an innovative product - Aerovista Holiday Flights - a semi-scheduled holiday charter that offered exotic destinations with a pioneering in-flight experience at value-based-pricing for the summer months.
- Deftly handled media and external relations in the role of company spokesperson.
- Closed agreements worth over US$ 0.5 million in charter sales every month by developing new leads and strengthening ties with existing accounts.
- Prepared and executed contracts with clients to operate charter flights catering to varied customer groups including sporting groups, aircraft brokers and scheduled carriers.
- Liaised professionally with the operations department to ensure that charter flights operated smoothly as per schedule with client being informed periodically of progress of the operation.
- Developed and released marketing messages to customer databases using in-house resources.
Successfully completed a 6-month training program following which was placed into a then newly structured centralized marketing team. The role evolved into that of a project manager who was the single-point-of-contact for key projects involving senior management within the region and at HQ.
Achievements:
- Employee of the Year 2004
- Best E-Communications Strategy 2002
Highlights:
- Spearheaded the planning and execution of marketing communication strategies and plans for multiple channels within UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, Oman, Iran and Pakistan.
- Effective concept building and execution of integrated communication campaigns on an annual regional budget of over 1 million Euros covering above the line (ATL), below the line (BTL) advertising, online advertising, CRM activation, direct marketing and PR activities in liaison with commercial departments.
- Successfully executed multi-disciplinary ‘high-stake’ projects; such as integrating the regional roadmap during the Air France-KLM merger, launching new products (KLM Holidays, Boeing 777 and Airbus 330 service), re-branding of offices, revising incentive structures for trade etc.
- Managed KLM’s migration to a new joint loyalty program with Air France (Flying Blue) with minimal effect on service levels, whilst increasing membership by 10%.
- Represented KLM at the SkyTeam Alliance’s Market Coordination Committee to plan and execute joint marketing activities.
Courses completed: - Innovation & Entrepreneurship - Marketing Management - Leadership & Change Management - Ethics & Legal Issues - Business Research Applications - Advanced Financial Management - Management Accounting - Strategic Management in a Global Environment - eCommerce Business Models & Technology - Business Communication
- Graduated with honors "cum laude" - Recipient of the "Best Student of the Graduating Class Award" (School of Business & Management). - Awarded total scholarship of AED 50,000 for 4 years based on academic excellence. - Awarded "Most Dedicated Team Member" by the AUS International Community Club, '01. - Awarded the "Dean's List of Honor", '98 - '00. - Communications Manager and founding member of the Business Student Council, '00 - '01. - Editor in Chief and founding member of "The Leopard" (Official AUS Student Newspaper), '98 - '01. - Research Assistant to the Dean of School of Business & Management, '00 - '01. - Chief Organizer of the 1st AUS Career Fair, '01.