Eqan Ali خان

Responsible to lead the business, turn it around and capitalize on the large consumer opportunity in frontier and emerging markets. The role entails managing Engro's agribusiness comprising a team of 150 people including Consumer Marketing & Sales, Supply Chain, B2B Export Marketing, Processing, Finance, HR/IR, Admin and GR/PR. The product lines include the Rice and Wheat value chains (commodity and value added consumer products) including the largest rice processing facility in Pakistan. I am responsible to deliver both the top line and the bottom line of the business and report into the company’s Board of Directors.

Key achievements include:
• Revisited the business model for adding Economic Value through better managing commodity price risk and improve margins through consumer staples brands, hedging, reducing cost of capital and defining commodity risk limits

• Developed a portfolio strategy including horizontal (consumer staples) and vertical (value added consumer products) to drive scale and margins and create value

• Developed a consumer staples marketing strategy to capitalize on the emerging middle class consumers in emerging and frontier markets - led the marketing and sales teams to cover retail consumers, Food Service/HORECA, B2B Exports and Wholesale

• Bench-marked operational KPI’s with the best in class to improve processing recoveries

• Developed export markets in UK, EU, KSA, Oman, UAE, Middle East and Asia Pacific focusing on retail, food service/ HORECA and B2B sales

• Restructured the business to reduce fixed costs and make the business competitive. Lay-offs carried out smoothly and motivated the remaining team to deliver on business objectives

• ‘Spirit of Engro’ award for leading the Retail and Wheat Value Chain studies at ECorp

The role involves developing the long term strategic business plan for the group, identifying and developing new investment opportunities, portfolio management recommendations, monitoring of business and financial risk, performance oversight of subsidiaries and cash flow management. It involves working closely with the group's President, leadership team and the Board.

• Developed Engro Corporation’s long term global strategy working with the company President and management team which was approved by the Board of Directors

• Developed three strategic pillars for Engro’s strategy including Consumer, Agri-inputs and Energy and developed Central Ideas for each Engro subsidiary outlining their role in the strategy

• Created buy-in for the strategy across subsidiaries and provided guidance to business development teams at subsidiaries to develop local and international opportunities

• Led a cross company team and developed an integrated agribusiness model from farm to the consumer table for creating competitive advantage. Recommended strategy for inputs, sourcing, trading & consumer marketing in multiple agribusiness value chains

• Developed Strategic Portfolio investment framework and provided recommendations to the Board for seeding, nurturing, pruning and harvesting of businesses

• Developed business turnaround strategy for the Rice business and initiated implementation working with EXIMP and EEAP

• Raised debt financing over PKR 10 BN (USD 100 MN) through retail corporate debt issues (conventional and Islamic), Banking partners and global institutions

• Raised Equity financing through leading IPO transactions at Engro and by bringing on board strategic partners for projects in the energy, foods and agribusiness verticals

• Led investment re-appraisals for the Ice Cream, Polymer, Urea & Power businesses; provided strategy recommendations to the Board and revisited Engro’s project approval & execution process

Responsible for P&L (Top line & Bottom line) of Fertilizer, Agriculture & Energy Commodity businesses with annual turnover of USD 300 MN. Led a team of traders & analysts for position taking/offloading based on analysis of macro-economic variables and industry demand supply fundamentals. The role entailed managing international trade, consumer marketing, pricing strategy, B2B sales, contract management, logistics, risk management, retail sales & distribution.

• Doubled contribution margin of the Phosphate business achieving record profitability through correct trading/pricing calls, higher market share & optimization of financing costs

• Improved business profitability for the NPK business unit by changing raw material usage mix, innovative sourcing, price skimming strategy and market development initiatives

• Led cross company team for evaluating international fertilizer projects, developed long term commodity price/cost forecasts, competitor cost curves & led commercial negotiations

• Studied trading and distribution models in leading fertilizer consumption markets including India, Brazil, EU and Asia and developed entry strategy for these markets

• Set up Off-shore trading company for international trade, Futures/SWAPS & Hedging transactions

• Set up Sugar and Palm Oil Trading businesses and concluded commercial contracts with international/local suppliers as well as B2B customers

Responsible for developing Marketing plans and achieve sales, brand health and margin targets. Lead agribusiness diversification initiatives and manage the market research function.

• Led the agribusiness diversification team to develop pre-feasibility study for Basmati Rice, Fruit Concentrate & Frozen Potato businesses

• Led Six Sigma Green Belt Project improving ‘Customer Conversion’ by 25% & ‘Retention’ by 50%

• Developed framework and instituted surveys on Brand Health, Corporate Reputation, Market Size Estimation and Channel Management

• Led Six Sigma Green Belt Project improving ‘Customer Conversion’ by 25% & ‘Retention’ by 50%

Responsible for managing sales, trade channels, distributors and BTL marketing in Punjab and NWFP. Lead a team of 60 sales professionals in the region to achieve monthly and annual sales targets.

• Provided record growth in both speciality and commodity products in the region

• Re-visited the region’s sales and distribution strategy to address channel issues related to product discounting and channel losses

• Developed alternate sales channels through strategic partnerships with sugar mills, Rafhan Maize and PepsiCo for joint promotions and sales of the product portfolio

• Developed a deep insight into the Agribusiness industry including value added processing, farm inputs, advisory and financing

Responsible to develop brand positioning, segmentation and communication strategies for ensuring positive, healthy, long-term brand equity to meet P&L targets for the brand. Also manage the overall Advertising & Sales Promotion function for the company.

Key achievements:
• ‘Marketing Excellence Award’ for successful re-launch of ‘NPK fertilizers’ under the ‘Zarkhez’ brand name and turnaround of ‘Zarkhez’ business from a loss making unit to a profit generating venture

• ‘Marketing Excellence Award’ for conceptualization and successful launch of ‘Zorawar’ - first branded MAP fertilizer in Pakistan

• Repositioned company’s flagship Urea brand improving its Brand health, sales and profitability

• Launched the first ever scratch card based ‘Consumer Incentive Scheme’ in the fertilizer industry improving market share by 5% during the target period

• Other Brand Initiatives include introduction of the concept of Branded Outlets, launch of a Consumer focused Company magazine, Brand Public Relations Initiatives and an Award Winning Calendar

- Responsible to manage Distribution & Logistics at the Urea production facility of 1 MT per annum

- Improved service efficiency lead time by 10% and reduced per ton freight cost by optimizing the logistics mix

- Recognized by the company for bringing in process improvements in Distribution operations

Managed key customer accounts including Unilever, Tapal Tea and Shan Foods

Performed market research for Sound & Vision, made recommendations for Channel & Brand strategy

Worked in Product management of Edible Oils & Fats and assisted in development of brand strategy

Assisted in developing advertising & promotion campaigns for key consumer accounts