Firas Haidar, Commercial Manager

Firas Haidar

Commercial Manager

The Sultan Center Lebanon (TSC)

Location
Lebanon - Beirut
Education
Bachelor's degree, Business Administration
Experience
20 years, 10 Months

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Work Experience

Total years of experience :20 years, 10 Months

Commercial Manager at The Sultan Center Lebanon (TSC)
  • Lebanon - Beirut
  • My current job since November 2016

Managing a portfolio of purchases worth USD 30M

Managing a sales portfolio worth USD 40M (end of 2016)

Developing product assortment across fresh foods and FMCGs in a way that ensures meeting customer needs and wants, drives and induces sales, while sustaining an optimal profitability.

Establishing business agreements (shared sales or rental agreements) with potential investors (such as Wooden bakery, Souk Al Tayeb, Rachidi, etc...)

Building yearly promotional calendars

Conducting weekly and seasonal leaflets/Catalogues

Planning seasonal activities and ensure they are properly implemented.

Managing the supply chain team and developing their ordering process to ensure optimal product availability across the line

Negotiating business agreements with suppliers on yearly basis (enhancing profitability), and developing joint business plans

Setting plans to achieve sales and GP targets

Managing a commercial team of 4 senior buyers and a promotions executive.

Senior Category Manager at The Sultan Center (TSC)
  • Lebanon - Beirut
  • June 2013 to November 2016

Managing a portfolio of USD 15M yearly sales and 11M purchases

Negotiating yearly contracts with suppliers and finalizing business reviews. An additional 0.7% points were achieved on total GP beginning of 2016 (deli department) 1 point to Bakery GP and 0.5 to dairy

Achieved a total growth of 11% to the sales of handled department in 2014 and 4% in 2015, and 4.5% in 2016

Managing suppliers account and sustaining strategic business partnerships.

Conducting trade deals on branded and non-branded food commodities.

Sourcing goods based on market’s needs/wants and store format.

Setting prices as per pricing guidelines and pricing strategy.

Mobilizing promotional activities with suppliers, which help attracting more traffic and inducing sales.

Ensuring optimal availability of products across stores.

Setting directions and guidelines to the operational team to ensure set targets are reached.

Reporting to commercial manager

Purchasing Manager at Al Othaim Markets
  • Saudi Arabia - Riyadh
  • June 2012 to June 2013

Achieved 4 additional points to total deli GP through contracts negotiation, cost negotiation, trade deals and retail audits

Recorded a 15% growth on total sales

Managing a team of 2 buyers

Setting monthly sales and GP targets and monitoring the daily progress in order to ensure the yearly budgets are certainly met.

Doing market researches, and taking proper actions on assortment, pricing, and promotions level to ensure market alignments.

Negotiating better agreements, which drive the company additional incomes.

negotiating better costs, which reflect on margins positively


negotiating better costs, which reflect on margins positively

Reporting to Fresh foods commercial manager

Senior Category Manager at The Sultan Center (TSC)
  • Lebanon - Beirut
  • September 2009 to June 2012

Negotiating yearly contracts with suppliers and finalizing business reviews.
Managing suppliers account and sustaining strategic business partnerships.

Conducting trade deals on branded and non-branded food commodities. .
Sourcing goods based on market’s needs/wants and store format.

Setting prices as per pricing guidelines and pricing strategy.

Mobilizing promotional activities with suppliers, which help attracting more traffic and inducing sales.

Ensuring optimal availability of products across stores.

Setting directions and guidelines to the operational team to ensure set targets are reached.

Reporting to Fresh Foods merchandise division manager

Head of Supply at The Sultan Center
  • Lebanon - Beirut
  • October 2008 to September 2009

Monitored and fine tuned the tasks of Supply Management team.
Responded to the team’s complains and concerns.
Championship of New System reports’ development project.
Increased product availability across divisions.
Monitored and supervised the receiving and movement process of home center shipments for new stores.
Monitored near to expiry issues and developed necessary SOPs

Corporate Category Manager- Fresh Foods/commercial department at The Sultan Center
  • Kuwait - Al Farawaniyah
  • June 2007 to October 2008

Handled the Deli department across corporation; managed a portfolio of 19.6 million USD sales (2007 records)

Managed the product assortment in terms of selecting and sourcing new lines/ranges, enhancing product presentation, developing promotional deals and setting competitive and profitable prices.

Handled foreign suppliers' account of Deli department through developing business relationships, and sustaining strategic partnerships.

Developed and negotiated agreements with foreign suppliers for year 2008 (pursued an average rebate of 2.5% on gross purchases)

Analyzed, rationalized, managed, and developed the foreign assortment of deli department across corporate.

Recorded a growth of 30% in "foreign deli" sales across Kuwait, Jordan, and Oman.

Conducted corporate business trips to Jordan and Oman, revised and audited the ordering books of Omayrat new opening store in Oman.

Accompanied the acquisition process of Monoprix and Giant -the biggest retail chain in Lebanon); a one month business trip was conducted to Lebanon immediately after the acquisition to issue, monitor, and follow up the orders of all foreign fresh food assortment.

Generated a detailed sourcing plan to replace foreign missing assortment in the new Lebanon's acquisition.
ss reviews.

Assistant director at moustache group
  • Lebanon - Beirut
  • September 2004 to May 2007

• Prepared franchising package in coordination with Franchise Business Consultants office.
• Established the international division, which managed and handled franchising proposals.
• Developed a Moustache exclusive buying loan program especially tailored for Moustache Clients.
• Developed company’s marketing materials and tools.
• Developed especial statistical reports, which were built in the MIS system.

Sales Consultant at Jubaili Bros
  • Afghanistan
  • August 2003 to August 2004

 Carried out a new approach to sales in the company through creating a new cliental data base across Beirut.
 Introduced new customers (NGO and International construction companies) to Kabul Branch.
 Worked as a sales consultant in Kabul/Afghanistan for six months and assisted in the branch management.

Education

Bachelor's degree, Business Administration
  • at Harriri Canadian University
  • January 2003

Specialties & Skills

Trade Negotiations
Management
Computer Skills
Negotiation
Sourcing and buying
selling
PLanning and budgeting
Management

Languages

English
Expert
Arabic
Expert

Training and Certifications

International Buying (Training)
Training Institute:
The Sultan Center (internal training program)
Date Attended:
October 2007
Category Management (Training)
Training Institute:
The SUltan Center (Interal Traning Program)
Date Attended:
September 2007
Negotiation styles (Training)
Training Institute:
The Sultan Center (internal training program)
Date Attended:
August 2007
Negotiation tactics (Training)
Training Institute:
The Sultan Center (Internal training program)
Body Language (Training)
Training Institute:
YUP

Hobbies

  • Reading