George Fares

Business Leadership:
• Developing and managing TM&D plans, resources and activities in order to deliver sales volumes, sales value and profit
• Regularly updating and validating the Route to Market strategy
• Contributing mainly to Demand planning
• Delivering next year sales forecast and budget in line with NPI’s and marketing/trade initiatives
• Developing and implementing trade launch plans
• Managing sales to deliver monthly/quarterly/yearly sales volumes and sales value
• Managing Trade Support Expenditures in line with agreed budgets
• Ensuring proper implementation and execution of agreed activities in key outlets
• Developed trade related processes for ISO certificate
• Establishing a reliable credible system of information that will be the basis of any trade/marketing/business decision
• Classifying trade universe between Trade Marketing and Distribution
• Developing and advising pricing strategy of core Brands compared to Competition
• Managing appointed Distributors
• Managing Modern Trade Channels
• Managing Traditional Trade Channels
• Managing Chocolate/Biscuits/Cakes/Gums/Oil categories
• Ensuring regularly product freshness and integrity in line with shelf life policy across the secondary supply chain

People Leadership:
• Managing a trade structure of 109 Headcounts split as follows:
5 Area Managers, 5 Sales Supervisors, 1 Trade Development Manager, 1 Trade Development analyst, 2 sales assistants, 1 key Account Manager, 1 Key Account Supervisor, 6 Key Account Reps, 1 Key Account Merchandising Supervisor, 8 Key Account Merchandisers, 1 SSS Supervisor, 12 SSS Sales Reps, 1 SSS Merchandising Supervisor, 13 SSS Merchandisers, 44 Cash Van Reps, 5 Wholesale Reps, 1 Wholesale Merchandiser, 1 HoReCa Rep
• Re-engineering the routes of Sales Force
• Providing clear leadership to Trade Team
• Have built close relationships with internal and external key stakeholders
• Providing direction and focus for Distributors in order to deliver the sales plans
• Ensuring Coaching culture embedded into organization

Trading in small apartments

Business Leadership:
• Developed and managed TM&D strategies & plans, resources and activities in order to deliver Iraq agreed strategic & volume objectives in relation to imports of BAT Brands and specifically targeted volume, share, and profit
• Developed and delivered the Route to Market strategy
• Contributed to developing and delivering the strategic planning
• Developed and implemented 2013 and 2014 Trade Operational Plans and contributed to 2013 and 2014 Business Operational Plans driving volume and profit, distribution and trade marketing targets in line with the Marketing strategies
• Developed and implemented 2011 and 2012 Business Operational Plans driving volume and profit, distribution and trade marketing targets in line with the Marketing strategies
• Planned and delivered Monthly and Yearly agreed In Market Sales and Shipment targets
• Managed Demand Review and 3 year Forward Forecast on a monthly basis
• Increased Kent sales from 9, 500 to 22, 000 master cases per month during 2012
• Managed and delivered Corporate sales with more than $120, 000, 000 turnover
• Managed Brand/Trade Support Expenditures in line with agreed budgets ($10, 000, 000)
• Developed and implemented a Retail communication and In Store Furniture strategy
• Ensured proper implementation of agreed activities of contracted outlets
• Developed and executed New Brand launches (Kent 100’s, Kent Nano, Kent Demi Slim, Kent Convertibles, Viceroy, Rothmans) as per agreed trade launch plans and KPI’s
• Developed and executed product recall plans, loss of distribution and end market contingency plans
• Established a reliable credible system of information that will be the basis of any marketing or strategic or business decision
• Implemented a handheld trade marketing and distribution automated system
• Developed and executed a Retail Census Plan in main cities across Iraq
• Developed and advised pricing strategy of BAT Brands compared to Competition
• Contributed to contract renewal with Distributor
• Started up BAT presence in Iraq
• Ensured regularly product freshness and integrity as per BAT standards and in line with shelf life policy across the secondary supply chain

People Leadership:
• Managed a Team of Direct reports (BAT): 3 Regional Managers, 14 Area Managers
• Managed a Team of Indirect Reports (Distributor): 2 General Managers, 2 Sales Managers, 98 TM&D Representatives, 5 Wholesale Supervisors, 21 Wholesale Representatives
• Established a Trade Marketing & Distribution Operation all over the country and separated it from the Sales Force
• Re-engineered new Journey Plans for Trade Marketing & Distribution Representatives
• Re-engineered the routes of Sales Force
• Provided clear leadership to Trade Team by clearly embracing the Iraqi Vision & Mission
• Built close relationships with internal and external key stakeholders in order to deliver business volumes and Trade Marketing & Distribution KPIs in line with Marketing strategies
• Drove direction and focus for Distributor organization and energize it to deliver the business plans
• Ensured Coaching culture embedded into Distributor organization
• Ensured development and training of Team as per BAT best practices and standards
• Ensured Marketing activities are implemented in line with International Marketing Standards (IMS2)

Business Leadership:
• Delivered Strategic Planning of 2009/2010/2011
• Developed and implemented 2009/2010/2011 Business Operational Plans
• Developed and implemented a Trade Marketing & Distribution plan which meets the company objectives in line with the L&Y Trade Marketing & Distribution strategy
• Planned and executed a Retail Census across Syria
• Changed the Wholesale Strategy more than once and consequently the Route to Market in order to ensure the continuous delivery of volumes in a Market where Dynamics are subject to change constantly
• Installed In Store Furniture units across Syria driving Lucky Strike & Kent visibility and awareness
• Developed, Managed, and implemented successfully a Cash Van program, that represent 90% of Sales to Retail, across Syria in order to improve Weighted Distribution of BAT Brands
• Developed Syria Business from 270 Million to 2 Billion stick of Global Drive Brands in 2010
• Increased Kent Weighted Distribution in Damascus & Aleppo from 30% to 80%
• Increased Kent Market Share from 1% to 4% in 2010
• Increased Kent In Market Sales from 1000 cases Running Rate at beginning of 2010 to 4000 cases Running Rate by year end
• Developed Lucky Strike Running Rate from 1250 cases in April 2008 to 10000 cases in December 2010
• Managed successfully the transition period from Lucky Strike Imported to Locally manufactured in July 2008
• Managed successfully the change in Lucky Strike from Blue to Red Seal design
• Increased Lucky Strike Market Share from 1% to 6%
• P&L Management
• Contributed to contract renewal with Distributor

People Leadership:
• Increased the Trade Marketing & Distribution structure by 6 Representatives during 2010
• Managed the Operation Manager and Own Team to deliver the required production quantities of Lucky Strike to cater for the increased Market Demand
• Managed a structure of 23 Indirect Overheads (Distributor): General Manager, Executive Manager, 2 Supervisors, 15 TM&D Reps, Warehouse Keeper, Finance Manager, Assistant to Finance Manager, Logistics Manager
• Route riding with Representatives, Supervisors, & Cash Vans
• Developed and implemented Trade Launch Plan of Lucky Strike Lights
• Managed key stakeholders, including GOT Commercial Manager, in order to ensure continuous LC in place and consequently ensure regular supply to End Market
• Ensured an effective and efficient execution by the Trade Marketing & Distribution Team of the agreed cycle objectives and communicate evaluation and performance to the TM&D
• Tracked and evaluated the performance of the Trade Marketing & Distribution Team to achieve the Market Trade Marketing & Distribution objectives/KPIs
• Developed and implemented a TM&D tool to record and track TM&D KPI’s
• In summary, positioned Syria among the top 10 markets globally that contribute to the overall Lucky Strike volume

Business and People Leadership:
• Improved In Market Sales from a declining to an increasing trend after 2 months of assignment: Pall Mall sales grew from 20 to more than 900 master cases per month
• Achieved the highest sales among the 3 Regions of Algeria, whereas West Region is the 3rd region in terms of market size
• Grew Pall Mall share from 2% to 7% in 6 month time
• Grew BAT pack facing share from 17% to 50%
• Managed central warehouse of imported goods
• Managed Security Supervisor and his Team of 4, Warehouse Supervisor and Warehouse keeper, Finance Executive, TM&D Assistant, 2 Supervisors, 5 DSS Reps, 4 TM Reps
• Developed and implemented a new WS Strategy
• Changed Business model from WS & Retail DSS to WS Distributor & Retail DSS
• Nominated and selected the Distributor
• Influenced positively on the selection of the 2 Distributors in the other 2 regions
• Implemented the new RTM post Distributor appointing
• Promoted 1 Rep to a Supervisor, and 1 Warehouse Keeper to a warehouse Supervisor
• Changed office to a new location
• Implemented the HR performance process as per BAT’s
• Developed and implemented a new TM&D tool to record and track TM&D KPI’s
• Developed and implemented an ISF Strategy
• Refreshed universe info in order to improve coverage
• Re-engineered Journey Plans of Representatives

Project Management:
• Acted as a Project manager of the “WS Distribution Project Plan” that shaped the whole BAT business model in Algeria

Business and People Leadership:
• Managed the only BAT Direct Store Sales (DSS) Retail & Wholesale operation in Levant/Yemen
• Delivered agreed yearly sales targets and shipments as per plan
• Managed Demand Forecast with very high accuracy leaving positive impact on the Supply chain and Operation
• Led the EMF2 process: the BAT planning process across JIP (Jordan, Iraq, Palestine)
• Developed and implemented templates that facilitate the Demand Review, Cycle Plan, and Pre Sales & Operational Planning
• Trained Area Managers about the EMF2 process
• Conducted a nationwide Retail census and coverage revised accordingly
• Developed and implemented specific incentive schemes to key Wholesalers in order to deliver agreed volume and influence distribution in specific Areas

Project Management:
• Acted as a Project Manager of “Jordan Distribution Project”
• Contributed to the PID (Project Initiation Document)
• Downsized the DSS structure from 65 to 30 Overhead post efficiency assessment
• Delivered New Business model with a different potential Distributor focusing on Wholesalers and Amman City, while Trade Marketing Reps are BAT resources

• Delivered to Country Manager the Strategic Planning of 2004 and 2005
• P&L management
• Contributed to the change in business model of Lebanon
• Contributed to the TM&D re-structuring
• Developed New Agent (Malitab) TM&D capabilities
• Developed the TM&D Team of the newly appointed Distributor
• Re-engineered TM&D Journey Plans
• Developed and implemented TM&D activities
• Delivered agreed In Market Sales and Shipment targets as per plan
• Contributed to the development of the TM&D HH system
• Developed and implemented a new WS Strategy
• Reduced TM&D Rentals by 50%
• Key Account management
• Removed On-Store signages with minimum cost

• Developed 3 year In Store Furniture strategy to rejuvenate and increase BAT Brands presence in retail stores across Lebanon
• Managed POSM warehouse
• Managed POSM inventory
• Managed Kent Agent (Abela)
• Contributed Mainly to the termination of Kent Agent

• Managed and implemented Trade Marketing and Distribution activities in assigned Area
• Managed On-Store Furniture in assigned Area
• Managed In-Store Furniture in assigned Area
• Managed 5 Trade Marketing Representatives and developed them to using Quantum (TM&D automated tool)
• Managed Wholesalers in assigned Area
• Managed Retailers in assigned Area
• Managed Key Accounts in assigned Area

• Developed a HoReCa Channel plan for 2001/2002 of the 5 assigned end markets focusing mainly on Dubai & Bahrain

• Developed and implemented a HoReCa Channel plan for 2000 focusing mainly on Greater Beirut and Batroun

• Managed TM&D activities in Key Accounts across Lebanon
• Managed Stands in trade fairs
• Installed In-Store Furniture units across Lebanon

• Launched Dallas, Dunhill Lights, Rothmans Lights, Peter Stuyvesant Brands in 1300 outlets in East Beirut, South Matn, and High Matn
• Achieved more than 90% Numeric Distribution
• Installed In Store Furniture units
• Increased facing share of Rothmans Brands by increasing the number of pack facing on own and competitors’ dispensers