Senior Category Manager UAE/Oman/Qatar
Arla Foods
مجموع سنوات الخبرة :18 years, 7 أشهر
Promoted from Country Category Manager in Saudi Arabia to Marketing Manager Kuwait and Iraq. Highlights : • Improved company P&L through correct product mix and price adjustments • Developed annual marketing plans to achieve the organizational goals and ensure highest return on investment • Set up the marketing department and ensured alignment with regional office • Participated in all major commercial decisions being part of the management group • Instrumental in achieving 150% yearly sales in Iraq and 110 % in Kuwait Key Responsibilities: • Handling full marketing responsibility for Kuwait and Iraq • Controlling budget and ensuring effective resource allocation • Monitoring achievements versus committed plans and taking corrective action when necessary • Ensuring effective marketing-mix for all products in-line with business goals and strategies • Developing campaigns (ATL & BTL) and promotion concepts • Planning ATL investment strategy with media agency and coordinating with advertising/activation agency • Handling full coordination with regional team on strategy alignment and plans performance • Developing 5 year business plan and ensuring alignment with the global company long-term objectives • Analyzing the market and anticipating future changes and trends to create competitive advantage • Highlighting and participating in development of required NPDs and ensuring successful launch
Inducted as Product Manager and worked up the hierarchy to merit promotion to the position of Country Category Manager.
Designation Chronology:
December 2011 Present: Country Category Manager
May 2010 - November 2011: Product Manager
Highlights :
•Responsible for category profitability and growth through ATL and BTL marketing activities
•Instrumental in achieving 140% yearly sales and augmenting market share.
• Played a pivotal role in developing, planning and implementing a relatively new concept i.e, category segmentation in Saudi Arabia.
• Instrumental in acting as a member of a coverage project that resulted in increased distribution and sales.
Key Responsibilities :
• Devising department’s annual budget in liaison with marketing managers, ensuring all sales figures justify overheads.
• Initiating market studies to identify opportunities and competitors activities. Formulating and monitoring pricing, marketing and sales strategies based on the studies consistent with organizational goals.
• Researching market trends for innovating new products and upgrading existing line to anticipate competitor initiatives, minimize risk and maximize profit.
• Responding and catering to inquiries/ complaints from customers to ensure optimal levels of service and long term business relations.
• Instituting implementation of long term tactics to achieve the category's volume, profit and objectives.
• Ascertaining top line sales goals and bottom line profit goals are met, by recognizing profitability/ revenue impact of business opportunities and overseeing execution of brand strategies.
• Formulating mission, vision and value statement for the category in line with organizational policies.
• Directing and evaluating overall activities of category team inclusive of KPI, overseeing their performance and motivating them to accomplish set sales targets.
Key Responsibilities :
• Spearheaded the entire product development lifecycle encompassing gathering/ prioritizing product and customer requirements, defined product vision, product pricing and executing marketing strategies to enhance product penetration in the market.
• Optimized latest products and processes in consultation with the product development manager, directed and monitored every new product with first production run to successfully achieve organizational goals and objectives.
• Produced competitive analysis materials comparing product with its key competitors to ensure production meets output/ quality goals within allocated budget.
• Provided input for product planning, defining roadmaps, developing ideas/ strategies to support future product development, to meet defined sales targets.
• Kept abreast of new developments and trends to understand customer and market needs for assigned products.
Inducted as Senior Marketing Supervisor and worked up the hierarchy to merit promotion to the position of Assistant Regional Brand Manager.
Designation Chronology:
April 2009 - April 2010: Assistant Regional Brand Manager
February 2008 - March 2009: Senior Marketing Supervisor
Highlights :
• Played a key role in relaunching a product which is to be positioned in the market strongly.
Key Responsibilities :
• Spearheaded market studies to identify competitors and develop strategies to counteract potential business threats and prepared monthly report of performance parameters to the upper management.
• Devised marketing plan and conceptualized strategies to identify/ capture target consumer base while having a firm eye on objectives, based on extensive research of marketing processes.
• Developed an integrated range of brand marketing concepts/ advertising strategies in coordination with the research agencies.
• Analyzed competitors' products and services, capitalized on evolving market trends and consumer demands, networked extensively among target clientele to enhance product penetration in the market.
• Planned and executed public relations activities, sponsorships, direct marketing, media planning and exhibitions to promote a positive image of the company.
• Kept close tabs on market dynamics, trends and competitor strategies. Collated information and formulated strategies to optimize performance parameters and business outputs.
Key Responsibilities :
• Identified primary thrust areas of business based on market research and competitor analysis. Helped with the design and implementation of strategic marketing and business development measures to optimize sales.
• Supervised and evaluated overall activities.
• Generated revenues, maximized profit margins by identifying high potential sales opportunities and prioritizing them.
• Ascertained top line sales goals and bottom line profit goals are met, by recognizing profitability/ revenue impact of business opportunities and overseeing execution of brand strategies.
• Kept close tabs on market dynamics, trends/ competitor strategies. Collated information and formulating strategies to optimize performance parameters/ business outputs.
• Conducted periodic sales review and drafted sales analysis report in order to keep the upper management abreast of all sales initiatives of the department.
Highlights :
•Successful in achieving 30% above yearly target.
• Played a pivotal role in maintaining excellent relationship with the top clients.
Key Responsibilities :
• Assisted the sales and marketing manager in developing and implementing an integrated range of marketing concepts, methodologies and sales strategies consistent with the overall goals and objectives.
• Supported the senior manager in planning, budgeting and implementing promotional and marketing ventures for new and existing products.
• Conceptualized new/unique ideas for new product releases, planned and devised promotions, competitions and offers to catch the attention of the customers and drive consumer.
• Devised targets, monitored performance against budgets, submitted variance reports to the senior management.
• Resolved customer complaints by performing required action and ensured that appropriate changes are made to resolve issues faced by them.
• Ensured all service clauses are duly adhered to and all customer complaints are addressed within a reasonable time frame.
• Kept abreast with competitor initiatives and market trends to formulate long and short term strategies for enhancing organizational revenues.
Key Responsibilities :
• Provided administrative support to the students in an accurate and timely manner, prepared daily mail, filing and general correspondence.
• Assisted in the development and implementation of reporting procedures while assuring strict adherence to policies and procedures.
• Ensured compliance with university’s policies/ procedures and ethical practices.
• Kept abreast of all office transactions and issues, receiving and reviewing reports, maintained up-to-date records and supervised internal disciplinary machinery.
Previous Professional Experience :
• July 2005 - September 2005, Internship with M M Accounting Firm, Tripoli, Lebanon.
• October 2004 - February 2005, Lab Assistant with University of Balamand, Tripoli, Lebanon.
Trainings and Certifications : • Leading Others Workshop,2014 • Category Management Practice's Workshop,2010. • Project Management Skills, 2009. • Problem Solving Skills, 2009. • Successful Product Launch workshop,2008. • Time Management Skills Training,2008.