Hicham Ghazal

Assumes responsibility for the organization marketing activities and oversees the development and delivery of a fully integrated marketing strategy for the business. Regional responsibility for all Brand management, Advertising & Communications.

Selected Contribution:

• Brand growth: Achieved highest growth rates in Key GCC markets & India in 2018 & 2019 putting an increase over increases happened in previous years.

• Purposeful Innovation: Reimagining food innovation by Developing and launching a new Thematic approach that drove profitable traffic growth and enhanced guest loyalty (Best.First.Only). Moved from testing 6 programs/products a year to 6 every month in key business units leading to healthy pipeline that’s tested with proven results. Led the thinking & supervised the execution of the most complex offering change SUBWAY has done in the last decades. 40 changes including 20 new items that led to a complete enhanced offering to revitalize the core and come up with enhanced experience across GCC.

• Brand Visibility: Worked closely with business units Heads of Marketing and Agency partners to reconstruct our connection plans and how we engage with our guests which led to increase in Brand Awareness (8 points up in 2 years) and Visitation. Partnering along with the Global CMO and counter parts in other regions on the new brand positioning, model & architecture.

• Compelling Value: Enhanced the region score on value perception across all Key markets by introducing the “barbell” strategy which helped the brand steal shares, retain heavy users & maximize profitability with Quality, Price & Abundant Value.

• Brand Modernization: Laid the game plan and led on multiple initiatives to help evolve the brand. This included Own online ordering platform, loyalty app, Kiosks, Curb side ordering, new menu design/DMB & Visual identity.

In charge of the brand strategy and all marketing & communications across all platforms providing strategic, practical and creative direction of an integrated brand communications plan to maximize the impact and value across 17 countries.

While the QSR industry has been facing challenges globally and on a regional Level, we’ve managed to better position the brand in the last 3 years doubling our restaurants count with a solid increase in market share and sales of over 10% year over year reaching 700 stores.
Led the efforts on building an overarching strategy that goes beyond marketing touching all pillars of the brand including experience, product and messaging; generating aggressive growth in market share driven by increasing sales (10% YOY) and expanding network of shops (over 700).
• Brand Strategy: In charge of the Brand strategy development across all countries; delivering marketing and communications plans for the brand including positioning, new product development, menu architecture, personalized marketing platforms. Regional leader of the global Brand Revitalization working on the new verbal & visual brand identity. Overlooking the brand social & digital media strategy to ensure engagement, reach and emotional bonding.
• Brand Objectives: Build brand business & communication objectives that translate into actionable plans for each country. In the last 5 years, the brand has more than doubled its market share, spontaneous awareness and loyalty. Member of the System Advisory Council that provides direction on long term plans and creates the “Big Plays” that form each country Projects & Key actions.
• Leadership: Provide strategic leadership and direction to agencies, marketing boards, R&D, pricing & promotion committees, marketing teams and IPC (Independent Purchasing Corporation - a franchisee owned company in charge of supply chain).
• Strategic Planning and Execution: Partner with key stakeholders to develop short and long term marketing and media plans. Work with Agencies, Regional Offices, HQ, IPC, Development Agents, and boards to develop strategies and tactics. Lead program execution, key meetings and Big Plays. Overseeing implementation of the Marketing strategy - including campaigns, events, digital marketing, PR and guidance of the day to day activities of the marketing team.
• Media Strategy: Overlook media planning and overall strategy of advertising and commutation including social, digital, broadcast & offline with a 10 millions+ USD budget. Managed to save 3 Million AED in UAE yearly media budget by adopting a strategy based on reach and brand experience points. Conducted the first Market Contact Audit study among QSRs in the region allowing us to measure the exact effictiveness of each media contact across different platforms. Achieved higest Ad awareness despite the fact that competition outspends us 6 times.
• Campaign Solutions: Delivered Campaign solutions that are targeted and single minded to multiple consumer segments which enabled the brand to get access and maximize reach leading to profitable growth. Managed to build & sustain Pan Arab communication positioning the brand as “better for you” QSR option with a consistent experience across GCC and Levant area. Designed multiple brand campaigns that delivered on perceiving the brand as better, accessible & crave-able.
• Menu Structure: Head the development and evolvement of menu and new products based on consumer research and CLTs including menu mix, trials and launch of new items. Restructured the menus across the GCC and leveraged off peak hours by introducing Breakfast, snacking menu, catering while focusing on the core business in a simplified approach.

In Charge of Marketing and Advertising of SUBWAY® in Middle East, Africa, Pakistan and Turkey. Work hand in hand with HQ (Milford-USA) and our Development Agents & Franchisees in each country/market. Lead planning for marketing calendars, media, product testing on a Regional & National levels. Partner with franchisees and development agents in growing profitable same store sales. Make sure that the people in the position to make crucial decision received the proper training that included sound development of marketing plans, profit analysis, understanding customers’ needs, marketing templates, motivation programs. Prepare annual business plans and oversee implementation; act as the regional analytical expert by leading local market level analysis and providing recommendations that position the market to make the appropriate business decisions.