Imad Melhem

In coordination with the Middle East office, develop, propose and implement the Trade Marketing strategy and corresponding plans across KSA retail environment to drive equity, company image, and relationships with retail, key accounts and wholesale customers, achieving sales, distribution & visibility objectives
Leveraging existing assets, develop an appropriate segmentation of the trade, defining channel specific objectives, approaches and trade activities per segment in order to increase sales and visibility in these segments.
Based on trade analysis, develop specific trade programs and monitor the progress and results of these programs in order to optimally approach each trade channel (e.g. customer engagement program, distribution / coverage program)
Leading in market coverage and distribution strategies. Key point of contact on all distribution workstreams leading the integration of IMB with distributor. Responsible for building clear coverage planning and reporting processes to ensure the most effective allocation of resources across KSA to achieve internal objectives.
Develop new and leverage existing in house data assets to derive opportunities in the trade / retail universe and build compelling business cases to deliver against commercial opportunity.
Propose and manage market budget with relation to Trade Marketing coverage and trade promotional activities in order to ensure the realization of Trade Marketing objectives within agreed resources.
Co-operate with all members of the ITG team in KSA and in Dubai ensuring proactive internal communications effective teamwork and participate actively in the development of the more junior members of the Department.
Ensure that solid image for ITG, as responsible corporation and preferred business partner, is built and maintained through Trade Marketing activities, by following Policies & Procedures, and performing activities in line with ITG Marketing guidelines
Overlook POSM material production and ensure dispatch and on time delivery. Monitor implementation in line with a time plan, and prepare and share communication guidelines
Pursue and lead customers in achievement of Base Business Objectives (Revenue, Share Growth, Distribution, Inventory Level, Optimal Shelving and Trade Deals)
Set BTL operation plans of consumers’ activities (Promoters). In line with BTL operational plan execute, follow-up, monitor all consumers’ activities and brand activation initiatives. Prepare monthly reports of achievements and on the ground follow up through regular field visits.
Localize training materials to match local market requirements and perform training sessions to field force. Follow it up with route rides with salesman and merchandisers and provide on the job training to ensure best practices are applied

Build up the country operation plan of a distribution drive “Core Range everywhere” for Imperial Tobacco brands “Davidoff & West” across DSD and Non-DSD channels.
Prepare full year volumes & distribution phasing, targets and plans for all channels (Traditional trade, Modern trade, Wholesalers & Independent Van Sales).
Phasing development and set execution plans for monthly ad-hoc customized solutions, monitoring the day to day follow up to ensure meeting timeline and targeted KPI’s.
Align and facilitate all forecasting, ordering processing and stock management task with distributor and ensure compliance with holding company guidelines.
Build up distributor follow-up dashboard score card enabling all key stakeholders to track achievement and setting evaluation metrics covering all aspects of the business.
Full budget ownership of the distribution drive initiative. Budget allocation for all the activities, justify and assess ROIs behind every activity through analysis.

Create and lead developmental business agreements with key account customers to drive volumes and market share.
Accountable for delivering revenue and volume targets for key account channel by focusing on sales drivers (distribution, visibility, merchandising and promotions).
Activated local and national marketplace initiatives and promotions to build brand development and maximize brand performance.
Analyzed business trends to develop a business growth strategy and market share in the stores.
Planned customer's business on an annual/quarterly/monthly.
Developed and executed annual sales plans and strategies.
Full ownership on spending and the creation and delivery of the accounts annual budget.

Plan & implement customer (traditional trade, wholesalers and IVS's) activities aligned with company’s Customer Engagement Global Strategy (Availability-Advocacy-Activation).
Ensure development and execution of Trade Incentive Programs for key customers, set KPI’s for the programs to contribute in volume & shares growth, (PPOSM & TPOSM placement, product availability, sales targets).
Develop account plans for all existing and new customers; key accounts, wholesalers and independent van salesmen. Initiate yearly programs and cycle-based ad-hoc programs to drive volume/profit/market shares and brand objectives.
Work closely with the sales and merchandising team to execute Trade Marketing calendar initiatives.
Ensure effective new product launches, line extensions on a country level through organizing category road shows/ presentations for the sales/merchandising teams.
Track, monitor, and report key competitor activities on a channel level, providing insights/plans to drive competitive advantage.
Identify killer Shopper Insight/actionable idea and develop in-store execution.
Effectively manage yearly Trade Marketing budget and maintain the successful end of year spending.

Trade Development Supervisor - KSA West

- Managing Trade marketing activates (trade rentals, universe expansion, PPOSM, TPOSM, wholesalers, Cash Van Operations, Promotions, Planograms etc..)
- Apply business and sales fundamentals (Planograms, Visibility, Availability & Distribution) across the Traditional Trade Channel
- Creating and leading Retail Programs to increase sales & and transform retailers into brand ambassadors
- Consumer engagement & BTL activation through handling third party agencies and dispatching promoters to increase the SOM of targeted brands and SKUs
- Handling all retail operations of PMI business across KSA West which contributes to 45% of KSA business (Jeddah and other west cities like Taif, Tabuk, and Khamis etc...) for the General Trade and Key Accounts channels of distribution.
- Responsible for a yearly budget of 3.5 M USD covering all trade rentals, retail programs and field activations.
- Managing a team of 8 executives, 30 merchandisers and 5 technical’s, that handles a universe of 1534 contracted POS responsible for trade rentals, awareness programs, sales fundamentals and in-store activations.
- Leading the implementation of Philip Morris International Commercial Approach Project (Russia Concept) in KSA West: market census, retail universe segmentation, market dynamics analysis, efficient and effective distribution, ROI measurement & assessment and business development road-mapping.
- In-charge of the development/enhancement of current/future retailer-specific programs to increase SOM of targeted PM SKUs
- Initiator of a special sales-booster program in Key Accounts which increased PM SOM by 5.7 pp in Q1 2014.

- Responsible for all trade activities across a universe of 200 POS covering 14 districts of Jeddah central area
- In-call mission responsibilities : contract negotiations, trade rentals, retail programs briefing and follow-up, in-store activation implementation, Planograms audit and adjustment and strengthening customer relations
- Deliver a quarterly review of KPIs achievement versus set targets, punctual reporting of competitor activities, recommendations of potential market opportunities and distribution expansion and analysis of the impact various trade activities on sales volumes and SOM.
- Received an award “TDE of the Year”