Ismail Sarhan

• Develop & propose strategic direction with high focus on 5-year timeframe, and full P&L responsibility.
• Providing a strategic direction, and effective management to drive the company's overall success, profitability, and growth.
• Create annual operating plans that support strategic direction set in collaboration with BOD and correlate with annual operating budgets; submit annual plans to BOD for approval.
• Take the lead across all aspects of the company by reviewing how departments work together to reach company goals and by coming up with fresh ideas that will set the company apart from competitors.
• Identify growth opportunities in existing and new markets, channels, and product categories
• Explore and leverage new business development opportunities within the region to expand the company's footprint and market share
• Build a positive & productive culture, listening to employee opinions, making adjustments, and recognizing the teams’ accomplishments.
• Lead & motivate senior team members to advance employee engagement & develop a high performing managerial team.
• Develop and execute comprehensive business strategies to drive market expansion, revenue & profitability growth.
• Identify and capitalize on emerging market trends and opportunities to maintain a competitive edge.
• Establish strategic partnerships and alliances to enhance the company's positioning in the food industry.
• Evaluate and mitigate risks to ensure the long-term sustainability and success of the organization.
• Prudently manage the organization’s resources within budget guidelines, controlling the financial performance of the company and developing profitability strategies.
• Setting, cascading, and communicating Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for monitoring the performance of functions and channels under supervision.
• Oversee all operations and business activities to ensure they produce the desired results and are consistent with the overall strategy and mission.
• Formulate and enforce company policies, ensuring compliance across all departments of the organization.
• Provide comprehensive financial oversight including budgeting, forecasting, and regular financial reporting.
• Oversee the commercial departments, ensuring the development and execution of effective sales strategies. Direct commercial efforts to enhance brand visibility, customer engagement, and market presence.
• Streamline Supply Chain processes for optimal inventory management and cost-effectiveness.
• Lead HR initiatives, including talent acquisition, employee development, and performance management.

• Responsible for the Full year P & L performance. Conduct monthly P/L reviews for the divisions and ensure achievement of planned top and bottom line. Lead the Division budget preparation process, ensure compliance through exhaustive reviews with CEO and suggest timely updates to the forecasts.
• Develop and implement comprehensive Distribution and Sales strategies to achieve annual revenue targets across distributive trade, modern trade, and HORECA channels, while ensuring adherence to budgeted costs.
• Develop, manage and lead the success of the Division Strategic Plan, achieve business KPI’s, optimize resources, secure/develop new business, and deliver profitability in line with Mezzan overall sales strategic direction, organization objective and plan.
• Responsible for managing and overseeing the operational aspects of the Sales, Brand Management, and Administration functions to ensure seamless delivery of operations
• Prepare and manage the annual budget for the Business Unit budget and secure subsequent approval, track expenditure and ensure adherence to the budget
• Collaborate with internal and external stakeholders to ensure seamless execution of services within and outside the Business Unit
• Identify and establish commercial opportunities and strategies within each sales channel to achieve overall sales targets across
• Monitor and analyze commercial performance, and provides regular reports to the management to facilitate and enhance decision making
• Supervise the merchandise planning process and all other parameters used for merchandise analytics to ensure seamless supply of products
• Oversee and monitor all aspects of brand management to ensure effective brand communication and penetration
• Ensure implementation of brand standards such as retail operations, customer service, product specifics, visual merchandising, etc.
• Oversee overall brand plans in the areas of pricing, promotion, assortment and allocation for each brand
• Manage the administrational activities to maximize operational efficiency as per the business unit’s policies and procedures
• Monitor and validate operational expenses to ensure that all the activities undertaken are in line with the policy standards
• Keep abreast of upcoming competitor services and products, new sales techniques, and market information through research, continued education, and professional growth
• Define goals and key performance indicators for each member of the team and ensures effective implementation of the Mezzan’s performance management process
• Develop talent within the team by providing guidance and coaching to achieve the defined goals
• Drives a culture of feedback and coaching in the Business Unit/ Department by providing feedback on an ongoing basis, identifying development needs and coaching the employees on the areas of improvement

Own P&L and accountable for Net Sales, Operating Profit, Profit Margin and Advertising and Promotion (A&P) spend

Lead the go to market strategy, developing and deploying a new product launch in the UAE marketplace including channel strategy

Build a comprehensive financial and volume forecast to facilitate product supply and supply chain needs

Develop, implement and maintain sales activities and marketing plans

Lead the development and delivery of annual share growth targets

Measure performance vs expectations and make recommendations on actions to address performance where necessary

Build and maintain long term relationships with current and new customers

Build and maintain strong internal stakeholder relationships as well as with key members of the Sales and Operating Process (S&OP)

Lead contract negotiations

Analyze information, prepare and present reports

Lead internal project teams

Develop annual Integrated Growth Plan (IGP) outlining the strategic direction, prioritization, and financial delivery

Lead partnership with agencies and the development and delivery of the Shopper Marketing plans and brands activation.

Responsible for developing and executing the sales strategy for Modern Trade in accordance with the sales target and forecasts.

Work with the Brands Owners (Principals) to ensure that the MT strategy is coherent with the total country strategy and that it results in sustainable profitable growth and market share gain. In parallel, work with the Brand Managers and marketing teams to develop the MT strategy that supports our brands’ objectives.

Full ownership of the MT P&L down to profitability ensuring the strategy set is translated in to an agreed financial model internally. Controlling all costs within the P&L - planning, tracking and evaluation to ensure yearly and monthly targets are met in terms of sell in and budget spending.

Driving the development and execution of trade plans and promotion. Accountable for the analysis of trade spending with the overall objective of maximizing the efficiency and effectiveness of trade funding/account promotions.

Lead the sales force dedicated for the MT channel to achieve the sales, distribution and visibility targets of company portfolio.

Organize, control and motivate team in order to achieve and exceed objectives in terms of revenue, market share and market penetration by implementing the MT strategy, and recommending programs for business improvement in MT.

Co-ordinates with the KAMs to ensure end-to-end management of KAs from development of sales forecasts to in-market excellence in execution.

Lead the development of effective and collaborative client relationships with a clear contact strategy.

Closely monitor the field execution and the sales force performance against the sales targets and requested sales fundamentals through management and coordination with KAMs to ensure KAEs and Sales Reps execute the sales strategy for KAs in line with the target.

Lead the CATMAN Project with top Brands and Develop in-store visibility plans in coordination with the Principals.

Managing the entire Royal Bakery business in Modern Trade, Lower Trade, Horeca and Private label.

Develop and maximize performance objectives such as sales volume, GP, contribution, trade spending, promotional plans, business development plans.

Maintain business relationships with all customers, negotiate annual business agreements, and plan promotional features with customers.

Manage P&L to deliver ROI within targeted budgets and work closely with finance team, marketing, and production.

Develop plans to build-up weighted distribution in each region/city/ and follow-up to achieve timely & effective implementation.

Develop, manage, lead, evaluate national RTM (Route To Market) strategies and communicate best practice and explore opportunity and potentiality of the market.

Ensure sales and distribution model in line with company strategies.

Recommend product lines by identifying new product opportunities, packaging, and service changes, and tracking competitors.

Manage and handle day to day key account activities such as listing, promotion, and share of shelf.

Manage the development of Royal Bakery to expand market presence and support the growth.

Optimize business performance in order to achieve company goals (including - sales, profit, new item listings, and Market share).

Conduct one-on-one meeting/ review with all supervisors and salesmen to build more effective communications, to understand training and development needs, and to provide insight for the improvement of sales and activity performance.

Provide leadership over the whole MT department and developing weekly/monthly/annual and seasonal sales targets, examining growth opportunities, enabling sales improvements, product mix development, and taking responsibility for the department’s performance against targets.

Maximize volume and revenue in key accounts by utilizing fact-based selling methods.

Activate national marketplace initiatives and promotions to build brand development and maximize brand performance.

Achieving/exceeding all key sales measures and targets for the national account (profit, net revenue, gross margin, 4 P, trade spends).

Negotiate customer agreements that deliver against annual operating plans.

Working in close partnership with the marketing and trade marketing functions to ensure development and implementation of customer category strategy and best in class 4P execution.

Developing the customer promotion, pricing and product launch plans, ensuring excellent implementation from Key Account Team.

Leading and developing the Key Account Team and Monitoring the Merchandiser Team.

Managing a team of 73 persons in addition to management staff of 6 Key Account Developers and 1 Area Manager.

Manage Key Performance Indicators (Sales, Return, Market share).

Costing, negotiating the yearly contracts with top Retailers and Department Stores.

Manage sales team in Lebanon, Qatar, KSA, and UAE.

Develop and deliver accurate Plan-o-gram, and deliver tailored Plan-o-gram’s for site specific requirements.

Oversee and maintain the highest standards of Visual Merchandising.

Maximize shelf space to increase sales and market share through space per product, product placement within the layout, layout design and store ranging.

Accurately assess product performance, Sales Analysis, set sales objectives and targets.

Set the Promotion and seasonal agenda, Work on new designs and liquidate the old one.

Products: Home Linen, Kitchen Linen, Light Household, Bath Accessories, DIY, Garments, Lingerie, AND baby care.

Drive sales in the Department by ensuring effective merchandise presentation and including accurate inventory levels, budgeting and forecasting sales.

Enforce and provide direction and guidance to Associates on proper Customer service approaches and techniques to ensure Customer needs, complaints, and issues are successfully resolved within Company guidelines and standards.

Provide supervision and development opportunities for management and Associates in the Department by training, assigning duties, evaluating performance, providing recognition.

Drive the financial performance of the Department by ensuring that sales and profit goals are achieved, including leading the management team in controlling expenses to ensure they are indexed to sales, developing and implementing plans to correct any deficiencies in financial performance in the Department, overseeing the creation of budgets, and participating in analyzing economic trends and community needs for budget forecasting.

Effectively lead, coach and develop a team of up to 15 people.

Developing and maintain strong business partnerships with internal and external partners to ensure that merchandise is optimally staged, ordering issues are promptly addressed.

Reviewing and reconcile sales, inventory and other reports as they relate to Key Performance Indicators for department in order to maintain profitability, identify trends, define problems and develop and implement appropriate actions.

Supervising Associates and work activity within department of responsibility.

Ensure the products availability in the Store, Monitoring the display and merchandising the products per category.