Issam Kanafani, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, PRODUCER, COMMERCIAL PHOTOGRAHER

Issam Kanafani

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, PRODUCER, COMMERCIAL PHOTOGRAHER

REFRACTIVE SHADOWS

Location
Saudi Arabia - Jeddah
Education
Diploma, SCUBA Diving
Experience
32 years, 6 Months

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Work Experience

Total years of experience :32 years, 6 Months

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, PRODUCER, COMMERCIAL PHOTOGRAHER at REFRACTIVE SHADOWS
  • Saudi Arabia - Jeddah
  • My current job since October 2007

Entrepreneurial executive and business owner with more than Ten years of experience managing sales, marketing, operations, finance, and creative departments in the field of film making and professional commercial photography.

This was due to a legal dispute with my previous sponsor, which enforced me to embarked my very first journey in the field of visual world and media production.

Just then, I transformed my passion into a professional career and became an entrepreneur. Setting the foundation for years ahead, I became fully responsible not just for market demands, but directly involved the day-to-day business operation on top of projects execution including, but not limited to concept development, advertising brainstorming, execution of products campaigns, corporate videos, and documentaries.

Worked closely with advertising agencies, and direct clients alike towards achieving set corporate targets while utilizing visual marketing aids and materials.

COUNTRY SALES MANAGER at ZUHAIR FAYES PARTNERSHIP
  • Saudi Arabia - Jeddah
  • February 2007 to September 2007

Lead, guide, and supervise the sales teams throughout the Kingdom to promote professional governmental and enterprise IT consultation and solution services, while coordinating with the executive management on
strategic selling approach based on market demand and change.

Seminars planning, and conducting to further educate, promote, and support exciting clients, and generate new leads. Assisted sales team members with the closing stage. Directly responsible for the dept. P&L.

REGIONAL MANAGER at GULFNET SOLUTIONS
  • Saudi Arabia - Jeddah
  • April 2005 to February 2007

In April 2005, I joined GulfNet Solutions, a leading network security provider and a premiere web development company as a regional sales manager to further promote the products and services offered by the company.

Later, I was promoted to Regional Manager to drive the
corporate vision, strategy and execution with clear metrics in order to promote offered brands, presence and capture incremental market share.

Responsible for managing the company’s regional sales force and corresponding technical team, and support within the organization. Maintain, manage, and develop new clients within the wester region of the kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

SALES MANAGER at KAHMAS TECH & ELECTRONICS
  • Saudi Arabia - Riyadh
  • August 2004 to August 2005

Kahmas, a high tech IT service provider, and part of Ez Sahra Group of Companies, focused on providing classified, military class highly sophisticated IT and communication solutions to the government sectors, mainly Ministry of Defense and Aviation, National Guard, and Special Security Forces.

As a sales manager, I managed the coordination and IT solution designs and structures between the governmental entities, and vendors like Boeing Defense Space & Security (BDS), British Aerospace (BAE Systems), and Lockheed Martin.

Upon contract fulfillment, Kahmas Technologies & Electronics dissolved its operations within the Kingdom and had to further pursue my professional career focusing on enterprise and corporate accounts.

REGIONAL SALES MANAGER at WESTERN ELECTRIC SAUDI ARABIA & HOI
  • Saudi Arabia - Jeddah
  • November 2000 to August 2004

WESA is a joint venture company between A. S. Bugshan & Bros. and Lucent Technologies International.

Specialized in delivering total IT Infrastructure, based on most sophisticated communication technologies and demands. Provided a full range of voice, Data, Voice over IP, DSL, Video on Demand & wireless data communications within cities.

Personally in charge of achieving the branch targets from sales and presence in the western region, while handling the regional office administration and other related tasks. As Lucent Technologies fazed out from the Saudi Arabian Market, I was reallocated to join House of Invention, another A. S. Bugshan & Bros. company as a Business Development Manager providing similar solutions to further assist in the business development and sale.

PUBLIC RELATIONS & ADMIN MANAGER at MSO COMPUTER 2000
  • Saudi Arabia - Riyadh
  • November 1995 to August 2000

Played a major role in the development, setup and organization of Computer 2000 since its conception in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Established a large client base during that period.

Contributed significantly to the monthly company sales target of 1.5 million US Dollars in hardware, software and computer accessories. Later, after the merger of Computer 2000 and MSO, I was promoted to a Sales
Supervisor and later became the Public Relations and Administration Manager.

Some of my responsibilities is to plan and organize public seminars on the latest technologies and to coordinate and organize training programs between the vendors and resellers, as well as being directly involved in the large corporate accounts. In January 97, MSO and Computer 2000 dissolved the partnership.

At that time, I redirected my efforts to selling and managing Microsoft Select Accounts at MSO.

STUDENT EMPLOYEE at LOUISIANA TECH UNIVERSITY
  • United States - Louisiana
  • November 1992 to December 1994

While pursuing my education, I managed to secure a part time student employee position at the Student Center Office in charge of several administration and technical tasks.

To name a few, I was appointed as the Student Center night shift manager, audio & video system operator and repairman, 16mm lm theatre operator, assisted in banquet setups.

Orientation leader for new students on-campus. Repairman of the 12 lanes bowling alleys, and electronic coin arcade video games.

OPERATIONS COORDINATOR at SAUDI ARABIAN TRADING & CONSTRUCTION CO.
  • Saudi Arabia - Riyadh
  • October 1990 to September 1992

Upon completing my high school studies, excited and ready for college life, the first gulf war broke out.

Hence, I had the opportunity to secure an entry level administrative job at SATCO to help and assist in providing accommodation and catering services to the American and British troops on the Kingdom of Saudi Arabian soil.

My responsibilities included, but not limited to the coordination between troops administration and corporate maintenance department, and the fulfilment of such maintenance requests of residential compounds spread around Riyadh region, while ensuring the delivery of quality catering and food services to such troops.

October 1st, 1991, as most troops evacuated the Kingdom, I was reallocated to serve as operations and maintenance coordinator at Special Security Forces Project under the Ministry of Defense and Aviation (MODA).

In charge of maintenance requests, staff management
and dispatch to serve and maintain over 150 residential building and facility around the complex of The Special Security Forces. Such requests included electrical, plumbing, carpentry, and several construction works.

Education

Diploma, SCUBA Diving
  • at PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR DIVING INSTRUCTORS (PADI)
  • April 2016

The PADI Master Scuba Diver Trainer rating sets us apart as a dive instructor who takes continuing education seriously and is committed to teaching a variety of courses. Being an MSDT signifies that I possess the experience and certifications to offer all the training a diver needs to become a Master Scuba Diver – the ultimate recreational diver rating.

Bachelor's degree, Management Information Systems
  • at Louisiana Tech University
  • February 1995

Business Economics I & II, Accounting, Introduction to Management, Business Law, MIS, Computer Graphics, Quantitative Analysis.

High school or equivalent, Electronics Technology
  • at Computer & Engineering College
  • June 1990

General Mechanics, General Electricity, Applied Electronics, Television, Electronic Design, Professional Technology, Practical Work, Logic Circuits, LAN & WAN Design.

Specialties & Skills

Maintenance
Electronics
Photography
Scuba Diving
BUSINESS MANAGEMENT
STRATEGY DEVELOPMENT
GENERAL MANAGEMENT
ACCOUNT MANAGEMENT
SALES MANAGEMENT
MATRIX MANAGEMENT
PEOPLE MANAGEMENT
STRATEGIC PLANNING
NEGOTIATION

Languages

Arabic
Expert
English
Expert
French
Intermediate

Memberships

PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR DIVING INSTRUCTORS (PADI)
  • Master Scuba Diver Trainer
  • January 2000