Mauro Cirelli

BATEEL INTERNATIONAL - OPERATION MANAGER (for) NEW DEVELOPMENTS - DUBAI / UAE - JANUARY 2015—CURRENT
My mission is to contribute in bringing progressive innovation and to support the expansion of this Premium café` brand.
- I report directly to the General Manager
- Devised and introduced Associates’ Sales Performance monitoring tools in March 2015*
- Led the pre/post opening projects for the Arabian Ranches café opening in June 2015
- Led the pre/post opening projects for the JBR flagship opened in August 2015
- Led the pre/post opening projects for the Call Center opened in February 2016 - including building of CC SOPs
- Responsible for the introduction of the Mystery Diner external audit started in March 2016 - including interviewing and testing partners and audit structures
- Responsible for the contractual restructure and introduction of delivery partners in April 2016
- Responsible for the Back of House external audit project started in May 2016 - including interviewing and testing partners and audit structures
- Responsible for the introduction of Bateel first Associate Engagement plan in June 2016
*These projects were designed to build strong ties between an improved average spend and a reduction of waste achieving (in the two locations piloted) increased pastry sales by 12.3% and 22.0% - Reduced pastry waste by 68.4% and 67.8% - Increased retail sales by 30.1% and 29.1% and Increased overall net sales by 3.5% and 38.5% in the said locations, all within a 3 month time frame.
Currently I lead ground-breaking projects around KSA, Kuwait, Qatar Call Center support, Catering, Grab & Go (conceptualization and start-up of new sister brand), Delivery, Packaging, Cooking Classes, Associate Engagement and Customer Engagement.

GENERAL MANAGER — PRET-TO-GO — DUBAI / UAE - SEPTEMBER 2014 - DECEMBER 2014
My role with PTG was to ensure a well-structured start-up operation and to secure the foundations for the implementation of the ambitious business plan of this Premium Grab & Go retail brand
- I reported directly to the owner
- P&L responsibility
- Responsible for the Pret To Go DIFC opening on November 22 2015
- Responsible for the recruiting process pre/post opening
- Responsible for competitor and location analysis
- Advising role on Design, Look & Feel
- Advising role in menu engineering and supplier negotiations
- Advising role in packaging and branding
- Advising role in Marketing Strategy
- Responsible for in-house marketing initiatives implementation
- Responsible for devising and introducing managing tools, SOPs and procedures
- Responsible for the day-to-day operation
- Responsible for service Training
Reason for leaving: Grab & Go was exciting but the time spent in PTG fulfilled my knowledge gap so when Bateel came calling with a compelling vision and mission, I decided to join them. Also, Bateel demonstrated time and again they really wanted me.

DEPUTY GENERAL MANAGER - BLACK IRIS CAFÉ` - DUBAI / UAE APRIL 2014 - AUGUST 2014 Responsible for the Business Development of the Black Iris brand, my mission was to upgrade all departments while ensuring the brand developed within its mission and vision. The BIC is a high-end coffee-shop brand
- I reported directly to the owner
- P&L responsibility
- Devised and introduced new reporting and monitoring tools including Sales Performance charts
- Devised and introduced marketing strategies and calendar
- Devised a menu upgrade
- Structured and introduced a Business Development Team to lead the various projects
- Introduced a Café Audit system
- Successfully negotiated an important concession with Etisalat as well as various suppliers agreements
- -Devised labor cost savings of 16.39% and 28.51% in two pilot branches via a "Smart Roster"
- Introduced a Retail Corner in all outlets
- Introduced the Green Apple table display and adopted a Green Apple as a Brand Message
- Engineered garnish in all menu items reducing cost by 74% while improving look and taste
- Upgraded the Maintenance reporting structure
- Introduced a new Service manual inclusive of 3 presentations:
1-What is Black Iris, -The Black Iris Working World and-The Black Iris 10 Steps of Service...all teams were re-trained to the new standards
Reason for leaving: I took the opportunity to join a start-up business where I could be truly challenged and learn a side of Hospitality I was not familiar with (Grab & Go retail)

Responsible for the in-loco and de-facto Project Management of all International openings.
Heading a team of trainers.
Recruitment and Training of all manpower (including Master Franchisors).
Managing all aspects of Pre-Opening and launch including establishing F&B and Management tools, meeting and choosing Marketing and PR Partners and building Suppliers Portfolio (amongst many other areas of responsibility).
The company runs a 42 strong franchised outlets portfolio and headed by a true Italian entrepreneur from whom I have learned a lot.
Recent project managed openings include Marrakech (Morocco), Abu Dhabi (UAE), Iasi (Romania), Nicosia (Cyprus), Toronto (Canada) and Alicante (Spain), Santo Domingo (Dominican Republic)

For a greater view of work done please visit my many C House photo albums on my Mauro Cirelli Professional Page on Facebook and my Linkedin profile.

BECAUSE OF THE PROJECT-BY-PROJECT OUT-SOURCING NATURE OF THIS POSITION, I WAS ALSO FREE TO PURSUE OTHER CONSULTANCY/ADVISORY ROLES, PROVIDED THEY DID NOT CONFLICT WITH THIS MAIN ROLE.

 BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT ADVISOR - Caffe` Del Gusto May 2013 - September 2013
Called in to improve and take to the next level this ailing Coffee shop business. Changed store layout and menu, improved all systems and devised a new marketing strategy amongst other activities. The feedback from customers was sensational (see Trip Advisor)

 AREA MANAGER - Made in Italy Restaurant Group - January 2013 - May 2013 Introduced, coached in and implemented (from anew) financial budget, 6 months Marketing Strategy and Calendar, Financial and QS Audit, Mystery Diner, Operation's Meetings, Sales & Trends monitoring tool, Hiring procedures.

 OPERATIONS MANAGER - C House Canada - September - December 2012
Tasked to lead the Executive Team in setting the foundations to develop the C House Brand in Canada, this challenging role encompassed every aspect of the business at senior management level. We successfully build the operation to become a hot-spot in Toronto.

 F&B MANAGER (Managing Consultant) At Ucecc (Abu Dhabi) 15 April / 15 May 2012
Tasked with the follow up after opening and setting the foundations for a new Food&Beverage division. I devised and implemented a new marketing strategy, negotiated discount structures with partners, achieved official partner status with Etihad, introduced KPIs.
 GENERAL MANAGER Made In Italy Restaurant Group December 2011 - May 2012)
Group General Manager of a 7 strong restaurant estate with the mission of modernizing and standardizing the operations. This challenging position came with the remit of introducing new systems and practices.

 MANAGING CONSULTANT at C House Marrakech Morocco May - September 2011
Consulting the proprietors and Franchisors in the opening of a superb 200+covers restaurant in Marrakech, the first international C House operation.

In a successful 11 years long career with this superbly professional High Street giant, I have managed 7 operations and won many important accolades.
PE Chislehurst, PE Maidstone (Jazz Club), PE Beckenham, PE Greenwich, PE Bankside, PE Dulwich, PE Charlotte Street

ACHIEVEMENTS:
 BRANCH OF THE YEAR winner in 2008 (357 participating branches) (all KPI measurables) PE BECKENHAM
 2nd best overall audit scores award 2008 (Financial, Quality&Safety and Operational audits, 357 competing branches - PE Beckenham)
 Area Winner of the Christmas menu competition with 4 different restaurants in 4 consecutive years (PE Charlotte St, PE Dulwich, PE Bankside, PE Greenwich)
 3 times quarterly winner of Campione Regionale (Regional Champion of Financial, QS audits and other measurable targets - PE Beckenham)
 3 times Area Most Sociable Pizzeria competition winners (PE Dulwich - quarterly competition)
 Company winners of the Romana 16" competition (385 restaurants participating - PE Dulwich)
 Winners of 2 Spend per Head area competitions (Quarterly - PE Dulwich)
 Achieved branch highest ever financial audit score at 92% (PE GREENWICH)
 Highest ever Financial and QS scores in PE Beckenham (twice), PE Greenwich and PE Maidstone
 Area Leader for Intros’ sales (from an average 4% to 9.4% in the last 20 weeks) PE Charlotte St
NEAR MISSES…
 Short-listed in the Top 3 "Most Extra-ordinary person of the year" (7000+ employees company-wide - PE Beckenham 2008)
 Driven business to be the 2nd best for Take Away sales from 4% to 5.5% (PE Charlotte St)
 Regional Runners up of the Francesco Mazzei Competition (85 branches - PE Charlotte St)
 Company Runners up in the of Romana 11” Competition (375 branches - PE Charlotte St)
HR…
 Hired, trained and Coached 15 staff members up to salary management (own initiative) and others into senior staff positions (FoH and BoH Trainers)
 Regularly used to coach company salary management candidates
 Responsible for various drives to increase the Spend per Head across areas
COMMERCIAL AWARENESS
 Devised and set up a “Friends of PE Bankside” club as a marketing drive (delivering up to 1% participation within the net sales)
 Contributed to the planning and implementation of a new Gelato impulse sales concept
 Driven sales from 18k net to 27k net average (PE Beckenham)
 Started and successfully developed a Tuesday Live background music day, a fine dining Wednesday Jazz-club and a Thursday comedy/art expo & pizza marketing drives. (PE Beckenham)
 Increased room hire business by £500pw PE Maidstone)
OTHER…
 Supervised a successful refurbishment (PE Bankside)
 Contributed to the openings of PE O2, PE Guernsey, PE Jersey
 Various Area tasks
 Responsible for the restaurant, Jazz club (120 seats) and Function Rooms. (PE Beckenham for 3 years)
 Responsible for the hosting and managing of acts including Stacey Kent and Jamie Callum .