Brand Communictions Manager
Fitness First Middle East
Total years of experience :16 years, 10 Months
Managing the brand communications, Events, PR, Social Media, Online marketing and brand campaigns at Fitness First Middle East. Building on the highly successful brand name of Fitness First in over six countries in the Middle East, to a wide and varied multi-cultural audience. Developing strong brand associations through creative and strategic marketing campaigns.
• Managed the re-launch of the FFME website in 6 countries.
• Created and develop the social media strategy building presence on Facebook, Twitter, Youtube, Instagram and LinkedIn.
• Organised highly successful large scale outreach community events including flashmobs, charity events and Dubai’s largest ever fitness competition.
• Initiated and developed monthly central campaigns for both acquisition and retention.
• Managing the editorial content and distribution of the bi-monthly FFME ‘Sports and Fitness Magazine’
• Launched new products to FFME including Zumba, Health First, XFit, Swimming Academy and many more
• Significantly increased the media coverage of the brand in mainline titles in local daily newspapers, trade publications and monthly fitness magazines.
• Managing internal communications within the company to an employee base of over 1000+
Responsible for the marketing of training and educational courses to the UAE GCC and Middle East region.
Key Responsibilities:
• Developing Marketing plans and strategies to promote new products/services to UAE and GCC region.
• Creating marketing materials as part of the marketing plan.
• Coordinating with the design team to create all company branding materials and product specific materials.
• Managing the sales and administration team which includes seven employees. Driving, inspiring and motivating them to reach monthly sales targets.
• Managing the operations within the company including the scheduling, execution and evaluation of courses, recruiting locally based professors, and managing the production of course materials.
• Creating and developing partnerships with international UK based academic partners, including University of Chester.
• Developing new courses and training programmes to meet the changing needs of the Middle East corporate, government and individual market.
• Meeting with high profile government organisations to build strong client relationships
Working in the SABIS international school.
Key responsibilities:
• Devising syllabus plans and materials for the SABIS education system.
• Managing the expectations of parents and conducting meetings to ensure strong parent/school relationships.
Skills developed:
• Co-ordinating and managing a large numbers of students in a range of diverse and engaging activities.
• Working to strict deadlines under stringent working guidelines.
Working in the CRM Marketing department co-ordinating the Debenhams cardholder statement marketing materials, with the aim to increase loyalty and spend of cardholders.
Key responsibilities:
• Developing and implementing new ideas for CRM test mailings to increase incremental spend and to reduce cardholder attrition.
• Project managing the re-design and modifications to the cardholder statements as part of a highly successful re-launch of the Debenhams cardholder privileges.
• Liaising with printers to produce Point of Sale, statements and solus mailings.
• Controlling budgets and co-ordinating the design process from initial concepts to final execution.
• Creating design briefs for external agencies, liaising with internal buying teams to nominate key product lines for promotion, creating and distributing timing schedules.
• Working closely with external companies including GE Capital bank, design agencies, list brokers and promotion companies for third party offers.
Other responsibilities:
• Assisting with a new store opening, supporting with the recruitment and training of new staff, assisting with new brand advertising concepts.
2004 – 2008 University of Hertfordshire, England •1:1 BA (Hons) Marketing Degree. •Marketing modules including: Managing media and communications, Market and Social Research, Consumer behaviour for marketers, Direct Marketing, Retail marketing, and electronic marketing. •Wider Business modules including: Corporate Social Responsibility, Principles of Business Law, Managing Human Resources, Understanding financial data, Microeconomics, I.T for business and Sociology of work.