SERGIO ZAHR

Provide market specific inputs towards the design of company’s expansion strategy.
• Roll out expansion strategy in given market: identify, evaluate and contract new partners and drive market penetration with current
partners.
• Execute feasibility studies to ensure success of new markets including legal, local, government regulations and business setup process.
• Collaborate with all the areas to ensure accomplishment of the expansion plan as defined.
• Prepare annual budgets, provide ongoing results analysis and forecasting, and drive prioritization of investments through quantitative
business justification.
• Provide expertise on expansion and franchising operations, namely identifying best practices, and continuously exploring new
business model opportunities.
• Support Operations Manager in the building of institutional relationship with franchisees, including contractual issues.

Create and develop the strategy to open markets and stores in the Middle-East.

Focus on franchise development as well as the establishment of corporate properties. Also
developed and implemented strategies for growth in mature international markets.
Research franchise partners. Evaluate their financial and commercial potential.
Select real estate for corporate and franchise stores, including site selection, study of traffic flow on malls, and overall analysis of co-tenant quality.
Negotiate all leases for corporate and franchise properties with developers and mall management at President and Vice President Level.
Negotiate terms, including tenant allowance and free rent period.
Maintain relationships with mall developers and builders as well as brokers.
Analyse Profit and Loss statements to evaluate viability of each store.
Negotiate franchise contracts. Follow up the relationship with franchisees, the day to day business relationship once the contracts are signed. (Excluding operational).
Setup and lead quarterly meetings with all franchisees to follow up on performance of existing stores, discuss actions to be taking to improve performance and productivity.
Produce business plans for all areas with specific targets. Review and update the plan 3 times per year.
Negotiate budget for PR and Advertising with our partners and franchisees.
Work with the product department to educate them in the cultural idiosyncrasies
within each market.

Managing, controlling and overseeing the portfolio of operations for 10 Point of Sales. (2 mono-brand & 8 corners) at Bloomingdales, Harvey Nichols & Galeries Lafayette.
Improve the commercial performance of the stores by increasing sales turnover. working closely with the shop/ Store Managers for the day-to-day retail management.
Monitoring sales, brand performance and brand standards.
Driving sales and finding new ways to improve sales.
Leading and developing the team and meeting customer demand.

Responsible for International Franchise Development of Adolfo Dominguez in the Middle East, North Africa, Kazakhstan & Eastern European countries.

ACHIEVEMENTS:
Successfully Launched a new product line "Arabic collection" by Adolfo Dominguez for the Gulf Area through product development & sales analysis.

Led the Negotiation and ensured the International Franchise Development of the brand to achieve 16 new openings in META region (Middle-East, Turkey, Eastern Europe, India & Kazakhstan) and new market under negotiation.

Main activities & Responsibilities:

- Marketing activities planning, budgeting and implementing effective marketing strategy.
- Directing, monitoring and coordinating Opening events.
- Enforcing operation procedures with product managers. Liaising with them and ensuring adherence to all deliveries.
- Increase the franchisee business through efficient operations teams to support the franchisees.
- Cooperation with the buying/product department: comments of sales results, fashion trends and requests of clients, help with the product mix planning.
- Negotiation of future franchising partnership and contract agreement (researching new markets, finding new locations)
- Attending International Fairs.
- Conducting sales analysis and study of the business and competition environment.
- Daily operations & Sales Management
- Management of the brand through effective merchandising and marketing strategy to increase market’s share.
- Merchandising training/management, coordination & control over the work of visual merchandiser.

- Franchise business development (GCC Region) - Enlarged company's portfolio with five Spanish brands (Women & Men wear, Kids wear & Accessories)
- Spain and GCC market studies for new brands and new opportunities
- Brand hunting - Spain
- Negotiation of contracts for brand development in the GCC market.
- Attending Franchising Fairs in Spain.

Inventory & Logistic Distribution Supervisor.
Pricing Process Control & Sales report analysis.
Buyer for the retail shops (Women wear & Children wear) - Pasarela & Pasarela Junior. (Spanish multibrand store).
Market research & analysis both national (Lebanon) and international (Spain) - Brand hunting.
Establish long-term relationship with Spanish Suppliers.
Attending Fairs (Madrid, Barcelona) & Showroom visits.

Supervision of the Kids Shop-in-Shop. (Pasarela Junior)
Training courses for the shop/corner staff about the organization of the selling area & warehouse, selling techniques, customer relationship, visual merchandising.
Reporting and analyzing the sell-out data.
Kids Buying - Spain