Ali Hadi ABU DHABI -UAE

Reem Island – Marina Square Phone: +971 (50) 197-0853

alihadi10@hotmail.com

Languages: English, French & Arabic Nationality: Canadian

OBJECTIVE

A Management or Executive Position where acquired expertise, commitment to excellence, and business profitability will have valuable application

PROFILE

Over 33 years of experience in Home Wares and Furniture

Business consulting for general managers, and preparing any business project

Extensive professional experience in the management, marketing, and general operation of a diverse as including Senior Buyer, Retail Operations Manager & Market Research Manager with a demonstrated record of success and profitability

Proactive and multilingual leader with experience in multi-cultural workplace and global environments

Team player, self-motivated, quick learner who is organized, detail-oriented and able to look at the big picture at the same time

Excels in utilizing information technology to automate controls and data processing

Excellent in Strategic & Tactical planning, Valuation & Reporting, Respond to Changes, Inventory Control, Financial Analysis, Budgeting Control, OTB & Merchandising Planning, Improvement in Buying & Selection

Managed to produce home wares products, and make design selection for private label

Introducing and developing the relation with foreign markets, specializing included all middle east markets

COMPUTER KNOWLEDGE

Adobe Photoshop ● Navision 2009

Lotus 123 Database ● Retail Pro 2009

Windows Operating System

MS Office (Word, Excel, Access & PowerPoint)

EDUCATION

General Accounting 2011

Fakhridin Technical Institute, Lebanon Specialization: Accounting

Ali Hadi +971 (50) 197-0853

High School Diploma 1979

National Union Secondary, Lebanon Specialization: Maths

English Language Certificate 1989

Greater Montreal Language School, Canada Specialization: Advanced English

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Senior Retail Manager 2010 – Present LIWA Trading Enterprises L.L.C., United Arab Emirates Dwell & Think kitchen

Managing all home brands UAE, QATAR, BAHRAIN, KUWAIT, SAUDI ARABIA all GCC & MIDDLE EAST with Liwa Enterprise, "Dwell (Multi Brands for Home Bath & Bedding) & Think kitchen (Canadian Franchise)"

Key Accountabilities o Achieve targeted sales for respective brands; Improve gross margins o Improve footfall conversion for respective brands o Adherence of visual standards as per brands requirements o Improve stocks turns for respective brands o Approve assortment planning; Enhance brand promotion and marketing activities o Build and maintain relationship with key personal of licenses, principles, etc…

Supervisory Activities o Monitor OTB calculation done by buyers / asst. buyers o Ensure proper assortment planning and inventory budgeting by buyers / asst.

buyers o Ensure proper allocation of merchandise based on sales trends and demand o Plan customer loyalty programs and merchandise return from stores to

warehouse o Ensure customer surveys are undertaken and implemented across stores o Ensure proper equipment and fixture planning for new stores o Ensure that visual standards are communicated and implemented across stores

directly and through visual merchandiser o Visits stores regularly and understand key issues with brands o Meet few customers to again first hand understanding of brand performance,

gaps in assortment and merchandise, customer services, etc... o Communicate issues to Merchandise manager / Asst Merchandise manager and

plan course of action o Ensure regular training is provided to buyers, operations team, visual

merchandiser etc, as required

Execution Activities o Undertake sales forecasting and monitoring levels across select brands o Undertake pricing for brands based on pre-defined markups o Participate in setting sales targets for specific brands o Undertake stock transfers across locations based trends and inputs from buyers

/ asst. buyers

Ali Hadi +971 (50) 197-0853

o Implement marketing cross selling activities and media planning activities for advertising by coordinating with marketing coordinator

o Undertake promotions across along with assistance from asst. brand manager. / Buyers

o Undertake competition and store visits on a regular basis and take appropriate action

o Coordinate with freight supervisor to track merchandiser ordered o Provide inputs to merchandise manager and asst. merchandise for improving

brand performance & understanding brand rationalization / evaluation

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE (continued)

o Build and maintain relationship with external agencies including supplier principals, show sponsors, magazine editors etc…

o Undertake problem solving activities related to asst. brand managers and buyers o Assist projects manager and provider inputs for new store opening o Prepare and forward MIS on a pre-defined basis as required

Coordination Activités o Coordinate with marketing coordinator for execution of marketing and

promotional activities o Coordinate with visual merchandiser for execution of visual merchandising

activities and changes in display for specific brands. o Coordinate with International business manager to support problem solving in

other countries o Coordinate with operations team to understand customer preferences & buying

behavior o Coordinate with projects manager to communicate inputs related to new state

opening o Coordinate with principals / suppliers / external entities for assistance required

carry out roles efficiently o Coordinate with principals / suppliers on a regular basis for store supplies

Unit Commercial Manager 2004 – 2010 Al-Sawani Group, Saudi Arabia

Managing all home brands with Al-Sawani Group: Al-Sawani Department Stores, “Domvs”, “Roche Bobois” & “Al-Saha”

Trained and managed 4 buyers for home departments and achieved significant improvements in their productivity

Evaluation of productivity for all home brands and finding solutions for sustained growth

Managing purchasing for each brand

Directing and managing all activities of showrooms

Preparing strategy plan for each brand, making yearly plan and sales forecasts with each home department buyer, budgets for each showroom and sales staff motivation

Executing daily Operations for each brand, shop, location area, regular meetings with team about problems

Negotiating contracts between company and suppliers, also market authority concerning any new brand

Studying and searching for new locations for expansion of our stores

Ali Hadi +971 (50) 197-0853

Studying and preparing a preliminary evaluation for any new brands to enter the business o Departments & Categories Managed

Bed Linen, Bath Towels & Accessories; Tableware, China ware, Crystal, Cutlery Glass ware & Table Top; Cook ware, Kitchen Linen & Accessories; Lighting, Electrical Appliances; Novelties, Giftware & Party Supplies; Home & Office Accessories; Toys (Boys & Girls), Sporting Goods, Furniture: Children’s, Occasional & Garden, Hardware materials, Natural Plants & Flowers.

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE (continued)

Purchasing Manager 1988 – 2004 Al-Sawani Group, Saudi Arabia

Responsible for all Purchasing for the Home Division

Managed a group 120 brand, trained & developed brand managers on sales, purchasing & managerial skills in Saudi Arabia

The capacity for my division is 45,000,000 SR. And the stores number it is 15 in term of operations

Follow-up the latest global trends for home fashion

Manage private label linen collections and home accessories according to the latest trends

Distribution and Merchandising of Home products for all (15) department store branches

Preparation and follow-up of consolidated and individual store budgets

Review of sales performance versus forecast and analysis of variances

Establish quarterly Action Plans for business focus

Purchasing for (4) new Discount Stores

The position involved extensive travel to overseas markets and attending trade fairs in USA, Europe & Far East

Sales Manager 1984 – 1988 Al-Sawani Group (Home Division), Saudi Arabia

Trained and managed (15) stores and achieved improvements in their productivity

Supervised (85) employees, scheduled work hours, resolved conflicts, and set salaries

Preparing yearly plan for promotional sales / events program / advertising

Establish high standards for customer service and satisfaction

Assign personnel to various areas, and evaluate adequacy of staff

Analysis of sales reports and merchandising information

Analysis and implementation of improvement & development practices for each department & product category

Determine merchandising setup of selling floor area; Coordinate merchandising set up of stockroom area and merchandise information system

Communicate information about advertised merchandise to central stock receiving and/or the merchandising staff, make necessary price and or/ticket changes

Visit the competitors’ retail stores to determine competitive pricing in consultation with the general manager

Ali Hadi +971 (50) 197-0853

Establish, monitor, and appraise selling personnel on performance against approved Budget, enforce department store policies and procedures, communicate to the sales personnel all information pertinent to the department operations

Store Manager 1981 – 1984 Al-Sawani Department Stores, Saudi Arabia

Ensure that the stores’ customer service standards and policies are maintained

Ensure adequate staff coverage whilst controlling expense budgets

Ensure the stores are visually appealing and orderly

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE (continued)

Communicate selling trends and other merchandise information to merchants and associates

Ensure that advertised merchandise is available and properly priced; ticketed and displayed

Shop the Competition

Lead, delegate, control, discipline and train associate employees

Maintain inventory control

Salesman - Retail Merchandising 1978 – 1981 Atef Bsat Pharmacy, Lebanon

Supervise and control the retail outlets (3 Pharmacies)

Evaluate suppliers competitive pricing

Improve and strengthen the wholesales coverage and returns

Consulted with advertising plan and suppliers to ascertain type of merchandise to be featured for promotions - time and place for each display

Assist the pharmacist in inventory control

Ensure proper warehouse management ( 2 W/H)

Follow-up accounts receivable and payables reports submitted by accountant

PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIP

USA | American Image News Service, Washington DC. USA (April 1987) Professional freelance press wedding & portrait photographer – New York Institute of Photography

TRAINING AND ACTIVITIES

Training | Training and visiting some factories in Brescia - production: Tefal & stainless steel cookware, cutlery and table ware accessories (Italy); Fabric training course with Croscill home fashion, DKNY home in New York, Frette home, Punto home in Italy

Innovative | Pattern design and providing a private label for home fasion (Creative fashion presentation for home linen and accessories; Creating the fundamentals for the home design program; Creating concept and images for home brand as retails store to fit our marketing)

Culture Tourism | France, Senegal, Morocco, Tunisia, Lebanon, United State, UAE, Spain, Italy, Greece, India, China and Japan

Ali Hadi +971 (50) 197-0853

HOBBIES

Reading, Brand advertising

Swimming, Jogging

Interior Design, Drawing

Photography

References available upon request