Omar El Souki
Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Email: **********@*****.***
Mobile: 009**-**-**-**-***
Summary
Highly accomplished luxury fashion-retail professional with considerable experience in the GCC markets, having excellent interpersonal and communication skills with a high ability to motivate and manage teams. A proactive thinker capable of successfully responding to difficult situations, and eagerly welcomes and surmounts new challenges.
Industry Experience
Jan’16 – Present Buying & Merchandising Manager Footwear & Leather Goods, Salam Stores, Dubai, UAE
Buying and managing the footwear and leather goods department, for women’s men’s and children’s across all Mono and multi brand stores in UAE, Qatar and Oman
Brand mix: Fendi, Burberry, Nicholas Kirkwood, Moschino, Dolce & Gabbana, MSGM, No 21, Giorgio Armani, Aquazzura, Sergio Rossi, Zegna, Rochas, Marco De Vincenzo, Fausto Puglisi, Sophia Webster, Chiara Ferragni, etc…
Improved sales margins while maintaining a healthy stock level
Setting Annual OTB across all departments,sales turnover plus 50M
Creating brand portfolio
Conducting seasonal buying
Managing inventory
Creating mark down strategy
Setting strategy with the marketing & visual merchandising team
Negotiating mono brand contracts for new stores, payment terms
Analyzing bestselling size ratio and colors
Nov’14 – Dec’15 Operations & Buying Manager, Opera Trading, Dubai UAE
Overseeing the operations and Buying of Opera and Rene Caovilla retail stores
Brand Mix: Dior, Fendi, Chloe, D’squared2, Lesilla, Casadei, Alexander McQueen, John Richmond,
Marc by Marc Jacobs, Ballin, etc…
Operational Responsibilities
Installing a new retail system, shifting the company from a manual to an automated operation
Setting yearly sales KPI’s
Hiring & training sales force
Improving the operational retail systems
Buying Responsibilities
Partnering with strategic brands such as Casadei, Alexander McQueen
Planning annual OTB
Sourcing new and trendy brands to update the brand portfolio
Oct’12 – Oct’14 Area Sales Manager, Chalhoub Group, Dubai UAE
Representing and managing footwear brands across retail and wholesale divisions
Footwear Brand Mix: Marc by Marc Jacobs, Celine, Emilio Pucci, Kenzo, Walter Steiger
Managed to secure KSA, Lebanon, Kuwait as a new market territory
Implementing brand and company strategy across region
Setting annual buying budgets
Attending sales campaigns with clients in Milan and Paris
Insuring smooth distribution and logistics for clients
Providing expert advice regarding the products offered
Monitoring sell thru and brand performance with client
Oct’09 – Sep’12 Regional Commercial Executive, Chalhoub Group, Dubai UAE
Managing assigned products across the Duty Free channels throughout the Middle East
Analyzing markets and assessing competitive environment
Liaising with the supplier / client / boutique / shop ‘n’ shop
Monitoring stock level across retailors
Insuring price strategy is implemented
Jan’09 – Sep’09 Regional Sales Supervisor, Chalhoub Group, Dubai UAE
Ensure proper implementation of the regional merchandising guidelines
Advise & keep customers informed regarding stock orders & repairs, stock levels versus sales
Follow up on sales versus assigned budgets and ensure cost tracking
Deliver staff training for new launches
Sep’07 – Dec’08 Section Manager, Key Accounts, Tamer Group, P&G, KSA
Ensure excellent deployment of sales fundamentals: distribution, shelving, pricing, displays
Manage product orders and supervise deliveries
Coordinate in all aspects of sales, marketing, and budgeting across K.S.A
Control budgets and allocations, ensure payments from trade are collected on time
Organize and manage all aspects of product launch
Customers’ annual contracts negotiation
Education
2001 – 2005 Bachelor of Sciences - Business Management
Lebanese American University (LAU) - Beirut, Lebanon
June 2001 Lebanese Baccalaureate, Sociology & Economics Section
Eastwood College - Beirut, Lebanon
Languages & Computer Skills
Languages Fluent in written and spoken English and Arabic
Computer Literacy All Microsoft Office applications
Interests and Hobbies
Football, Swimming, Tennis, Travel and Outdoor Activities
Personal
Date of Birth: January 01, 1983 Place of Birth: Beirut, Lebanon
Current Address: Apartment 503, AL Samreya Building, Dubai, UAE