Omar El Souki

Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Email: ac41ya@r.postjobfree.com

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

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