Simona Lodolo

Chicago, IL 312-***-**** ad3bfa@r.postjobfree.com

Marketing and Communications Manager with 15+ years of global experience developing and executing impactful strategies to drive brand growth and audience engagement in fashion, lifestyle, luxury, travel, art, and F&B industries. While confident in leveraging integrated communication tools, from media outreach to public relations and social media, events represent my main strength. I am particularly skilled in leveraging consumer insights to produce creative and engaging initiatives, from media events to consumer retail activations, from big corporate gala dinners to celebrities attended presentations. I am a strong visionary leader committed to innovation, excellence, and achieving impactful results. Previous clients include: Ginori 1735, illy Caffe, Baccarat, Marni, Jil Sander, Wolford, Curiel, GANT, Liaigre, Pepsico, Barilla, Costa Cruises, the Consulate General of Italy and the Italian Cultural Institute in Shanghai.

CORE COMPETENCIES

• Event Management

• Production Coordination

• Locations Schouting

• Retail Activations

• Budget Management

• Thought Leadership

• Business Development

• Communications

• Public Relations

• Social Media

• Brand Marketing

• Relationship Building

• Reporting & Analysis

• Strategy

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Attila&Co. Communication & PR Agency Shanghai

Account and Business Development Director April 2018 to June 2023

● Expanded active clients and projects by 3x through development of new business sectors - events and social media departments - and utilization of cross-selling strategies

● Directed 50+ local cross-functional projects and campaigns, ensuring communication strategies and tactics aligned with brand global positioning and goals

● Implemented communication strategies in offline, online, retail activations, and events to lead international fashion, lifestyle and luxury clients to position themselves and grow in the fast-changing and competitive Chinese market; events include media presentations and dinners, product launches, store openings, retail consumer activations, digital presentations, fashion shows

● Mastered relationship-building with top clients, industry influencers, and business leaders which enhanced the agency's reputation and attracted new clients

● Oversaw projects, brand collaborations, and events with up to 4M RMB budget through strategic resource allocation and time management

● Built measurement programs to track performances, report results and excavate insights to executive team for business development, continuous improvement, and forecasting

● Supervised and mentored a growing team, from 6 to 24 people in 5 years by fostering a collaborative environment which boosted team productivity and decreased turnover

● Reduced project pitching processing time by 30% by optimizing resources and negotiated pricing and agreements to meet client objectives and company goals

China - Italy Chamber of Commerce Shanghai

Area Manager March 2017 to January 2018

● Built and maintained relationships with members, institutions, and stakeholders for the expansion of projects

● Provided leadership and oversight of business operations, generating a significant increase in members and audience engagement and activities incomes

● Secured sponsors for Chamber events including two Gala Dinners with 550+ attendees/each; other events include B2B matchmakings, institutional meetings, keynote speeches, roadshow

● Saved 15 % during tenure by reorganizing team structures and cross-training staff in various departments

● Coordinated B2B events, profiled commercial matchmaking, and negotiated with local as well as Italian Institutions to secure commercial opportunities

● Represented the organization at networking events and served as the key point of contact for top Italian institutions

● Spearheaded implementation of modern approach and services within a traditional environment through thought leadership

D’Andrea & Partners Law Firm Shanghai

Marketing and Communication Manager March 2016 to March 2017

● Enhanced content delivery by 300% through oversight of internal and external communications, including newsletters, annual reports, printed publications, and digital materials with branded messaging for B2B customers and prospects

● Identified key target audience segments in the Chinese market and developed tailored marketing campaigns that effectively reached and engaged consumers, resulting in 20% increase in customer acquisition and retention

● Trained company executives on best practices for media interviews and electoral campaigns for a positive public image

● Introduced event segments to company offerings encompassing venue relations, event design, marketing/promotion, entertainment management, and budget administration

● Solidified the company’s market presence with digital messaging campaigns across Western and Eastern platforms

● Created and launched a new event format, Italian Design Icons, which increased brand positioning and visibility as well as prospective client base

OSM1816 and OSM Open Source Management Italy

Marketing Consultant April 2010 to August 2015

● Coached SMEs through processes to effectively create and deliver successful marketing campaigns

● Provided guidance on marketing concepts, outsourcing planning, and ways to promote products and services for increased sales

● Conducted market research and administered customer surveys to identify areas of improvement in approach, target audience, and communication platforms

● Delivered 1:1 personalized training in-house and at business school classes to support marketing staff in improving skill sets

● Developed working marketing templates and automated processes/ workflows for 40+ projects, thus increasing team productivity by 300%

LANGUAGES

Italian: Native

English: Fluent

Chinese/Mandarin: Conversational (HSK4)

French: Basic

EDUCATION

Master in Arts and Culture Management, Rome Business School April 2023

Courses on Luxury and Fashion in China: E-commerce & Key Opinion Leader, Condé Nast Center of Fashion and Design

Intensive Chinese Language Program, ECNU East China Normal University - Shanghai

Degree in Advertising, University for Foreigners - Italy

High School Diploma in Accountancy w/ Foreign Language Specialization, School of International Accountancy – Italy

OTHERS

Associations: Member of the Academy of the Italian Cuisine Interests: Art, Reading, Sports

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