Purchase & Forecast Planner
Resume:
Ashwin Cedric Lewis
Contact: +971*********, E-mail: ************@*****.***, Dubai, U.A.E.
Future Master forecasting, Demand planning, Pipeline
Career Synopsys
A highly focused and self-motivated Senior leader with overall 18+ years’ experience in the Beauty/Fashion and Fragrances industry and proven record of accomplishment of developing and launching Brands in the Middle East Region. Planner, merchandising planner, forecast planner, Purchase and Forecast planner & Buyer.
Career Objective
Leadership position in an organization that will let me utilize my expertise in Planning, Forecasting and Buying, Public Relations, Category development and Managerial skills to deliver value added returns for the organization and its shareholders.
Planner, merchandising planner, forecast planner, Purchase and Forecast planner & Buyer.
Professional Experience
Period
December 2021 till date
Company
NOON
Positions Held
Senior Planning & Instock Specialist.
June 2020 till November 2021
May 2018 to June 2020
From 8th May 2012 till May 2017.
Goldenscent LLC
Skelmore Group
Chalhoub Group – Allied Enterprise
ECOMMERCE Head Planning and Buying.
Head Merchandise Planner & Analyst
Regional Buyer & Forecast Planner - Beauty (Fragrances and Cosmetics)
June 2010 to 7th May 2012
Lifestyle LLC (Beauty Bay Division)
Head Buyer & Planner for the Region – Fragrances and Cosmetics
Nov 1998 to 31st May 2010
Giordano Fashion LLC
Brand Manager & BUYER: 2007 – 2009
Assistant Sales and Operation Manager:2005-2007
Area Sales Executive: 2003 – 2005.
Skills
ECOM & Retail Buying & Planning.
Inventory Management
Forecasting and Brand Analysis
Product Merchandising
Sales Analysis & Reporting
Vendor Relations
Product Distribution and Tracking
Demand Planning & Supply Chain.
Achievements
Reduced ‘Aging’ Merchandise by 33%.Aging dropped from $3m in 2015 to $ 2m in 2017.
Reduced Stock coverage consistently by over 20 %.Brought down stock cover from $11m in 2014 to $7m by end of 2016 without compromising on Best sellers.
Managed to achieve a sales growth of 14% compared to last year during the recession period 2008-09.
Developing New stores into profit center by exceeding its breakeven through Right Merchandising.
Turned around a negative cash flow BRAND – reinvented business model and restored to positive cash position within 6 months
Recognized as the ‘Supervisor of the Year’ in 2003, 2004
Introduced new product lines resulting in an initial 30% sales increase.
Retail customer service excellence award, 2002
Workshops & Seminars attended
Buying and Brand Analysis Seminar - to support and equip you with new tools and techniques in the areas of buying and brand analysis
Category Management: Fundamentals - Focuses on driving a Category Growth based discussion with customers to move them beyond transactional behavior
Solving Problems and Decision Making
In-house training on Creative sales and marketing strategies.
In-house training on Achieving and managing Gross Profits.
Career Details
Noon E-commerce
Define annual and monthly sales & profit targets for the total Beauty business (Noon ) and align them with the marketplace.
Derive seasonal targets for sales, discounts, intake margins, OTB, assortment width & depth for the Beauty Retail Category teams and prepare challenges & sign-off meetings
Own the monthly topline re-forecasting process, trickle-down guidance to the category teams, and organize monthly OTB sign-off meetings with senior management.
Weekly Trade: prepare a management summary, determine weekly focus topic, host the cross-category leadership team weekly trade meeting and ensure follow-ups on action items with relevant stakeholders.
On a daily basis, monitor and analyze performance and ensure weekly sales & profit targets are met through daily alignment calls with pricing and onsite teams
While working closely with category planners optimize ways of working by setting up new / or sharpening existing processes, tools, and reports.
Goldenscents LLC – Ecommerce .
Implementing ageing/slow movers action plan.
Forecasting Sales and Planning the buying on regular cycle.
Working closely with supplier on forecast of our sales and planning the optimal stocks forward order.
Development of online planogram for the category that optimizes customer shop ability and sales / profitability.
Grow the contribution of the Beauty category to the overall sales.
Ensure overall inventory management via OTB’s and Stock Reports.
Ensuring Stock & Sales are accurately posted into Inventory system.
Ensure correct stock levels are reflecting and liaising with dropship suppliers for weekly stock reports.
Prepare Purchase Orders and liaise with suppliers on delivery.
Ensure purchase cycle/schedule of re-ordering.
Create Launch orders for new brands in co-ordination of commercial and marketing departments.
Prepare monthly sales reports per category (value/ market share/ ranking).
Supporting marketing with sales and product analysis.
Commercially visually merchandise all categories and designer pages, being reactive to trade and trends, whilst maintaining strong visual aesthetic.
Plan and develop merchandising strategies that balance customers’ expectations and company’s objectives.
Analyse sales figures, customers reactions and market trends to anticipate product needs and plan product ranges/stock.
Maximise customer interest and sales levels by displaying products appropriately.
Forecast profits/sales and plan budgets.
Monitor stock movement and consider markdowns, promotions, price changes, clear outs etc.
Skelmore Group – Retail and Fashions
Head Merchandise Planner and Brand Analyst.
Prepare OTB for Seasonal Buying.
Prepare Sales Forecast for future period and plan buying.
Prepare Store Decide product procurement through host brand range reviews or direct negotiation, including in season buys. (Stayer)
Budgets with margins to improve profitability of the business.
Validates reliable forecast by validating historical data and maintaining demand planning attributes and Master Data.
Category Management and classification of the stores.
To improve range plans and assortment into stores.
Stock Balancing / Store transfers to optimize Sales by providing right stock to right stores based on classification.
Analyzing best and slow sellers weekly to ensure corrective action is taken to maximize sales and stock.
Monthly action plan on slow movers to deny them to enter aging.
In charge of execution of inventory management as per budget targets and proper coordination with Operations.
Planning Budgets and forecasting sales in conjunction with buyers from historical data on sales.
Planning of budgets for stores and brands at Sub Class Level.
Measuring and reviewing sell through rates of product and taking corrective action to re-order or re-price as required.
Stock flow management in conjunction with Logistics to ensure timely delivery of goods and corrective action taken where necessary.
Commercial analysis of stock and sales to ensure targets are met and exceeded and corrective action taken where required through Weekly sales and Stock reports.
Assess store execution if merchandising plans, recommend optimum space management options (where applicable) based on store trends/category sales performance.
Regular store visits to assess stock performance and identify opportunities.
Planning and Controlling Net Margins in compliance with Planned Finance yearly margins.
Minimize stock loss and constantly look for ways of reducing costs and improving profitability through delivery of stock accuracy and more efficient stock management (Stock Takes).
Chalhoub Group - Allied Retail, United Arab Emirates (UAE) 8th May 2012 till June 2017.
Regional Buyer - Beauty Own Concept.
Prepare Weekly Replenishment tools and Stock balancing to adhere smooth stock coverage.
Prepare Sales Forecast for future period and plan buying.
Validates reliable forecast by validating historical data and maintaining demand planning attributes and Master Data.
Key Role includes Preparing OTB Brand Budget.
Plan and Manage Product Lifecycle and Plan for Sales and Stocks accordingly.
Stock balancing through transfers within doors.
Classification of Class in items and negotiations with Vendors returns of non-performers and Aged references.
Key responsibilities in areas of stock covers, mark downs, and reconducted/permanent
Ensure conformity of Catalogue Management and Assortment Planning.
Provide insights for store Purchase Budget.
Liase with Commercial on delisting and introducing new brands based on Supply Chain analysis.
Drive the Buying cycle - Pre-Buying – Buying – Post Buying.
Provide support for Replenishment reordering. Support Regional Merchandise manager in decision on reordering.
Support Regional Merchandise Manager in decisions regarding transfers. Monitor levels of stock coverage across the region and provide analyses. Monitor levels of stock ageing across the region and provide analysis. If needed, make suggestions for regional store to store transfers.
Stock liquidation decisions. Provide recommendation on suitability of SKU for liquidation according to Brand’s guidelines.
Negotiate Logistics and deliveries. Ensure that suppliers commit on supply windows to enable start of season without delay. If possible, obtain dates of orders confirmation from supplier.
Design reporting templates and reports. Analyze brand reports at regional level based on consolidated information from local merchandise team and analyses on direct extraction from system.
Maintain Planogram from Brands and ensure visibility.
Maintain Beauty Calendar including launches, expansion and new doors openings.
Work closely with marketing team to create Marketing strategy for own category and provide all necessary inputs to marketing for respective Category.
E-Commerce
Prepare Monthly Category and Brand Plan with Forecast and Planning.
Liaise with E Commerce team on New launches and Promotions and forecast qty .
Regularly track E-COMM budget and optimal stock level.
Liaise with Brand on weekly activities and Promotion / Marketing to make ECOMM more affective.
Ensure all activities are covered and no OOS situation experience.
Lifestyle LLC (Beauty Bay Division) 31st May 2010 till 7th May 2012
Head Buyer – Fragrances and Cosmetics
Responsibilities handled –
Lead the Buying department for the Fragrances and Cosmetics department of Lifestyle.
Ensuring product volumes, and order flow are optimized in order to achieve target sales objective.
Identified new opportunities and negotiated timescales with suppliers.
Analyzing consumer buying patterns and predicting future trends;
Regularly reviewing performance indicators, e.g. sales and discount levels;
Managing plans for stock levels, changes in demand, changes in logistics;
Maintaining relationships with existing suppliers and sourcing new suppliers for future products;
Liaising with other departments within the organization to ensure projects are completed;
Attending trade fairs to select and assemble a new collection of products;
Participating in promotional activities;
Generating and evaluating reports and forecasting sales levels;
Presenting new ranges to senior retail managers;
Liaising with shop personnel to ensure product/collection supply meets demand;
Seeking merchandise feedback from customers;
Training and mentoring junior staff.
Significant Achievements– Successfully achieved to add premiere brands in the existing portfolio of fragrances.
Instrumental in the opening of 3 new stores in the region.
Promoted to Head Buyer within a span of 3 months of joining the group.nner, merchandising planner, forecast planner, Purchase and Forecast planner & Buyer.
Giordano Fashion LLC : Nov 1998 – May 2010
Brand Manager: 2007 – 2009:
Responsibilities handled:
Successfully developed the underperforming Giordano Junior (KIDS brand) and made it a Cash Cow.
Developed and implemented highly successful marketing campaigns of the brands handled.
Created new successful solutions to build brand awareness and market share.
Work with media and PR agency to deliver the marketing campaign.
Received media recognition and press coverage from major industry sources to include print, TV and radio. Partnered with advertising agencies to plan and execute major public relations efforts
Create and launch all consumer and retail promotions, co-promotions, corporate sponsorships, marketing collateral, advertising efforts and media relations.
Manage communications with trade organizations, consumers and the local media.
Lead all aspects of R&D, market research, price points, competitive analysis, product and packaging design, trend analysis promotional initiatives, both in print and online.
Advertising and promotion budget management. Administered annual budgets
Forecasted and optimized expenditures within budget constrains
Optimizing the planning and placements of the products in the appropriate Retail format.
Effective Inventory Management.
Worked in Merchandising apparel assortment and buying.
Assistant Sales and Operation Manager: 2005-2007: Handled Area with 12 Stores in different Emirates.
Area Sales Executive: 2003 – 2005. Handled 5 stores in Northern Emirates and Dubai.rchandising planner, forecast planner, Purchase and Forecast planner & Buyer.
Planner, merchandising planner, forecast planner, Purchase and Forecast planner & Buyer.
Planner, merchandising planner, forecast planner, Purchase and Forecast planner & Buyer.
Educational Qualifications
Bachelors of Commerce – Mumbai University – 1995.
Diploma in Computer software – 1992.
Personal information
Marital status – Married.
Valid U.A.E. Driving Licence.
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