Mahmoud Khader

As Brand Director at *Al Aseel (Aseelah Trade), I lead the strategic vision, commercial planning, and operational excellence to drive sustainable growth and strengthen the brand's market presence across the region. My role focuses on aligning business objectives with market demands, optimizing financial performance, and enhancing product offerings to ensure long-term success. Key Responsibilities and Achievements: - Regional Business Development: Spearheading initiatives to expand and grow the brand across the region, identifying new market opportunities, and strengthening regional partnerships. - Strategic Growth Leadership: Developing and executing long-term strategic plans aimed at driving growth, increasing market share, and achieving financial targets. - Sales Budget and Margin Planning: Building and overseeing the annual sales budget and margin plans, ensuring alignment with corporate objectives and profitability goals. - Open-To-Buy (OTB) Management: Creating and managing seasonal OTB plans, including intake strategies, margin targets, markdowns, end-of-season terminal stock management, and key retail metrics such as UPT (Units Per Transaction) and ATV (Average Transaction Value). - Stock and Product Strategy: Curating seasonal stock selections tailored to market trends and customer preferences to ensure stores are consistently **commercial and trading-ready. - **Market Research and Analysis: Conducting **market surveys and product performance analysis** to inform purchasing decisions, identify growth opportunities, and refine product offerings. - Operational Excellence: Ensuring seamless day-to-day operations across all retail locations, focusing on efficiency, consistency, and excellence in customer experience. In this role, I combine strategic leadership, financial acumen, and market insight to position Al Aseel as a market leader, delivering sustainable growth and a superior retail experience for customers across the region

As Brand Director at Cenomi Retail, I was responsible for overseeing the strategic growth, operational excellence, and profitability of multiple international children’s fashion brands across Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Azerbaijan, Armenia, and Georgia. My role focused on market expansion, sales performance, and operational efficiency while ensuring alignment with brand standards and regional market demands. Key Achievements: - Market Expansion & Development: Successfully managed the opening of ''10 new stores'' across five countries, strengthening the regional presence of premium international brands. - Profitability Management: Maintained a 15-18% EBITDA**, ensuring consistent financial performance and operational cost control. - Sales Growth: Achieved 20-25% Like-for-Like (LFL) sales growth** through strategic planning, effective sales initiatives, and customer-centric approaches. - Stock Control: Implemented rigorous inventory and stock management strategies, reducing shrinkage to an impressive 0.5%, enhancing operational efficiency and minimizing losses. - Multi-Brand Leadership: Managed globally recognized children’s fashion brands, including: - Okaïdi - OBAÏBI - Jacadi - Mayoral - IKKS - Panço - The Children’s Place - Tape à l'Œil - Sergent Major - Zippy - US Polo Assn. - Operational Oversight: Led cross-functional teams to ensure seamless operations, focusing on merchandising strategies, stock optimization, and customer experience excellence. - Strategic Partnerships: Fostered strong relationships with key stakeholders, suppliers, and business partners to drive mutual growth and brand success. In this role, I combined strategic vision, operational expertise, and financial acumen to drive sustainable growth, optimize performance, and establish Cenomi Retail as a key player in the regional children’s fashion retail sector.

As Brand Director & Business Development Manager for the Nesk Trading Project under Heba Retail, I played a pivotal role in establishing and scaling the business across **Saudi Arabia** and **Kuwait** from the ground up. Key Achievements: - Market Entry: Successfully launched operations in a new country, Kuwait, establishing a strong market presence. - Store Expansion: Opened ''17 stores within two years'' across Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, driving rapid retail growth. - Company Foundation: Built the company from scratch, setting up operational frameworks, team structures, and strategic business plans. - Profitability: Achieved positive financial outcomes with 7% EBITDA in the first year and 10% EBITDA in the second year. - Regional Oversight: Managed day-to-day operations, growth strategies, and performance across Saudi Arabia and Kuwait. This role honed my expertise in business setup, market entry strategies, and sustainable growth models, ensuring profitability and long-term success in highly competitive retail markets.

As Brand director for ''Okaïdi & Obaïbi'' under ''Cenomi Retail'', I was responsible for overseeing the brand’s strategic development, market positioning, and operational excellence across ''Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Azerbaijan, Armenia, and Georgia'' . My leadership was instrumental in driving consistent growth, enhancing brand visibility, and ensuring sustainable profitability across these diverse markets. Key Achievements: - Market Expansion & Growth: Successfully opened ''30 new stores'' across five countries, establishing a strong market presence and aligning each opening with brand standards and regional customer preferences. - Revenue and Profitability: Achieved consistent financial growth with **EBITDA ranging between 15-25%** annually through robust cost management, optimized operational efficiency, and strategic planning. - Sales Performance: Delivered **20-25% Like-for-Like (LFL) sales growth** year-over-year by implementing innovative sales strategies, enhancing in-store experiences, and fostering customer loyalty. - Strategic Leadership: Managed cross-functional teams, overseeing **200 staff members** across multiple regions, ensuring seamless communication, alignment with corporate goals, and continuous staff development. - Operational Excellence: Oversaw end-to-end retail operations, including **merchandising, inventory control, supply chain coordination, and marketing campaigns**, ensuring alignment with brand standards and local market dynamics. - Brand Positioning: Strengthened the brand identity through localized marketing campaigns, strategic partnerships, and customer engagement initiatives**, increasing market share and brand recognition. This role allowed me to blend strategic planning, financial acumen, and operational expertise to drive consistent growth and position Okaïdi & Obaïbi as a leading kids' fashion brand in highly competitive and culturally diverse markets.

As Brand Director at Cenomi Retail, I was responsible for overseeing brand growth, market expansion, and operational excellence in ''Jordan''. My focus was on driving profitability, introducing new brands, and ensuring efficient stock management while maintaining high operational standards across all retail outlets. Key Achievements: - Market Expansion: Successfully launched 3 new brands and opened 6 new stores, strengthening the company’s presence in the Jordanian retail market. - Profitability Management: Maintained a consistent EBITDA of 15-18%, ensuring sustainable financial performance through effective cost management and strategic planning. - Sales Growth: Delivered impressive Like-for-Like (LFL) sales growth of 20-25% year-over-year by implementing targeted sales strategies and enhancing customer engagement. - Stock Control Excellence: Implemented rigorous stock management protocols, reducing shrinkage to an exceptional 0.5% ensuring optimal inventory accuracy and minimizing financial losses. - Operational Oversight: Managed end-to-end retail operations, focusing on supply chain efficiency, merchandising, and staff training to enhance overall store performance. - Team Leadership: Led and developed high-performing teams, fostering a customer-centric culture and ensuring alignment with business objectives. This role enabled me to utilize my expertise in brand development, sales optimization, and operational efficiency to drive measurable results, positioning Cenomi Retail as a key player in the Jordanian retail market.

As the ''Brand Manager (GCC)'' for ''Okaïdi-OBAÏBI'' , a renowned French kids' fashion brand, I was responsible for driving brand growth, market expansion, and operational excellence across UAE, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Oman. Key Achievements: - Market Expansion: Successfully opened ''6 new stores'' across the GCC region, including launching Okaïdi in Bahrain, marking the brand's entry into a new country. - Performance Growth: Achieved a turnover increase of 18-25% year-over-year through like-for-like (LFL) development and strategic new store openings. - Profitability: Ensured consistent profitability with an impressive ''14% EBITDA'' annually. - Target Achievement: Consistently met and exceeded annual sales and performance targets. - Operational Leadership: Oversaw end-to-end operations, from merchandising and marketing strategies to team leadership and customer experience enhancement. - Portfolio Management: Oversaw brand alignment and synergy with Promod, Women’secret, and Okaidi under Dubai Holding Group and Alshamsi Holding. My tenure was marked by a focus on '' sustainable growth, operational efficiency, and customer-centric strategies'' , solidifying Okaïdi-OBAÏBI's presence as a trusted brand in the GCC kids' fashion market.

I pursued my MBA with a focus on developing strategic insights, leadership excellence, and advanced management skills across diverse business domains. Key Courses and Achievements: - Financial Management: A+ — Gained expertise in financial planning, analysis, and decision-making to drive sustainable business growth. - Human Resources Management: A+ — Developed skills in talent acquisition, employee engagement, and organizational development. - Risk Management: A+ Effective risk assessment and mitigation. - Strategic Leadership: A+ Inspiring leadership and goal alignment. - Project Management: A+ Efficient project execution and resource management. - Business Administration: A+ Operational excellence across business functions. - Strategic Management: Long-term strategic planning and execution. This program equipped me with essential skills to drive business growth, innovation, and sustainable success.