Vivek Kalapurakal

Head of Buying @ Ali Abdulwahab Al Mutawa Commercial Co.

About

A creative support professional with a record of increased responsibility. Proficient in prioritizing and completing tasks in a timely manner, yet flexible to multitask when necessary. Customer focused with diverse industry experience including Retail in Fashion and Food. Possesses portfolio of professional skills including business expansion, increasing profits, cost efficiency, focus on customers and staff development. Enjoys learning new programs and processes. My areas of strength includes, Brand Management, Margin Management, OTB Management, inventory Management, Supply Chain Management, Store Operation, Brand Marketing & People Development A team player who is attentive to detail and able to work in a fast paced environment. Excellent oral and written communication skills. Strives to improve performance levels including monitoring market activity, building & reviewing business plans and maximizing sales and margins. Experienced retailer with more than 20+ years of experience and strong track record of effective brand management, operations, business development and turning around businesses. Experienced retail manager with well established skills in International Brand Management through operating a number of different brands as franchisee throughout the Middle East under Alshaya Group/ Ali Abdul Wahab and Greenwings Company. Proven at developing and implementing short and long term strategies to achieve financial plans and KPI’s. Results oriented team-builder with constant focus on sales & margin growth and cost reduction. Specialities: - Franchise Retailing - Buying & Merch. Mgmt - Supply Chain Management - Inventory Management - P&L Management - Brand Marketing - Budgeting & Cost Controls - Retail Operations - Shrink Reduction/Loss Control - People Development -Production -Shippng

Country

City

Kuwait

Industry

Retail

Skill

Merchandising, Visual Merchandising, Retail, Fashion, FMCG, Purchasing, Store Management, Inventory Management, Forecasting, Profit, Supply Chain, Negotiation, Team Management, Sales, Management, Brand Management

Experience

Head of Buying

Ali Abdulwahab Al Mutawa Commercial Co.

2013-8 - Present · 13 yrs 2 mos

Currently Handling All Sports and Fashion Brand. Sports Brand Like NIKE/PUMA/Adidas/NEW Balance/Asics/Crocs/Superga/Fitflops/Paez/Reebok/And Fashion Brand Like SBNY/BCBG/DKNY/UGGS/Jessica Simpson and many more brands. Responsibilities: • Business planning for all the sports and brand . • Developing financial plans bottom up from category to Department level based on historical performance, contributing factors and growth/ strategy for the business. • Manage Forecasting in-season on a monthly basis and support the development of assortment plans. • Sales Forecast, Promotions Planning, Maintaining Markdowns & OTB Planning All Key financial Results are taken care in coordination with Central Finance. • Continuous monitoring of Open to Buy so that required receipt flow is maintained to achieve the financial plan and/or in-season objectives

Head of Buying

Ali Abdul Wahab- Kuwait

2013-8 - Present · 13 yrs 2 mos

• Business planning for all the sports and brand . • Developing financial plans bottom up from category to Department level based on historical performance, contributing factors and growth/ strategy for the business. • Manage Forecasting in-season on a monthly basis and support the development of assortment plans. • Sales Forecast, Promotions Planning, Maintaining Markdowns & OTB Planning All Key financial Results are taken care in coordination with Central Finance. • Continuous monitoring of Open to Buy so that required receipt flow is maintained to achieve the financial plan and/or in-season objectives • Perform detailed pre-season cluster analysis to determine stores performance for each product type to better align the product based on locale, weather, customer demand. • Opening new stores & store visit in all Kuwait Region. • Buying visit to Host Brand for Range Plan & Buying. & Regular Communication with Host Brands. • Market analysis with competitors for price competency every quarterly and current trend. • Develop exit strategies in conjunction with the buyer and monitoring its execution through analysis. Replenishment & Allocation of stock to all stores. • Manage the return process between buying, replenishment and finance to aid in-store execution. • Execution of markdown of product to keep the inventory current and season appropriate at all times. • Performing in-season and post-season analysis and recommend course corrections as appropriate. • Reporting to Management for Business Review Trading Meeting & Planning. • Managing the inventory levels at all times to maintain the quality and quantity. • Prepare & analysis all the required reports as per the performance of the stores. • Accountable for utilization of organization's financial planning and analysis tools and processes in planning and measuring the business. Clearance of old stock base on Ageing Report.

Planning Manager

Alshaya Group

2012-1 - 2013-8 · 1 yr 8 mos

Planning Manager for American Eagle Brand . Handling All Brands Planning/Forecasting/Business Plan/Store Operations Cost and ensuring to achieve Brand Contribution for the brand. • Business planning for the year & Intake & Sales Planning through out season. • Developing financial plans bottom up from category to Department level based on historical performance, contributing factors and growth/ strategy for the business. • Manage Forecasting in-season on a monthly basis and support the development of assortment plans. • Sales Forecast, Promotions Planning, Maintaining Markdowns & OTB Planning using Manhattan Advanced Planning. All Key financial Results are taken care in coordination with Central Finance. • Continuous monitoring of Open to Buy so that required receipt flow is maintained to achieve the financial plan and/or in-season objectives • Perform detailed pre-season cluster analysis to determine stores performance for each product type to better align the product based on locale, weather, customer demand. • Opening new stores & store visit in all Middle East Regions. • Buying visit to US for Range Plan & Buying. & Regular Communication with Host Brands. • Market analysis with competitors for price competency every quarterly and current trend.

Senior Merchandiser

Alshaya Group

1998-9 - 2012-1 · 13 yrs 5 mos

Senior Merchandiser for Brand Named Peacocks/Dorothy Perkins / and for all Arcadia Brands. Achievements: Joined in 2008 for this brand and resulted in profit of 1m $ which was 72% up on LY and for 2009 it changed to 1.3m$ which is again 23% on 2008. Achieved Business Plan contribution of 1.85 m$ for the year 2010 making it profitable. Proficiency in Manhattan, which is Retail Software, developed from US specially for planning purpose. 2004 –2007 present: Merchandiser in M.H.Al Shaya. (Brand Dorothy Perkins & Wallis) Merchandiser Achievements: Joined in 2004-2005 for this brand and resulted in profit of .5m $ which was 41% up on LY and for 2005-06 it changed to .06m$ which is again 21% and in 2006-2007 it had 1.03m$ profit which was 27% on 2006. 2000 –2004 present: Asst.Merchandiser in M.H.Al Shaya. (Brand Evans/Topshop/Principles/Dorothy Perkins) Achievements: To assist the Merchandiser and understand the Mechanism of Retail Buying Process and Helping to Maintain the Profit for the year.