Irfan A. K.

* Built and executed a GCC growth plan across HORECA, distributors, and retail partnerships, strengthening pipeline quality and improving conversion through structured account targeting. * Led private label and strategic partnerships end-to-end (proposal → pricing → sampling → onboarding), accelerating time-to-first-order and increasing repeat purchasing. * Standardized commercial execution through pricing discipline, floor-price governance, promotion controls, and account health tracking, protecting margin and reducing discount leakage. * Strengthened customer success by aligning QC and training (cupping, grinder/recipe calibration routines, barista enablement), reducing complaints and improving reorder stability. * Drove omnichannel visibility across B2B channels, e-commerce/marketplaces, and consistent brand assets to increase reach and lead flow. * Achieved 25% quarter-on-quarter growth throughout 2025.

Led an industry taskforce on Parallel Trading in the UAE, producing a practical case study and recommendations to protect brand equity and ethical distribution. Coordinated stakeholders across manufacturers/distributors to map pain points and propose value-chain efficiency improvements. Translated market insights into action frameworks that brands can apply to reduce leakage and improve channel governance.

Turned around portfolio performance by redesigning GTM and trade strategy: +40% marketing ROI and +35% brand visibility. Expanded listings and share in key retail accounts, driving 99% MoM value growth through disciplined activation and execution. Launched and scaled 102 new SKUs, building a structured launch calendar and sell-in/sell-out accountability. Improved distribution performance via partner scorecards, route discipline, and merchandising execution to sustain 84% monthly sell-out.

• Managed the full sales lifecycle, including lead generation and deal closure, resulting in a 30% increase in new business opportunities. • Led 360-degree marketing campaigns, boosting brand awareness by 25% and increasing sales by 18% across multiple FMCG product lines. • Developed and implemented new business strategies that drove a 20% increase in revenue growth and diversified product portfolio into three new categories. • Conducted comprehensive market trend analysis, optimizing P&L management, and identifying key profitable opportunities that led to a 15% margin improvement.

• Led brand acquisition strategies, increasing market presence by 20% and contributing to a 15% rise in overall brand equity across the retail and B2B sectors. • Delivered sustainable growth by exceeding key performance indicators (sales, distribution, and market share) by 10%, leading to commercial excellence. • Managed sales performance across modern and traditional trade channels, optimizing product visibility by 25% and enhancing distribution coverage by 20%. • Analyzed in-market sales data, driving key strategic decisions that resulted in a 12% improvement in sales outcomes across various product categories.

• Built and managed the FMCG distribution business, achieving a 104% monthly increase in sales by expanding product lines and optimizing distribution channels. • Managed traditional trade channel performance, enhancing market reach by 30% and increasing operational efficiency by 20%. • Executed BTL (below-the-line) activations, increasing customer engagement by 22% and enhancing brand visibility by 18% within target markets. • Strategically managed distribution channels, expanding market coverage by 25% and increasing sales by 15% across the B2B and B2C segments.

• Launched a targeted promotional campaign, resulting in a 13% increase in sales revenue and strengthening brand recognition within the UAE market. • Negotiated vendor contracts, saving AED 600K, which improved profit margins by 15% and supported long-term business sustainability. • Garnered recognition at Gulf Food 2018 for launching an innovative coffee product line, positioning the brand as a leader in the premium food category. • Launched 22 new product lines across ambient food categories, achieving a 48.9% annual return and strengthening the brand’s market position. • Developed a high-demand product line, contributing to financial stability and boosting profitability by 20% over the product's lifecycle.

Brands - IKEA /Destination Maternity / Sports Direct / Franklin&Marshall / Al Rifai - Dried Fruits & Coffee / Mani - Dried Fruits Snacks 1. Entrusted with handling marketing functions with an AED 11MM budget, including brand management, product launches, advertising, marketing collateral, and events. Conducted primary and secondary research to support new product development, resulting in effective strategies for new product lines, flavors, and pricing. 2. Collaborated as Assistant Retail Operations Manager GCC to optimize all retail functions, leading to enhanced efficiency and performance across retail outlets. 3. Achieved 90% penetration and coverage of modern trade, lower trade, and self-service outlets in the UAE through targeted distribution strategies, resulting in widespread market presence. 4. Augmented sales by covering three price point consumer segments through the rollout of three brands under the same category, increasing market reach and consumer engagement. 5. Secured a 45% market share for three brands over two years and increased sales by 111% within three months for one brand through strategic marketing and sales initiatives, resulting in significant market dominance and revenue growth.

Consulting to various FMCG & Retail Brands

Tutoring students in Economic studies, Finance, Statistics, Business Modeling and Marketing studies.

Identify the stages of the negotiation process Review the steps of preparation for a negotiation Determine how to best extract information for an optimal negotiating position

Identify customer needs through Clayton Christensen’s famed Jobs to be Done theory.