Farooq G. Ahsan-ud-Din

Email: mighty_pir@yahoo.com

D.O.B: 5th Aug 1970                                                    Martital status: Married

Work Experience

Citibank NA (March 2005 to present)

Resident Vice President with the Commercial Banking Group.  Unit Head of the Business Development Team.  Team is responsible for generating new business by prospecting and securing new customers.  Currently leading a team of 4 Relationship Managers and reporting directly to the Business Group Head.

Continental Biscuits Limited (Jan 2000 to Feb 2005)

Trade Marketing and National Sales Manager from June 2004, and leading a sales force of over 90. Directly reporting to Director Sales and responsible for following key activities:  

• Achievement of sales & distribution targets;
• Formulation of sales strategies;
• Close monitoring of competition and development of tactical plans to counter them;
• Training & development of the sales team;
• Warehouse management (FSBD, LHR and ISBD);
• Budgeting & controlling of cost of sales.

 Commercial Manager from March 2004.  Operational head of the Commercial department with two deputy managers and one assistant manager reporting.  Total departmental reporting strength is 8 people.  Responsible for all the Company’s purchasing, logistics and warehousing. 

 Brand Manager from Jan 2000 till Feb 2004.  Responsible for all strategic and tactical decisions for Prince and the Plus Range and implementing their marketing activities: 

• Development and implementation of packaging;
• Conceptualization and management of Consumer Offers and Sales Promotion activities;
• Creation of Television and Radio commercials and development of Point Of Sale material;
• Conceptualization and coordination of On Ground Activities (for both consumers and trade); 
• Allocation of trade offers and development of pricing and costing structures;
• Research, development and test marketing of new variants to extend the Brand portfolio;
• Working closely with advertising, research agencies and suppliers as well as the sales team;

While working on my MBA, I took a study break and worked in our family business, Circle M Poultry Farms, from Jul 1998 till Dec 1999.  Duties include general management activities, procurement and debt collection for the farms.

ICI Pakistan Limited (Nov 1993 to June 1998)

Assistant Manager Materials for ICI Pakistan’s Chemicals Business Area (Jan 1998-Jun 1998).  Responsibility included planning of imported and local raw materials and development of purchase control systems including helping to develop the MMS (Materials Management System). 

Area Sales Manager for ICI Pakistan’s Soda Ash Business Area (Oct 1995-Dec 1998).  Lahore Area was the largest of the five areas and accounted for one third of national sales for the Business.  Responsibility included managing and controlling 11 distributors and 22 direct industrial clients (Paper, Glass and Textile).  Additional duties entailed the management of a regional warehouse, dealing with non-management staff and helping the Marketing Manager with developing national strategies and sales plans. 

Regional Sales Manager for ICI Pakistan’s Consumer Product Division (Nov 1994-Sep 1995).  Responsibilities included sales and merchandising of the entire consumer product range (Oral Care, Baby Care and Public Health) in all of NWFP and Northern Punjab through the distributor network, institutions (CSD and USC) and direct sales. 

 Joined ICI Pakistan as a Management Trainee in Nov 1993 and participated in their Management Trainee program for a year, being rotated through Agrochemicals, Decorative Paints, General Chemicals and being confirmed in the Consumer Products Division. 

Earlier Work Experience

 Aga Khan University Hospital (Jan 1993 to Oct. 1993)

Was employed as a Service Coordinator.  Represented the Administration in the two surgical wards and responsible for all non-nursing services (housekeeping, food service and public relations).

 Columbia University, New York, USA (Jul 1992- Dec 1992)

Worked as a Research Assistant in the health sciences division, determining cell fate in Drosophila, the common fruit fly.

 Education

• Earned a M. B. A. from IBA (PIM campus) in Oct 1999, with a specialization in Marketing.

• Earned a B. A. in Biology from the College of Wooster, Wooster, Ohio, USA in 1992.  The College of Wooster is a liberal arts college.

• All primary and secondary schooling was at the Karachi Grammar School from Jan 1974 till Jun 1988.  Successfully completed O’ and A’ levels.

Job Related Skills 

• Attended workshops dealing with purchase and supply chain management, held by Danone Asia Pacific (2004).

• Graduated from the Danone-NUS Marketing College that was held in Shanghai, Singapore and Kula Lumpur in 2000/2001.  This was a specialized set of courses that had been specifically prepared for Danone marketing staff (approx. 25, all from the Asia Pacific region) by National University of Singapore.  NUS staff were the primary instructors, with senior Danone marketing managers as guest speakers from the Asia Pacific region.  Curriculum included actual case studies from Danone, Nestle, PepsiCo and P&G (both successful and unsuccessful projects).

• Have also attended several courses (in house and out sourced) in Management, Marketing, Sales, Safety and TQM at various venues during employment with ICI.

• Extremely computer literate, with extensive experience with MS Word, Excel and PowerPoint.  Also familiar with MS Access and Adobe Photoshop.

• Have excellent written and spoken English language skills.