Experience

Venerdi

• New Zealand
• Food and Beverage Manufacturing
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Head of Sales - NZ & AU

  • Feb 2023 - Present

  As a Senior Leader responsible for the sales function, my primary focus is on ensuring the success of the internal sales team and fostering strong relationships with external field sales and merchandising teams. In this capacity, I take full P&L responsibility for all sales channels across our existing markets in New Zealand and Australia, including supermarkets, specialty health stores, foodservice, QSR, co-packing partnerships, and convenience stores. In addition to this, I am accountable for driving global growth by developing a comprehensive scale-up strategy, identifying untapped markets globally, and negotiating international partnerships. Show less



George Weston Foods

• Manufacturing
• 700 & Above Employee

• • Oct 2018 - Nov 2022

  NI Region• Shape and drive the sales strategy and framework, identifying opportunities for business growth through integrated business planning and internal stakeholder management• Lead and motivate a team of 6 direct reports, with a wider team of 90 and an additional 30 contractors, empowering staff to achieve challenging targets, developing their capability and promoting open communication and engagement• Oversee end-to-end account management including negotiating and writing multi-million-dollar tenders, building and presenting promotional plans and pricing, quarterly and annual business reviews with key clients like PAK’nSAVE NI, tracking processes, and mentoring and empowering staff, to successfully onboard clients• Facilitate regular coaching and performance development sessions with the team, identify opportunities to develop top talent, enable the team to achieve their career aspirations, and safeguard staff retention rates• Developed 5 team members to achieve senior sales and/or account management rolesKey Achievements:• Consistently exceeded the annual operating profit and gross margin targets, with over $100M in sales revenue and solid, double-digit, year-on-year growth• Achieved the largest year-on-year improvement, based on the coalface results, moving from 63rd to 19th in the daily fresh environment, by creating partnerships throughout the region that have raised sales performance• Contributed to the introduction of new technology to track the merchandising team hours, trade activations and tasks; involved in all project and change-management phases, to enable the business to adapt and utilise the tool; this has resulted in improved resource allocation and a reduction in costs• Contributed to the launch of Salesforce and the subsequent major upgrade of the tool, moving from an Excel-based platform to an online app that could be used in real time, providing the sales team with greater visibility across leads and sales opportunities Show less

• • Jan 2016 - Sep 2018

  Hawke's Bay, Taupo, Tararua & Gisborne Regions• Transformed the underperforming region, introducing a cost-to-serve model alongside a strategic growth plan that achieved double-digit growth within a tight grocery market• Negotiated multi-million-dollar Preferred Supplier Agreements, including but not limited to PAK’nSAVE Hastings and PAK’nSAVE Tamatea, to increase space and enable greater sales, resulting in the territory being one of the most profitable in the country in 2018• Led and motivated 2 supervisors, 14 sales merchandisers and 5 distribution partners, embedding an environment of high performance and productivity • Won the Field Sales Team Member of the Year Award in 2018 and the Territory Manager of the Year in 2017 Show less

• • Aug 2013 - Dec 2015

  Manawatu/Horowhenua to Taranaki Region• Managed all functions for the daily fresh category, spanning sales, pricing and promotions of all brands and products including Tip Top Bread, Ploughmans, Bürgen, Golden, Bazaar, Big Ben and Norths, alongside contracted brands such as Budget and Pams• Awarded Tip Top Bakers Best Award in 2016, as a result of achieving double-digit growth in the region and navigating challenging market conditions and perfect excuting the launch of Private Label in the region.• Launched a new, tactical, promotional planning strategy across all clients including food service, route, dairy, restaurants and café, reducing supply chain costs by introducing a minimum spend • Coached and mentored a team of 12 sales merchandisers and 4 distribution partners, troubleshooting issues to create supply chain efficiency and expand market reach Show less

• • Dec 2012 - Jul 2013

  A part time role taken up while I was studying at Eastern Institute of Technology, Hawke's Bay, New Zealand.



American Express

• United States
• Financial Services
• 700 & Above Employee

• Senior Credit Analyst

  • Oct 2011 - Jan 2012

  Contract role overseeing the delivery of operational expenses and monthly charge-outs to AMEX lines of business, working with global stakeholders to improve the charge-out process and ensure that financial activities adhered to regulatory requirements. Contract role overseeing the delivery of operational expenses and monthly charge-outs to AMEX lines of business, working with global stakeholders to improve the charge-out process and ensure that financial activities adhered to regulatory requirements.



Indian Army

• Defense and Space Manufacturing
• 700 & Above Employee

• Army Officer

  • Mar 2009 - Oct 2011

  High-ranking role within the armed forces, overseeing large-scale operations and people leadership requirements. High-ranking role within the armed forces, overseeing large-scale operations and people leadership requirements.



Chakradhar Chemicals Pvt. Ltd.

• Muzaffarnagar, Uttar Pradesh, India

• Financial Analyst

  • Oct 2007 - Sep 2008

  Fixed-term contract role undertaking financial analysis for a major manufacturer. Prepared a range of reports including for production, transport, project cost and wages, to assess financial operations and costs. Fixed-term contract role undertaking financial analysis for a major manufacturer. Prepared a range of reports including for production, transport, project cost and wages, to assess financial operations and costs.



Eqilateral IT Services Pvt. Ltd.

• Dehradun, Uttarakhand, India

• Company Director

  • Jan 2006 - Sep 2007

  Launched this start-up business, comprising a 16-seat call centre, with 32 employees and 4 partners, providing mortgage, remortgage and T3-3G mobile packages. Led investor and client presentations, negotiating commercial terms, undertaking operational requirements and creating the sales strategy. Successfully sold the business in 2007, following a period of fast growth that delivered ROI for the partners. Launched this start-up business, comprising a 16-seat call centre, with 32 employees and 4 partners, providing mortgage, remortgage and T3-3G mobile packages. Led investor and client presentations, negotiating commercial terms, undertaking operational requirements and creating the sales strategy. Successfully sold the business in 2007, following a period of fast growth that delivered ROI for the partners.



Astra Business Services Pvt. Ltd.

• Dehradun, Uttarakhand, India

• Debt Collector

  • Aug 2004 - Dec 2005

  The key function was to make outbound calls to U.S.A. as a 3rd party credit collections agent. I worked in evening to midnight shifts. This was my first negotiation coach. Started working at Astra Business Services Pvt. Ltd., which is third party collections call center to support my graduation. It was tough job of collecting money of serious defaulters. Had to strike a balance of customer service and being strict, keeping in mind all the dunning regulations (like FDCPA) in mind. The key function was to make outbound calls to U.S.A. as a 3rd party credit collections agent. I worked in evening to midnight shifts. This was my first negotiation coach. Started working at Astra Business Services Pvt. Ltd., which is third party collections call center to support my graduation. It was tough job of collecting money of serious defaulters. Had to strike a balance of customer service and being strict, keeping in mind all the dunning regulations (like FDCPA) in mind.