Experience

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  Miki Travel (Americas)

  • Wholesale
  • 1 - 100 Employee

  • Area Manager | eBiz Division | The Americas

    • Jun 2023 - Present

  • General Manager - eBiz Division | The Americas

    • Nov 2019 - Present

    • Responsible for overseeing the growth and maintenance of hotel agreements valued at over $18 million in revenue•Leading the North America team (offices now in New York, Orlando, Los Angeles and home office in Fort Lauderdale)•Connectivity partnerships with independent and global and independent chains •Working closely with CEO, COO and Global sales management heads in our various offices •COVID-19 budget analysis and strategy implementation for 2020 •Budgets and strategies through each quarter and yearly •Strategy and budget presentations to the company's key management members and stakeholders•Crisis and recovery strategies pre-post pandemic•Working closely with technical teams on both sides of the business to ensure our systems and processes evolve with the ever evolving tech world (MikiNet enhancements)•Marketing deals for brochures and digital platforms valued at $500,000 yearly

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  Seera Group

  • London, United Kingdom

  • Head Of Sourcing

    • May 2019 - Nov 2019
    • London, United Kingdom

    As the Head of Sourcing, I was responsible for the overall spend from the Gulf region within major cities in Europe and North America, apart from creating the strategy and working closely with the sales, tech-team and buying team within each region. Responsible for creation and achieving US$34m for current year, and separated the teams into different categories of spend and working at developing the teams; and making extra additions where necessary.Worked closely with the marketing teams on creatives for our suppliers/partners, to ensure visibility for our internal customer base which also includes high-valued government and corporate group movements.*lead and coached the sourcing teams*negotiated and initiated commercial agreements for single region travellers from GCC*ownership on key KPI looking at purchasing spend for the business unit and categories. Also looked at the purchase price variances*looked at supplier consolidation; worked on what the purchasing volumes were, and which suppliers had to be treated as strategic through all commercial agreements*dealt with a number of sales areas from the GCC and within the sourcing specialism including Product Development and Quality*dealt with all of the business units and looking to develop plans for Gulf travel into Europe and North America*handled commercial agreements for all group movements (valued @ US$500k)

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  Destinations of the World

  • Dubai, United Arab Emirates

  • Regional Contracts Manager - North America, United Kingdom, Ireland and GCC

    • Mar 2013 - Mar 2019
    • Dubai, United Arab Emirates

    • Led and developed the contracts team for North America from 2016 to 2018 with contracts generating over $47 million • Led & headed the product and revenue strategy for Great Britain's team of contractors from 2013 until 2018 worth $89 million• Successfully negotiated contracts in GCC's key cities worth $31.6 million from 2013-2015• Budget & target setting for North America, United Kingdom & Northern Ireland• Experienced in sourcing, negotiating and finalizing qualified new products in Oman, Bahrain Qatar, Jordan, Iraq, United Kingdom & Northern Ireland, Bermuda, Canada & United States of America that generated over 805,600 room nights from 2013-2018• Developed and maintained relationships with existing and new Suppliers within the assigned territories• Generated additional revenue through Incentive Contracts with Suppliers• Contracted renewals in a timely manner • Attended direct connect & channel manager training with Global chains and internal technology team• Assisted with Direct Connect ‘Opt-In’ conversion with a priority on key demand• Accurate and comprehensive market knowledge with a focus on competitor activities to ensure maintaining a competitive market position• Worked closely with Data Entry Operations team to ensure timely system loading, accuracy of all contracts and that you ensure efficient communication of available product both externally and internally (the local and global DOTW team)• Ensured and maintained sufficient availability by working closely with the sales & operations teams both locally and across our global network of offices• Worked closely with operations, sales and finance to ensure effective selling, efficient operations and anticipating potential problems• Completed and disseminated contracting reports upon completion of any trips and weekly for all office based meetings• Prepared and appropriately communicated statistical analysis of supplier sales• Attended key trade functions globally

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  Sheraton Dubai Creek Hotel & Towers (Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc.)

  • Deira, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

  • Senior Sales Manager – Travel Trade

    • May 2011 - Feb 2013
    • Deira, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

    • Under the general guidance of the Director of Sales & Marketing, to oversee and direct all aspects of the hotel’s leisure FIT, Group, F&B sales administration and public relations • Assist the Director of Sales & Marketing with preparing the annual business plan for leisure segment • Producing and implementing action plans to secure business plan objectives• Analyse current and potential market trends, coordinate all activities related to maintaining an increase in revenue through added business volume and rates • Being a trust worthy partner alongside wholesalers, airlines, airport counters, telephone contacts, incentive buyers, group bookers, to ensure long-term profits • Conduct and monitor Starwood’s Sales Blitz weeks for corporate, leisure and banqueting• Contracting for incoming leisure segment sales, including participations at all major overseas travel exhibitions & local travel get-togethers or road shows in conjunction with DTCM, travel companies or Starwood Hotels & Resorts• Conducting familirisation trips and ensuring hotel branding is visible through various marketing channels such as local destination management companies & overseas tour operators online information and brochure participations• Responsible for emerging markets such as South America, Indonesia, Vietnam, Egypt, Turkey, South Africa & existing markets

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  Novotel/Ibis Al Barsha Hotel (Accor)

  • Al Barsha, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

  • Sales Manager - Travel Trade & Corporate

    • Nov 2008 - Apr 2011
    • Al Barsha, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

    o Member of pre-opening teamo Structuring the leisure department from scratcho Building leisure and corporate database through sales visits, blitz etc.o Contracting with local travel managers/directors in timely manner; keeping their online booking systems up-to-date for pre-opening Novotel Al Barsha and visibility for Ibis Al Barsha o Conducting site inspections for Contracting & Reservation teams; and corporate bookerso Presentations in hotel or at client’s office (20 sales calls per week); providing information about hotel and learning of local and international market needso Working closely with travel companies to promote the hotel on various sales tripso Continuous study and update of group movements; handling high volume of group requests and confirmations for rooms & food and beverageo Recorded leisure group sales year on year (Jan-Oct – 9000 room nights)o Monitoring top accounts to ensure smooth continuous flow of businesso Telemarketing new travel and corporate companies o Assisting with corporate blitz; learning of corporate demands towards incoming business travelo Increased annual leisure (FIT’s) sales year on year (individual incoming leisure room nights for Apr-Dec’09 – 14,000/Jan-to date 2010 – 22,000)o Negotiating with major travel, events, sporting companies for various businesso Contributing to company strategy; maintaining weekly and monthly sales reportso Systematic filing and maintaining of all correspondences and other work related documents(Markets handled: UAE, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Iran, India, CIS, China, Malaysia, Australia, USA)

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  Xplore Travel LLC

  • Bur Dubai, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

  • Manager - Inbound Operations

    • Sep 2004 - Nov 2008
    • Bur Dubai, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

    o Regular coordination with agents, staff and others involved in the process of hotel bookings, transfers, tours and excursionso Maintaining records related to International Travelling o Arranging & oversee the working of travel authorizations requirementso Liaison between Budget & Finance offices for all sorts of financial obligationso Supervised online bookings & purchases, as well as product launcheso Communicating with Airport Authorities, various consulates and Immigration officeo Provided traveling plans & requirements for local and international clientso Increased annual sales year on year by using various means of marketing Xplore’s travel productso Negotiated with major hotels and travel companies for various rateso Contributed to company strategyo Developed partnership agreements with leading travel companies leading to major volume saleso Contracted with hotels and other suppliers to increase gross profits via online systems and/or other marketing toolso Developed the volume and profitability of overseas market sectors through more effective sales and marketing campaigns whilst attending overseas travel eventso Handled a team of 8 people as Manager – Leisureo Handled administrative matters for customers travelling locally/ internationallyo To travel on sales trips locally/ internationally to endorse travel products(Markets handled: UAE, Jordan, Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Egypt)

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  Travco L.L.C

  • Al Karama,Dubai, United Arab Emirates

  • Contracting and Product Development Executive

    • Aug 2003 - Jul 2004
    • Al Karama,Dubai, United Arab Emirates

    o Generating and executing packages for clients: research, writing, printing & distributiono Designing, coordinating and formatting of Travco online advertisements (maintained Information Bulletin for BTI and Travel Newspaper to promote partners Gerry’s Event Management Solutions, Karachi-Pakistan) o Prepare and arrange presentations and reports to clients on company progress, as well as meet and assist all clients and vendorso Regular coordination with agents, staff and others involved in the process of travel packages generation (B2B systems)o Interaction with hotel management and sales staff, responding to queries, assisting with and organizing of visits for clients overseas and locallyo Planning and coordinating for various tours, events, conferences, seminars, etc.o Provide additional support to Director of Contracting and Inbound Managero Maintaining database for collecting informationo Maintaining a record of events and tour queries and assisting General Manager in overseeing and regulating Meetings, Events, and Incentive Tripso Traveled with groups on trips to ensure complete service at all events and tourso Correspondences with clients, vendors, visa officers etc.o Trained in Reservations Department and shortly moved to more desired responsibility and interest – Contracting and Product Development(Markets handled: UAE, Middle East, Oman, Pakistan)