Abdul Azad
Dammam,Saudi Arabia
Summary
A results-driven retail executive with over two decades of experience steering operations, commercial strategy, and revenue growth for major hypermarkets and retail chains across the Middle East. This career is defined by a consistent record of transforming business performance by leveraging analytics, optimizing supply chains, and leading high-performing teams. The focus remains on building strategies in dynamic markets that not only maximize profitability but also foster sustainable growth and operational excellence.
Overview
26
26
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work history
Business Head
Mazaya Retail
2024.01 - 2026.03
- At Mazaya Retail (2024 – Present), my role as Business Head centers on aggressive growth and expanding market presence.
- Strategic initiatives have driven a 20% revenue growth in 2024 by capitalizing on new market opportunities and expanding product lines, all guided by robust data analytics. Through disciplined cost management and innovative business models, net margins have increased by 5%, demonstrating a strong commitment to both top-line growth and bottom-line health. Furthermore, the supply chain was overhauled through strategic vendor management, achieving a 25% improvement in efficiency and reducing associated costs by 3%.
Operations Head
Al Sadhan Retail
2021.01 - 2023.01
- Previously, as Country Operations Manager at AL Sadhan Retail LTD (2021 – 2023), the mandate was to lead national operations toward greater efficiency.
- The introduction of lean management principles streamlined processes, resulting in a 10% reduction in operational costs and a 15% boost in productivity. Leading a team of over 600 employees, a culture of excellence was fostered through targeted training and coaching, which improved on-time delivery to 92% and increased overall productivity by 10%.
Director - Operations
Zain Retail
2019.01 - 2021.01
- The tenure as Director of Marketing & Operations at Zain Hypermarket (2019 – 2021) fused commercial and operational leadership.
- This period was marked by the development of high-impact promotional strategies that grew sales by 18% Year-over-Year in a highly competitive market. By leveraging customer data analytics, targeted campaigns were launched that sharply increased sales of key products by 125%, indicating the power of data-driven marketing.
Country Operations Manager
Fathima Retail
2015.01 - 2019.01
- At Fatima Retail (Country operations manager) and More Megastore (Regional operations Manager), a consistent track record of delivering strong financial results was established, including achieving ₹220 Cr in sales (10.5% above target) and registering a net profit of ₹82.2 Cr, for which the region received a Best-Performing Award. These roles honed critical skills in team development, cost leadership, and inventory management, repeatedly achieving double-digit year-over-year revenue and profit growth.
Operation Manager
Aditya Birla Group
2008.01 - 2015.01
Divisional Manager
Geant Hypermarket
2006.01 - 2008.01
Section Manager
Carrefour UAE
2000.01 - 2006.01
Education
MBA - undefined
Kazian School of Management
IndiaBBA - undefined
IBMI
Berlin, GermanyBBA - undefined
Mahatma Gandhi University
Skills
- P&L Management
- Market Expansion & Sales Growth
- Supply Chain & Vendor Negotiations
- Cost Reduction & Operational Efficiency
- Team Leadership (600 employees)
- Retail Merchandising & Inventory Optimization
- Strategic Business Planning
- Stakeholder & Client Relations
- Risk assessment and mitigation
- Leadership and motivation
- P and L accountability
- Executive decision-making
- Export and Import operations
- Supply chain management knowledge
- Data analysis and interpretation
- Project management certification
- Business development
- Financial analysis and reporting
- Business process improvement
- Leadership development
- Customer relationship management
- Strategic business acumen
- Marketing strategies knowledge
- Communication proficiency
- Business intelligence tools
- Procurement procedures
- Resilience under pressure
- Leadership skills
- Team Leadership
Certification
- Certified Lean Six Sigma Yellow Belt - CSSC
- CAPM course completed - Skill up.
- Digital marketing - Google Digital
- OHSAS - certified
Languages
English
Advanced
C1
Foundation & Core Expertise
Earlier leadership roles provided a deep foundation in core retail mechanics.
Work availability
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
morning
afternoon
evening
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Timeline
Business Head
Mazaya Retail
2024.01 - 2026.03
Operations Head
Al Sadhan Retail
2021.01 - 2023.01
Director - Operations
Zain Retail
2019.01 - 2021.01
Country Operations Manager
Fathima Retail
2015.01 - 2019.01
Operation Manager
Aditya Birla Group
2008.01 - 2015.01
Divisional Manager
Geant Hypermarket
2006.01 - 2008.01
Section Manager
Carrefour UAE
2000.01 - 2006.01
MBA - undefined
Kazian School of Management
BBA - undefined
IBMI
BBA - undefined
Mahatma Gandhi University