AHMAD KATKHUDA

• Leading a business unit of 4,000 tons / 50 million SAR annually for categories including cheese, creams, butter, and milk-based beverages, while overseeing a team of five executives for business development, deploying NPDs, and implementing digital transformation in ways of working.
• Handling distributors for related business financials, forecasting, and market expansion.
• Responsible for the development of 10 key accounts in KSA to increase sales revenue in the first 6 months, with an additional 1,000 tons in sales.
• Cross-functional collaboration with all business unit heads (HR, SC, Finance, and Marketing) to ensure target achievements.
• Providing business reports as required, while giving feedback on market intelligence and competition.
• Leading a team of regional sales executives, providing mentorship and guidance to achieve sales targets.
• Negotiating contracts with major accounts, ensuring favourable terms that boosted profit margins.

• Managing the foodservice unit for both regions in KSA (Central and Eastern), including sales forecasts, key account management, primary and secondary sales targets, and upselling and cross-selling to Horeca operators for the creams and butter category.
• Handling a business channel with a turnover of 10M SAR annually.
• Leading a strong & exciting plant-based brand (Rama, Flora, Violife) to KSA market with new to major Bakeries, Restaurants and Hotels.
• Drive Foodservice channel sales strategies, manage RTM distribution network, and annual business plans with Key distributor for sales growth & winning new accounts.
• Establishing full training and coaching structure to improve sales team capabilities, skills and knowledge.
• Managing channel financials including ROI, NS, GP while being responsible for building profitable sustainable business unit.

Key Achievements:

• Sales Growth: 25% in regions YTD.
• New Customer Acquisition: 10 Key accounts.
• Product mix Performance: 80%.
• Increase ROP/Net Sales of FS channel: 12% - 20% YTD.
• Owned Partnership with Key Bakeries and Chains on a yearly contract.
• Developed and executed strategic sales plans for Central and Eastern KSA regions to drive revenue growth.

• Drive foodservice channel sales strategies, manage RTM distribution network, formulate and implement comprehensive business strategies, marketing campaigns, policies, and procedures to drive sales growth.
• Optimise BDA and strengthen strategic partnerships with distributors and KAs while handling business plans and supply agreements with key strategic customers.
• Designing promotional programmes aimed at increasing opportunities and sales growth with distributor partners.
• Managing a sales team of five members (sales executives and key accounts).
• Handling a business unit of SAR 20 million AED (5.5 million USD) annually.
• Business forecasting, budgeting, and developing business development strategies for business growth.
• Monitor and optimise supply chain processes (end-to-end, including receiving, warehousing, inventory control, distribution, transportation, and CRM processes).

Key Achievements:

• Cultivated strong relationships with key stakeholders and foodservice clients to enhance customer loyalty and retention.
• Sales growth: 20% in FS channel; new customer acquisition: 15; distributor performance: 85%
• Monitored competitor activities and industry developments to adjust sales strategies and maintain competitive advantage.
• Gross Profit: +12% on the consistency of sales growth through focus on product mix and prices.

• Responsible for leading the Unilever Tea separation business across Upper Gulf (KSA, BAHRAIN, KUWAIT) by managing day-to-day operations of the department and developing strategic strategies to support growing the channel, increase sales revenue and growth.
• Managed 3 key distributors in the region; duties included demand planning, logistics, weekly business meetings, forecasting business development & financial reviews.
• Direct interactions with P&L top line achievement, TTS planning and coach DSR sales team in their day-to-day operations & field visits to achieve target & incentives plan.
• Review current route to market coverage and explore opportunities to improve business reach and accessibility to focused channel (TEA).
• Win & retention of strategic key accounts and maintenance of key customer relationships.
• Led and directed sales strategies and activities that were in alignment with overall goals to deliver volume, profit and share.

Key Achievements.

• Developed and executed channel sales strategies to maximise market penetration and product visibility in the tea category.
• Conducted regular market analysis to identify trends and opportunities, informing strategic decisions and potential sales growth.
• Utilised data analytics tools to track sales performance and consumer behaviour, adjusting strategies to meet evolving market demands.
• Developed a comprehensive sales strategy for DSRs increasing revenue by 10%.

• Primary focus on achieving category growth targets in value and volume in line with company's strategy where it is based on grow & growth (e.g., focusing on global & local key accounts, focusing on profitable products and services, and on new projects e.g., LTOs, new listings).
• Leading and managing business channel for achieving total revenue of SAR 15,000,000 ($3.5M) Annually.
• Responsible for handling Foodservice key accounts contracts operation e.g. (KFC, McDonald's, Burger King, Pizza Hut, Subway, Starbucks, Herfy).
• Sales analysis that serves current markets based on SKU level, category level, and full portfolio level to ensure all products are achieving full profitability targets.
• Develop a national commercial plan for the channel from category, financial and operational perspectives.
• Conduct weekly meetings to optimise strategies, allocate channel budgets, and discuss marketing and market investments with the Head of MEPS (Middle East, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka).

Key Achievements:

• Developed a business unit from turnover of SAR 10M SAR annually to SAR 13M SAR by winning and growing existing Key Accounts.
• Managed key account matters including solving issues, updating on project milestones, attending meetings, and managing other communications.
• Managed a portfolio of 20+ key accounts, consistently exceeding sales targets by 15%.

• Planning & execution of joint business development with sub-distributors for managing local efforts in route to market plans, distribution & availability.
• Capitalising the insight into innovation through new business development to deliver business growth.
• Restructure the route to market with local distributors to cover market gaps, open new markets, and reach new geographical areas.
• Supporting distribution channels (local distributors) in terms of inventory management, product knowledge, support in achieving sales targets, and ensuring workflow in accordance with the budget and within the realms of P&L.

Key Achievements:

• Developed a business unit from a turnover of SAR 1.5M annually to SAR 8M by winning more than 100 accounts.
• Successfully handled major projects in KSA, including the implementation of Lipton Iced Tea and the automated sales system (Armstrong) exclusively in the Gulf region.
• Established strong client rapport, understanding unique needs and delivering customised solutions.

• Promoting payment processing services to businesses through B2B sales calls.
• Hunt for new business opportunities through aggressive cold calling and prospecting while growing existing customers.
• Identify and analyze customer needs through a consultative sales approach, manage all aspects of sale from opening to closing.
• Maintain and develop relationships for existing customers.