Summary
Overview
Work History
Education
Timeline
Generic

Latifuddin Ahmed

Riyadh

Summary

Dynamic and commercially astute retail executive with over 20 years of diversified experience across health & beauty, hypermarkets, home improvement, and concept development. A proven leader in launching and scaling new retail formats; from ideas to full execution; while managing large, cross-functional teams. Skilled in driving double-digit revenue growth, developing high-impact private label programs, and forging strategic supplier partnerships. Extensive global exposure through trade shows and sourcing exhibitions, with a strong track record in optimizing supplier earnings and delivering bottom-line results. Adept at full P&L ownership, organizational development, and business transformation across multi-category retail environments.

Overview

25
25
years of professional experience
5
5
years of post-secondary education

Work History

Chief Commercial Officer

Innovation Pioneers Company Ltd.
Riyadh, Riyadh Region
04.2024 - Current
  • Serving as a founding member and commercial lead for Housemart, a newly launched home improvement and lifestyle convenience concept under IPC.
  • Led the complete business buildout from concept to execution, including brand positioning, store format design, category strategy, and commercial policy development.
  • Developed and implemented a multi-channel go-to-market strategy, integrating retail storefronts, e-commerce, and aggregator platforms.
  • Defined the product assortment and pricing strategy across over 5,000 + SKUs and 15 departments, balancing competitive pricing, innovation, and gross margin targets.
  • Built the commercial organization from the ground up, managing vendor negotiations, budget planning, merchandising, and inventory control.
  • Achieved break-even performance within the first 6 months of operations (September 2024), validating the commercial model and cost structure.
  • Led cross-functional coordination between supply chain, finance, and marketing to ensure operational readiness and rapid scale-up.
  • Driving ongoing data-driven decision-making to refine product mix, enhance customer experience, and accelerate revenue growth.

Head of Commercial

SACO – Saudi Company for Hardware
08.2020 - 03.2024
  • Held full P&L responsibility for a multi-category retail portfolio exceeding SAR 1.4 billion, covering tools, home improvement, lifestyle, electronics, and seasonal categories.
  • Led the commercial transformation strategy, modernizing assortment planning, pricing architecture, supplier programs, and category structures across more than 17 departments.
  • Designed and implemented SACO’s White Label strategy, resulting in private label contribution reaching 20% of category sales by 2023.
  • Negotiated new supplier terms and rebate structures across regional and global vendors, delivering SAR 45M+ in cumulative annualized benefit.
  • Oversaw annual planning cycles, forecasting, and budget management, aligning commercial targets with organizational goals.
  • Directed a high-performing team of 40+ professionals across buying, planning, pricing, and business intelligence.
  • Collaborated closely with marketing, e-commerce, logistics, and store operations to ensure commercial plans translated into store-level execution and customer impact.
  • Rolled out commercial planning dashboards and KPIs, significantly enhancing cross-functional visibility and decision-making agility.
  • Achieved 18% sales growth over three years despite post-COVID volatility, driven by category resets, pricing repositioning, and campaign execution.
  • Launched integrated promotional calendars in coordination with marketing, delivering 5–7% incremental uplift during key trading periods.

Head of Department – DIY, Tools & Hardware

SACO – Saudi Company for Hardware
08.2014 - 07.2020
  • Led SACO’s core business portfolio, overseeing DIY, power tools, hand tools, automotive accessories, paints, hardware, adhesives, sundries, and construction-related categories.
  • Managed a turnover of over SAR 300 M, with responsibility for sales, gross margin, inventory, and supplier negotiations.
  • Executed category reengineering and space planning to improve customer navigation, increase conversion, and enhance store productivity.
  • Introduced value-tier and mid-tier product ranges, expanding customer reach and increasing category penetration in price-sensitive segments.
  • Worked closely with global and regional suppliers to localize assortments and reduce lead times, improving stock availability and responsiveness.
  • Improved margin delivery by 8+ bps through effective vendor income programs, tactical pricing, and SKU rationalization.
  • Designed and launched seasonal promotional programs, coordinated with marketing and visual merchandising to drive traffic and upsell.
  • Spearheaded the introduction of category-level dashboards to track performance, identify gaps, and support fast decision-making.
  • Mentored and developed a team of category managers, buyers, and planners, building the future leadership pipeline within SACO's commercial division.

Senior Category Manager

SACO – Saudi Company for Hardware
04.2011 - 08.2014
  • Implemented planogramming standards across SACO stores, driving consistency in product presentation, improving customer navigation, and supporting visual merchandising efficiency.
  • Led a comprehensive data enrichment and item master standardization initiative, significantly improving assortment planning, reporting accuracy, and system automation.
  • Defined and calibrated supply and replenishment parameters (min/max levels, reorder points, safety stock) in collaboration with planning and logistics, resulting in +8% like-for-like sales growth across categories.
  • Managed the end-to-end promotional planning and evaluation process, aligning campaigns with trading windows, negotiating supplier support, and measuring post-event ROI and uplift.
  • Played a strategic role in store formatting and layout design, optimizing category adjacencies, space allocation, and flow to reflect customer missions and improve conversion.

Commercial Business Analyst

Al Othaim Markets Co.
09.2009 - 03.2011
  • Led the re-engineering of the product hierarchy and classification system to align with international retail standards, enabling accurate category-level performance analysis across the FMCG business.
  • Played a key role in the setup and implementation of category management practices, including range planning, SKU mapping, and space-to-sales alignment — covering over 60% of the FMCG portfolio.
  • Developed KPI dashboards and performance metrics for the buying team to align decision-making with company objectives and drive accountability.
  • Collaborated with IT and merchandising to enhance system reporting structures, ensuring accurate data capture, SKU visibility, and supplier performance tracking.
  • Supported procurement, pricing, and planning teams with ad hoc business analysis, contributing to improved gross margin and category health.
  • Worked closely with the senior commercial team on margin improvement strategies and vendor profitability reviews.

Senior Category Manager

Geant Saudi Ltd.
07.2007 - 08.2009
  • Managed strategic FMCG and general merchandise categories across hypermarket formats, with responsibility for assortment planning.
  • Developed and executed category plans aligned with customer behavior and seasonal trends, improving sales performance and stock productivity.
  • Negotiated with local suppliers to secure competitive pricing, promotional funding, and exclusive product listings.
  • Led the implementation of planograms and merchandising standards, enhancing shelf productivity and customer engagement in-store.
  • Collaborated with marketing and operations to ensure seamless execution of category promotions and end-cap visibility.

Operations Manager / Area Manager

The Body Shop
01.2000 - 01.2007
  • Managed assortment selection for core and seasonal product lines, ensuring alignment with local consumer preferences and brand guidelines.
  • Oversaw store-level re-ordering and stock control, optimizing availability while minimizing overstock and ensuring smooth replenishment.
  • Executed promotional campaigns in coordination with global brand calendars, supporting product launches, gifting events, and peak trading periods.
  • Traveled to international conventions and buying meetings, provided market feedback and participating in forward planning for product strategies.
  • Delivered in-store training and guidance to ensure flawless execution of product displays, NPIs, and brand presentation.

Education

Master of Business Administration (MBA) - International Business

Canadian School of Business Management
01.1997 - 01.1999

Bachelor of Commerce (B. Com) - Accounting & Finance

Osmania University
01.1994 - 01.1997

Timeline

Chief Commercial Officer

Innovation Pioneers Company Ltd.
04.2024 - Current

Head of Commercial

SACO – Saudi Company for Hardware
08.2020 - 03.2024

Head of Department – DIY, Tools & Hardware

SACO – Saudi Company for Hardware
08.2014 - 07.2020

Senior Category Manager

SACO – Saudi Company for Hardware
04.2011 - 08.2014

Commercial Business Analyst

Al Othaim Markets Co.
09.2009 - 03.2011

Senior Category Manager

Geant Saudi Ltd.
07.2007 - 08.2009

Operations Manager / Area Manager

The Body Shop
01.2000 - 01.2007

Master of Business Administration (MBA) - International Business

Canadian School of Business Management
01.1997 - 01.1999

Bachelor of Commerce (B. Com) - Accounting & Finance

Osmania University
01.1994 - 01.1997

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Latifuddin Ahmed