Summary
Overview
Work History
Education
Skills
Work Availability
Timeline
Hi, I’m

Safi Nomani

Management Professional With 16+ Years Experience In Marketing And Brand Management, Category Management, Promotions, Special Events, Marketing Research, Advertising, And In Execution Of Marketing Plans.
Dubai,United Arab Emirates
The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing.
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Safi Nomani

Summary

  • An astute and seasoned marketer with over 16 years of experience in brand building, category management and new product launches. I have covered strategically important geographies like KSA, UAE , Oman etc. in a trade marketing / execution role for around 9 years and then strutted my stuff in a Regional / Global Strategic & Equity role across the MENA region for a good part of 7 years now.
  • A well rounded experience of more than a decade handling star brands such as Puck, Lurpak, London Dairy & Tiffany helped hone my skill set across various marketing disciplines most notably around consumer and shopper marketing.
  • Adept in working up on category strategies, innovation pipelines and brand / product positioning workshops by rallying multifunctional stakeholders across the larger organization.

Overview

17
years of professional experience
4
years of post-secondary education

Work History

Arla Foods
Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Head of Marketing
01.2022 - Current

Job overview

  • Heading the development and execution of the brand and category strategy for the Lurpak and Arla brands across key MENA markets.
  • Crafting the communication architecture for the Lurpak brand in line with changing market dynamics and evolving consumer preferences.
  • Reformulating brand positioning strategy for the Arla brand and formulating growth strongholds to drive profitable growth expansion for the brand across MENA.
  • Leading the development of the Innovation portfolio within the highly competitive milk and yoghurt space based on winning consumer concepts.
  • Developing the annual communication and media plan in close coordination with the media, digital and creative agencies thereby formulating a robust activation calendar for digital, ATL and BTL activities.
  • Liaison with market leads on category nuances and growth targets to ensure a relentless pursuit of category and brand financials.
  • Ensuring the team remains driven, motivated and committed to the tasks entrusted upon them by periodically mentoring and checking progress on key initiatives throughout the fiscal year.

Arla Foods
Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Senior Regional Category Manager
04.2018 - 12.2021

Job overview

  • Worked on building the Cooking category portfolio by adding various category verticals to the Cooking category like Cooking Cream, Soups , Sauces etc
  • Leading the development and execution of annual brand and category plans for the Cooking Category across MENA
  • Led the planning and formulation of category strategy for the Cooking Category in MENA thereby identifying key growth drivers and activation platforms to drive the category to growth in MENA in the foreseeable future
  • Project lead on the mammoth shift of production for our Creams, Soups and Sauces from Denmark to Saudi Arabia, thereby heralding a new era for the Cooking category with local production prowess, quicker time to market, clutter breaking packaging & significant cost savings
  • Developing NPD concepts through a sprint workshop , testing concepts with consumer groups and preparing a rollout pipeline for NPDs for the next 5 years in MENA
  • Leading successfully the relaunch for the Puck Masterbrand across MENA by working on an effective and ambitious Brand Relaunch plan after a thorough pitching process
  • Single handedly executed the packaging change for the entire Puck Brand over the period of a year post a packaging pitch and various rounds of consumer testing.

Arla Foods
Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Regional Category Manager
02.2014 - 03.2018

Job overview

  • Worked on building the Cooking category portfolio by adding various category verticals to the Cooking category like Cooking Cream, Soups , Sauces etc
  • Leading the development and execution of annual brand and category plans for the Cooking Category across MENA
  • Led the planning and formulation of category strategy for the Cooking Category in MENA thereby identifying key growth drivers and activation platforms to drive the category to growth in MENA in the foreseeable future
  • Project lead on the mammoth shift of production for our Creams, Soups and Sauces from Denmark to Saudi Arabia, thereby heralding a new era for the Cooking category with local production prowess, quicker time to market, clutter breaking packaging & significant cost savings
  • Developing NPD concepts through a sprint workshop , testing concepts with consumer groups and preparing a rollout pipeline for NPDs for the next 5 years in MENA
  • Leading successfully the relaunch for the Puck Masterbrand across MENA by working on an effective and ambitious Brand Relaunch plan after a thorough pitching process
  • Single handedly executed the packaging change for the entire Puck Brand over the period of a year post a packaging pitch and various rounds of consumer testing.

Arla Foods
Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Country Category Manager – Marketing
12.2011 - 01.2014

Job overview

  • Responsible for taking a category perspective along with a brand perspective on the yearly marketing plan
  • Ensuring growth of categories entrusted by validating category drivers and activating strategic platforms emanating from these drivers
  • Understanding and implementing the nuances of category management to BSM, Cream and Milk categories
  • Researching to validate consumer segmentation by understanding need states and subconscious shopper motivations to arrive at validated segmentations according to consumer needs.
  • Be on the lookout for white spaces within the product portfolio to develop and launch new products satisfying a particular consumer need.
  • Constantly liaise with the Regional and Global Category Managers on Platform Activations and communications.
  • Responsible for periodically updating the value chain and making pricing strategies for products
  • Entrusted with the responsibility of ensuring the most efficient spend of the category marketing budgets
  • Analyzing the potential of specific products to certain ethnicities thereby exploiting the full potential of the product.

Arla Foods
Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Product Manager – Marketing
06.2009 - 11.2011

Job overview

  • Entrusted with the overall responsibility of the performance for the two brands – Lurpak & The Three Cows in terms of all KPI’s (Market Shares, Profitability, Distribution, Awareness, Top of Mind etc)
  • Creating & Executing the yearly marketing plan for the assigned brands
  • Responsible for the brand spends and budgets ensuring the most efficient spend across ATL & BTL activities
  • Constantly look @ possibilities to launch/introduce new products so as to expand the current Arla bouquet
  • Identify consumer trends and potentials and tap these by means of 360 deg. campaigns
  • Close co-ordination with other company/country departments on day to day activities
  • Liaison with external suppliers (advertising agencies, research agencies, media agencies, printing press etc) on timely and successful implementation of campaigns
  • -Adequately forecasting quantities desired for promotional activities and NPDs throughout the year

IFFCO Group
Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Brand Manager Marketing
06.2006 - 11.2009

Job overview

  • Developing and implementing brand strategy and plans on an ongoing basis across the GCC for the Tiffany and London Dairy Brands. Proposing and developing new product development programmes including extension of the current brand portfolio into new flavors, sizes and segments. Responsible for management and control of advertising, promotion and trade marketing budgets.
  • Tracking of market shares of our brands vis-à-vis competition brands and taking informed decisions based on retail audit data.

Tiffany Foods Ltd
Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Management Trainee
07.2005 - 11.2006

Job overview

  • Entrusted with the launch of a flanker brand in the Biscuits category in the popular segment assisting the Marketing Manager. Worked the local market to understand the competitor activities and assisted is taking an informed decision about the positioning of the product in the market.
  • Aided in the re-launch of the Tiffany Cream Biscuits Range which is the market leader.
  • Involved in the launch of the Tiffany Biscuits Premium Range in October 2006
  • Was responsible for all new product/packaging development initiatives in the biscuits category during the time

Education

Mumbai University
Mumbai

M.B.A from Marketing
08.2003 - 05.2005

Lucknow University
Lucknow

Bachelor’s from Science
09.2000 - 05.2003

Skills

    Marketing and advertising

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Timeline

Head of Marketing

Arla Foods
01.2022 - Current

Senior Regional Category Manager

Arla Foods
04.2018 - 12.2021

Regional Category Manager

Arla Foods
02.2014 - 03.2018

Country Category Manager – Marketing

Arla Foods
12.2011 - 01.2014

Product Manager – Marketing

Arla Foods
06.2009 - 11.2011

Brand Manager Marketing

IFFCO Group
06.2006 - 11.2009

Management Trainee

Tiffany Foods Ltd
07.2005 - 11.2006

Mumbai University

M.B.A from Marketing
08.2003 - 05.2005

Lucknow University

Bachelor’s from Science
09.2000 - 05.2003

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Safi NomaniManagement Professional With 16+ Years Experience In Marketing And Brand Management, Category Management, Promotions, Special Events, Marketing Research, Advertising, And In Execution Of Marketing Plans.