Rafik Zahy
Executive Director
Cairo,Cairo
Summary
A dedicated and professional Director of Business Development with 15+ years of experience in the B2B, product management and sales industries. Proven record of managing costs and establish strategic mutually beneficial partnerships and relationships with suppliers, customers and stakeholders and service providers as well as establishing and building businesses from scratch. Effective leader who performs well in collaborative environment with employees and clients. Adept at creating strategic alliances with organization leaders to effectively align with and support key business initiatives and support business development through every step. Seeking to work in an environment that is conducive to my intellectual, professional, and personal growth, that provides the opportunity to meet and exceed assigned sales goals having a Consultative selling approach coupled with the energy and drive as an individual contributor with minimal supervision.
Overview
12
12
years of professional experience
7
7
years of post-secondary education
4
4
Certifications
3
3
Languages
Work History
Director of Business Development
IMCD Group N.V
08.2022 - Current
- Provide new markets access to IMCD Group (West and Central Africa) starting with Nigeria, Ghana and Ivory Coast while taking the lead in establishing the business from scratch in those countries
- Lead commercial strategy for all the sales team in Africa and the Middle East region by presenting market research and strategies to the Global directors
- Assess marketing and sales as well as supplier and vendor operations while screening for target companies as per the underlining growth strategy and providing capital expenditure plans for potential mergers and acquisition activities
- Develop in-depth knowledge of company offerings to identify profitable business opportunities while directing marketing efforts by presenting market research to marketing directors and suggesting strategies to expand market research
- Research emerging trends and recommend new company offerings to satisfy customers’ needs while developing and managing strategic partnerships to grow the business.
- Coordinated closely with legal counsel to ensure all contracts were compliant with relevant laws and regulations, mitigating potential risks for the organization
- Championed organizational change initiatives that resulted in streamlined operations and significant cost savings for the company
- Developed customized solutions tailored specifically to individual client needs, leading to an increase in repeat business engagements
- Cultivated strong relationships with key stakeholders both internally and externally to optimize collaboration efforts across departments
Global Product Director
IMCD Group N.V.
08.2022 - Current
- Responsible for the 2nd biggest supplier for IMCD Pharma Business Group for more than 50 countries around the Globe (North and South America, Europe, Africa, Middle East, Asia and Oceania) – 80 Million Euro Sales while building strong relationships with affiliates and local senior leaders and their sales team in each country
- Provide support to senior management on the definition and implementation of the global growth strategy and market entrance strategies while providing global market and competitive intelligence, and proactively making recommendations
- Evaluate the product mix offered in the market’s entry strategies, their expansion as part of sales growth while providing support in the branding, and updating the process of products
- Support the creation and maintenance of printed and digital communications to define and implement the products and B2B trainings together with B2B services enquiries
- Conduct regular visit to affiliates to ensure correct product positioning while providing support in branding, and updating process of products.
- Implemented innovative solutions to solve complex problems, resulting in increased productivity and streamlined operations
Managing Director
IMCD Group N.V
07.2017 - 07.2022
- Started a startup business from Day 1 for IMCD Group in Egypt as Managing Director where I set up the office, logistics, supply chain, planning, warehousing, hiring payroll and financial dimensions while also expanding to Pharmaceuticals Food and nutrition, Coating and Construction, Personal and Home Care, advanced materials (plastics) specialty chemicals/raw materials
- Achieved sales growth from Zero to 20 million Euro turnover in 4 years as well a team of 30 people at the same frame while examining company rules to make sure to stay relevant and making recommendations for necessary changes
- Looked for opportunities to grow a business, whether through partnerships or new initiatives, and worked to take advantage of those opportunities while analyzing sales and other reports that gave insight into how a company can make adjustments to improve performance
- Assisted commercial directors, acted as a member of a cohesive team, worked with contract managers, resolved issues with contracts and commercial operations while communicating with parties in a contract so that all understood the terms, particularly a contract's financial aspects
- Assessed risks and made recommendations based on a thorough analysis of all factors involved in a business situation while managing daily company operations, and coaching employees on best practices for managing contract issues and handling daily issues and tasks.
Regional Sales Manager (Export Dep)
Eagle Chemicals
04.2016 - 06.2017
- Worked for the Export department as the manager for the Area of North Africa and Europe (total of 20 countries) EMENA REGION while expanding Eagle Chemicals territory for this area by supplying the local manufactures by the needed Resins for the coating industry (decorative and industrial)
- Recognized trends on the relevant markets while monitoring the competitive behavior and development of substitutions and their development on the market
- Established market analyses and co-operation in marketing strategies while independently planning and realizing visits to customers and price negotiations
- Co-ordinated and processed complaints, and participated in and attended trade shows while training the sales organizations involved on the commercial products
- Co-operated with Application Technology and in the pertinent technical committees while creating regional sales plans and quotas in alignment with business objectives.
Business Unit Manager
Maskem Middle East (Arpadis Benelux)
10.2011 - 03.2016
- Managed a business of 10 Million USD going from Zero to 1 square.
- Looked after the Egyptian, Sudanese, and Sub-Saharan pharmaceutical markets as well for the Food excipients and animal feed ingredients raw materials while developing a business plan and sales strategy for the markets I supervised to ensure achievement of company sales goals and profitability
- Was responsible for the performance and development of the Account Executives, and prepared action plans by individuals as well as by team for effective search of sales leads and prospects while initiating and coordinating development of action plans to penetrate new markets
- Assisted in the development and implementation of marketing plans as needed and conducted one-on-one review with all Account Executives to build more effective communications, and to understand training and development needs while providing insight for the improvement of Account Executive’s sales and activity performance
- Provided timely feedback to senior management regarding performance, and also timely, accurate, and competitive pricing on all completed prospect applications submitted for pricing and approval, while striving to maintain maximum profit margin and maintaining accurate records of all pricing, sales, and activity reports submitted by Account Executives
- Assisted Account Executives in preparation of proposals and presentations, and controlled expenses to meet budget guidelines while adhering to all company policies, procedures and business ethics codes and ensuring that were communicated and implemented within the team.
- Negotiated contracts with vendors for cost-effective procurement of goods and services
- Conducted detailed market analysis for informed decision-making and strategic planning
- Drove continuous improvement initiatives by soliciting feedback from employees and conducting regular reviews
- Led the development of new product offerings, expanding the company''s market share and revenue streams
Education
Master of International Business Administration and Marketing -
ESLSCA Business School
Cairo, C 09.2015 - 10.2017
Bachelor Degree in Pharmaceutical sciences -
Misr International University
Cairo, C 09.2002 - 06.2007
Skills
Leadership
Team Management
Communication & Negotiations
Market Research
Business Development
Problem Solving
Project Management
Customer Service
Employee Training
Negotiations & Contracts
Policies & Procedures
Selling Techniques & Strategies
Microsoft Office
Time Management
Critical Thinking
Interpersonal Skills
Certification
PMP Course, 2012
Personal Information
Nationality: Egyptian/Canadian
Training
- Summer Training Program in Quality Control Department, 2005, GlaxoSmithKline, Cairo, Egypt
- Clinical Pharmacist for In-Patient Children Department Training, 2006, NCI (National cancer Institute), Cairo, Egypt
Timeline
Director of Business Development
IMCD Group N.V
08.2022 - Current
Global Product Director
IMCD Group N.V.
08.2022 - Current
Managing Director
IMCD Group N.V
07.2017 - 07.2022
Regional Sales Manager (Export Dep)
Eagle Chemicals
04.2016 - 06.2017
Master of International Business Administration and Marketing -
ESLSCA Business School
09.2015 - 10.2017
Business Unit Manager
Maskem Middle East (Arpadis Benelux)
10.2011 - 03.2016
Bachelor Degree in Pharmaceutical sciences -
Misr International University
09.2002 - 06.2007