Ajay Poonolly
Head of Operations - International Business
BANGALORE,Karnataka
Summary
Sales, marketing and operations professional with 22+ years of experience driving brand strategy, market expansion, and business transformation across India, Southeast Asia, and the Middle East. Proven expertise in P&L management, e-commerce, retail & trade sales, supply chain optimization, and new product development. Adept at strategic leadership, distributor management, and go-to-market strategies—delivering high-impact revenue growth and operational efficiencies.
Overview
22
22
years of professional experience
5
5
Languages
25
25
years of post-secondary education
Work History
Head - Operations, International Business
Titan Company Ltd.
06.2023 - Current
- Spearheaded global supply chain strategy, optimizing logistics and reducing costs by 22%, improving margins.
- Implemented inventory optimization through automating the demand planning exercise, increasing alignment from 70% to 85%.
- Negotiated strategic agreements with multiple vendors, successfully reducing logistics costs by over 25%.
- Strengthened supplier partnerships to enhance efficiency and cost-effectiveness.
- Leveraged key trade agreements—including CEPA, AIFTA, AICO, and SAFTA—to optimize duty structures, successfully reducing duties by 5% to 12%.
Regional Sales Head - Middle East, Africa & US
Titan Company Ltd.
04.2020 - 05.2023
- Led business and brand expansion across GCC, Africa, and US, scaling Watches, Wearables, Fragrances, and Sunglasses.
- Expanded operations into 15+ new African countries, generating an additional ₹5 Cr revenue in FY23.
- Successfully led a strategic turnaround during the COVID-19 crisis by persuading the company to acquire the operations of our distributor partner in the UAE, preventing the shutdown of 17 brand stores.
- Spearheaded operational restructuring and market adaptation, achieving profitability within three years.
- Forged strategic partnerships, including Lulu Group in GCC, Center point, Amazon, Noon and Namshi achieving 250% YoY growth in FY22 and 150% in FY23.
Business Manager - Middle East & Africa
Titan Company Ltd.
09.2016 - 03.2020
- Built and expanded retail presence across UAE, Oman, and Africa, integrating new categories and market-exclusive product lines.
- Launched Eye wear and Fragrances categories across GCC, driving brand penetration and sales growth.
- Efficiently managed multiple large partners in the region like Rivoli Group, Khimji Ramdas and Time House.
Brand Manager - Middle East, Africa, Vietnam & Philippines
Titan Company Ltd.
08.2014 - 08.2016
- Developed and executed brand strategy and tactical interventions for 11 countries in the MEA region.
- Oversaw agency partnerships, spanning creative, media, digital, PR, events, and research projects.
- Led digital transformation—creating regional brand assets and content across key markets.
- Anchored the 20 Years in GCC initiative, generating a PR value of ₹2 Cr+ in 2014.
Brand Manager - Licensed Brands
Titan Company Ltd.
07.2011 - 07.2014
- Managed Tommy Hilfiger, Police, Timberland, and French Connection watches in India.
- Developed an India-specific collection, generating an additional ₹2.7 Cr in revenue.
- Led cost-saving initiatives, cutting fixture and display unit expenses by 50%.
Sales and Product Manager -
Titan Company Ltd.
06.2003 - 06.2011
- Started as a sales officer trainee and moved the ranks as an Area Manager for Tamil Nadu and Kerala. The role involved retail expansion, BTL activities and achieving set targets across multiple channels.
- Led product development for Watches, driving 70% growth on collections like Hip-Hop, Denim, and Beach.
Education
Bachelors - Computer Science
Christ College
01.1999 - 01.2001
MBA - Marketing & HR
Christ College
01.2001 - 01.2003
Certificate - Strategy Execution
Harvard Business School
04.2001 - 03.2022
Skills
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Timeline
Head - Operations, International Business
Titan Company Ltd.
06.2023 - Current
Regional Sales Head - Middle East, Africa & US
Titan Company Ltd.
04.2020 - 05.2023
Business Manager - Middle East & Africa
Titan Company Ltd.
09.2016 - 03.2020
Brand Manager - Middle East, Africa, Vietnam & Philippines
Titan Company Ltd.
08.2014 - 08.2016
Brand Manager - Licensed Brands
Titan Company Ltd.
07.2011 - 07.2014
Sales and Product Manager -
Titan Company Ltd.
06.2003 - 06.2011
Certificate - Strategy Execution
Harvard Business School
04.2001 - 03.2022
MBA - Marketing & HR
Christ College
01.2001 - 01.2003
Bachelors - Computer Science
Christ College
01.1999 - 01.2001
Languages
English
Hindi
Kannada
Malayalam
Tamil
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