SHARIYA SHAIKH

International Marketing Manager - Convenience Foods Portfolio.

Category: Ready to Eat, Food & Beverage Mixes, Vermicelli, Cooking Aids

Yearly turnover of USD 25mn+ (INR 200cr+).

• Leading category management for two brands, MTR and Eastern, in key international markets of Middle East, North America, and Europe.
• Category & P&L management: Drove significant top-line growth, achieving 26% growth in the overall portfolio through strategic marketing initiatives, and product innovation.
• Achieved a 2 pp margin improvement through monitoring category performance metrics, driving timely pricing interventions, cost efficiencies, and portfolio optimization projects.
• Brand building & communications: Delivered 4 major 360º marketing campaigns, leading to an average secondary sales growth of 15% and attainment of key campaign metrics.
• Developed 60+ new content assets, and engaged with 150+ influencers.
• Led the relaunch of Foods portfolio, comprising 80+ SKUs, with a new brand identity & contemporary packaging, resulting in improved shelf visibility & enhanced market positioning. Built category communication taglines, key visuals, and Ecommerce content.
• Innovation: Led strategic planning and execution of the full potential plan, leading to a three-year innovation pipeline.
• Managing 5 active NPD projects.
• Successfully launched an innovative range of '5minute Breakfast' in the Middle East markets, with cross-functional collaboration. Delivered 360º launch plans - building consumer awareness, monitoring the execution of GTM strategy, and placements. Felicitated with "Spotlight" Award for successful launch.
• Research & Insighting: Initiated in-depth category research, market mapping, and U&A study.
• Setting up consumer panels and building regular brand health tracks to improve insights into consumer preferences and category performance.
• Budget Management: Managing Adpro budget of ~USD 2mn.
• For the overall international business unit, I led budget planning and brand plan presentations with top management for the years 2025 and 2026.
• Managing one direct report, delegating tasks, and conducting performance check-ins to ensure project alignment and growth.

Brand Manager - Premium Salts and Cooking Soda.

Yearly turnover of USD 15mn+ (INR 130cr+).

• Led revenue, volume, and profitability growth for two brands, i-Shakti and Sampann, through GTM excellence, consumer programs, and trade engagement.
• Designed impactful BTL-led promotions to boost distribution, reach, per dealer offtake, and retail offtakes in key Indian markets, delivering an overall category growth of 16%.
• Revamped I-Shakti Cooking Soda 30g pack with a vernacular design and optimized pricing, driving a 35% uplift in sales.

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International Business Manager - North America | Dec'21 to Oct'23

Yearly turnover of USD 12mn+ (INR 100 cr+).

• Sales & Trade Marketing: Managed PnL of USD 12mn+ for 3 brands - MTR, Eastern and Rasoi Magic. Led a team of two sales representatives, delivering a strong growth of 21% in FY 2022.
• Planned and executed ATL activities, sales promotions, and on-ground activations to increase market engagement.
• Successfully completed the “USA - Route to Market” project where we transitioned from a master distribution model to regionalized distribution.
• Onboarded new distributors, managed complete stock transition, implemented new pricing strategies and delivered margin accretive PnL (+8pp) for the region.
• Felicitated with "CEO excellence Award" as USA geography crossed INR 100cr mark with the new distribution structure.
• Innovation: Led new product launches in Pure Spices, Masalas, and Mixes. Crafting proposition, pricing, placement, and GTM strategy. Identified growth opportunities, steering CFTs and stage-gate processes, resulting in 3 major launches.
• Operational Efficiency: Benchmarked processes to unify export operations for MTR and Eastern under Orkla India.
• Led a cost-efficiency initiative in packaging, delivering 5pp margin improvement for the Canada business.

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Management Trainee | Jul'21 to Dec'21

• During this period, I worked closely with 5 cross-functions on dynamic projects. Some key stints being:

Sales Stint: South Bangalore, General Trade

• Monthly turnover of USD 0.5mn+ (INR 3cr+)
• Trained as an Area Sales Manager in Bangalore. With the guidance of cluster head, I managed end-to-end sales execution, targeted monthly sales delivery, and managed the distributor and sales team.
• Beat Optimization – strengthened distribution network, brought overall efficiency in sales operations.

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Marketing Stint: Breakfast Mixes Category

• Yearly turnover of USD 25mn+ (INR 200cr+)
• Developed means of online trial generation by identifying key purchase barriers.
• Worked with research agencies on FGDs and consumer immersions.
• Participated in fieldwork related to market research to obtain firsthand consumer insights.