Asif Hanafi – Blogging from somewhere

Summary :

Entrepreneurial skills, practical and calm approach to stressful situations, a detailed planner; enjoy challenges, have proficient leadership skills but also capable of team work, strategic thinker always taking in the birds’ eye view of situations and an effective communicator with negotiating skills.

Specialties :

Strategic planning and management, operational strategies,
feasibility studies, profit & loss management, channel marketing B2B & B2C, pricing & distribution and customer relationship management.

Experience

Investment Professional

The Global Emerging Markets Group (GEM)

(Privately Held; Venture Capital & Private Equity industry)

January 2010 - Present (3 months)

Consultant

Consultant

(Telecommunications industry)

November 2008 - December 2009 (1 year 2 months)

Experience with emerging markets and advised a number of companies in marketing, business development and social marketing strategies. I have self-taught myself the basics of Adobe Photoshop, learnt online analytical tools, executed online advertisement and search engine optimization and brushed up my French.

Working as an advisor to a youth organization based out of Pakistan. Prior to this role I held the position of Director Strategy before taking on the advisor role. The organization focuses on the development of youth in Pakistan and I am also currently managing their Facebook fanpage and twitter page.


Within the aviation industry, consulted a large multinational on market entry in Pakistan with a focus on direct marketing and B2B customer relationship management.
(Worldwide Flight Services – http://www.wsf.aero )

Within the telecom industry, provided consulting services to a private investment group on developing a business plan focusing on push-to-talk services. Included go-to-market strategy, product marketing, brand strategy, B2B customer relationship management and marketing communications.
(The Luaripak Group - http://www.tlg.com.pk/)

Group Manager Strategy & Business Development

Havana International

(Luxury Goods & Jewelry industry)

October 2007 - November 2008 (1 year 2 months)

Luxury being an emerging market in Pakistan we launched an organization focused only on Luxury. The company was incepted and lead under my leadership where the focus was on premium services and home décor. Managed the operation, worked on the growth strategy and inducted a staff of 10.

Key achievements & responsibilities were:

• Introduced Lalique SA in Pakistan, where we were the first to introduce a luxury crystal brand in Pakistan.
• Crafted the marketing strategy which included direct mailing, advertisement and e-mail marketing.
• Created the customer relationship program for the company; introducing loyalty cards, analyzing customer spending and managing strategic alliances with premium clubs in Karachi.
• Developed the brand strategy, responsible for partnerships, competition and market analysis.
• Launching the customer relationship program led to the creation of the customer database in which we profiled the customer based on their financial, family and business background.

Country Manager Pakistan

Telefonica O2

(Privately Held; Telecommunications industry)

June 2006 - October 2007 (1 year 5 months)

Telefonica O2 in Asia Pacific & Middle East was competing in the windows mobile handset market. It launched products such as the XDA Atom and XDA Atom life. The responsibility was to launch the operation in Pakistan, which included creating the marketing strategy in ATL & BTL, managing the local distributors, media and agencies and being responsible for the profit & loss of the operation in Pakistan. Developed the pricing strategy for the products and worked with financial institutions and operators to promote the products.

Key achievements & responsibilities were:

• Managed two launch events for Telefonica O2 in Pakistan.
• Increased the brand visibility in major commercial centres through-out Pakistan.
• Managed all the sales training for the distributor pertaining to O2 products.
• Represented the company at external events, one notable one being the first Business Continuity Management event in Karachi where the functions or our devices were crucial for an effective BCM plan.
• Developed and maintained relationship with Warid, Mobilink, Telenor and Ufone at C-level and managerial levels providing product training and support.
• Competitive mobile devices analysis, testing of windows mobile devices hardware and software.
• Minor responsibilities included supervising quality and control, after-sales service and advice to the vice president of sales.

Founder - Event Manager

UKRAVER

(Events Services industry)

August 2004 - March 2006 (1 year 8 months)

catering to the diverse ethnic community in Switzerland, namely the Sri Lankans, Indians, Bangladeshis and Pakistanis. Managed the relationships with the clubs, raised sponsorship, flew in DJs from London and hosted two new years party.

Key achievements were:

• We launched parties in Basel and Geneva.
• We were the music team at the Basel Festival in 2005 featuring fashion designers from India.
• We ventured into concerts hosting singers from USA and UK.
• Learned Adobe Photoshop and designed promotional flyers and website.
• Collected customer data for e-mail marketing.

Internee

BT Global Services

(Public Company; 10,001 or more employees; BT; Telecommunications industry)

June 2005 - September 2005 (4 months)

- Initiated the first internal newsletter for BT Sales
- Managed data collection on top 75 customer lists and compiled statistics
- Supported account manager with sales development plan
- Collected and researched information for marketing department
- Developed power point slides for presentation usage.

Education

SBS - Swiss Business School

BSc E-Commerce

2003 - 2006

Insight into all major fields of management; venture capital funding, management, financial management, marketing, statistics, accounting, European law, strategy development and e-commerce.

Kingston University

B.Sc Computer Science Systems Analysis & Design, Networking, C++,

2001 - 2003

Studied the basics of programming, network designing and system analysis design. I later changed my degree into e-commerce for which I moved to Switzerland.

Inter Community School of Zurich

International Bacculerate English A1, Economics HL, Math Methods, German B1, Information Technology Global Society, Chemistry

1999 - 2001

Inter Community School of Zurich

IGCSE English, Physics, Biology, Chemistry, Advanced Maths, German, French

1997 - 1999

WebSites

• My Blog
• My Company