Category Manager at Shell | Shell License (2024-04 – Present)
Built the Shell Café brand from the ground up in Saudi Arabia, defining the food service concept, operating standards, supplier network, menu strategy, and launch plan.
- Led strategic initiatives to optimize product offerings and improve category profitability.
- Managed vendor relationships and negotiated supply contracts, ensuring compliance with company and food-safety standards.
- Analyzed market trends and competitor activity to guide product assortment decisions.
- Designed food service layouts to enhance customer journey and in-store experience.
- Applied menu engineering principles to build profitable menus aligned with customer preferences.
- Developed cross-promotion programs converting fuel customers into Shell Café and non-fuel retail customers, growing basket size and station commercial performance.
- Gained hands-on exposure to forecourt-to-store traffic conversion, convenience retail standards, and integrated fuel/non-fuel performance management.
Operation Manager at Starbucks (Alshaya Group) (2021-01 – 2024-04)
Held end-to-end P&L accountability for assigned stores, covering sales performance, labor planning, margin control, operating costs, and shrinkage reduction.
- Led store and area teams to deliver business plan targets by driving sales growth, improving margins, and maintaining consistent operational execution.
- Maximized store and area management performance through coaching, succession planning, and manpower monitoring.
- Championed the brand in stores and maintained a two-way feedback loop with brand teams to inform promotion and markdown decisions.
- Built external market networks to track trends and competitor activity, feeding insights back to central teams.
- Contributed to brand growth initiatives, market rollout planning, and store portfolio decisions, including new-location recommendations, closures, and launch coordination.
- Ensured excellent internal and external customer service through brand-specific and company-wide training initiatives.
- Used company reporting systems to monitor brand performance and implement corrective action.
Customer Service Manager at Alshaya Group (2009-10 – 2012-03)
Supported the Operations Head in managing service excellence across 120+ stores representing 30 international brands, including The Cheesecake Factory, H&M, Pottery Barn, and Mothercare.
- Conducted periodic store visits to drive service performance, coach teams, and address customer needs.
- Maintained a two-way feedback loop with brand teams to enhance business and service performance.
- Developed and tracked action plans with the operations team to achieve brand and store targets.
- Adopted best practices from top-performing brands to set customer service standards.
- Built cross-functional relationships to align business objectives across the region.
- Reported to the Regional Manager on program progress and communicated regularly with Area and Operations Managers.
- Trained and coached front-line store teams to improve service quality and customer satisfaction.
- Co-developed a company-wide service measurement program, including a mystery shopper initiative and a dedicated service center, to assess service levels across all Alshaya brands.
- Hired and trained the mystery shopper team, and used feedback from customer and mystery shopper visits to resolve service gaps and shape strategic decisions to improve service quality.
Training & Development Specialist at Starbucks (Alshaya Group) (2008-02 – 2009-10)
- Consulted with stakeholders to identify training needs aligned with business objectives.
- Developed implementation strategies for training initiatives and coordinated with training specialists across business units to share best practices.
- Worked with management to keep course materials current and relevant.
- Facilitated market training programs and supported field management execution.
- Administered the training calendar, including classes, workshops, and certifications.
- Tracked training impact through learner satisfaction, proficiency testing, and job performance analysis, and implemented improvements based on results.
Supervisor / Store Manager at Starbucks Coffee Company (2001-09 – 2008-02)
- Trained and developed partners (Employees) on Starbucks customer service standards, operating procedures, and core skills.
- Communicated new product information to partners and maximized sales across assigned stores.
- Maintained inventory and reduced cost of goods sold through systematic receiving and counting.
- Ensured day-to-day store operations complied with company rules, regulations, and approved procedures.
- Drove excellence in staff quality, service quality, cost control, and productivity.
