SONALI WADHWAMobile: +91 9811606008 Tel: 011-26496896 / E-Mail: sonalipearl@gmail.com

CAREER OBJECTIVESRetail Management professional with over 5 years of experience in Luxury Retail Management and Business Development. My long term objective is to manage the entire operations of a luxury brand in a large geographic area of the world.

An effective communicator with excellent relationship building & interpersonal skills, strong analytical abilities & a team player.

DOMAIN EXPERTISE—Sales and Marketing of Luxury Brands

CAREER CONTOUR Parfums Christian Dior (Tarz Distribution Pvt Ltd), Mumbai Jan’13 till date

Got promoted from being the Supervisor to the Senior Trainer of Parfums Christian Dior, India.

My job responsibilities entail: Training the sales staff and management heads in different cities on different modules pertaining to

Product knowledge, Art of Selling, Sales operation management and CRM.

On counter coaching on operational issues and client relationship building.

Conducting Local tours and National tours across cities with International Makeup artists and Skincare experts.

Operational Head of PCD division of the Emporio boutique, New Delhi.

Developing BA motivational tools linked to sales.

Supporting other functional divisions of Dior such as Marketing and PR division and Forecast Planning and Sales Analysis

Attending International Training and Marketing Seminars.

Recruiting Retail Staff for counters/ boutique.

Sales & Marketing

Operational Management

Business Development

Key Account Management

Training

Events and Promotions

Christian Dior, New Delhi Feb’11 till Dec ’12

Worked as the Supervisor of Parfum Christian Dior, New Delhi, India.

My job responsibilities entailed: Projecting Sales Budget on SKU wise basis for the year.

Ensuring that all resources are mobilized for exceeding the budgets.

Recommending tactical moves on Operations.

Coordinating Supply Chain.

Inventory Management and improving the number of turns.

Recruiting, Training and Motivating the Sales Staff.

Customer Relationship Management.

Event Planning and Execution.

Management Reporting.

Office of Champagne in India, New Delhi July’10 – Aug’10

Joined The Office of Champagne in India – Ritu Overseas as a Project Manager and handled the Marketing and Promotional activities for Champagne in India.

Ravissant Pvt. Ltd, New Delhi Mar’09 – July’10

Joined Ravissant as an Asst. Marketing Manager (high- end luxury store in New Delhi and Mumbai- India) in March’09 and did an orientation in all the departments (i.e. Fashion, Silver, Home furnishings and L’Occitane) to understand their Product range, Production processes, Pricing, Positioning and Client profile.

My job responsibilities entailed: Strategic Planning: Attend regular meetings with the top management/promoters to discuss strategic

issues pertaining to overall business development, promoting existing high end products, new product lines & the direction that the company should take. Part of the corporate team that decides all issues relating to Marketing and ‘Brand Ravissant’ (like Brand building, Business Development, Promotions and Events.)

Sales & Marketing: Planning business operations and in details. Conceptualizing and implementing strategies to accomplish the desired sales target to meet top line and bottom-line profitability.

Business Development/ Key Account Management: Initiating and developing relationships with key decision makers in target organizations. Identifying prospective clients & generating business from the existing clients to meet the business targets. Planning & implementing sales promotional strategies, for business development & brand visibility.

Team Management: Mentoring, and training a team of professionals for achieving sales targets.

SCHOLASTICS

Short course programme in Luxury Brand Management and Product Design , from University of the

Arts London- London College of Fashion- 2012

Post Graduate Diploma in Fashion Retail from Pearl Academy of Fashion, Delhi- 2006-2008

B.A (Hons.) Philosophy from Lady Shri Ram College, New Delhi- 2003-2006 Pre-University (12th) from Jyoti Nivas College, Bangalore- 2001-2003 ICSE (10th) from Frank Anthony Public School, Bangalore- 1999-2001 Delhi Public School (Vasant Vihar/ R.K.Puram), New Delhi- 1990-1999

PROJECTS UNDERTAKEN

Summer Training:

2 ½ months internship at Aditya Birla Retail- more. Stores. This included

Training in Delhi and Mumbai

On the job work of Visual Merchandising and audit of the stores.

I was also issued an offer letter to join AV Birla retail as Territory Manager; Visual Merchandising (did not join).

Dissertation Project

The topic of my final submission Dissertation Project on Visual Merchandising was-‘Innovative Approach to Window Displays’. In my project there were 3 case studies of different types of stores – Apparel, Footwear and Eyewear. The existing show windows were studied and then modified (i.e. the Proposed show windows) to make them communicate a ‘theme’ in order to make it ‘stand-out’ / differentiate it from the rest of the shops and to make it relevant to the target customers.

Core Projects Undertaken at Post Graduation

Marketing Project

Formulated a new concept for Segmentation, Targeting and Positioning for relaunch of Lifebuoy soap. Formulated the entire marketing mix for a ‘service provider’ (Cleaning and Maintenance Service). To understand the working of an advertising agency including its entire department from Media to Creative

to Client Servicing. Three different projects covering the entire branding exercise from Brand Name Selection to Brand

Strategy, Brand Positioning, Brand Personality, Brand tree and more.

Business Project

To set up an independent Retail Store. This was a comprehensive business project which includes Market and Store Profile, Product-Market match, Financial Planning, Store Designing, Product Development (based on market profile, trend interpretation, and commercial viability), Presentation of Project (includes financial assessment, costing and merchandise plan, retail marketing), sourcing and negotiating with the vendors.

Visual Merchandising Project Developed a ‘new concept of a show window’ for the brand GUESS. An innovative concept, which had not

been undertaken by the brand earlier.

Merchandising Project

Developed, analyzed and suggested improvements in ‘Merchandise Mix’ for ‘Madame’ (a stand alone fashion store) and ‘Ebony’ (a multi brand outlet).

Store Design Project

Store design layout exercise for India’s largest modern retail format- ‘Big Bazaar’- Inderlok.

BEYOND CURRICULUM

Foundation Course from NIIT

Karnataka Academy History Award Class Prefect - Jyoti Nivas College ‘The Best Outgoing Student Prize (2002-2003) for outstanding achievement in the field of

academics, co-curricular and extra curricular activities.’ Highest possible ranking attained in the

evaluation parameters i.e. Leadership, Responsibility, Co-operation and Attendance.

‘Secretary’ for the Philosophy Department (2004-2005). Also awarded the certificate for

Leadership and Organizational skills.

Class Representative (2006) - Pearl Academy of Fashion.

One Year course in German Language.

PERSONAL DOSSIERDate of Birth 08th February 1986Languages English, HindiCurrent Address Flat no.905, Zara, Nahar Amrit Shakti. Chandivilli Farms Road. Andheri East. Mumbai- 400072Permanent Address N-35 Panchshila Park, New Delhi - 110 017Mobile Number +919811606008Telephone Number +911126496896E-mail sonalipearl@gmail.com