PROFESSIONAL GOAL

To grow into the leader who can motivate and lead the team to produce remarkable results ensuring total customer satisfaction and delight.

To initiate creative and innovative design solutions, maintain and control the design standards and guidelines until the project execution and completion phase.  Strive to bring new ideas to reality while being cost effective at improvised quality at the forefront of design and technology, while ensuring global consistency.

I intend to acquire experience and knowledge from the people I associate with, by diligently and sincerely taking up responsibilities, positively influencing people and work towards achieving my goals.

KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES

My greatest strength is my ability to work well with people as a team. I function with an open mind and find challenging situations stimulating. Most important of all I believe in myself and have great faith in my abilities and the people with whom I work.

• Proven ability to develop team structures and create focused engaged groups
• Detail orientated and resourceful in the completion of project with an ability to multitask effectively and work in a fast paced environment meeting strict deadline.
• Implement creative approaches to problem solving through use of excellent analytical skills.
• Outstanding leadership and project management skills. Highly motivated, professional, creative and dedicated leader. Able to work independently and with team, as a designer in fast-paced environment. Possessing outstanding creative and visual sensibility and attention to detail
• Ability to analyze design problems, to confidently and proactively present innovative ideas and solutions
• Experienced as a Project Manager, Design Head, Supervisor, Trainer, Mentor, Project Team Lead.
• Exposure in Client Expectation Management, Project Planning, Project Execution and Monitoring to Coordinate and Direct activities ensuring projects are accomplished within the time frame & funding parameters.
• Conferring with project staff to outline work plan and to assign duties, responsibilities and scope of authority

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

MAKEMYTRIP

(Consultant - Design & Projects)                                                            (Dec’14 - Present)

• Merchandising Custodian for the Outbound Travel Team
• Coordinated, Designed, planned & Implemented for the launches, animation , products , deals , promotion
• Designed and Customized Key A/c packages, Franchisee Stores, SAS, SIS, Super Markets, Hyper markets, Mom & Pop Stores, Events & Promotion, Mall Activation, Airport Kiosks
• Developed creative options for new format floor plans to enhance the customer experience, drive for improved sales per square foot consistent with the company vision, and strive for efficiency in future designs.
• Drive concepts and standards in merchandise plan development
• Construction, Execution, Animation, Activation, Events, Promotion

DECOLAB

(Sr. Manager - Design & Projects)                                                          (Aug’12 – Nov’13)

• Merchandising Custodian for the Luxury Products Division for the following verticals - Makeup, Nails, Skin Care          (Dermo), Fragrance
• Coordinated, Designed, planned & Implemented for the international luxury brands like : Estee Lauder, Clinique, Chanel, Forever Mark, YSL, Parcos, Issey Miyake, Forest Essentials, Versace, Sisley, Sephora, Clarins; for pan India In major retail stores like: Shopper’s stops, Life styles, Centrals, Pantaloons
• Designed and Customized Key A/c packages, Franchisee Stores, SOH, SAS, SIS, Super Markets, Hyper markets, Mom & Pop Stores, Events & Promotion, Mall Activation, Color Festival, (SIS) Makeover Activity
• Developed creative options for new format floor plans to enhance the customer experience, drive for improved sales per square foot consistent with the company vision, and strive for efficiency in future designs.
• Drive concepts and standards in merchandise plan development
• Designing & Executing: Store Design, Space planning, Concept + Design, Fabrication, Launches and POP, Construction, Execution, Animation, Activation, Events, Promotion
• Interacting: With Key Account Team, Chains, Marketing team, Sales team, Suppliers, Designers, Regional merchandisers; Assessing and Implementing their needs
• Handling, Coordinating & Training: Interface between Store Staff, Regional Team, Vendors, Logistics, Budget               Tracking, Monitoring DED’s
• Raise the quality of execution by better quality control checks on local fabricators.
• Ensure brand equity and standards for every store opening
• Aligning the stack holders like Brand teams, retailers and shop fitters to deliver stores on time or within agreed time frame.

L'OREAL

(Merchandising Manager)                                      (Oct’08-Jul’12) (Nov’13-Nov’14)

5 years

• Merchandising Custodian of the Mother-Brand L'Oreal Paris heading the Consumer Products Division for the               following verticals - Makeup, Nails, Skin Care (Dermo), Hair Care
• Handled Modern Trade and General Trade - Successfully planned and executed the expansion of  13 stores to 200 Stores in Modern Trade and more than 2000+ stores in General Trade
• Designed and Customized Key A/c packages, Franchisee Stores, SAS, SIS, Super Markets, Hyper markets, Mom & Pop Stores, Events & Promotion, Mall Activation, Color Festival, (SIS) Makeover Activity
• Elements for launches:- End Cap (Gondola), Cash Till, Announcer, Trial Room Hanger + Poster, Standee, Shelf              Valorization Kit, Category Valorization, Drop Downs, Banners, Dangler (Poster, Quadrama, Round, Square,               Triorama) Arch Gate (Category, Inside Store, Outside Store), Trolley Branding, Scanner Cover, Sensomatics, Shelf Strips (Talkers, Facing), Hot Spot, Vinyl Floor Stickers, FSU (Floor Standing Unit), Glorifier, Window Display Kit,      Wow Buys
• Permanent Display:- CDU (Counter Display Unit), SKU (Stock Keeping Unit), Permanent Tester Bars (Make up, Nails, Skin Care, Hair Care), Plannogram (Shelves, Tester Bars)
• Designing & Executing: Store Design, Space planning, Concept + Design, Fabrication, Launches and POP, Construction, Execution, Animation, Activation, Events, Promotion
• Interacting: With Key Account Team, Chains, Marketing team, Sales team, Suppliers, Designers, Regional     merchandisers; Assessing and Implementing their needs
• Presence and Existence in major retail stores / chains like: Shopper’s Stop, Life style, Central, Pantaloon, Health & Glow, Big Bazaar, Hypercity, Spar, ABRL, Reliance
• Handling, Coordinating & Training: Interface between Store Staff, Regional Team, Vendors, Logistics, Budget               Tracking, Monitoring DED’s
• Analyzed existing store conditions, fixture type and history to develop sound planning scope sheets and planning guidelines to generate accurate planning
• Pro-actively partner with internal and external teams in order to resolve scheduling conflicts and communicate change that may affect production schedules
• Forecast future needs to procure fixtures as per the projected timelines
• Provided accurate and detailed communication to all cross-functional teams throughout the project
• Periodically reviewed the store layouts both functionally and aesthetically & work towards betterment of the over all look and feel of the store
• Assess fixtures based on price, design, quality of materials and durability.
• Assisted in developing and implementing planning processes, standards and management tools.  Includes:  model schedules, change management, prototype development, project prioritization, CAD standards,
• In conjunction with Format Managers/Directors, develop and maintain prototype store plans & individual departmental layouts and modules
• Raise the quality of execution by better quality control checks on local fabricators.
• Ensure brand equity and standards for every store opening
• Aligning the stack holders like Brand teams, retailers and shop fitters to deliver stores on time or within agreed time frame

NEW YORK, NY

3 years, 3 months

RELAY @ JFK AIRPORT (GRID2)

GRID2  │ RELAY Duty Free Store

Feb’07 – Aug’08

• RELAY (DUTY FREE STORES) @ J.F.K Intl. Airport, NY - Adhering brand guidelines
• Expansion of ”five” Relay Duty Free Store at various locations inside the International airport
• Overseeing Concept planning, Space Designing, Construction Documents, Vendor Management and Implementation of all 5 stores at a time
• Developing Stores - Shop-in-Shop formats and Stand Alone Stores: Vitrines, Window Displays, Kiosks, Island                Counters, Corner Displays, Temp Displays, New Launches Animation
• Prepared space analysis of each store project; identify and redeploy unproductive space in the store to maximize sales opportunity and minimize cost.
• Make recommendations on project scope as appropriate, to facilitate the decision making process on scope of work issues

GRID2  │ Lotte Department Store

• Asia’s FIRST Luxury ­Mall at Wangfujing Beijing, Shanghai to be completed in a span of 6 weeks
• Inclusive of : Concept + Design, Interior Space Designing, Space Planning & F.F.E. and Visual Merchandising
• Scope of designing for entire mall viz; Reception, Lobby, Helpdesk, Department Store, Children’s Play Area, Apparels, Footwear, Eyewear (For Mens, Woman & Children), Restaurant, Food Court, Jewelry, Cosmetics, etc.
• Developing schemes for 8 floors and basement
• Working in Junction with the Lotte team in Shanghai
• Co-ordination with the Graphic design team and finally presenting it to the client

TIFFANY & CO. │ DSF Architect

May’06 – Feb’07

• Concept Designing, Space Planning and Construction Designing ; single handedly for all said stores across the Globe - Cairo - Egypt , Almaty - Kazakhstan , Tsum (Tretyakov Passage) - Russia , Busan Paradise (Shinsegae) -    Korea ,     Holt Renfrew (Vancouver) - Canada , Al-Khobar (Abu Dhabi) - Saudi Arabia
• Monitoring and Training Interns
• Work in Junction with the Project Manager on site, across the Globe
• Designing & Executing: Store Design, Space planning, Construction, Visual Merchandising, Interior Space Designing, Space Planning & F.F.E.
• Consolidating the Brand identity for the Interiors and Merchandising department
• Customizing and adopting country wise standards adhering the brand guidelines and budget specification

MORGAN STANLEY Corporate Services

May’05 – May’06

• Designed, planned & successfully Implemented the launch of NEW guidelines for the offices world-wide - a retail        approach in a Corporate background for the first time ever in the industry
• Coordinated & Designed with multiple International Vendors to set up the design, quality of materials and durability  to create templates that would help create the guidelines
• Designed, Implemented and made recommendations on project scope of GYMNASIUM as appropriate, to   facilitate  the decision making process

MUMBAI

3 years

DVVAR INTERIORS (Architect Varsha Desai)

(Jan’02 – Jul’04) (Jun’01 – Dec’01)

• Space Designing, Concept Designing, and Implementing - High end Residence, Pent house & Condos for Ravi Arya, Thatai and Ambani
• Developing Concept, Design and Detailed drawings for Industrial Designers at Nayana Plastics Pvt. Ltd.
• Designing and Implementing the Window Display overnight for Reebox's New Range of Woman's Wear
• Heritage Restoration and Documentation of Architect Nari Gandhi's Condo
• Sample flats Designing for various Architects and renowned Builders - Entire portfolio of Satguru Shrishti,    Imperial Builder, Mayfair, Lokhandwala Builders Office, Aluplex Builders

EDUCATION

2015-2015 :  Specialized        (Travel & Tourism) Mumbai  -  Makemytrip

2004-2006 :  M. Sc.                 (Interior design + Management)  New York  -  Pratt Institute 

1999-2002 :  Bachelors           (Interior design + Merchandising)  Mumbai  -    SNDT University 

1998-1999 :  Associate           (Interior design + Residential)  Mumbai  -    SNDT University 

SOFTWARE PROFICIENCY

Microsoft Office

AutoCAD , Architectural Desktop

Construct Ware – Windows and Macintosh

Adobe Illustrator , Adobe Photoshop , 3D Studio Max , Coral Draw , Sketchup

AWARDS & AFFILIATION

2005 (New York)                     Teaching Assistantship, International Student Scholarship

2004 (New York)                     Graduate Assistantship, New Student Scholarship

2003 (India)                            Inter Collegiate & Interstate Competition – Interior Design

2002 (India)                            Bachelors Thesis Competition, “INSITES” – 2nd prize

1999 (India)                            Inter Collegiate State Level Drawing Competition for Heart Patients

1994 (India)                            Inter State Drawing Competition, BALMITRA KALA ACADEMY, Aurangabad

PERSONAL DETAILS

Date Of Birth                           07 July 1982                                      

Languages Known                   English, Hindi, Guajarati and Marathi

Citizenship                              India, U.S.A. (H1-B Visa)

Hobbies                                   Culinary arts, Painting, (stain glass, fabric, lead, coquille, stippling), Sketching, Classical Dance                                                         (Manipuri), Tatting, Croatia, Lamasa (a Japanese Art), Reading, Writing, Traveling