Argumentation 2

Philippe Cros

Tangier, Morocco

Office +212 539 32 97 14

Cellular +212 666 66 41 34

philippe.cros.mail@gmail.com

French

Managing Director or Business Development Manager

in Maghreb, Africa or International

PROFILE

Fluent in French, English, Spanish, with some Moroccan Arabic capabilities

Strong managing experience of multicultural teams in international competitive environments

Product, sales, business and new market developments in Europe, Maghreb and Africa

Strategic marketing and B2B marketing

High inter-personal skills

Result-oriented, Experience in developing countries

Managed full P and l results integrating all operating lines

EXPERIENCE

Achieved top management position with

KOHLER CO, a privately-owned American group of 30,000 associates worldwide with a turnover of more than €5 billion and a world #3 rank in the bathroom market. www.kohler.com. 

JACOB DELAFON MAROC (KOHLER CO)
Sanitary ware manufacturer, #2 in Morocco,

540 associates

Managing Director for Morocco & North Africa, in charge of West African markets development

Tangier, Morocco

Mission (since 2005): In a trend of Moroccan fast-growing market, major industrial investments planned and consolidation of its ownership, Kohler Co promotes me as General Manager of Jacob Delafon Morocco, with the aim to make the Tangier plant Kohler Co’ 1st production site for Europe, while accelerating the Company’s growth in the Maghreb and Africa.

INDUSTRIAL & HR

• Expanded the plant (2008-2010): €17.5M invested.
• Production capacity doubled. The plant becomes Kohler Co’ #6 ceramics factory in the world.
• Integrated new automatized robotics manufacturing technologies.
• Started industrial manufacturing of new ceramic and fireclay products aimed at Kohler Co’ European markets: €4M invested.
• Established Tangier’s Centre of Expertise for mold-mother making, operating for Kohler sister plants in France and Spain.
• Started a whirlpool assembly workshop.
• Implemented corporate standard ‘Vitreous Information System’ POAG. Upgraded network infrastructure, with dedicated fiber optic network.
• Installed environmental protection facilities.
• Conducted opportunity and feasibility study to acquire manufacturing companies in Egypt and Algeria (investment not carried out).
• Obtained QSE 9001v2000/14000/18000 certification in 2006 by AFAQ.
• Hired 150 new workers in 12 months; implemented new ‘Pay-For-Skill’ incentive program aimed at the production staff.

MARKETING & SALES

• Strongly developed the Moroccan market: raised product mix in ceramics segment to medium and high range (to a 25% of total turnover); developed sales with builders segment,
• Opened a new 750m² corporate showroom in Tangier: €500K invested.
• Implemented new distributors footprint covering main cities with unified show room concept with 22 sales points.
• Consolidated the Maghreb (Mauritania, Algeria-Tunisia-Lybia) market. 5 sales points in total with sales increasing +220% from 2005 to 2010
• Personally prospected 14  target markets in East and West Africa:
• Initiated partnerships with 5 distributors and opened 9 Kohler showrooms in East Africa.
• Developed 10 new distributors, and opened show-rooms, in West Africa French-speaking markets.
• Totaling  20 sales points in following countries Senegal, Ivory Coast, Nigeria, Cameroun, Gabon, Congo-Brazzaville, Angola, South Africa, Mauritius, Uganda, Niger, Mali, Congo, Togo, Benin, Ghana,  and Burkina Faso.
• Implemented 2nd stage of SAP ERP: commercial, invoicing, sales and distribution (SD) modules.
• Enhanced customer risk management.

Finance/administration:

° responsable of profit and loss results for Morocco, Maghreb and west africa markets

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