AJAY ABROL

A professional with a proven track record for excellence and contribution to the success of a
Furniture and Gift Industry.
Known for playing a meaningful & progressive leadership role in International Marketing /
Business Development/Consulting/Sourcing /Buying Operations.

PROFESSIONAL SYNOPSIS

More than a decade of extensive and qualitative experience in Strategic Planning, Business
Development, International Marketing, Commercial Operations, Sourcing, Buying with
Exim International a Buying house

Presently working as Director, UA Consultants, A Buying House.

A strategic planner with expertise in managing Sourcing operations and implementing

strategies towards enhancing market penetration, business volumes and growth.

Proficient at analyzing market trends to provide critical inputs for business development
initiatives and formulation of selling and marketing strategies.

Leading dedicated teams for new product development and experience of developing
procedures and standards for business excellence.

Developed expertise in sourcing and procuring essential items from global sources.

An efficient and effective communicator with ability to analyze the market trend and
suggest required changes.
Extensive travel to USA & Europe.

PROFESSIONAL CONTOUR

Since Jan 2008 UA Consultants Director Marketing

Jan’ 2006-Dec’ 2007 Tannvi Impex Merchandising Director

Jun’ 1994- Dec’ 2005 Exim International Manager Sourcing & Development

Jun’ 1993- Jun’ 1994 Indian Handicrafts Merchandising & Stores

Address: 114/ 21A Faridabad; Haryana 121001

Phone: 00-91-9871249608 Email: ajay@uaconsultants.org; abrolajay@gmail.com
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KEY FUNCTIONAL STRENGTHS

Resource Mobilization
Developing, managing and monitoring the performance of multi-skilled work force and
conceptualizing need-based training programs for performing business operations.
Delegating work schedules for smooth functioning of operations & leading people working at all
level in an organization.
I had been instrumental in building a strong bond between the management and staff, which
has helped in my previous company’s growth from 8 Million to a 42 Million-Dollar company.
This transition and growth happened in 4 years.

Customer Relationship Management

Mapping client’s requirements & providing them best products / solutions; identifying
prospective clients, generating business from existing clientele.
Identifying causes for dissatisfaction among customers & taking steps to over come the
same.
Building & maintaining healthy relations with clients; ensuring maximum customer
satisfaction for referral business and program.

Business Development & International Sales

Managing business development activities & accountable for profitability of the
organization.
Positioning new products in accordance with market segment mapping and conducting
viability study for placing the brand in premium positions.
Managing International sourcing/Buying operations from India, China, and
Bangladesh.
Managing promotional activities for brand building and market development.
Conducting detailed market study to analyze the latest market trends and tracking
competitor activities and providing valuable inputs for fine tuning the selling and the
marketing strategies.
Operating as a Sourcing Head I was also responsible for overseas sourcing
requirements. I have sourced Products for our clients from China, and Taiwan. Through
my sources I had the opportunity to source some very competitive factories which could
provide Xmas Products to the likes of Wal-Mart, K- Mart and others. This was one of
the reasons why the buyers came to us for sourcing their Chinese product lines too.
I had successfully sourced and executed orders for a value of 1.25 million from Fujian
city, China for the Xmas 2007 season.
I had also sourced some very unique product lines like Spa Products and Yoga
Accessories from Taiwan. A lot of these were ingeniously designed and developed in
these countries by us with the help of our buyers.
I had also sourced Bulk fabrics for our buyers in USA from Shenzhen, China.
To a Canadian client we had sourced and supplied Marbles and Granites from the
Xiamen City, China.

Address: 114/ 21A Faridabad; Haryana 121001

Phone: 00-91-9871249608 Email: ajay@uaconsultants.org; abrolajay@gmail.com
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Product Development
Facilitating new product development initiative with key focus on Quality, Cost & Delivery;
developing components and systems in conformance to pre-set technical specifications.
To this end we had created Design cells in various regions of the country to infuse local
flavors as well as had designers in USA working with us on contractual basis.

Commercial Operations
Coordinating with functional departments for timely execution of business orders.
Managing logistics operations; ensuring timely delivery of consignments at favorable terms
& conditions.
Developing and implementing key procurement strategies / purchase schedules and
ensuring that these strategies / schedules are aligned with organizational objectives.

Extensive Vendor base:

In my working of over a Decade, I had the opportunity to travel quite extensively to all
major production centers within India (Moradabad, Jodhpur, Jaipur, Panipat, Badhoi,
Karur, Bangalore, and Mumbai, to name a few). I understood the nuances of their working
and how to improve on them. I have worked with a varied number of exporters and had
close to 90 Small to Big Exporters working with us at any given time.
Applying Social and Ethical Auditing Standards to these companies and having them in
principle agree to follow them was a humongous task which I had taken on and had a fair
amount of success (95% qualified) at it.

In Addition:
Part of my success lies in the fact that I have had the opportunity to travel extensively
to USA and UK. Working with the buyers in their offices/ ware houses gave me a first-
hand experience in understanding how Catalogue Companies, Wholesalers and Retailers
differ in their functioning
It gave me an opportunity to understand how different companies react to similar
situations .The experience was an eye-opener and gave me an in-sight to the European and
American Market trends

To give you a brief over-view on what all I have sourced and can be sourced from India,

Brass metal products in various finishes- patinas, antiques, enamel and silver plated--
Indian castings and detailing is supposed to be the best in the World
Aluminum metal products in various finishes- patinas and polishes --quite
competitive to Chinese items
Copper metal in various finishes- patinas, antiques, and silver plated--again the best
detailing
Iron-forged and wrought --hand forging is quite unique to India and can not be
replicated that well anywhere else
Wood-molded, carved, inlayed, cutwork, metal overlay--the technique and
application is rustic, and the finishes make it quite unique in appeal
Furniture-wood, metal, or combination of different materials-glass, marble, stone,
beading, fabric, etc-Factories are capable to handle right from the drawing board,
magazine tear sheet to an actual sample

Address: 114/ 21A Faridabad; Haryana 121001

Phone: 00-91-9871249608 Email: ajay@uaconsultants.org; abrolajay@gmail.com
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Bath & Spa Products- This was a new product line that I introduced to many of my
clients. We sourced incense, perfumery and a lot bath gels and soaps Herbal as well as
Organic use products were sourced and supplied.
Ceramics- from India is quite colorful-a distant cousin of the Italian ceramics
Glass-Mouth blown and hand made, mosaic and the captured (caged)- the kind of
combinations that India can do with various materials makes it interesting and
challenging.
Beading-frames, votives hurricanes, shades, or costume jewelry-it all originated here!
Fabrics- Home furnishings-cushions, curtains quilts, bedspreads-basic or high-end
can be sourced depending on taste and the customer needs.

And this is not all, but it does give an idea of the immense opportunities India has to offer.

ORGANISATIONAL EXPERIENCE

As a Director Merchandising, building and maintaining relationship with existing

Buyers and Exporters is an important activity.
Another important aspect of the job was to tap new buyers and nurture them to joining
hands and become clients.
Traveling was the key and twice a year visit to meet the buyers and touch base with
them, understanding there problems and their ever changing needs was the key.
To this end we built a young and a highly motivated team that would look after the
clients. Over a period of six months we built a team that was not only self reliant but also
highly adaptive to our growing needs. We started with a team of eight and doubled our
strength before the year end.
Our first year turnover was just under 1.5 Million USD. The second year we had a
100% jump and a growth beyond our expectation. The growth brought with it, its own
challenges and opportunities.
To meet our growing demands we created profit centers within the company structure.
I delegated buying responsibilities and created an incentive based program for the quality
assurance team.
By the end of 2007, we had a turnover of 3.2 Million USD.
Keeping an eye on the Marketing Trends and to adapt them so as to benefit from
them became important and necessary.
We built an Impressive clientele and primarily buyers from USA and Europe having
never bought from India before. It was a challenge in itself to break their approach in
comparing India to China for all their needs and ensuring that they and we together succeed
in meeting their needs.

Address: 114/ 21A Faridabad; Haryana 121001

Phone: 00-91-9871249608 Email: ajay@uaconsultants.org; abrolajay@gmail.com
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My first job at M/s. Indian Handicrafts-A Govt. Recognized Export House required
handling of all communications with the Buyer, Buying Agencies and also
coordinating between various departments of production.

M/s. Indian Handicrafts was an Apparel Exporter and one of the few
leading companies to be recognized as a trading house in the 1990’s. Primary area of
exports was to Europe and was known as fashion house in France and Spanish
markets.
I had joined the company as a Management Trainee-June1993 and was subsequently
given charge of two prestigious Textile accounts within a span of six months. The
buyers accounted to a total turnover of 2 million USD in that year. I was with Indian
Handicraft in their Production and Merchandising Division for one year before
moving on.

In the summer of 1994 I joined EXIM INTERNATIONAL a Buying House as a

Quality Controller. Exim International primary area of focus was Hard Goods and this
was a major career move for me. The challenge to learn a new product line and master
it was tremendous. Sincerity towards the task given and to carve a position for myself
in the company and the Industry soon started showing results. Within the first year I
was promoted from a Product QC, to an Area Head.
I was independently leading and managing business in the entire Jodhpur
sector. The next year brought new aspects to the job in handling not only a region but
also buyers independently. Within the year I was the QA Head plus additional
responsibilities to look after a few Key Buying Accounts.
I had a team of Five QC plus Two Assistants helping me with the buying
responsibilities. Hard work and perseverance was the key to my success. And by the
time I completed Four Years at Exim, we were head strong company with a reputation
that walked miles ahead of us. I was promoted to be responsible for all Buying and
Quality Control activities. I had a team of twenty reporting to me and primary
responsibility became relationships- understanding them and ensuring they become a
tool to grow and move further on.
As a Manager reviewing MIS Reports and schedule targets for various
departments was an important aspect of the job.
Another important job was keeping an eye on the Marketing Trends and to adapt them so as
to benefit from them. Initiate compliance requirements and ensure consistent follow-ups &
up-gradations are being done both a t factory and staff levels.

About my Previous Employer(s):

EXIM International was established in 1988 as a small Buying Agency with only
one client THE PIER 1 IMPORTS, and a Turnover of just over 1Million USD. Over the years
it had emerged as a leading Buying agency in the Hard Goods Category with an impressive
clientele line up and a turnover of over 42 Million USD, which is unmatched in the sector.
With one goal of servicing customer needs to the best of one’s ability, the firm demands
a high level of synergy and gives the individual ample opportunity to function at different
levels and perform different roles.

Address: 114/ 21A Faridabad; Haryana 121001

Phone: 00-91-9871249608 Email: ajay@uaconsultants.org; abrolajay@gmail.com
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To name a few of our buyers,

THE PIER 1 IMPORTS -An 800 Million dollar giant, we used to ship on an average 750
containers to them every year.
THE BOMBAY COMPANY - A High-end customer, known for its line of furniture and
textiles had been buying in an average of 600 containers every year,
HALLMARK CARDS INC. USA a fortune 500 Company. This has been the most
prestigious of our clients and is a great inspiration to work for.
THE PIER UK -A Sister concern of Pier1. It’s a front-runner in understanding market colors
and applying them.
GLOBAL VIEWS - A wholesaler and a great experience working with. The company was
started in 1998 and has pivoted to the top of the trade chart. It has won thrice the “Best
Product of the Year Award”.

ACADEMIC CREDENTIALS
PGDIM from Indira Gandhi Open University.
B. Com HONOURS DEGREE in Commerce from the Premier “University of Delhi”.
Computer proficiency in Ms office tools; Auto cad; Photoshop;

Accomplishments

General Secretary of the Commerce club at College for two years (1992-93).

Secretary Art& Culture Association at College for three years (1991-93).

Personal Vitae

I like listening to Music and enjoy Reading (Fiction/ Non-fiction) and Painting.
Visiting New Places and Meeting People– Understanding their Cultures are some of
the interesting things I like to do in my free time.
But off-late it is being with my children and among nature that I enjoy the most.

Family Wise:
DATE OF BIRTH: 3rd August 1971
Married since Feb 1999, my wife a B.ED by qualification takes care of our two
children. We have two adorable Kids. Both Boys, and in same school the elder one has just
started on formal schooling while the younger one has just started school.
It is a great feeling to be around them and care for all their small needs.

Warm Regards

Ajay Abrol

Address: 114/ 21A Faridabad; Haryana 121001

Phone: 00-91-9871249608 Email: ajay@uaconsultants.org; abrolajay@gmail.com
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