Thamemm Rizvon, IT Director at KOJ Group spoke at the CIO Event (dot) com/me

1. Network your way to Success
Thameem Rizvon, IT Director KOJ Group LLC
CIO Event ME Sep 10, ‘12 Meydan, Dubai

2. AGENDA
1. KOJ Group LLC – Our Story
2. Oracle @ KOJ – Our Journey
3. Use your social network for success
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3. AGENDA
1. KOJ Group LLC – Our Story
2. Oracle @ KOJ – Our Journey
3. Use your social network for success
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4. 1 slide says it all
• KOJ Data – Sales, Shops, Customers, IT Team
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5. KOJ Group LLC – Our Story
• Retailer since 1987
• Own Brands, Franchisee, Franchisor
• 11 brands, 6 countries
• 600 plus stores, 3 Distribution Centers
OUR VALUES
Good people first
Start and end with good customer service
Profitability for all our stakeholders
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6. KOJ Group LLC – Our Story
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7. 7

8. KOJ Group LLC – Our Story
Nayomi
• Launched 1992
• 150 plus stores, 6 countries
• ME’s leading Lingerie brand
• Top 40 Arab Brands by Forbes Arabia
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10. KOJ Group LLC – Our Story
Mikyajy
• Young. Trendy. Friendly
• Faster growing cosmetic brand in GCC
• Launched 1999 – today 200 plus stores
• Top 40 Arab Brands by Forbes Arabia
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11. KOJ Group LLC – Our Story
The Body Shop
Franchise
•Established 1987
•115+ Stores
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12. KOJ Group LLC – Our Story
Early Learning Centre
•Established 1991
•83 stores
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13. KOJ Group LLC – Our Story
New Brands
• 40 + shops, 4 Years
• Mihyar, Neal’s Yard
Remedies (UK),
Ulla Popken
(Germany), Bebe
(USA) & LIST (Italy)
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14. AGENDA
1. KOJ Group LLC – Our Story
2. Oracle @ KOJ – Our Journey
3. Use your social network for success
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15. Oracle @ KOJ – Our Journey
2006 Dec Project Start
2007 Nov E Business - Financials & HR
2008 Mar Merchandise Management
2008 Apr Warehouse Management
2008 Dec Review of Oracle @ KOJ
2009 Dec Oracle Data Warehouse
2010 Aug Oracle Upgrade - OS, Database, Software
2011 Mar Planning - MFP
2012 Oracle TILL Project, E Commerce
HR, Hardware Upgrade, CRM, & Next Level
2013…
of Planning 15

16. Oracle @ KOJ – Our Journey
Oracle on Oracle
• Oracle Hardware
• Oracle Solaris
• Oracle E business
• Oracle Retail
• Oracle Data base
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17. Oracle @ KOJ – Our Journey
IT Governance
• Clear Scope
• Single Point of Contact for IT Support
– Automated ticket handling system
– ITIL Process for Support
– Review Incidents, Issues – Automate, Bug Fix
• Internal team (L1, L 2), Outsourced - L 3
 IT owns Technology, Business owns Data
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18. Oracle @ KOJ – Our Journey
• There were challenges!
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19. Oracle @ KOJ – Our Journey
There were successes!!
• 1st ME retailer to go live in Oracle Retail
• 1st - Oracle Retail 12.x in SUN Solaris
• Warehouse
– Full count : 2 days now Vs 7 days,
– Sep ‘07 – 152 staff / 356 Stores
– Sep ‘11 – 138 staff / 510 Stores
• IT Staff – 27 vs 51 earlier
• Stock & Data Accuracy > 98.5 %
• EDI with global partners
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20. Oracle @ KOJ – Our Journey
SUCCESS REASONS
1. Manage User expectations
2. Partners – People not Companies
3. Better planning/project management
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21. Project Lifecycle @ KOJ
• Select one from many in list - Quarterly steerco
• Meet retailers who did project - Learn what to do & What not
• Stay Vanilla - No customization is way to success
– We even close 80% functionality & go for bare minimum
• Identify vendor – Consultants are key
– Functional knowledge and not just technical
• Sign off Project budget & Project team
• Identify milestones / Go No Go parameters
– Don’t feel shy to accept failure. Stop / Fix / Review & back on track
• CRP – Integration Test – Training – User Test – Training – Go Live
• Post go live stabilization is mandatory & so is Plan B
• Post Go live Reviews – 3 months, 9 months
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22. KOJ – Go / No Go meets
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23. KOJ – Go / No Go meets
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24. AGENDA
1. KOJ Group LLC – Our Story
2. Oracle @ KOJ – Our Journey
3. Use your social network for success
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25. Social network for success
• “3 ways to learn Wisdom: 1st by reflection - noblest way; 2nd by
imitation – easiest way & 3rd by experience – bitterest way” ―
Confucius
• Network, Network & Network
– Invest time & Energy to grow network. Flew to South England to meet retailer
– Learnt from global retailers & industry leaders
• Don’t reinvent the wheel
– In 5 years, met around 20 retailers in Middle East
• Still in touch – Learning & Sharing
• Social initiatives – Create them, if not present
– CIO Arabia
• End User IT group, aimed to benchmark, Share best practices
– Middle East Oracle User Group
• Oracle conferences, Special Interest Groups, Focused workshops
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26. My network – What it taught
• Rein in IT Budget & Team, while business grows
• Watch out for IT fashion, but don’t fall 1st
– Cloud, Big data, BYOD, Consumerization of IT
• SaaS success
– ServIceNow, though initial failure for 18 months
•  PMO maturity in IT – Stagnates after a while
• CIO's need a place in Board of Directors
• Regional knowledge is more important
– No SLA for Cloud, Tax not an issue, Avoid fly by wire
operators
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27. My network – Rewards I got
• Our projects are global case studies -
www.oracle.com/us/corporate/press/427845
• Cancelled 0 projects. All projects on time & budget
• Rated twice among Top CIO in Middle East
• Lead an amazing team, I consider the best
• Strong alignment between IT & KOJ Board
– Support goes from top to down, enabling easy adaption
– Signs off on milestones / attends key project meets
• Enjoy what I do & not having to work for a day 
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28. Thank You
Any questions please?
Kamal Osman Jamjoom Group LLC
Thameem Rizvon, IT Director
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