This document summarizes the experience of Vikas Harikumar as a Channel Head for a large FMCG conglomerate in Karnataka, India. He was responsible for over ₹1400 crores in annual revenue and managing a 500-member team. His role involved managing channel development, category management, distribution, and trade marketing. He achieved growth of 6% in the last fiscal year through expanding direct retail coverage and launching new product categories. Under his leadership, the branch was ranked first in India for outlet-level branding execution.

1. Channel Head of the mainlinebusiness ofa large FMCG conglomerateforthe
State of Karnataka.
 ResponsibleforRevenueof over 1400 Croresannually
 Accountablefora 500 memberteam
 ManageChannelManagement, CategoryManagement,Distribution
and Trade marketing forKarnataka Branch
 Managed varietyof portfolios:Key Accounts,Foods,Stationery
 Multi regionaland role experience:Head office and branches
 Drive the cigarettes and other FMCG products in the ITC Portfolio, Karnataka
 Manage the distributor network spanning across 58 distributors through
Trust-based relationships developed over 15 years.
 Create Sales and distribution plans for the territory including manpower, delivery
Infrastructure.
 Craft Branding Strategy and execution plan for Sales personnel and Traders
Collaborating with field team, Brand teams and the Business units
 Budgetary control on distribution expenses, merchandising spends.
Estimation and remittance planning of Distributors.
Achievements:
 Growth: Grew the FMCG business by 6% in the last fiscal
 Enhanced direct retail coverage in 217 markets and extended the direct reach
to 2K population group markets by increasing 10 new distributors, 22 sales men.
 Branding: Improved category visibility from 20 to 30% (IMRB GCS Survey)
By implementing 5000 category shelving’s and effective in store Merchandising.
 Planned and implemented successful launches of 2 new categories
Chewing Gums (Gum On), Juices (B Natural) in the channel and new variant
- (Jellicious Orange) during the year.
 Four of the 11 direct reports got regional level awards in the sales and
Productivity Contests
 Branch was ALL India No 1. In the execution of outlet level branding and
Offtakes for Bristol last year.
 Branch came 2nd in South and 4th All India in Matches Sales & productivity
Contest
VIKAS HARIKUMAR
Mobile: +91–9008627733
E-Mail: vikashk@rediffmail.com
vikas.harikumar@gmail.com
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

2. Previous Role - Assistant Manager – Category Development – Cigarettes, Matches and FMCG in
Convenience Channel
 Assistthe National Sales Manager in the preparation of the National Sales and Distribution Plans for the
relevant categories to enable growth
 Enable in the achievement of plans by Analyzing - Sales,Productivity,Market Research trends & Competition
data to providecategory insights to the Trade Marketing team
 Develop Category Understanding through market visits ,track Competitive Intelligenceand act as the
interface between the SBU and Trade Marketing team and to facilitateinformation sharing,communication
and execution of brand plans and New launches
 Collation,Archival, Monitoringand sharingof Sales and related reports with the relevant members on a
regular basis
 Contribute to the Periodic review on performance againstplan to the Trade Marketing &Distribution –
Executive Committee
 Monitor, analyzeand give feedback to the branches on the productivity of the Infrastructure & Contribute to
the development of National Level inputs/ initiatives to improve infrastructureproductivity
Achievements
 Convenience Channel grew by 13% in FY 2013-14 highestamong the all thechannels in the relevant categories.
 Formulated Pan India Contest – Strike Force for Matches. Created excitement and competitive spiritamong
the branches to drive volumes through Periodic updates and Dashboard which resulted in valuegrowth of
10% duringthe period
Area Manager – Trade Marketing and Distribution – Bangalore
 Carry out high visibility launches to create awareness among the right target gro up and ensure buzz
around the product.
 Maintaining high quality visibility in these outlets by negotiating space for the category visibility and
providing high quality visibility solutions and Creating Concept outlets ( Retail Architecture) and
implementing Consumer activation programs
Achievements
 Achieved 36% growth in the Niche segment over previous levels touching all-time high during the period.
 Gold flake modernized pack launch registered a awareness on 80% among the target group withi n 1
month of the launch an all-time high levels for the brand across all launches Pan India.
Area Manager – Key Accounts - Mumbai
 Responsible for an annual Turnover of 24 Crores, through the Key Accounts Channel of ITC, in the 2 nd
largest revenue generating location.
 Handling Retail Accounts of clients like Reliance Retail, ABRL, Metro Cash n Carry, Tata Trent, Shoprite,
D-mart, RK Foodland, India Bulls retail, Haiko in Mumbai.
 Negotiating with Category Managers of the accounts managed for Brand launches, promotional activities,
shelf space and other terms of trade.
 Coordinating with the Brand teams, logistics and finance teams (of ITC and Clients) to ensure smooth
operations.

3. Achievements
 Successfully achieved 150% growth over previous year, for clients managed in comparison with 125%
growth for the rest of Mumbai region.
 An active member of the team to launch ITC’s first personal product brands: Essenza Di Wills, Fiama Di
Wills and Vivel and Bingo
 Streamlined the supplies to distribution centers of clients, which are being serviced directly by the
company, by appointing coordinators, and introducing additional tracking mechanisms.
Area Manager – Greetings, Gifting and Stationery
 Responsible for an annual Turnover of 2.5 Crores, spearheading a team of 3 Company Executives and 9
Sales Promotion Officers in the Greeting, Gifting & Stationery business.
 Monitoring the sales and distribution of the entire state through a network of Super Stockiest, Distributors,
stockiest, Wholesalers and Franchisee Outlets.
Achievements
 Achieved 2nd highest growth all India in Stationery Business & 265 % growth over previous year.
 Worked with major institutional clients for Greeting cards like State Bank of Indore, Grasim Industries,
Union Bank of India for the SOS range of cards.
 Pivotal in formulating and implementing the super stockiest model in the state after doing a thorough
research of the feasibility of the model. First in the country to successfully implement this model
Previous Role – Area Executive – Trade Marketing and Distribution - Kerala
 Handling the mainline FMCG business with a team of distributors, supervisors and salesmen.
 Planning and implementing the distribution, infrastructure for the distributors
Achievements
 Successfully increased revenues by 7% in Tobacco Division in comparison to the 4% growth in the branch.
 Chosen as branch resource in branch estimation and forecasting & stock control.
 Successfully launched ITC products like Ashirvaad Atta, Ashirvaad Salt, Minto, Candy man, Mangaldeep
Agarbathi and AIM matches.
 Selected to share Best Practices like WDIS, Wholesale Dealer Information System, across the team at the
branch.
Sales and Service Technologist – MRF Limited
 Handling Institutional and Retail sales of Specialty Coatings Division.
 Interacting with Architects to bag orders & increase retail coverage and Organizing trade shows, product
demonstrations, conducting trials for approvals
 Coordinating with the C&FA for supplies Achievements
Achievements
 Ranked All India No.1 in terms of achievement of sales targets in 2000 with an achievement of 180% v/s
targets.
 Bagged major industrial orders like BPL and other institutions like Le Meridian & Windsor Manor.
Sales and Service Technologist – Sales and Service technologist - Asian PPG LTD

4. TRAINING PROGRAMS
 Attended the following training programs:
 Distribution Excellence Series
 Competency Management Series
 Achieving through Effective Selling
 Appraisal Skills Workshop
 Conducted the Following Programs:
 Distribution Excellence Series – for salesmen and supervisors (2004)
 Winning Edge Program – for Area Executives (2008)
ACADEMIA
PGDBM (Marketing) All India Management Association Center for Management Education, New Delhi
1998
M. Sc. (Chemistry) Meerut University
1998
BBM Jain Vishwa Bharati Institute
1996
B.Sc. Meerut University
1996
IT EXPOSURE
 SAP - 10 years exposure on the job.
1. Exposure to SD module.
2. Have worked extensively on the Demand forecasting and Stock modules in SAP
3. Have exposure to SIFY forum and Hand held applications for order Capture and Sales reporting.
 Completed Diploma in Information System and Management - 1.5-year duration
 Competitive Strategy –University München (LMU) (Online)
PERSONAL SNIPPETS
Linguistic Abilities : English, Hindi and Malayalam
Date of Birth : 6th
August, 1974