Hisham Hittini

Steering to Control and Recover

• Collaborated closely with department heads to establish cohesive corporate objectives aligned with long-term vision.
• Optimized supply chain operations for increased efficiency and cost savings, leading to more sustainable business practices.
• Oversaw financial planning, forecasting, and reporting processes to ensure accurate data-driven decision-making capabilities across the organization.
• Evaluated operational efficiency through regular performance reviews, identifying opportunities for improvement and implementing appropriate solutions.
• Managed cross-functional teams to ensure successful completion of high-priority projects within budget constraints and timelines.
• Provided advice to the Shareholder’s Representative in directing the executive management
• Review of operational performance of farming activities, packhouse operations, projects progress and trading of fresh produce as well as Agri inputs.
• Restructured the group activities, eliminating loss making activities and drastically reduced the G&A by nearly 60%.
• Reviewed and approved the annual budget, monthly progress reports and financial reports.
• Provided strategic oversight, ensuring legal and regulatory compliance.
• E20 is an investment group established in 2020, with focus on Agricultural investments in UAE and outside, activities include Fish Farms, Fruits Farms, Agri Projects Construction, Animal Health and Agri inputs and feed supply and trading.
• Reviewed financial and operational risks and supported the management towards taking proper steps or decisions.
• Engaged directly in operational necessary actions to achieve the annual financial objectives.
• Reviewed critical issues facing main projects and evaluated the contractual obligations.
• Maintained shareholder value while providing strategic direction to the management.
• Prioritized and approved spend related to new investments.
• Reviewed and approved policies and related forms.
• Provided directives to implement production and sales of farm production.
• Defined Farming, Pack-house, sales process gaps and directed immediate remedial actions.
• Considerable attention to managing risks proactively and putting needed avoidance plans.
• Evaluated new investment proposals.
• Root cause analysis of audit observations as well as projects default and putting directions to resolve and restore.

Recovery of Shareholder Equity

• Revisited approved budget and defined improvements
• Reviewed the operations, defined needed changes.
• Reviewed Supply Chain assessment by external consultant that defined many gaps, directed the management to close it, maintained close engagement by monthly update reports.
• Directed management in sales, price revisions, cost cutting without impacting the production and sales plans.
• Reviewed fish feed supply chain.
• Amended product mix to increase the revenue while avoiding new major investments
• Prioritized spend decisions and reduced the cost of working capital and settling the high-cost loans.
• Revisited the business plan.
• Provided needed advice to the Shareholder’s Representative.
• Lucky Fish is one of the medium size fish farming, processing and selling of fresh and frozen fish in Turkey with 3 production areas, with sales focus on European Markets.
• Fostered collaboration among board members, promoting open communication and shared decisionmaking.
• Served as advocate and ambassador for organization by fully engaging, identifying, and securing resources and partnerships to advance mission.
• Reviewed financial reports, budgets, and audit results to monitor the organization''s fiscal health.
• Assisted with development of organizational budgets and resource allocation plans.
• Collaborated with other board members to develop and execute programs and initiatives to advance organizational mission.
• Provided guidance and leadership on strategic planning initiatives and organizational development.
• Spearheaded innovative approaches to resource allocation and strategic planning.
• Presided over board meetings and conducted board business to address organizational objectives.
• Strengthened governance structures, reviewing and updating policies and procedures.
• Enhanced board decision-making processes by introducing comprehensive data analysis techniques.
• Increased stakeholder engagement by leading targeted communication initiatives.
• Optimized resource allocation with development of detailed annual budget.
• Streamlined organizational efficiency with implementation of new strategic planning framework.
• Ensured organizational compliance with industry standards and regulations by overseeing comprehensive audit process.
• Supported strategic objectives, guiding formation of key alliance partnerships.
• Represented organization at industry conferences and events.
• Formulated and executed strategic initiatives to improve product offerings.
• Collaborated with legal, accounting and other professional teams to review and maintain compliance with regulations.
• Analyzed industry trends and tracked competitor activities to inform decision making.
• Managed financial, operational and human resources to optimize business performance.
• Devised and presented business plans and forecasts to board of directors.

Major Mission in the Agricultural Sectors

The major UAE governmental body mandated for Agriculture, Food Safety and Food Security, taking care of Abu Dhabi agricultural (Plantation and Animal) Activities as well as managing government subsidy programs. It is the Reference Regulatory for all Agricultural and Food Safety Policies and Standards in Abu Dhabi and UAE.

• Led the review and improvement of the Supply Chain functions.
• Reviewed the subsidy programs related to the farmers and participated in the transformation project to move to Commercially, Production oriented subsidies rather than input subsidy.
• Reviewed Farmers issues, farm management issues, input material as well as sectoral structural issues facing Agriculture in UAE and the region.
• Worked on Agricultural and Animal Production value chains, defined structure, challenges, risks and initiatives required.
• Worked on specialized studies to define needed strategic interventions by the Government or the Private Investors, studies included:
• Agricultural Fund: fund to boost the Agri. GDP of Abu Dhabi and resolve the lack of funding for agriculture from the existing financial institutions.
• Agricultural Cooperatives: create an effective and productive cooperatives of farmers to transform the sector and reduce the dependency on government.
• Large Livestock Project: a One Million Heads of Animals in Abu Dhabi.
• Food Loss and Waste (FLW): a major impact project aiming at reducing the FLW across the food chain including Imports, Farm Practices, Harvesting, Post Harvesting, Transportation, Cold Chain and Retail ending with the Household and HORECA.
• Saved nearly AED1.2 B by defending price levels and defining global sources options.
• Provided informed advice on submitted investment proposals, initiatives and government Agriculture related policies.
• Member in Abu Dhabi Government Committee for the pricing of Subsidized Food and Agri. Goods.
• Member in the Steering Committee of Subsidy Program deployment, Annual budget is AED1.4 B.
• Member in the Committee Member of Managed Services and ICT Projects.
• Member in the interview panels of senior and director levels.
• Optimized inventory management through data analysis and process improvements.
• Enhanced supply chain efficiency by implementing strategic planning and forecasting techniques.
• Led successful negotiations for long-term agreements that resulted in significant cost savings while maintaining strong partnerships.
• Minimized stockouts and overstock situations through accurate demand forecasting and inventory control tools.
• Managed cross-functional teams to drive continuous improvement initiatives in the supply chain process.
• Maintained up-to-date knowledge of Agricultral Technology trends, regulations, best practices, enabling informed decision-making.
• Championed process automation projects to increase visibility into the end-to-end supply chain workflow.
• Conducted market research to identify new sourcing opportunities for cost reduction and improved product availability.
• Conducted data analysis to identify bottlenecks in supply chain and develop solutions to optimize operations.

Performance Recognized, More Trust More Expectations

YAS Holding Group had several divisions in Technology, Defense, Agricultural, Engineering Consultancy and Construction, Health etc

• Served Group Supply Chain in different capacities till been selected to establish and lead the Supply Chain Function, being in such a group have shaped my senior management capabilities by the vast exposure to the group wide portfolio and pool of professionals.
• Directed the strategic sourcing decisions
• Reviewed and deployed required governance tools
• Led multiple layers of management and staff in the Procure to Pay and the Cash to Cash Cycles
• Deployment Supplier Relationship Management (SRM)
• Defined, assigned and monitored related KPIs, Divisional and Individual Objectives

Worked Closely with MD of Elite AGRO (an Agri Division in the Group) to review and improve:

• Farms, Greenhouses, Open Field input material, seeds, seedlings, nursery, fertilizers, machineries, pesticides etc.
• Seasonal workers' contracting
• Farm and company energy and fuel consumption
• Farms equipment and vehicle expense and rental costs.
• Defining local and global Agri suppliers and partners
• Annual plantation and harvesting plans
• Packaging material quality and cost improvement
• Hiring specialized technical sourcing staff
• Acquisition and moving of Major Dairy Farm and plant.
• Participated in the evaluation of the dairy farm, livestock, feed inventory and sourcing partners
• Contributed to the selection of Due Diligence partner and review of received seller documents on all farm operations.
• Assets Assessment of the Dairy (Processing) Plant.
• Sourcing of full production lines of the dairy and juice SKUs, including filling and packaging machines.
• Led the negotiation, drafting and finalizing the sourcing contracts with major global manufacturers.
• Defined best sourcing options for the sales fleet, including its maintenance workshop & Technicians.

Delivering Expectations

ITQAN is one of the known systems integrators of ICT solutions in UAE with a history since 1984.

The mission was to turnaround the company after been acquired by YAS Holding

• Developed key operational initiatives to drive and maintain substantial business growth.
• Built productive relationships with industry partners to support strategic business objectives.
• Established new revenue streams by identifying market opportunities
• Streamlined business processes, resulting in increased operational efficiency across all departments.
• Delivered consistent revenue growth
• Cultivated forward-thinking, inclusive, and performance-oriented work culture
• Improved structure by reallocating resources and redefining roles for immediate efficiency gains
• Enhanced brand reputation with effective marketing campaigns and public relations efforts.
• Doubled the annual revenue in 4 years; 110% increase.
• Recovery of main Technology Partnerships with its requirements of technical certifications and capacity building
• Recovery of market share and customer base by re-establishing the relations and winning orders from more than 60 old and new government and private customers.
• Monitored the functional practices while building internal capacities.
• Have a solid PMO and IMS functions, resulting in a disciplined work culture centered around Excellence in Delivery.
• Increased the win / loss ratio (successful deal closing) from 1-50 to nearly1-5 in 4 years.

Duties included:

• Annual and quarterly budgeting, monthly financial review
• Senior Stakeholder Management including OEM partnerships from one side and CRM from the other side.
• Strategic leadership while still monitoring operational performance.
• Championed data-driven decision-making culture, enhancing business intelligence and strategic planning capabilities.
• Established and maintained strong relationships with customers, vendors and strategic partners.
• Led recruitment and development of strategic alliances to maximize utilization of existing talent and capabilities.

Recovery Mission

• Planned and operated to acquire ICT market share.
• Handled company operational requirements and working to deliver the strategic objectives.
• Directed PMO, Sales, Presales, Support and Outsourcing functions reporting to me.
• Controlled company operations to work within planned budget.
• Participated in the short and long term planning and putting adaptation scenarios.
• Established departmental objectives and setting up Key Performance Indicators.
• Reviewed daily business opportunities and made needed decisions.
• Focused on ethical business practices.
• Oversaw day-to-day operations to keep organization running smoothly while meeting business goals.
• Streamlined operations by implementing efficient processes and systems, leading to increased productivity and cost savings.
• Enhanced company reputation by establishing strong relationships with clients, partners, and stakeholders.
• Promoted a positive corporate culture and employee engagement
• Championed continuous improvement initiatives, fostering a culture of innovation within the organization.
• Expanded company's market presence by identifying new business opportunities and executing strategic partnerships.
• Established key performance indicators for each department to track progress towards organizational goals effectively.
• Improved employee satisfaction and reduced turnover through the development of effective training programs and performance management.
• Led cross-functional teams to exceed performance targets by leveraging each team's strengths.

New Horizons

C4AS was a subsidiary to Emirates Advanced Investment Group

• Managed Contracts, Procurement and Logistics functions
• led International and Local suppliers negotiation
• Supported establishing or spinning off business units into new organizations within the holding group
• Led the strategic sourcing and negotiation of major requirements.
• Assessed Projects needs to assign required task force.
• Restructured Procurement, Contracts and logistics processes to ensure highest operations efficiency
• Established partnership agreements with major subcontractors.
• Directed and managing the integration of Procurement and Logistics processes with Finance, Sales, ICT and Delivery functions
• Reviewed supply chain processes of sister companies to provide feedback and discuss best recommendations.
• Reviewed OEMs partnership requirements and evaluate its effect on existing Procurement and Logistics operations, taking actions to negotiate towards company’s interest.
• Developed high-performing teams by providing mentorship, guidance, and opportunities for professional growth.
• Cultivated a positive work environment that fostered employee engagement, increased retention rates, and boosted overall team morale.
• Facilitated cross-functional collaboration for improved decision-making processes within the organization.

Establishing a procurement department

• Developed, maintained and implemented procurement processes.
• Reviewed policy vs related processes, coordinated needed changes
• Developed and implemented short and long-term procurement strategies designed to reduce costs and improved quality and service while meeting Company goals and objectives
• Set, supervised and planed the bidding process and been involved personally in the formulation of the documentation, bidding, contracting and negotiation of major and strategic RFPs / RFQs.
• Coordinated the achievement of cost savings through vendor selections and review, developed favorable contracts & agreements and resolved delivery and billing problems.
• Prepared, maintained and executed departmental budget.
• Set Procurement and Logistics KPIs, supervised implementation, reviewed related reports.
• Identified gaps in procure to pay process and proposed changes along with Finance dept.
• Defined vendor evaluation criteria based on industry standards.
• Oversaw contract administration, maintaining accurate records and ensuring timely renewals.

Facing the Challenge (a Telecom Operator starting from Scratch)

• Negotiate commercial issues with vendors during the Contract Lifecycle
• Analyze and incorporate any change requests as appropriate during the life cycle of the contract.
• Coordinate with all stakeholders to insure the contract terms and conditions are addressed by the different stakeholders such as Technology, Finance, Logistics, and Legal
• Ensure that all the deliverables are met by the supplier: delivery; quality; timeliness; scope.
• Assess any applicable penalties, Liquidated Damages, and service credits based on continuous performance monitoring.
• Follow up on project implementation plan milestones (filing, delivery, PACs, FACs, monitoring of delivery timelines, system upgrades, changes in SoW)
• Keep track of all measurable savings (cost reduction; cost avoidance) and continuously explore opportunities for cost savings.
• Attend regular review meetings with vendors and stakeholders and take any actions required to resolve commercial issues.
• Review and renegotiate legacy agreements in order to make sure that existing terms and conditions are still favorable and where appropriate renegotiate the product and services contracts.
• In addition, full capability of:
• Attend projects meetings, communicate procurement needs and feedbacks
• Increase user/requester awareness of procurement processes, in a start-up phase.
• Review and evaluate & negotiate received offers
• Suggest new procurement processes, analyze active procedures

Special Assignment on: Key Performance Indicators Analysis

February 2005: Metadata Team Leader: Assigned to participate in the project of Thuraya BII (Business Insight Intelligence) as a Metadata Team Leader:

The Project: Business Insight Intelligence

A project to design infrastructure, modules, tools & systems and set measures to perform complex analysis quickly and easily to get needed answers related to business performance in order to direct main business drivers

Cattle breeding

Coming from a family with established commercial farming history, I left the job to establish my own and first business with some partners

• Prepared the feasibility study and obtained partners interest
• Obtained needed licenses and defined needed regulatory requirements
• Established the Livestock farm including the construction works of barns, stores, milking and cooling equipment and Purchasing the Milking cattle
• Managed the daily farm operations including milk and feed production
• Managed the daily or monthly relations with the veterinarian and maintained government public health requirements achieved.
• kept farm records, production, reproduction, feeding, vaccinations, culling and replacement.

Feed farm focused on alfalfa, barley, wheat as well as producing vegetables

• Managed land and water wells lease agreements
• Handled the farm financials, payables, receivables.
• Defined the required Land and Water wells with needed specs to fit the targeted crops.
• Sourced irrigation systems, fertilizers, seeds, hiring permanent and seasonal workforce
• Run field operations, seeding, irrigation, harvesting, dehydration, storage and sales.
• Trained and motivated employees to perform daily business functions.

• Monitoring levels of daily milk production of each and all member farms
• Logging daily & monthly production, reporting productivity levels among the member farms
• Arranging supporting documents for the monthly payments of milk sales by members
• Preparing monthly feed quota distributed for each member farm
• Review Feed Mill operations and production schedules to ensure farmers needs are fulfilled.
• Source feed input material, work closely with the appointed Nutrition Expert in reviewing the input material specifications
• Define the warehouse capacity on daily basis
• Coordinate with transportation contractor for the smooth feed delivery from the mill to each farm on specified timeline.
• Handled day-to-day accounting processes to drive financial accuracy.
• Documented cash, credit, fixed assets, accrued expenses, and line of credit transactions.
• Used advanced software to prepare documents, reports, and presentations.
• Detected and corrected mistakes early on and implemented systems to avoid recurring issues.
• Collaborated with external auditors during the annual audit process to provide necessary documentation and address any concerns or findings promptly.