Umar Rafaqat Email & Phone Number

Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

• Overseeing B2B strategies to drive growth and foster client partnerships.• Specializing in customized Go-to-Market strategies for business expansion.• Enhancing revenue streams through targeted business development and strategic partnerships.• Utilizing data-driven insights to align sales initiatives with client growth objectives.

Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan

Dedicated to supporting Berger Paints' success through my work in marketing, including content creation, customer service, strategic presentations and continuous improvement.• Coordinating content creation and design for "Berger Today," our monthly internal magazine.• Monthly publication of the magazine highlighting key company achievements and noteworthy activities from the past month.• Leading the call centre, taking the lead on queries ranging from new dealership openings to product inquiries and complaints.• Maintaining a systematic approach to assigning and tracking responsibilities for each query, ensuring efficient query resolution.• Presenting monthly activity data at the ISO Meeting, discussing performance metrics and improvement strategies.

Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan

During my internship at Nippon Paints Pakistan, I gained valuable insights in the following areas:✅ Sales and Marketing:• Marketed and promoted our paint products by identifying potential customers and generating demand in the region.• Persuaded potential customers to choose our paint by highlighting its advantages and benefits.• Cross-sold related products to customers at competitive prices.• Developed effective sales pitches to achieve revenue targets.✅ Trade Engagement:• Visited dealers, retailers, and wholesalers to understand their operations and build relationships.• Motivated and engaged wholesalers to maintain their loyalty towards our brand and products.• Identified top-performing dealers and analyzed their strengths and weaknesses..• Developed effective marketing strategies to target and reach our intended audience.✅ Marketing Research and Promotion:• Assisted the marketing department in creating marketing plans.• Conducted market research to identify trending topics and market trends.• Collaborated with architects to enhance our brand presence.• Conducted surveys to gather consumer insights.

Punjab, Pakistan

From Startup Founder to Incubatee - Nurturing Growth at NIC LUMSEmbarked on a transformative journey at the National Incubation Center (NIC) LUMS Lahore, refining skills and perspectives for sustainable growth. 🌱 Empowerment Through Learning: Immersed in a dynamic curriculum covering Design Thinking, Market Research, Entrepreneurial Finance, Data Analytics, and more, equipping me to shape a robust business strategy. 📈 Strategic Brilliance: Mastered Strategy & Business Modelling, Power Negotiation, and Investment Instruments, honing the ability to forge impactful strategies and navigate complex negotiations. 🗣️ Effective Communication: Leveraged the power of networking & conversations to foster meaningful connections within the entrepreneurial ecosystem. 💡Innovative Thinking: Nurtured creative problem-solving through Ideation, Prototyping, and ideation-empowering courses, reshaping my approach to challenges and innovation. 🌍 Global Perspective: Gained insights into emerging markets' opportunities and challenges, enhancing my ability to adapt strategies to diverse audiences. 📝 Legal & Financial Acumen: Equipped with knowledge from Introduction to Law, Company's Law, and Tax Law, ensuring smooth and compliant operations. 🤝 Mentorship Program: Engaged in a mentorship program that guided me through critical decisions and challenged me to envision limitless possibilities. 📣 Pitching to Perfection: From perfecting pitching fundamentals to delivering impactful presentations, honed my storytelling skills for investor interactions. 👥 Empowering Collaboration: Created a network of like-minded entrepreneurs, fostering collaborations, partnerships, and a sense of unity within the startup landscape. Exitied NIC LUMS with a strong foundation, empowered to navigate the entrepreneurial landscape with confidence, resilience, and innovation. 🚀🌈

Pakistan

Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan

🚀 Empowering Wholly Ranch at BIC PU: A Transformative BootcampIncubated Wholly Ranch at Business Incubation Center (BIC) PU, setting the stage for innovation and growth. Engaged in an intensive training that reshaped my startup approach:✅ Explored empathy and understood customer problems through Human-centered Design Thinking, crafting Customer Personas and identifying compelling needs.✅ Brainstormed ingenious solutions around customer needs and pain points using Design Thinking.✅ Faced the challenge of creating, running, and closing a business in 3 hours at Liberty Market, witnessing remarkable results and profitability.✅ Attained expertise in financial planning, estimating future revenues and costs. ✅ Dived into Business Model Development, answering pivotal questions for Wholly Ranch's growth.✅ Sustained Consultation: Embarked on a 6-month journey post-bootcamp, working on Wholly Ranch while accessing ongoing mentorship and guidance.

✅ Successfully transitioned the pilot testing of the Global Talent Acquisition program to the Virtual Profesional Program.✅ Piloted a new approach in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, enabling talented professionals from around the world to work remotely from home.✅ Collaborated with the project team to design and implement new systems and processes for recruitment, onboarding, training, and ongoing support of virtual program participants.✅ Achieved expanded access to meaningful employment opportunities and increased cost-effectiveness, efficiency, and scalability compared to the physical program.✅ Gained valuable experience in Virtual Profesional Program management, remote team leadership, and cross-functional collaboration.✅ Played a key role in bringing the organization into the digital age and continuing to innovate and evolve in this space.

Punjab, Pakistan

✅ Established partnerships with international chapters to provide professional experience opportunities for exchange partners.✅ Conducted partner meetings to build relationships and maintain good communication.✅ Identified potential partners and evaluated their suitability for collaboration.✅ Led the entire partnership process, from arranging meetings to finalizing contracts.✅ Managed cross-cultural exchange programs to enhance leadership development and promote social impact.

Pakistan

Led the Organizing Committee as the Director of Partnership Development & Logistics for Global Village, an event celebrating culture and diversity. • Successfully brought together AIESECers from over 12+ countries, creating a virtual platform for cultural exchange and collaboration.• Developed strategic partnerships with organizations, securing funding and valuable resources for the event. • Leveraged strong communication and negotiation skills to cultivate mutually beneficial collaborations that enhanced the participant experience.• Oversaw logistics management, ensuring a seamless virtual experience for all participants.• Empowered individuals to bridge cultural gaps and build lasting connections.• Demonstrated resilience and innovation in overcoming the challenges posed by the global pandemic.

Pakistan

Developed corporate partnerships to create various international placement opportunities in Lahore to promote cross-cultural exchange in companies and co-working spaces in Pakistan. ✅ Created proposals for two AIESEC programs: Global Talent and Global Teacher, based on international standards.✅ Assembled an extensive database of 250+ potential partners for Global Talent program and 100+ schools and universities for Global Teacher program, enabling us to secure valuable partnerships and create a lasting impact.✅ Collaborated with the finance and legal departments to ensure the contracts and legality of partnerships were compliant.✅ Drafted a framework for new product proposals.✅ Conducted market research on the potential of tourism opportunities in Pakistan.✅ Reviewed all previous partners and opportunities and evaluated their potential for future collaborations.✅ Contacted existing partners for partner sensing.✅ Explored domestic tourism opportunities in Pakistan and their potential.✅ Developed an outreach email to create leads for partnership.✅ Created a marketing mailer for partners for all products.✅ Conducted partner meetings to maintain relationships and explore new opportunities.

✅ Conducted audits of funds to ensure compliance with internal policies.✅ Managed quality assurance programs to ensure the accuracy of financial data.✅ Oversaw bank receipts and invoicing to ensure timely and accurate recording of financial transactions.✅ Conducted qualitative audits of local general body to assess their performance.✅ Reviewed payments in accordance with organization policies.✅ Implemented process improvements to streamline payment processing and reduce errors.

Pakistan

✅ Managed Exchange Participant approvals on EXPA and realized 10+ successful exchange participants for exchange programs.✅ Contacted 250+ potential exchange participants for International Volunteer ship opportunities.✅ Demonstrated effective communication skills while collaborating with international partners and providing guidance to Exchange Participants.✅ Conducted Leadership Development Assessments of Exchange Participants. ✅ Ensured Right Talent for Right Opportunity. ✅ Facilitated Contract Signing and provided clear guidelines to Exchange Participants to ensure a smooth customer experience.✅ Detailed Visa Requirements and provided ongoing support to Exchange Participants throughout the exchange process.✅ Ensured smooth payment processes and financial management for Exchange Participants.✅ Engaged Team Members and optimized program offerings to ensure program success.

Pakistan

✅ Conducted Debrief Seminar (one of the 16 exchange standards) for Exchange Participants.✅ Provided exchange presentations for Visa process of various countries including Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam, Egypt, and Tunisia.✅ Conducted research to identify suitable countries in the Asia Pacific region where our Exchange Participants can go for exchange.✅ Cold called and sold outgoing exchange program to Exchange Participants.✅ Maintained records of sales using a sales tracker.✅ Ensured customer satisfaction by following the right customer flow.