Network your way to Success

Thameem Rizvon, IT Director KOJ Group LLC

CIO Event ME Sep 10, ‘12 Meydan, Dubai

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AGENDA

1. KOJ Group LLC – Our Story

2. Oracle @ KOJ – Our Journey

3. Use your social network for success

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AGENDA

1. KOJ Group LLC – Our Story

2. Oracle @ KOJ – Our Journey

3. Use your social network for success

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1 slide says it all• KOJ Data – Sales, Shops, Customers, IT Team

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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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KOJ Group LLC – Our Story

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Nayomi

• Launched 1992

• 150 plus stores, 6 countries

• ME’s leading Lingerie brand

• Top 40 Arab Brands by Forbes Arabia

KOJ Group LLC – Our Story

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Mikyajy

• Young. Trendy. Friendly

• Faster growing cosmetic brand in GCC

• Launched 1999 – today 200 plus stores

• Top 40 Arab Brands by Forbes Arabia

KOJ Group LLC – Our Story

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KOJ Group LLC – Our Story

The Body Shop

Franchise

•Established 1987

•115+ Stores

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KOJ Group LLC – Our Story

Early Learning Centre

•Established 1991

•83 stores

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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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AGENDA

1. KOJ Group LLC – Our Story

2. Oracle @ KOJ – Our Journey

3. Use your social network for success

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Oracle @ KOJ – Our Journey2006 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

2013…HR, Hardware Upgrade, CRM, & Next Level

of Planning

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Oracle on Oracle

• Oracle Hardware

• Oracle Solaris

• Oracle E business

• Oracle Retail

• Oracle Data base

Oracle @ KOJ – Our Journey

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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

Oracle @ KOJ – Our Journey

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• There were challenges!

Oracle @ KOJ – Our Journey

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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

Oracle @ KOJ – Our Journey

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SUCCESS REASONS

1. Manage User expectations

2. Partners – People not Companies

3. Better planning/project management

Oracle @ KOJ – Our Journey

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• 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

Project Lifecycle @ KOJ

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KOJ – Go / No Go meets

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KOJ – Go / No Go meets

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AGENDA

1. KOJ Group LLC – Our Story

2. Oracle @ KOJ – Our Journey

3. Use your social network for success

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• “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

Social network for success

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• 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

My network – What it taught

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• 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

My network – Rewards I got

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Thank You

Any questions please?

Kamal Osman Jamjoom Group LLC

Thameem Rizvon, IT Director