More Related Content
Viewers also liked (11)
Similar to Abittan Lori RS_Final (20)
Abittan Lori RS_Final
- 1. LORI ABITTAN Woodbridge, ON L4H 1N3 ? (416) 918-7520 ?lori.abittan@yahoo.com ? https://ca.linkedin.com/in/loriabittan? @twitter.com/lori_abittan CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER ? EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT Transformational Leadership ¨C Turnarounds ¨C Pioneer of New Brand Concepts ¨C Trailblazer Proven Leadership in Driving Market Share Growth and Domination through Innovative Brand Concepts Influential,inspirational and transformational leader withthe proven abilityto cultivate loyal, committedandempoweredhigh- performanceteamsandorganizations.Excelsinleadingthroughcomplexityandlarge-scaletransformationwitharelentlesspursuit of innovative, cutting-edgesolutionsandoperationalexcellence. VALUE TO ORGANIZATION ? Strategic Vision, Planning& Execution ? U.S. & InternationalMarkets ? ChallengesStatusQuo ? Mergers,Acquisitions& Divestitures ? Large-scaleTransformation ? RevolutionaryBrandConcepts ? Capital Financing/Structuring ? White SpaceCapitalization ? CapitalRaising/ExpansionProjects ? StakeholderManagement/ BoardRelations ? High-stakesNegotiations ? Joint Ventures/Partnerships ? Aggressive Go-to-MarketExecution ? Sales, Marketing & BusinessDevelopment EXECUTIVE NARRATIVE INDEPENDENT ADVISOR & STRATEGIC CONSULTANT 2013-Present Provide strategic consultation and guidance to emerging markets in Canada. Consulted on a Juice Business start-up and an incubatorfor a line of HealthFoodproducts. Provided insightto politicalfigureson reachingoutto Canada¡¯sculturalcom munity. Researchedandappliedforthe MBA program at AthabascaUniversity. Led discussionswitha numberof youth on job prospect, start-ups and tappingincashpools. MULTIMEDIA NOVA CORPORATION | Listed on the TSXV 2003-2013 A communications,marketing, printinganddistribution organization ChiefExecutiveOfficer /President¨CDiversityMediaServicesand LinguaAds (2004-2013) Provided strategic vision, direction and leadership for Multimedia Nova Corporation as chief executive officer, while concurrently providingexecutive leadershipforone of the company¡¯slargestrevenue-generatingdivision,DiversityMediaServices,andLingua Ads. Led 10 directreportsresponsiblefor150 employees. Led thecompanythrough significant,complexchallengesandrestructuring following appointmentto CEO: ? As newCEO, faced numerouschallenges,includingCRAdebt of $5M securedbymultiplevotingshares andrecalledbank debt of $500Ksecuredby Multimedia¡¯sassets,as wellas 90% revenue concentrationfrom 2foreignaccounts. - Additionallychallengedwitha highlyleveragedbalancesheet,highturnover of staff, and lowmorale. - Facedwith Boardmandateto unwindorrestructure. SNAPSHOT IMPACT: ? Revolutionized Canada¡¯smultimediaindustry. Pioneeredandbuiltnewconcept,capturing85%of Canada¡¯semergingmarketsin49languages. ? Established newdivisionin 3monthsthatgenerated ~$7M annuallywith apipelineof>$20M. ? Boosted salesby~30%acrossall products. Empowered,trainedandalignedSalesorganization, providingtools neededto achievebeyondthe imaginable. ? Reduced foreignrevenueconcentration 90%to 30%.
- 2. Continued ? LORI ABITTAN ? (416) 918-7520 ?lori.abittan@yahoo.ca ? Page 2 of 3 - Createda flat structureandremovedbarriersbetweendepartmentsto take advantage of economiesofscale. Opened linesof communication,builtconsensusanddealtwithconflicts. - Actively soughtout alternative financing,negotiatingextensivelywith bankexecutives andseniorCRA officials. ? Repositioned thecompanyto becomemoreviable,secureand stablein themarket. Ledefforts to reducerelianceon foreignrevenues. Led refinancingeffortsof $20M over the years. - RefinancedthroughaCanadianInstitutionalLender,successfullyclosinga $5.5M financingagreementwitha Canadian Charteredbank, securedbya $3M insurancepolicyonreceivablesandan$850K sub-deb. - Negotiated a $3.7M debtreductionwithCRA, andsuccessfullycloseda4-year $4M US convertibledebenturewitha U.S. Lenderat prime,plus3% at a conversionpriceof $8.00,with a 6-monthstocktrialingprice$.25. - Reduced foreignrevenueconcentration 90%to30%throughCanadianstart-ups, acquisitionsandorganicgrowth. - Restructuredtheorganization, reducing workforceby20%resultingin a 25% operatingexpense savings. ? Experienced unprecedented dropsin advertising forcommunitynewspapersduringthe2008/09financial crises. - Quicklyalignedmarketingstrategiestothe plightof smallbusinessesinthetrading area,creatinga¡°Shop Local¡± campaignforVaughanTodaypublicationandthe¡°Best of Toronto¡±TownCrierpublications. - As a result of this effort, reached>3,000businessesincreasingtheclientpoolby20%. - Reducedoverallcostsby 15%(5% above target) by offering a hybrid of programsandstrategies. ? Boosted salesby~30%acrossall products.Empowered,trainedandaligneda 25-personSalesorganization,providing them the tools andsupport neededto drive results. Drovewhitespacecapitalization in theCanadian market,launching newconceptin 2007: ? Revolutionized Canada¡¯smultimediaindustry.Pioneeredandbuiltnewconcept, capturing 85%ofCanada¡¯semerging marketsin 49languages bysourcingand aggregating >600mediachannels(existingprintandon-linepublishersandbroadcasters acrossCanada)inmultiplelanguageswithareachof over 5.5 millionhouseholds. - Newconceptuniquelypositionedthecompanyto capitalizeonunmetneeds of Fortune100/500companiesand capturedsignificantmarketshare.Personallyforged relationshipsneededtodrive this effort. - Movedaggressively to market, buildingacomprehensivemediachannelplatform (>600channels)within3months.Recruitedaninternalteam of 10. Maximizedprofits by bundlingwithcompany¡¯sPublishingandPrintingdivisions. ? Officially launchedtheDiversityMarketing Services (DMS)division builton this concept.Secured $1Mcontractwith General Motorswithinfirst3monthsoflaunch. - Within first year of operationthenewlycreatedDMSsold$4M worth of contractsand hada pipelineof $7M. - By 2013, DMSgenerated~$7M annuallywitha pipelineof>$20M (includingmanyFortune500contracts).Grewdivision from 12 to 25 publicationsovera 5-year period. - Boosted marginsby100%withinfirst year by forging aggregatorpartnershiprelationshipwithLinguaAds. ExecutiveVice Presidentand COO (2003-2004) Served as a driving force behind the company¡¯s digital transformation, operational optimization, and exponential revenue growth Participatedincreatingabusinessplan,raisingcapitaland executingexpansionprojects. ? Retained and grewa$2.5M printand distribution accountand a$5M publishing subsidiarybasedin Rome. ? Executed all corporateacquisitionsasmandated bytheCEO and Board ofDirectors. Grew sales by 70% within first year of new concept launch
- 3. Continued ? LORI ABITTAN ? (416) 918-7520 ?lori.abittan@yahoo.ca ? Page 3 of 3 MULTIMEDIA WTM CORPORATION 1993-2002 An integratedcommunications,printingandbroadcastingorganization VICE PRESIDENT (1999-2002)| GENERAL MANAGER (1993-1998): Promoted in 1999 to focus efforts on building and executing short and long-term strategies to promote brand awareness and adoptioninthe market. Negotiated thelinesof credit,capitalleases,mortgagefinancingandprivateloansto supportexpansion. ? Grewdivisionfrom 50to 150employeesdispersed across8 multicultural mediaoutlets. ? Sourced and acquired a45,000sq.ft. facility to house2 European printingpresses in Canada,enablingthecompany to grow andexpand,and capitalizeongrowingopportunityin the market. ? Successfullynegotiated an insurancepolicywith theExportDevelopmentCorporation on foreignreceivables. Enablingtheorganizationto refinanceaportionof the foreignreceivablepool. ? Presented an application to theCanadianRadio TelevisionCommission fora specialtylicense. EDUCATION Candidate for Post Baccalaureate Diploma in Management (PBDM) and MBA Program, Athabasca University Program start date: May 2016 Administrative Studies, York University PUBLIC SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS Over 100 speaking engagements on diversity and integration PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS & APPOINTMENTS ?AWARDS ?LANGUAGES 2013 Nominee ¨C Women of Influence ¨C RBC¡¯s Canadian Women Entrepreneur 2008 Woman of the Year Award ¨C Recognized for work in the communityof Vaughan with a focus on the local economy Past Member of the Toronto Police Chief¡¯s AdvisoryBoard Past Board Member of the McMichael Canadian Art Collection Past Board Member of the Centre for Diversity & Past Board Member, Multimedia Nova Corporation Past Member of CJFE (Canadian Journalists for Free Expression) Member of Phoenix Executive Network/PEN Member of the McMichael Art Gallery50th AnniversaryCelebration Gala to be held in June 2016 Bilingual: English/Italian