Ludmila

Full CV / Resume

SUMMARY: Hospitality /Travel Professional with strong interest in Wellness, Yoga, Meditation and holistic practices.

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE:
January – December 2015 Pre-opening Sales Manager
Four Points by Sheraton, Kaluga, Russia
(174 rooms, 1 restaurant, 1 SPA-center)

• Part of the pre-opening team of the first Four Points by Sheraton property in Russia
• Building the ho client data-base from scratch unsing cold calls, prospecting, face to face meetings with potential clients;
• Full cycle of client relationship management: from establishing initial , contract negotiation, problem solving and developing loyalty;
• Participate in planning, organization and hosting various client events aimed to attract clients and develop loyalty to various venues of the ho (SPA-center, Restaurant, Bar);
• Represent the ho in Forums, Fairs and Conferences

August 2014 – December 2014 Sales Manager (primarily MICE & groups)
Mercure Rosa Khutor, Sochi, Russia
(153 rooms, 6 conference rooms, 1 restaurant;
Rosa Khutor is the venue of all Sochi 2014 Olympics skiing competitions)

• Analyze market trends in order to attract business and maximize sales opportunities;
• Handle Group & MICE enquiries:
- Receive and convert enquiries, negotiate terms and conditions of the booking in order to both meet client’s needs and optimize ho occupancy and revenue;
- negotiate and sign contracts, prepare function orders, coordinate operations departments during the event, track payments);
- manage event schedule in order to maximize yield;
• Build and develop relationships with existing and potential clients and partners in order to get repeat and extended business;
• Prepare and hold presentations, arrange, coordinate and host media and Fam-trip visits, carry out site inspections;
• In charge of ho marketing activities (design print and promotional materials);
• Attend conferences and events in order to increase exposure and generate leads;
• Work closely with the resort’s Sales & Marketing department in order to maximize sales and exposure opportunities for the ho;
• Collect and analyze market data, prepare reports.
Achievements: - introduced a comprehensive enquiry tracking system;
- the ho achieved highest occupancy ranking in October and November among 6 hos of Rosa Khutor.

July 2013 – May 2014 PR Manager
Taba Heights Marriott Red Sea Resort •Taba, Egypt
(394 rooms, 7 F&B outlets)
• Was responsible for development and execution of ho’s annual PR & Marketing plan in accordance with the annual regional and cluster Sales & Marketing strategy;
• In coordination with the Sales team developed and coordinated in-house and external special offers and promotions;
• Handled customer enquiries (transient), negotiated rates and packages, supervised service delivery;
• Researched sponsorship and joint event opportunities to increase property’ and brand awareness ( Taba Heights Annual International Golf Pro-Am, ‘Help for Heroes’ charity auction by the National Golf Club Challenge, etc.)
• Planned and coordinated all on-property special events, parties etc., often coaching F&B and other operations departments through the process.
• Hosted and coordinated media visits, FAM trips, sight inspections;
• Was in charge of hos communications, including press releases, media kits, sales information,
• Designed and produced all in-house collaterals, flyers, brochures, posters and signage, insuring corporate branding and legal compliance requirements are met; negotiated rates and terms of delivery with suppliers;
• Handled all property’s social media and customer care communications (, Twitter, Google+, travel review sites, Marriott Customer Care);
• Interacted with guests to obtain feedback on product quality and service levels, analyze the feedback to encourage corrective actions and develop appropriate promotions.

December 2012 – June 2013 Guest Relations Officer
InterContinental Taba Heights • Taba, Egypt
(504 rooms, 8 F&B outlets)
• Communicated with various departments of the ho in order to assist with guests' individual requests, resolve conflict situations, advise and make arrangements for special occasions;
• Was responsible for VIP guests of the ho, making sure they receive all the benefits according to the existing ho policy and loyalty programs;
• Was in charge of the property’s public box, handled all client communications, turning generic requests into upselling opportunities (room upgrades, special dinners, private parties, other special arrangements), negotiated rates and packages and supervised service delivery in accordance to the reached agreements;
• Conducted sight inspections (for FAM trips, media, tour operators);
• Handled correspondence with prospective customers (public of the ho) and guests in house , responded to TripAdvisor comments;
• Assisted in organization, promotion and implementation of all on-property special events

December 2009 – November 2012 Business Manager
Somewhere Different • Siwa Oasis, Egypt
Run a family-owned tourism business (small boutique ho plus local cultural and adventure tours) in Siwa Oasis, Egypt. Main responsibilities included:
• Design, sales and day-to-day administration of customized 7-14-day tours, that included transportation, accommodation and daily entertainment/activities, establish and negotiate rates;
• Handling all communication with clients: from the initial online enquiry, negotiation of rates and packages, maintaining daily throughout the holiday and following up upon the guest’s return to home country;
• Development and implementation of pricing strategy, seasonal rates and special offers;
• Full control over company's budget (issue and track invoices, payments and expenses, financial reporting to the owner, work with banks, pay salaries, etc.);
• Management of all Social Media and E-commerce channels of the property (company site, started the page, TripAdvisor, FlipKey, Hosworld, etc.);
• Acting as the primary person for all guests during their holiday, arranging their day-to-day activities, making sure all individual requests of the guests are met. Interact with guests to ensure constant and timely feedback;
• Supervised and coached all team members, ensuring the highest service standards are maintained at all times;
• Researched new and evaluated current partners and service suppliers, negotiated prices and deals.

July 2006-Aug 2008 Client relationship for Oil and Gas Sector (sales), Global Clients, Business Assistant
ABN AMRO Bank • Moscow, Russia
• Was responsible for day-to-day communication with the clients of the department (take enquiries, investigate cases/complaints, communicate with appropriate departments and branches of the bank to resolve the issue, negotiate disputable cases, provide solutions, manage paperwork of the main s)
• Prepared proposals for RFPs, translated pitchbooks and client letters.
• Was responsible for travel arrangements for both staff and VIP clients of the bank on business and holiday trips (research exclusive locations, provide assistance in emergency travel situations, managed complicated group itineraries including multiple flights, hos, restaurants and entertainment, provided visa support)
• Arranged meetings, appointments, conference calls, etc.
• Acted as a PA to the Executive Director

October 2004 – July 2006 Educational Program Department, US-Russia Educational Programs Associate
International Research and Exchanges Board (IREX)/Moscow • Moscow, Russia
• Was responsible for marketing of US – Russian exchange programs in a given region of Russia (researched appropriate s, arranged and run program presentations, communicated with the target population on the and via e-mail)
• Was in charge of organizing program events (researched and booked hos and conference rooms, bought tickets, negotiated contracts with vendors)
• Worked with program participants on program related issues (provided instructions for program procedures, provided visa and travel support, replied to all enquiries both by and );
• Tracked program expenditures, maintained necessary financial paperwork, identified and pay vendors
• Supervised implementation of grant funded projects (visited project sites, collected and wrote reports)
• As a member of Selection Committee interviewed semi-finalists of a Russia-US exchange program

TRAINING / COURSES in HOSPITALITY & SALES:
by Marriott International:
• Certificate in Public Relations Communications
• Modern Essentials Revenue Management Certification
• Selling in Up Market
• Developing a customer-focused sales approach
By Starwood:
• Developing your (Sales) Team
• Behavioral Interviewing
• Service Culture

YOGA / MEDITATION/ SPORT & WELLNESS interests:
- Ashtanga and Hatha yoga practice since 2010
- Working towards my Instructor certificate of Mandala Dance (certificate expected to receive by Dec 11, 2015)
- 10-day Vipassana course. – October, 2015, Khadavli, India
- Interested in massages and physical therapies, took lessons from various therapists, never got a certificate

EDUCATION:
2007-2008 Finance University under the Government of the Russian Federation, Financial
Management (non-degree)
2002-2003 Oklahoma State University, graduate studies in International Relations, Management (non-degree)
1997-2002 Nizhny Novgorod Linguistic University, MA in Linguistics and Cross-cultural Communication

LANGUAGES:
Fluent in Russian, English, good command of French and German, basic knowledge of spoken Arabic