Anwar E. Sumar
Toronto
Summary
Over 23 years of Ecommerce Technology Experience including: Digital Marketing, Content Management and Project Implementation experience in Canada, US and Latin America. Extensive senior-level experience in strategic planning, driving innovative growth, executive leadership and engaging teams at the highest level.
Overview
27
27
years of professional experience
Work History
Managing Director
GrayMatter Associates Inc.
10.2016 - Current
- Consulting in IT technology project management, team leadership, specializing in business analysis, architecture, design, and development of web-based component frameworks and applications. Experience includes internet strategy, project workflow, application development, mobile strategy, procurement, bricks to clicks integration, P&L management and inventory tracking systems for start-up, medium and large corporations. Clients included: Harry Rosen, LG Canada, Adidas Canada, The Body Shop, YUM! Foods, Compass Group Canada.
- Sirva Worldwide Inc. Program Vertical Lead on contract (December 2020 – Present)
- Managing a number of full lifecycle proprietary software development projects that enhance Customer and client relocation experiences: The projects included: 1) DPS – Digital Policy System – a complete transformation from manual policy systems to fully automated. This project was completed on time with 18 months from start. 2) ACE – Automated Customer Expense – the full automated of filed expenses online from submission to full payment to customers and suppliers) 3) Data migration of Azure Cloud Service Engine DB – currently in progress.
- CIBC - Investor Services. Program Lead Consultant (February 2018 – August 2019)
- Responsible for managing ISI’s line of business for an enterprise-wide initiative, which involves a bank-wide update to technology and asset management. As a member of the broader implementation team, my responsibility was to deliver ISI’s updated asset management in accordance with digital brand guidelines, while managing key milestones to ensure timelines are met in conjunction with the broader program’s goals. This project was both Agile and Waterfall and touched ISI websites, IE trading platform, Broadridge (BFS), WMAS, and ECIF. The initiative touched every digital platform; desktop, responsive mobile
- Compass Group Canada: Digital Consultant (2016 December – 2018 February)
- Digital build and Integration of food ordering app into various sites.Indirectly manage scrum master, 5 developers, QA and 2 menu management individuals. Define the site deliverable, consultant the client on the App build, management of content integration in both iOS and Android Apps and project lead the process end to end with weekly updates to senior leadership. Delivery timing per App is 5 months, with each site having a budget of $600k (Total Budget $7M). Currently managing 12 sites with various delivery timing, locations, content and industry vertical.
- Defining digital food ordering technology to meet client needs (mobile and kiosk technology). Management and delivery infrastructure, internet technology and menu management to meet delivery timelines for multiple North American sites. Primary engagement is project management and digital strategy
- YUM! Brands: Digital Consultant: Delivery of Pizza Hut’s new online ordering platform for desktop and mobile.
- Indirectly managed 2 internal developers and 3 external agencies (Halogen, GRIP and imenu360). Wrote detailed requirements and success measures for the platform, project managed RFP process, agency contract and deliverables for both desktop and mobile. Managed the internal team of dev folks, day to day managed agencies to deliver an online ordering configurator for pizza. The platform launched 2 months 2 months early, under budget and within 2 weeks lead an increase in conversion by 20% (from 11% to 13.5%). Delivery timing was 18 months, total budget $22M.
- Defined YUM’s digital strategy including the introduction of eCRM, Mobile and App design and development. The engagement included redesign YUM! entire digital and ecommerce platforms. Technology used: HTML5 (mobile), Web services, MongoDB, MySQL, JavaScript & Python (main languages used), Objective- C (iOS builds), Java (Android Apps).
VP, Digital Strategy & PMO
TC Media
03.2013 - 10.2016
- Technology Engagements; Working with multiple vertical brands including; Luxury, Banking, Retail, Travel and Restaurants to help define digital strategy which included; technology (app development, infrastructure), mobile technologies, digital advertising, email, CRM and project execution. Brands included:
- Scotiabank: Enterprise Notification Platform Project - Initiative to provide enterprise capabilities for processing of events and subsequent delivery of notification (Push, email, Voice, 2-way SMS) to external customers) users. Flexible platform for corporate communications, campaign offers, social media, broadcasts, and 1-1 alerts that is scalable & robust for adding new LOBs and Alerts and be CASL compliant. Delivery timing was 6 months, total budget $2M.
- Scotiabank: Total Wealth Salesforce Alignment Project - Current state analysis for consolidating multiple Instances of Salesforce, identifying the gaps (Business vs. Technology) across multiple business lines for Wealth Management group. Monitoring, Assessing, and reporting the progress within the Projects to the Business, Program and PMO Team, communicating and resolving project risks and issues to senior team. Leading the total wealth salesforce alignment project on current state analysis for consolidating multiple Salesforce Instances for Wealth Management group. Formulating the sprint framework, creating the release & sprint plans, leading and executing the sprints. Delivery timing was 15 months, total budget $17M.
- Scotiabank: Migration of Scotia International email technology and customer Email CRMs. The project required migration of customer information, email technology and management of new Canadian CASL rules. Engagement included; dev teams, client managers, analytic teams and database teams.
- CIBC; worked with CIBC to create an SMB App to drive higher customer engagement. The effort included development management of HTTPS, iOS and Android functionality. Project management of client, dev teams, scrum and QA. The project came in under budget, hitting all success drivers for the bank. Delivery timing was 5 months, total budget $1.5M.
- Manulife Financial; Engagement included strategic data-mining customer lifecycle to understand customers at risk of leaving. The project included managing data scientists, analytics team, development and client managers. The project resulted in $15M of savings over a 5-year lifecycle period. Delivery timing was 6 months, total budget $800k.
- Sunwing; A complete overhaul, multiple year engagement included building and managing CRM databases, customer personalization, data asset management and a rebuild of customer management technology. The engagement included managing multiple project leads, vendor management RFP and management, development teams and testing/UAT resources. Delivery timing was 16 months, total budget $21M.
VP, Ecommerce & Direct
Sears Canada
08.2009 - 01.2013
- General management responsibilities for a $810M P&L; Sears Ecommerce sales, marketing and technology. Technology and logistics integration of 1800 Dealer outlets, inventory hub management, fulfillment and logistics for the Direct business systems which included integration of legacy systems to allow for online sales fulfillment. Responsible for the transformation of a project management practice through the implementation of formal project management tools and the integration of agile principles in planning, execution and delivery with improved technology use; including an added focus on strategic financial management and enhanced technology software and cloud infrastructure.
- Project execution responsibilities; Sears Ecommerce sales, marketing and technology. Technology and logistics integration of 1800 Dealer outlets, inventory hub management, fulfillment and logistics for the Direct business systems which included integration of legacy systems to allow for online sales fulfillment.
- Project Exec for an ongoing IT roadmap of evolving technology, included; a full site redesign, payments methods, combining legacy platform integration with online platforms for updated inventory, pickup in store initiatives.
- Executive lead in enterprise IT strategy, business and data architecture, program and project management, IT governance, technology transformations, ERP selection and implementation, and technology roadmap management. Management of a team of 200 people, which included; development, project management, IT functions, ebusiness leads, site content, web technology and operations.
- Management of technology teams which included; development, project management, IT functions, ebusiness leads, site content, web technology and operations. Delivery timing; multiple projects and timing, total yearly budget $110M.
Senior Director of eBusiness, Canada, Latin America
Dell Inc
10.2003 - 07.2009
- Sales and P&L responsibilities for over $500M (USD) in yearly sales with over 100 simultaneous ongoing projects across 10 countries, multiple currencies and platforms.
- Team management of 150 people consisting of site technology, lead generation, operations and technology. Responsibilities included; call centre operations, logistics, comp structure management, facilities and ebusiness infrastructure.
- Managed a diverse group of individuals across Canada, Latin America and India, consisting of; Demand Generation, Technology, Operations, outsourced development to launch Latin America ecommerce across multiple LATM countries, currencies and logistic delivery of factory to door step through direct model.
- Director – Project Management, Configurator Project Lead (2004 July – 2006 September – Special assignment)
- Seconded from Canada directly by Michael Dell to rebuild Dell’s world-wide Configurator, which currently drives $12B in Revenue. The Dell Configurator project had a budget of $200M, representing the most strategic project for the company at the time. Managed a team of 36 developers, 8 PM’s, 2 - 3rd party agencies (Razorfish and Critical Mass). The project included daily meetings with 8 project vertical leads, Dell patent lawyers, Dell PR teams and coordination of worldwide launch activities for the internal company and technology.
- Project included usability testing in every major world market including; US, Canada, UK, Europe and Asia.
- Provided 4 updates to Michael Dell directly.
- Launched technology worldwide, 5 weeks ahead of schedule with increased conversion, higher satisfaction scores at launch with a conversion increase of .01% and a yearly revenue upside of $350M USD and stands today as the fastest implemented strategic project in Dell history.
- Managed various technology integrations including; web-based technologies, mobile platforms, various online marketing initiatives, web to factory integration of ecommerce purchase platforms, site content redesigns and refreshes. Delivery timing was 24 months, total budget $110M.
Director of Projects – Amicus, Director of Internet Banking CIBC
Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce
04.1998 - 09.2003
- Responsible for the transformation of a project management practice through the implementation of formal project management tools and the integration of agile principles in planning, execution and delivery of every Amicus white-label bank.
- Winn Dixie Bank/Biz-Smart Small Business Bank: Director Project Management: Responsible for integrating core CIBC banking technology into a white label product and partnering with an offline Brand to build a stand-alone virtual bank. Indirectly manage 2 scrum masters, 30 core CIBC developers, QA dept. and 2 external agencies. The project included weekly presentation to the senior Amicus team (including the CEO). Delivery timing was 12 months per site, with each site having a budget of $110M.
- CIBC.com: Executive lead for every CIBC online initiative to ensure business strategy, offline brand personality, tone, website creative, site technology and cross channel CRM to create the highest level of customer experience. Delivery timing was ongoing with a yearly technology budget of $90M
- Defined team model and built CIBC’s first Web Design/Development team to execute and implement the building of multiple online brands. The team consisted of; Business Development leads, Web Architects, Web Designers, Developers, Content Managers, Web Behaviour specialists, Usability testers and Online Marketers working together in a matrixed environment to build and develop multiple brands online.
- BizSmart Small business Bank: no-fee daily banking service developed by CIBC and STAPLES/Business Depot now offers an on-line business banking application for Canada’s two million small office/ home office (SOHO) entrepreneurs.
- Overall Project executive responsible for vendor selection, management of the bank’s resources, project managers and development integration into the core CIBC white label products. The project had an over budget of $80M and a 2 year timeline to launch.
- Led an Information Technology delivery projects through its design, development, testing, and deployment phases using SDLC:
- Website development and web content management project
- Enterprise digitization and content management project
- Managed projects from inception to closure.
- Defined project scope and business objectives. Prepared WBS and Project Plan.
- Produced project progress reports and supporting materials for monthly project meetings with general manager.
Education
Bachelor of Science - Engineering
Ryerson University
Toronto05-2002
Skills
- Operations management
- Staff management
- Quality assurance
- Team collaboration
- Project management
- Business development
- Strategic partnerships
- Contract management
- Digital transformation
- International expansion
- E-commerce strategy
- Sales leadership
- Cybersecurity management
- IT management
- Team leadership
- Marketing strategies
- Management team building
Websites
Accomplishments
- Established PMO framework including planning, execution and value management for a portfolio budgeted at $300 million dollars comprised of 200+ projects annually which included innovative projects utilizing Agile and waterfall (legacy) project methodologies.
- Participated in the digital transformation of the company Enterprise Delivery Framework (EDF), focused on increased collaboration and harnessing new approaches and technologies such as agile that improve delivery and drive value for customers.
- Facilitated the ongoing implementation of CA PPM, Microsoft Project Online and Tableau data visualization for enhanced Project metrics and data driven analytics.
Timeline
Managing Director
GrayMatter Associates Inc.
10.2016 - Current
VP, Digital Strategy & PMO
TC Media
03.2013 - 10.2016
VP, Ecommerce & Direct
Sears Canada
08.2009 - 01.2013
Senior Director of eBusiness, Canada, Latin America
Dell Inc
10.2003 - 07.2009
Director of Projects – Amicus, Director of Internet Banking CIBC
Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce
04.1998 - 09.2003
Bachelor of Science - Engineering
Ryerson University