Cristina Maia

Leadership and orientation of over 10 multidisciplinary teams.

• Coordination with Business Unit’s R&D, Sales and Corporate Marketing Department to develop effective go to market strategies for new products.
• Implement and optimize Product development practices creating better procedures and product/ service development culture.
• Negotiated favorable contracts with suppliers by leveraging strong communication skills and industry knowledge effectively highliting partership with IKEA Portugal.
• Improved product performance by actively monitoring customer feedback and implementing necessary changes managing over 500 leads.
• Facilitated more than 10 training sessions for team members on industry best practices, boosting overall productivity levels within departments.
• Implemented continuous improvement methodologies to drive ongoing enhancements in product design and functionality over time.
• Streamlined product development processes by implementing efficient project management strategies.
• Developed innovative product concepts with focus on user experience and market demand.
• Coordinated with suppliers and manufacturers to optimize production costs and timelines.
• Championed culture of innovation within team, inspiring creative thinking and problem-solving skills among colleagues.
• Maintained strong relationships with external partners such as vendors and manufacturers for seamless collaboration during product development process.
• Successfully launched multiple products, meeting or exceeding sales targets consistently.
• Created detailed project plans, outlining tasks, resources, and deadlines to ensure successful product launches.
• Conducted comprehensive market research to identify opportunities for new products and improvements on existing ones.
• Managed cross-functional teams, ensuring timely delivery of high-quality products.
• Assisted in budget planning and resource allocation for product development department.

• Oversee and manage strategy and operations for Fio-blu including digital marketing, supplier’s network and customer experience.
• Established key partnerships with industry influencers, creating mutually beneficial collaborations that drove growth opportunities for both parties.
• Mitigated risks effectively by proactively identifying potential challenges and developing contingency plans accordingly to safeguard against unforeseen obstacles in achieving objectives.
• Negotiated favorable contracts with vendors and suppliers, securing cost-effective arrangements without compromising quality or service levels.
• Fostered innovation across departments by encouraging creative problem-solving techniques that led to novel ideas and solutions
• Fostered innovation across departments by encouraging creative problem-solving techniques that led to novel ideas and solutions.
• Strengthened customer loyalty through exceptional service delivery standards, addressing concerns promptly with tailored solutions that exceeded expectations.
• Expanded market presence by identifying untapped opportunities, conducting competitive analysis, and pursuing strategic acquisitions to enhance company''s portfolio.
• Directed financial management initiatives to maximize profitability, overseeing budgets, forecasts, and reporting processes for accurate fiscal oversight.
• Influenced cultural change within organization by promoting open communication channels, encouraging employee feedback, and fostering collaborative work environment.
• Led organizational transformation efforts to adapt to evolving industry trends and position company for long-term success, implementing necessary structural changes while maintaining focus on core business objectives.
• Improved operational efficiency for streamlined processes, optimizing resource allocation and reducing costs.
• Championed corporate social responsibility initiatives that demonstrated commitment to ethical business practices and environmental sustainability efforts.
• Developed strategic plans and initiatives.

• Incorporated e-commerce objectives in social media platform management.
• Provided recommendations to promote brand effectiveness and product benefits, resulting in securing long-term accounts.
• Collaborated cross-functionally with headquarters and other teams nationally to maintain consistent message and experience.
• Engaged in product training, demonstrations, consumer awareness, branding and acquisition initiatives to raise awareness and revenues.
• Demonstrated products to show potential customers benefits and advantages and encourage purchases.
• Implemented systems and procedures to increase sales.
• Boosted online sales by implementing targeted marketing campaigns and optimizing website content.
• Managed inventory control processes for seamless order fulfillment and customer satisfaction.

Coordinate new company's showroom project and definition of its activities’ calendar.

Definition of web contents in social media and web site with increased number of followers and visualizations over 100%.

Definition of contents in promotional leaflets and newsletters.

Product portfolio management and communication strategy.

Supporting customers and specifiers on product selection for its projects.

Leading Specification team with 2 direct reports.

Organized Meam's participation at Portugal Fashion FW1819; Portugal Fashion SS19; Portugal Fashion FW19/20; SS20 and Brand-up show-room for each edition.

Increased brand acknowledgment (40% more followers in social media; several national and international press articles).

Increased sales on added-value products (2% increase)

Implemented lean methodologies on team management and strategy follow-up

Created of Meam’s lifestyle concept and flagship store concept

Defined and implemented Sales & Marketing Strategy for the 3 companies at Investwood’s universe

Managed a team of 15 elements (5 Market Managers, 6 Sales Assistants, 1 Production Planner, 1 Technical support, 2 Marketing Assistants)

Improved all of the 3 companies’ profitability and sales volume and entered into new market segments

Re-organized all of the Sales team

Increased sales on added-value products (more than 80% of sales are on added value products)

Implemented lean methodologies on team management and strategy follow-up

Defined and implemented Sonae Industria’s strategy to develop its product portfolio in the specification and contracting channels for South Europe, with main focus on Iberia.

Created an Iberian Specification team with 5 members.

Managed and coordinated promotional actions at Universities, Architectural Colleges and other institutions.

Responsible for managing Laminates (Spain) and Components business portfolio adjusting it to customers and finding new business areas.

Co-developed a Biometric Crib and Interactive Moulding together with NBB’s R&D team at the Invisible Network Consortium (patent co-author (WO 2016/128953 A1) )

Awarded Sonae Industria’s Innovation @ Finov 2013 with Lab Grade Compacts

Improved Components sales by cross selling it as end products for Laminates.

Presented Business Trends & Evolution @ ICDLI Lisbon 2013

Organized the 1st Sales & Marketing Forum at NBB business unit in April 2013

Increased sales at Movelpartes in the main key account (IKEA) and found new business in added value segments (Laboratory Components)

Re-done all business structure, changing and closing some business areas to focus on company’s core business.

Managed a team of 20 in a difficult environment

Business kick-off without the money needed to support internationalization.

Launched the new company website and product segmentation by new application areas.

Kicked-off of cosmetic segment.

Defined and implemented a full business strategy

Managed all company's Key-Accounts (Sonae MC; Zippy; Vida Portuguesa, Fundação Serralves)

Managed a Sales team of 5 and a Production team of 20

Coordinated all of the Purchases

Defined and implementeProduct & Corporate Communication

Made the first Marketing and Strategic plan made in a company born in 1894.

Placed Confiança in several TV shows and publications without any cost to the company: RTP, TVI, Porto Canal, SIC; Monocle , Público and JN.

Developed concept for Confiança’s Catalog showing the company’s history and all the passion of its workers, placing soaps in unusual places.

Business development with Zippy launching its first baby cosmetic’s line.

Turned 600 Kg of coconut soap that was a slow mover into one of Confiança’s best sellers in the mass-market segment

Ensured new business in the Hood Cable division and project management for hood and door cable with the main OEM’s (Volkswagen, Audi, Porsche, Peugeot, Citroen, Opel, Renault, Toyota)

Incresed sales volume on BU from 1 to 5 MI EUR

Multidisciplinary team management (teams of 10)

Defined Project management tools

Created a product presentation and a full series of promotional DVD’s and road-shows to promote the company’s technology expertise.

Defined Product portfolio  for all world wide markets

Brand Management

Coordinated Product development

Defined Media communication

Interface with EPLF