Summary
Overview
Work History
Education
Skills
Affiliations
Timeline
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Nela Zukova

Nela Zukova

London

Summary

Experienced Brand Manager with a strong track record of overseeing diverse European markets across various FMCG categories, including Beauty and Vaping. Adept at driving strategic plans, managing complex portfolios, and developing impactful campaigns throughout a 10-year progressive career. Possesses a deep understanding of market trends and consumer behaviour, with a proven ability to lead cross-functional teams and leverage consumer insights to anticipate opportunities and refine strategies. Committed to enhancing brand equity and customer engagement, consistently exceeding objectives to deliver exceptional results.

Overview

9
9
years of professional experience

Work History

Area Brand Manager

British American Tobacco
London
07.2021 - Current
  • Developed and executed long- and mid-term strategic plans for Vuse and VELO brands at area level, driving category growth in alignment with business objectives across eight diverse Western European markets.
  • Led end-to-end category expansion into five new markets within two years, securing £30M in NTO during the first year. Oversaw cross-functional collaboration and full KPI delivery as project lead.
  • Championed brand equity growth by providing strategic input on packaging development and campaign planning, while navigating complex cultural and regulatory landscapes to ensure a consistent and cohesive brand presence.
  • Shaped the category portfolio and innovation pipeline by leveraging market and consumer insights to drive profitability (working with Kantar, etc.); led product launches from concept through to commercialization.

Brand executive

British American Tobacco
London
10.2018 - 07.2021
  • Coordinated and executed 360 campaign deployment across multiple markets, aligning with global strategy while managing creative agencies to adapt campaigns to local requirements
  • Led end-to-end NPI development, collaborating with cross-functional stakeholders including demand planning, product development, R&D, legal, and logistics teams to ensure OTIF delivery
  • Provided strategic input through regular performance analysis across markets, portfolio segments, and channels, driving portfolio optimization to maximizing revenue opportunities
  • Managed the allocated budget at the area level, ensuring efficient allocation of resources

Junior Brand Activation Manager

COTY
Prague
09.2017 - 10.2018
  • Managed campaign activation at the end-market level, ensuring alignment with global strategy while working closely with creative agencies to adapt campaigns for local relevance
  • Collaborated with PR teams on influencer partnerships, enhancing brand equity and visibility through targeted content and strategic collaborations
  • Oversaw local portfolio management and retail planograms, working alongside the trade team to ensure retail excellence and deliver an optimal consumer experience across all touchpoints
  • Owned market insights through regular in-depth analysis of market trends and brand performance (using Nielsen, internal reports, etc) to identify emerging opportunities and deliver actionable insights

Marketing assistant

Answear.com
Prague
04.2016 - 08.2017
  • Contributed to the development of marketing and communications strategies by leveraging data and analytics tools (e.g., Google Analytics, SEO) to inform decision-making and improve campaign effectiveness
  • Planned and executed brand events while building and nurturing strong relationships with key industry partners, influencers, and media to amplify brand visibility and engagement
  • Managed the marketing budget, ensuring efficient resource allocation and cost-effective execution to maximize ROI

Education

Master of Business Administration - International Marketing and Management

University of Economics
Prague, Czech Republic
/2012 - /2016

Skills

    Strategic thinking

    Portfolio Management

    Brand Strategy

    Budget Management

    Campaign Development

    Project Management

    Stakeholder Management

    Communication

    Presentation skills

Affiliations

  • Travelling
  • Cooking
  • Most recently- Surfing

Timeline

Area Brand Manager

British American Tobacco
07.2021 - Current

Brand executive

British American Tobacco
10.2018 - 07.2021

Junior Brand Activation Manager

COTY
09.2017 - 10.2018

Marketing assistant

Answear.com
04.2016 - 08.2017

Master of Business Administration - International Marketing and Management

University of Economics
/2012 - /2016

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Nela Zukova