Yuen Yee, Kitty Ng
Carlingford,NSW
Summary
Strategic Category Manager & Sourcing Expert with over 10 years of international experience across Australia, Europe, and Asia. Proven track record of managing high-value portfolios, including a USD $23M annual turnover, and 180+ SKUs for ALDI’s global markets. Expert in end-to-end supply chain management, from warehouse operations and logistics at MESHKI (Sydney) to strategic global procurement and harmonization at ALDI Sued (Germany). Leveraging advanced training in Data Analytics and Strategic Buying, I excel at transforming complex market data into profitable category growth. Trilingual (English, Cantonese, Mandarin) with a deep understanding of Incoterms, import/export compliance, and global sourcing, I am uniquely positioned to bridge the gap between international manufacturing hubs and the Australian retail landscape.
Overview
12
12
years of professional experience
2
2
Certifications
Work History
Category Manager (Buying Manager Expatriate)
Aldi Sued
Mülheim (Ruhr) Germany
10.2023 - 02.2025
- Portfolio Ownership: Directed the end-to-end category management for Homewares across ALDI Germany, Austria (Hofer), Australia, UK, and US markets, overseeing a portfolio of 180 plus SKUs annually.
- Financial Performance: Delivered USD $23M in annual cost-price sales while consistently achieving target margin targets through strategic assortment planning and lifecycle management.
- Strategic Harmonization: Spearheaded a global specification and packaging alignment project across English-speaking markets to drive commercial efficiency and consolidate the supplier base.
- Vendor Strategy: Managed a network of 20+ international suppliers, focusing on cost efficiency, quality assurance, and long-term partnership development.
- International Leadership: Acted as the primary Category Lead during the internationalization rollout, transitioning full ownership from local German teams to a centralized international structure.
Buying Manager
Aldi Hong Kong
Hong Kong
05.2021 - 09.2023
- Category Establishment: Successfully co-established and led the first textile buying teams in Hong Kong following the strategic relocation of buying activities from Germany.
- Expansion Strategy: Spearheaded the men’s textile category across Southeast Asian suppliers and provided strategic support for the expansion of softlines product ranges.
- Operational Integration: Coordinated with international stakeholders to ensure assortment alignment, pricing strategy, and integrated product development.
- Procurement & Sourcing: Executed comprehensive vendor development and cost-saving initiatives, managing seasonal planning across both Homewares and Textile lines.
- Process Engineering: Optimized regional sourcing workflows and managed enhancement projects focused on supplier onboarding and packaging efficiency.
Buying Specialist
Aldi Hong Kong
HONG KONG
10.2018 - 03.2021
- Change Management: Selected for the textile trial team to facilitate the strategic transition of softlines buying operations from Germany to Asia.
- Portfolio Support: Managed product development, costing, and supplier alignment for children’s and men’s textile ranges.
- Logistics Coordination: Supervised the critical path for product launches, including packaging coordination, sample approvals, and vendor development.
- Knowledge Transfer: Completed an intensive 3-month training in Germany to master ALDI’s international buying standards, and support product localization for global markets.
Buyer (Promoted from Production assistant)
Meshki
06.2017 - 02.2018
- Career Progression: Rapidly promoted through three departments (Logistics, Production, Buying) due to strong operational performance and a deep understanding of the product lifecycle.
- Buying and Category Support: Selected and curated fashion-forward assortments for a fast-growing Australian e-commerce label, ensuring alignment with brand aesthetics and sales targets.
- Sourcing & Production Management: Managed communication with offshore manufacturers to track production milestones, ensuring high-quality standards, and on-time delivery to the Sydney distribution centre.
- End-to-End Supply Chain Insight: Leveraged early experience in the Pack & Delivery team to optimize order fulfillment workflows and reduce lead times between production and customer delivery.
- Australian Market Knowledge: Gained firsthand experience in the Australian retail landscape, including local consumer trends, shipping regulations, and e-commerce logistics.
Merchandiser (Sourcing & Procurement)
OBI Sourcing HK
HONG KONG
10.2016 - 06.2017
- Vendor Optimization: Executed strategic product costing and price negotiations for OBI Germany, focusing on long-term cost-saving initiatives, and vendor network optimization.
- End-to-End Procurement: Managed the full order lifecycle, including supplier coordination, and strict delivery timelines for DIY and home improvement categories.
- Compliance Management: Collaborated with Quality Control (QC) teams to ensure all product specifications adhered to OBI’s compliance standards, and international timing protocols.
- Market Research: Represented the company at international sourcing fairs to identify emerging product opportunities, and expand the global supplier network.
Sourcing Developer
GiFi Asia Limited
HONG KONG
08.2013 - 06.2016
- High-Value Project Leadership: Independently spearheaded the EURO football merchandise project for the French market, managing a USD $8 million buying volume across 30+ SKUs.
- Strategic Sourcing: Sourced and developed a diverse range of promotional and sports-related products, ensuring alignment with brand standards.
- Stakeholder Management: Acted as the primary liaison between the Hong Kong and French executive offices to ensure seamless communication and supplier alignment.
- Quality and Capability Assessment: Conducted rigorous factory audits and on-site visits to evaluate production capacity and maintain quality standards.
- Commercial Presentation: Orchestrated showroom displays and product mockups to facilitate the selection process for international buying teams.
Education
BBA - Marketing Management With Business Study
Edinburgh Napier University
Hong Kong07.2010
Skills
Strategic category management
- End-to-end category ownership
- Assortment and lifecycle strategy
- Data-driven decision making
Financial acumen and P&L management
- Commercial accountability
- Budgetary planning
- Landed cost analysis
- Spend optimization
Procurement and global sourcing
- Strategic sourcing
- Complex negotiation
- Supplier relationship management (SRM)
International trade and logistics
- Import/export operations
- Supply chain harmonization
- Compliance and QA
Technical and language
proficiencies
- Systems: SAP, advanced Excel (Pivot Tables, VLOOKUPS), data visualization tools (Power BI/Tableau)
Languages
Chinese (Cantonese)
Native/ Bilingual
Chinese (Mandarin)
Full Professional
English
Full Professional
Certification
Certificate for Module (Fashion Retail Buying) by HKU SPACE College of Business and Finance, 2021.
Timeline
Category Manager (Buying Manager Expatriate)
Aldi Sued
10.2023 - 02.2025
Buying Manager
Aldi Hong Kong
05.2021 - 09.2023
Buying Specialist
Aldi Hong Kong
10.2018 - 03.2021
Buyer (Promoted from Production assistant)
Meshki
06.2017 - 02.2018
Merchandiser (Sourcing & Procurement)
OBI Sourcing HK
10.2016 - 06.2017
Sourcing Developer
GiFi Asia Limited
08.2013 - 06.2016
BBA - Marketing Management With Business Study
Edinburgh Napier University