CEO’s Message

The Year of Opportunities

We welcome this year 2021 as an opportunity to showcase our expertise to the world. We truly believe successful ‘retail’ and ‘shopping centres’ still thrive in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. Are you seeking where to get the best advice? It is always available for you from our team at The Middle East Council of Shopping Centres & Retailers (MECS+R).

The MECS+R is the hub that connects all professionals in one place, one community. Our mission is to provide the forum for the exchange of ideas and to share knowledge. We are the catalyst for the development and best management sources for the shopping centre and retail industry in the Middle East, North Africa, West & Central Asia and Iran.

True to our mission, our team has implemented agility-based projects. We get our members informed on what’s happening and what’s likely to happen. During the height of the pandemic, our webinars led the industry providing safety first measures. Our approach and reach enabled the teams working in shopping centres and retailers to make correct decisions. New initiatives with innovative ways and methods to approach the future and manage the present are also launched this year. The Global Associate Program and many new digital platforms have grown our membership when other associations have lost ground. We encourage everyone to take advantage of all our initiatives which help you to succeed.

Our team at the MECS+R enjoys staying in touch with our 1000+ members from around the world. Non-members explore our industry through our many channels. We convert these professionals into members when we reach out to them.

People don’t buy what you do; they buy why you do it.

Quote by Simon Sinek

We are pleased to feature our members businesses in the 2021 Directory. Our reach has jumped four times (4x) from 25 to now 110 countries following the MECS+R Directory, since the pandemic. A testament to the success of the team’s efforts to digitize our platforms.

Mall Tour with Delegates from 25 countries in MENA (Gregory Vogt School for Retail Professionals by MECS+R)

Your key advantage to being a member of the MECS+R is your ability to learn from our team and other industry professionals in a way which is helpful and non-threatening to you and your business. Through our many channels and platforms you are able to keep yourself informed with the updated data in the 2021 Directory. You are empowering yourself to lead the industry more efficiently and effectively.

It is our pleasure to thank all our members for supporting us annually in our endeavors. Your feedback and the support of our members drives us forward to greater accomplishments.

Thanks to our Chairman Younis Al Mulla for his dedication and support to the MECS+R organization.

Thanks to our Board Members, Wail Balkhair the Board President, Kamel Shaban the Board Vice President, Juby Jose the Board Treasurer, Duaij Al Rumaihi, Mohammad Al Qaed, Gogi George, Alessandro Gaffuri and Samar Akkou for providing the MECS+R team with guidance and support.

Thanks also to our Regional Representatives, Hussain Jamal, Lina Abbas, Rebecca Arnold, Shaukat Khan, Shahrokh Keshavarz, Zain Abu Sitteh, Malik Awan, Claudia Tarazi, Mohammad Jamal Al Shawish, Prem Mohan, Ehab Kamel, Ziad Moghrabiah and Mohammad Galal, Enver Kalkan for being on the ground and assisting our many members in each of the countries where we have expanded our footprint.

We thank you all for your continued interest and encouragement.

We want to thank everyone for their support and ongoing belief in the work which the MECS+R team undertakes daily.

We trust you will enjoy this new 2021 MECS+R Directory as much as we enjoy creating it for you every year.

Thank you.

David Macadam, Chief Executive Officer, The Middle East Council of Shopping Centres & Retailers (MECS+R)

David is a senior global executive with 40- year career experience in real estate development, asset management and sustainable revenue generation of large-scale multi-use projects. He serves as the Chief Executive Officer of the Middle East Council of Shopping Centres & Retailers. David has also been involved in the leasing and operational advisory role for Msheireb Properties based in Msheireb Downtown, Doha, Qatar. A few of his previous roles, include being the Executive Vice President at Emaar Properties PJSC, Head of Retail MENA at JLL and Senior General Manager at Leasing & Revenue for Dubai Festival City.