Retail People issue 18

CITY CENTRE MIRDIF Relaunched "Outdoors" Page 32

DREAM BIG IN 2019 With Traffic Data Insight Page 34

THE LEISURE WAY Bringing Emotional Value Page 48

ISSUE 18 FEBRUARY – APRIL 2019

Circulated in 45 countries

REDEFINING EXPERIENTIAL RETAIL IN

2019

Fouad A. Al-Rashed

CEO, Asala Holding

Speaks about “two major projects in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia: The Riyadh Park Mall and Tabuk Park Mall”

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M A G A Z I N E

CONTENTS Middle East Council of Shopping Centres Unit 507, 5th Floor, Arenco Tower Media City, Sheikh Zayed Road PO Box 43972, Dubai, UAE Tel: +971 4 359 7909 Fax: +971 4 355 8818 www.mecsc.org

David Macadam Chief Executive Officer david@mecsc.org

Lea Venezuela Director lea@mecsc.org

Khaye Comanda Associate Director khaye@mecsc.org

Mariz Matocdo Marketing Officer customercare@mecsc.org

04 Welcome Note

Insights...

06 Contributors

30 How to Sustain Retail Therapy without

the Environmental Price Tag?

News Brief 07 New $117m Oman Shopping Mall to

Open in January

Saudi Arabia Announces Plans for

Major Entertainment Complex in Riyadh

31 Retail Relationship Rethink is

Long Overdue

Shopping Centre Update…

32 City Centre Mirdif Relaunched “Outdoors”

08 Red Sea Mall Contributed Towards the

Featured Article...

Growth of the Society and Settlement

34 Dream Big in 2019 with Traffic Data Insight

of 60% of Jobs

36 Re-Writing Rules of Retail – Alibaba Way!

The Sharjah Stamp Exhibition

Celebrates the Year of Zayed

38 The Changing Face Of F&B Franchising –

Why Creating An Experience Is Key?

09 Dalma Mall Kicks of the New Year with

40 Bouncebackability

a Grand Concert of Emirati Sensation

Mohammad Al Shehhi

Special Feature

Christian Baldonanza Registration / Digital Content Executive connect@mecsc.org

UAE Realty: Unveils Mid-Market

Project in Abu Dhabi

Justin Espiritu Publishing & Database Manager publishing@mecsc.org

10 Sheikh Mohammed Approves DIFC’s

New Expansion Plan

Dubai Industrial Parks Marks Opening

of New Mall

Sahara Mall Riyadh Announces its

Renovation Plan by also Hosting

9 Screens VOX Cinema

On the cover 12 Fouad A. Al-Rashed, CEO of Asala

Holding, Introduce Two Mega Malls to

Change Retail Face in KSA

Media One Tower, Dubai Media City PO Box 2331, Dubai, UAE T: +971 4 427 3000 F: +971 4 428 2261 motivatepublishing.com connect@motivate.ae

Events Gallery…

Chris Capstick General Manager - Connect

Ingrid Valles Senior Projects Manager

16 RECon MENA Pre-Conference

Welcome Reception

Souks to Malls – Retail Entertainment

in the Gulf Book Launch

RECon MENA Conference & Exhibition

RECon MENA Gala Dinner Awards

MENA Shopping Centre & Retailer

Award Winners

Rouf Majid Art Director

Sunil Kumar General Manager - Production

29 Spring Board Networking Event – Oman

44 Retail is Evolving Globally, but Dubai

has What it takes to Maintain a

Competitive Edge 46 Rethinking Luxury Goods In Retail –

New Paradigm

In-Focus 48 The Leisure Way – Bringing

Emotional Value 50 Multidekor – Telling the Story with Light 51 Dusoul – From Inception to Reality

i-Conquer 52 Red Sea Mall – When the Story

Meets Success

Board Members' Corner 54 Meet the New MECSC Board Members 55 The Future of Customer Interactions

by Alessandro Gaffuri 55 Integrating Technology with Retail

by Alfred Abi-Antoun

MECSC Members' Segment 56 MECSC Members on-Board

Featured Member 58 One-on-One with Juby Jose

Murali Krishnan Production Manager Printed by Emirates Printing Press, Dubai

Disclaimer: The viewpoints, articles and opinions contained in the Retail People Magazine are not necessarily those of the MECSC.

RETAIL PEOPLE . FEB-APR 2019 .03

WELCOME

CITY CENTRE MIRDIF Relaunched "Outdoors" Page 32

DREAM BIG IN 2019 With Traffic Data Insight Page 34

THE LEISURE WAY Bringing Emotional Value Page 48

ISSUE 18 FEBRUARY – APRIL 2019

WELCOME A clear vision is our key to success at the Retail People Magazine.

Circulated in 45 countries

REDEFINING EXPERIENTIAL RETAIL IN

2019

The role of the team at the MECSC is to help our members to facilitate your businesses in anyway which you need. Additionally our role is to ensure that you are able to raise your personal profile in the industry locally, regionally and globally through our efforts.

Fouad A. Al-Rashed

CEO, Asala Holding

Speaks about “two major projects in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia: The Riyadh Park Mall and Tabuk Park Mall”

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ON THE COVER: Fouad A. Al-Rashed CEO, Asala Holding

Your success and our success has helped us to understand that creating an organization with a clear vision is the lasting legacy we seek. The clear vision is the only way to connect with our audience who are our members, customers, partners and employees.

A clear vision gives our audience a way to tell the outside world who we are and what we believe. It inspires trust and loyalty. Our Retail People Magazine inspires trust and loyalty.

Thank you to

Younus Al Mulla MECSC Chairman

Mazen Hamza Qandeel MECSC Board President Executive Director Granada Center

MECSC Board Members Alessandro Gaffuri CEO & Founder CELS Group

Alfred Abi Antoun Head of Retail KSA & Egypt JLL MENA

Maimunah Shebani Managing Director The Retail Agency

The MECSC as an organization is founded on these values of trust and loyalty for over twenty five years. Knowing your vision and keeping that vision in focus is essential for enduring success. An unwavering vision also provides for the ability to rise above the others.

Each issue we receive a fantastic support from our contributing authors. Our team at the MECSC again would like to thank our authors, our advertisers and you as our readership, we thank you.

The CEO of Asala, Mr. Fouad Al-Rashed graces the cover of this quarter’s issue. Fouad has made great strides in the Saudi retail industry in a short twelve years. Fouad also won the MECSC Retail Professional of the Year in 2018 awarded by the judges at the RECon Conference. The team at MECSC has always enjoyed supporting the Asala team in Riyadh and their approach to retail.

The theme in the Retail People Magazine this quarter is about the disruptive change which continues to sweep across the retail industry from Los Angeles to Singapore and everywhere in between. You will come away with great insights to how our colleagues are managing this change.

We all have a stake in the future of the retail industry in the many forms which thrive today globally. The MECSC team is committed to work with all industry stakeholders through our many channels of communication to inform, update and guide our members.

We invite you to become more involved and we welcome your articles, views and insights in our Retail People Magazine. Reach out to Mariz at customercare@mecsc.org.

Thank you to our members, advertisers, authors and supporters who make each Retail People Magazine issue better and more meaningful with every quarter we publish.

Marcello Larizza, CSM, CRX General Manager Line Investments & Property LLC

Nada Abou Saab Director, Marketing East Region Shopping Malls, Majid Al Futtaim Properties

Rony Aoun CEO SMAG SAL Lebanon

Wail Balkhair CEO SAHAT (Jabal Omar Markets)

04. RETAIL PEOPLE . FEB-APR 2019

DAVID MACADAM Chief Executive Officer MECSC

MAZEN HAMZA QANDEEL MECSC Board President Executive Director – Granada Center

An Exceptional Location for Exceptional Brands 360 MALL, an iconic luxury retail destination is transforming into Kuwait’s first mixed-use retail, office, leisure and sports destination by Q4 of 2019. The mall will include 130,000 M2 of retail, the 300 room Grand Hyatt Hotel, Shaikh Jaber Al Abdullah Al Jaber Al Shabah International Tennis Complex, including a 5,000 capacity multipurpose arena and a world class Tennis Academy with 17 indoor and outdoor tennis courts. Fast track re-development has started with construction in progress. 360 MALL is once again raising the bar and taking retail, lifestyle, leisure and sport to the highest international standards to remain the destination of choice for discerning shoppers in the region.

Trading at over US$ 1,100 per sq.ft annually, 360 MALL is currently leasing for premium, bridge and luxury brands.

130,000 M2

4,400

5,000 Seats

300

260

GLA

Parking Spaces

Multipurpose Arena

Hotel Rooms

Retail Stores

15 Million

17

15

13

Projected Footfall

Tennis Courts

Cinema Screens

Anchors

For more details please Email: leasing@gla.ae or Call: +965 65519579

WWW.TAMDEEN.COM

C NTRIBUTORS

FOUAD AL-RASHED CEO Asala Holding Changing the Retail Face in KSA (P12)

SANDRINE LE BIAVANT Director Farnek Services How to Sustain Retail Theraphy Without the Environmental Price Tag? (P30)

POLLY TROUGHTON Head of Retail Markets Landsec Retail Relationship Rethink is Long Overdue (P31)

VINCENT DEBRE Customer Success Manager ShopperTrak Dream Big in 2019 with Traffic Data Insight (P34)

RITESH MOHAN Retail Expert blog www.retailritesh.com Re-writing Rules of Retail – Alibaba Way! (P36)

PAUL RASON Chief Operating Officer JB Brands Management The Changing Face of F&B Franchising – Why Creating an Experience is Key? (P38)

CORNELL THOMAS Global Speaker/Author/Social Entrepreneur/Corporate Trainer/CEO Cornell Thomas Bouncebackability (P40)

ANTHONY SPARY Head of Retail CBRE Middle East Retail is Evolving Globally, But Dubai has What it Takes to Maintain a Competitive Edge (P44)

DR. DIMITRIOS VASILEIOS KOKKINOS & SPYROS GOUSETIS Chairman & Managing Director / Vice Chariman DVK Consultants Rethinking Luxury Goods in Retail – New Paradigm (P46)

GASTÓN GAITAN Founder theleisureway The Leisure Way – Bringing Emotional Value (P48)

KAMIL SHBETA & PIOTR HOPCIA Business Development Manager for MENA Region /Project Director MULTIDEKOR Telling the Story with Light (P50)

ROHIT DHAMANI Chief Executive Officer DUSOUL DUSOUL – From Inception to Reality (P51)

AL RAYAN GADOURI General Manager Red Sea Mall iCONQUER ('Sleeves Up') When the Story Meets Success (P52)

ALESSANDRO GAFFURI CEO & Founder CELS Group The Future of Customer Interactions (P55)

ALFRED ABI-ANTOUN Head of Retail, KSA & Egypt JLL MENA Integrating Technology with Retail (P55)

06. RETAIL PEOPLE . FEB-APR 2019

News Brief New $117m Oman shopping mall to open in January UAE-based retail giant Majid Al Futtaim has announced that its new mall in Oman is scheduled to open in January.

The announcement follows a site visit to the OR45 million ($117 million) City Centre Sohar development by a number of Omani officials.

Husam Al Mandhari, Senior Mall M anager – Oman – Shopping Malls at Majid Al Futtaim – Properties, welcomed the officials on a behind-the-scenes tour in the final phase of construction on City Centre Sohar.

When operational, the mall will offer more than 120 stores, a nine-screen VOX Cinemas, a 7,348 sqm Carrefour, entertainment experiences and a variety of dining options.

Located on Al Batinah main road, the mall will add 35,301 sqm of gross leasable area to the sultanate’s booming retail sector, the company said in a statement.

It added that the opening of City Centre Sohar is part of Majid Al Futtaim’s investment plans to increase the company’s total investment in the sultanate to OR705 million by 2020.

Source: Arabian Business (https://bit.ly/2sdIvAT)

Saudi Arabia announces plans for major entertainment complex in Riyadh Saudi Arabia plans to build a 100,000 sqm entertainment complex in Riyadh, according to the state-run Saudi Press Agency.

According to SPA, the Saudi Entertainment Ventures Company – a wholly owned subsidiary of the Public Investment Fund – plans to build the complex on Riyadh’s Eastern Ring Road at the intersection of King Abdullah Road.

Abdullah bin Nasser Al Dawoud, the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Saudi Entertainment Ventures Company, said that the first-of-its kind project will include green and open areas for sporting activities, entertainment and live shows.

Additionally, the complex will include a wide variety of local and international restaurants and cafes, as well as cinemas.

Source: Arabian Business (https://bit.ly/2LM6vE5)

Amazon-owned Souq opens new facility in Dubai that will create over 600 jobs Dubai: Amazon-owned Souq.com has opened a new facility in Dubai, which will create more than 600 new jobs, it has been announced. The 23,000 sqm fulfillment centre is designed to meet customer demand across the Middle East and help the e-commerce platform’s regional sellers, including small and medium businesses, reach their customers faster.

“As a result of the new fulfillment centre, over 600 new jobs will be created within the first year of launch,” the company said in a statement on Monday.

Source: Gulf News (https://bit.ly/2RfKSSI)

On sail: Carrefour floats supermarket for seafarers, jet skiers Carrefour has launched what it calls the world’s first ‘sail thru’ supermarket, targeting yachts and watersport enthusiasts who need emergency supplies. Taking its grocery offering to the high seas, the Majid Al Futtaim-owned supermarket chain will operate three custom-built floating shops at Kite Beach, Jumeirah Public Beach and Al Sufouh Beach. A company statement said the service would be subject to weather conditions. Stocking products tailored to a sea-faring audience, Carrefour said that customers would be able to purchase goods such as hot and cold snacks, ice cream, fresh food & beverages, in addition to nonfood items like sunscreen and medicine.

Miguel Povedano, COO of Carrefour UAE said that the company was excited at the prospect of being able to now reach its customers both on land and sea.

Source: Gulf News (https://bit.ly/2BTD4g1)

UAE begins implementing new 100% ownership, 10-year visa for expats The UAE cabinet has begun the implementation of 100% foreign ownership and 10-year residency visas for expats, investors and businesspeople. While the full ownership of companies based in the UAE is currently limited to free zones, the new law is expected to attract foreign investors looking to set up or acquire local companies in the Gulf country. This year will also see the introduction of new long-term visas of up to 10 years granted for investors, entrepreneurs and specialists working in fields of medicine, science or research.

Source: Arabian Business (https://bit.ly/2RqDJOv)

RETAIL PEOPLE . FEB-APR 2019 .07

NEWS BRIEF

Red Sea Mall contributed towards the growth of the society and settlement of 60% of jobs As an integral part of the society in all its sections, Red Sea Mall has been outstanding in the significant role it plays in contributing towards activities and programs that drive the society towards growth and progress.

For three days, the Mall hosted a variety of activities, incorporating multinational companies and government agencies such as the Ministry of the Interior's Anti-Drug Department. The Mall was decorated from inside and out in green along with exterior lighting for National Day celebration. The flags of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia were distributed on this joyous occasion, along with caps and T-shirts carrying the National Day 88 slogan and the Red Sea Mall logo giving visitors an opportunity to participate and rejoice in the celebration.

The Mall gives priority to the sons and daughters of the country through the resettlement campaign organized in coordination with the relevant authorities. This campaign has showed very positive results, with 1,000 Saudi women and girls employed, which constitutes 98% of the total number of workers in the center. In addition, 625 young Saudis were employed, which is equivalent to 38% of the total number of employees. The Saudization rate was 60% - the highest among the commercial centers in general”, said

by Mohammed Al Asiri, Marketing Manager at Red Sea Mall.

The Sharjah Stamp Exhibition Celebrates the Year of Zayed In celebration of the Year of Zayed, the management of the 9th Sharjah Stamp Exhibition, which is being organized by the Emirates Philatelic Association and hosted

by Mega Mall Sharjah during November 13-17, has announced that it will showcase a collection of stamps that were issued during the era of the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, which will include the 2 commemorative stamps that were launched in 2003 in honour of Sheikh Zayed’s Accession day.

The journey that was led by Sheikh Zayed with wisdom and courage, has produced abundant blessings and impressive achievements, covering every aspect of life, including political, economic, and social. Today, the UAE occupies a prominent position at both regional and international levels.

VOX Cinemas to open a new multiplex at Dubai's Wafis Wafi, the Dubai lifestyle destination, is set to be further enhanced with the launch of a VOX Cinemas multiplex, scheduled to open in the third quarter of 2019. VOX Cinemas will open its doors to a 16-screen multiplex in the new extension at WAFI. “We are looking forward to the opening of the VOX Multiplex within the new extension at WAFI. The anticipation is finally over and we are proud to announce that we are partnering with VOX Cinemas. The 16-screen cinema, family entertainment and dining experience will be one of a kind in the UAE and is set to be the ultimate destination for families,” said Louwrens Marais, General Manager at Wafi Property.

Source: Arabian Business (https://bit.ly/2CWQg4n)

Dubai Shopping Festival celebrates its 24th edition with activities across the city The 24th edition of Dubai Shopping Festival (DSF) commenced on 27th December 2018 for excited visitors and residents alike. Majid Al Futtaim’s six shopping malls hosted an exclusive 12-hour mega sale to mark the special occasion, offering shoppers an incredible 25% to 90% reductions across participating stores. Other exciting events across the city include a show stopping fireworks display and plenty of chances to win big through a raffle, with the ultimate prize worth over AED 50,000 to spend at Majid Al Futtaim malls during DSF. Dubai Shopping Festival will run until 2 February and will offer an extraordinary variety of shopping experiences and events.

Source: Emirates24/7 (https://bit.ly/2GZP58d)

Yas Island Abu Dhabi receives 34 awards, accolades in 2018 Rounding off a year of remarkable accomplishments, Yas Island Abu Dhabi has cemented its place as a world-class destination, sweeping up 34 local, regional and international awards and accolades brought home by its highly popular attractions, as well as its infrastructure projects and developments. Mohammed Khalifa Al Mubarak, Chairman of Miral, said, "As we continue to transform Yas Island into one of the top global destinations, we are both proud and humbled to be recognised for excellence around the world. The long

08. RETAIL PEOPLE . FEB-APR 2019

Dalma Mall kicks of the new year with a grand concert of Emirati sensation Mohammad Al Shehhi As Dalma Mall, one of Abu Dhabi’s iconic retail destination, celebrated the start of the year with the much-anticipated musical concert by renowned Emirati Singer Mohammad Al Shehhi.

The concert received an overwhelming response from thousands of fans and mall patrons who queued up to see the star perform.

The melodious orchestration was hosted within the grand settings of Dalma Mall where the Emirati music sensation was seen performing on his signature songs along with a curious mix of traditional and western influences.

This harmonic showcase is part of an ongoing initiative by Dalma Mall to keep up with the country’s love for music and art. Dalma Mall endeavors to offer a wholesome experience to its customers with a medley of shopping, dining, entertainment and a lot more.

UAE Realty: Aldar unveils mid-market project in Abu Dhabi In Aldar Properties has announced the launch of a Dh2 billion development, Alreeman in Alshamkha.

With investment zone status and located in proximity to the Abu Dhabi International Airport and key arterial highways, the mid-market, mixeduse development offers residential and commercial land plots available for purchase by all nationalities.

Alreeman is spread over an area of 2.8 million square metres. The land plots include a series of residential clusters that will feature single and multi-residential villas and apartments, complemented by retail space, F&B, mosques, sports, education and commercial facilities.

Sales for the land plots will commence on January 19 at Aldar's sales centre on Yas Island, with prices starting from Dh690,000 for villa plots and Dh4.69 million for commercial plots. A key feature of Alreeman is the purchaser's ability to design their villa or apartment building according to their exact specifications within the approved limits imposed by the GFA. Talal Al Dhiyebi, CEO of Aldar, said: "The launch of Alreeman builds on Aldar's successful development strategy and further expands our focus to new areas of Abu Dhabi. Catering to the mid-income segment, this development responds to market demand to live in a desirable community with a wide range of facilities while also appealing to investors looking to construct apartment buildings or villas to generate recurring income."

Source: Zawya (https://bit.ly/2SDpzH7)

list of local and international accolades and recognitions awarded to our attractions during 2018, including our recently opened Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi, are a testament to Yas Island’s successful journey this year and our continuous efforts to evolve, bringing new experiences and attractions and welcome more visitors to the island."

Source: Emirates 24/7 (https://bit.ly/2LYOlz5)

Five Guys opens new branch at Dubai's City Walk Here in Dubai we can't get enough of Five Guys – whether it's the giant over-spilling portions of fries, the 15 free toppings with every order or the oh-so-moreish shakes.

And now there's a new spot to get your hands on those delicious burgers, with the US fast food chain opening its seventh opening in the UAE. The restaurant is now open at City Walk and it's got all the patties, grilled cheese sandwiches, fries and shakes you can get your hands on. Located on The Boulevard, it offers both indoor and outdoor seating on the terrace at the Meraas leisure destination. The restaurant joins locations at The Walk JBR, La Mer, Al Seef, The Dubai Mall and Dubai Marina Mall here, as well as one at the Abu Dhabi Marina Mall over in the UAE capital. According to Five Guys bosses, there are also set to be more openings in the next two years.

Source: Time Out Dubai (https://bit.ly/2VBZOsT)

Gulfood returns to Dubai in Feb, set to attract 98,000 visitors Up to 98,000 visitors and 5,000 exhibitors are expected to attend the world's largest annual food and beverages trade show in Dubai. Gulfood returns to the emirate on February 17-21 with a new show experience - The World of Food. The World of Good.

Celebrating its 24th edition in 2019, Gulfood attracts F&B professionals from all over the world to Dubai. Since its launch in 1987, the exhibition has grown to promote F&B trade between more than 180 countries annually. In 2018 Gulfood set records with 97,000 visitors attending and over 5,000 companies from over 185 different countries exhibiting their products. The event attracts buyers not only from the Gulf region but also from all over the Middle East and North Africa region (MENA).

Source: Arabian Business (https://bit.ly/2AAmYH8)

RETAIL PEOPLE . FEB-APR 2019 .09

NEWS BRIEF

Sheikh Mohammed approves DIFC’s new expansion plan HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai said that Dubai is working towards cementing its position as a pivotal economic and commercial hub for the region, in line with the Fifty- Year Charter recently announced by him, that aims to ensure Dubai's sustained prosperity and accelerate the development journey of the emirate, the UAE and the region.

HH Sheikh Mohammed said that developing the financial sector is a priority that supports the economic future of Dubai, and further enhances investor confidence, given the vital contribution it makes to Dubai's economy mainly through the Dubai International Financial Center (DIFC), which provides a growth platform for major international financial institutions.

He also highlighted the role of DIFC in supporting the Eight Principles of Dubai set by the Dubai Ruler himself, mainly the one related to the emirate's position as a business capital and a hub for international investment. "The financial sector remains one of the cornerstones of our economy. We are keen that the development of infrastructure is matched by the development of legislation

by continuously reviewing it to ensure it is among the best in the world and that it can facilitate the best environment for supporting greater excellence and achievement," HH Sheikh Mohammed said.

Source: Khaleej Times (https://bit.ly/2LXemil)

Dubai Industrial Park marks opening of new mall Dubai Industrial Park (DI), a manufacturing and logistics hub in Dubai and a member of Tecom Group, has announced the official opening of its first retail offering, Sapphire Mall.

Developed with an investment of more than Dh100 million, the 215,000 Sqft retail and dining facility is the first project to be completed by Dubai Industrial Park in collaboration with Sapphire Investments.

The hub is located close to Maktoum Airport, Jebel Ali Port and the Expo 2020 Dubai site.

Speaking on the occasion, Saud Abu Al-Shawareb said the opening of the new mall not only serves their ambitious

plans to position Dubai Industrial Park as a lucrative hub for business investment, but also reflects their commitment towards the community.

“We believe that community shopping centres play an important role in improving the quality of life of the people living within the destination. Aligned with our vision of creating opportunities and special moments for our community, we are dedicated to providing our residents with fully-equipped stores and best-inclass services.”

For his part, Najeeb Kadiri, Director of Sapphire Investments, said the mall is

a significant opportunity to provide the destination’s growing community with a range of easily accessible, close-tohome retail facilities that meet their everyday needs.

Source: Gulf News (https://bit.ly/2TxKXhb)

Sahara Mall Riyadh announces its renovation plan by also hosting 9 Screens VOX Cinema Addition to the new developments’ projects ‘Arena Land + La Strada City’, Sahara Mall Riyadh announced, in the last 3 months, the renovation plan of Sahara Mall Riyadh to improve the overall aesthetic and functionality of the interior areas of the mall. Improvements include a complete remodulation of Center Court, a new and improved FEC and new furniture for the Food Court and common sitting areas.

This investment speaks volumes to their continued commitment in enhancing the shopping and dining experience at the Mall and are confident the end result will be very appealing to our customers + the greater

10. RETAIL PEOPLE . FEB-APR 2019

community. The renovations will allow them to expand their Mall to add 9 Screens Cinema with VOX, enhance the food court experience and provide a dedicated area for families to enjoy the new FEC. Construction has been already started last November 2018 in the Food Court to be ready to receive new furniture including larger tables and complementary styled seating to create a refreshed and inviting environment.

New FEC Operator will also take place by August 2019 @ the same time of Opening 9 Screens Cinema with VOX Cinemas in addition to new Casual Dining Areas…

These renovations are all part of a comprehensive plan to reposition Sahara Mall as the preferred destination in the community for shopping and dining.

Video Link: https://drive.google.com/file/ d/1UFwaaYQJgsYvgE-5uvFRPKvH3tm3GoWK/view

COVER STORY

ASALA HOLDING Introduce Two Mega Malls to Change Retail Face in KSA

A

sala Holding Company (Asala) is a Limited Liability Company, owned by Jarir Investments, Al Habib Group, and Saudi Aramco Company. Asala is headquartered at Riyadh – KSA - Tulip Tower - King Fahad Road. The main purpose of the company is to own, develop, and manage shopping malls. Asala is a holding company, hence all operations are conducted within its subsidiaries, while Asala has control over the policies and management of those subsidiaries. All of Asala malls are managed and operated

by Hamat Property Company, a subsidiary of Asala Holding.

Asala provides the Commercial Centers Consultancy Services, Investment Services, Facility Management Services, Leasing Services, Operation Services and Financial Management Services.

Sure, you have enjoyed a unique shopping experience in one of the commercial centers managed by Asala like Riyadh Park, Panorama Mall, Al Manar Mall, Dareen Mall, Amwaj Mall, Kadi Mall, Azzan Plaza and a lot more.

CEO Statement about Asala Holding "We strive to upgrade the shopping experience through our commitment to our tenants to own and efficiently operate smartly designed shopping properties to deliver superior services to shoppers in order to maximize footfall.

To create value for our customers, employees, shareholders and the other stakeholders, we distinguish ourselves through our entrepreneurial commercial real estate focused capabilities and superior property management competencies.

We aspire to be the market leading developer and investor in commercial & hospitality real estate, as well as the leading provider of property services. While our emphasis is on the Saudi market, MENA opportunities will be explored and pursued.”

12. RETAIL PEOPLE . FEB-APR 2019

About CEO Fouad A. Al-Rashed Asala Holding” company announces the soft launch of two major projects in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The Riyadh Park Mall in Riyadh and Tabuk Park Mall in Tabuk. Both projects are the largest in their regions.

Tabuk Park is the most important and the largest of its kind in the northern region, specifically in the city of Tabuk, and the center is strategically located in the vicinity of the city center and on the most important roads and streets, to be in the heart of Tabuk to serve the people of the region in general.

The mall is located on Tabuk Corniche, features an area of 165,000 sqm. With a gross leasable area of 76,585 sqm and 2,500 parking lots. It is the up to the minute in design and services and close to the future city of NEOM. The project also includes green areas with 6,000 sqm. In addition to the number of 312 rental units, including a distinct entertainment area and a restaurant area that includes the largest and most

famous local and international restaurants. In addition, there are many international brands that were first introduced to Tabuk to serve the people of the region, providing 3 thousand career opportunities for Tabuk’s youth.

Fouad Al-Rashed, CEO of Asala Holding, stated “Tabuk Park actually is not just a mall, but a dream for the people in the north of KSA, achieved by the latest designs and newest technologies, which proves that we are looking forward to brilliance and nothing less.”

On the other hand, Riyadh Park is located in the heart of Saudi Arabia’s Capital Riyadh, at the intersection of Northern Ring Road and Prince Mohammed bin Saad bin Abdulaziz Road, and in the proximity of King Abdullah Financial City. Riyadh Park is designed to be an unparalleled shopping, entertainment and leisure destination in the kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The mall covers a huge surface of 132,000 m2 with a gross leasable area of 100,000 m2, not to mention that the parking area is capable of accommodating 2,500 vehicles.

The Mall stands well above the competition due to our commitment to address the individual needs of each one of our visitors.

At Riyadh Park, we offer the world’s most famous brands.

Whether you visit for shopping, family entertainment or your choice of 70 restaurants and cafés, our overall arrangement and choice will ensure that your visit will be full of fun. Each brand has been carefully selected to take into account the needs and expectations of each visitor.

Fouad Al-Rashed stated “We in Asala aspire through the ambitious vision of the Kingdom 2030 to be an advanced model that reaches the sky, especially as these malls support the localization of jobs and are an important economic pillar that supports the upcoming national transformation trends 2020.

Our creative employees are ready for the future and we will be the first supporter of promoting the culture of shopping and entertainment to occupy our position in the business sector which we are betting on and are working hard to achieve.”

Fouad Al-Rashed is the CEO of Asala Holding, one of the most prominent companies in Saudi Arabia in terms of economic activity and real estate investment. Fouad Al-Rashed first joined the commercial real estate industry 12 years ago, and in a relatively short span of time, has spearheaded several key initiatives which have greatly contributed to the evolution of the shopping centre industry in Saudi Arabia.

About Tabuk Park Mall Tabuk Park Mall is a highly recognized quality shopping mall in Tabuk having the same standards as those offered by the best international recognized high-end projects in developed countries.

It includes fashion zone, various international and local retail units, entertainment, food and beverage outlets. A full range of F&B outlets will be offered across the scheme ranging from commercial outlets to boutique dining restaurants. Introducing a new concept of an external shopping street has been incorporated into the design bringing a new and varied shopping experience to Tabuk.

The combination of powerful leisure components and comprehensive food & beverage offers will drive customer flows

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COVER STORY

to a destination which should take every opportunity to activate the site and create a brand identity for the client in Tabuk. The destination should offer a varied experience

through the day, create an entertainment lifestyle magnet, and engage the site and surroundings.

Access from car parking areas to the leisure will be effective and convenient – ideally with entrances feeding the end of an animated ‘F&B Boulevard’ which is strategically located at the garden of the land offering customers varied experiences within the site.

The proposal should be “market sustainable” appealing to the targeted Saudi market and offering a variety of opportunities in retail, entertainment, food and beverage, to meet retail demand. It should be responsive to the initial feedback of local and regional retailers from leasing and merchandising perspective, following best financial practice and tracking new global trends in retailing and retail architecture.

Mr. Fouad Al-Rashed received the Gold Award as the Retail Professional of the year from recently concluded MECSC/ICSC Middle East and North Africa Shopping Centre & Retailer Awards. Aside from that, Riyadh Park also won the Silver Award for Design & Development in the same MECSC/ICSC MENA Shopping Centre & Retailer Awards.

About Riyadh Park Mall innovation of this center creates a dynamic, one of its kind when it comes to mall category that group to 92,000m2 center. When it comes to design innovation, “Riyadh Park” makes the new turning point of the shopping center. Changing the local mall traditional interpretation to international feeling and targeting the local. The acceptance of locals are very positive especially when it comes to cinema, food hub destination and family fun filled entertainment.

When it comes to outdoor experience, the vital role of outside experience is the newest trend in retail. Putting up together with the green landscape, soft scape and waterscape. One of the signatures of Riyadh Park is the terrace gardening from street level to mall level creating a scene from outdoor dining while enjoying the water feature and waterfalls. Every corner of the center has its own unique

14. RETAIL PEOPLE . FEB-APR 2019

selling point. The Food Court and Entertainment area having the first cinema in the Kingdom creating a new role in the community. The Al Fresco-fresh and a new concept in the Kingdom is an indoor and outdoor dining experience, the first of its kind to offer in Riyadh. The Wadi area making the center is an outdoor feeling by using ETFE. The Fashion Zone where all branded and high-class brands up to jewelry and lavish watches. Making another turning point of a center by making the biggest customize chandelier in the middle east inside a shopping center surpassing of 26 meters and 11 meters in width.

Creating an address having a signature entrance, creating an impact entrance, having a beautiful canopy making Riyadh Park different from the rest. When it comes to interior treatment and design, it creates a simple but elegant form, having a well and balance interior atmosphere by using wood element, mashrabia, well-lighted mall corridors, giving the visitors a hotel feeling toilets. Putting into consideration the “branding “of a center that creates an impact to mall visitors by remembering and seeing all throughout the mall.

A successfully designed shopping experience brings out the best in the products and services with the result of increased business, enhanced market exposure and upgraded brand image. A style of shop front that aims to portray simple elegance, fine detailing or achieve a particular style required for the center. Consistent quality and style for all shop fronts. Minimal variation in materials and finishes. Tightly controlled shop front signage and display regulations achieving this style requires continued commitment to control the quality of materials and detail.

When it comes to outdoor experience the vital role of outside experience is the newest trend in retail. Putting up together with a green landscape, soft scape, and waterscape. One of the signatures of Riyadh Park its terrace gardening from street level to mall level creating a scene from outdoor dining while enjoying the water feature and waterfalls.

When it comes to center achieving its development goals, Asala Holding did the feasibility of what the market needs and demand of the community.

Through this study, makes this center a very unique when it comes to retail needs up to mall visitor and community needs. Mall innovation of this center creates a dynamic, one of its kind when it comes to mall category that group to 92,000m2 center.

When it comes to design innovation, “Riyadh Park” makes the new turning point of a shopping center.

Changing the local mall traditional interpretation to international feeling and targeting the local.

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EVENTS GALLERY

RECon MENA Pre-Conference Sunday, October 28, 2018, Samaya Ballroom, Ritz Carlton DIFC

The pre-conference workshop was an outstanding success. We aimed for 100 delegates and surprisingly received more than 150 delegates who attended this intensive marketing workshop.

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RECon MENA Welcome Cocktail Reception Sunday, October 28, 2018, Sunken Garden, Ritz Carlton DIFC

Sponsors & Partners, VIP guests attended the event. MECSC Chairman, Mr. Younus Al Mulla and CEO, Mr. David Macadam, recognized and honoured all major RECon sponsors with award trophies.

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EVENTS GALLERY

25th Anniversary Book Launch: Souks to Malls – Retail Entertainment in the Gulf Sunday, October 28, 2018, Sunken Garden, Ritz Carlton DIFC As MECSC celebrated its Silver Anniversary, we launched and released Volume 2 of Souk to Malls – Retail Entertainment in the Gulf, featuring the latest entertainment, F&B and shopping centres in the Gulf.

RECon MENA Conference, Exhibition & Deal Making Session Monday & Tuesday, October 29-30, 2018, Samaya Ballroom, Ritz Carlton DIFC MECSC 2018 RECon MENA Conference with the theme "Future Proof Retail" was attended by over 3,500 delegates from around the world. High caliber speakers shared their latest learning. Our valued sponsors and exhibitors contributed to the success of this event. Thank you to all the delegates, sponsors and exhibitors. We look forward to welcoming you again at the RECon 2019.

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EVENTS GALLERY

20. RETAIL PEOPLE . FEB-APR 2019

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EVENTS GALLERY

RECon MENA Gala Awards Dinner Tuesday, October 30, 2018, Samaya Ballroom, Ritz Carlton DIFC The Gala Dinner and Awards Presentation were enjoyed by our guests.

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Congratulations to all the RECon MENA AWARDS 2018 Winners!!!

GOLD

MARKETING EXCELLENCE ADVERTISING

GOLD AWARD

AWARD

MARKETING EXCELLENCE CAUSE RELATED MARKETING

MARKETING EXCELLENCE

The Mall at the World Trade Center & YAS Mall

CAUSE RELATED MARKETING

CUSTOMER SERVICE EXPERIENCE AND/OR ENGAGEMENT

MARKETING EXCELLENCE

MARKETING EXCELLENCE

Mall of the Emirates

Dubai Festival City Mall

Al Kout Mall

MARKETING EXCELLENCE

MARKETING EXCELLENCE

MARKETING EXCELLENCE

City Center Bahrain

The Galleria on Al Maryah Island

YAS Mall

Dubai Festival City Mall DUBAI, UAE

MARKETING EXCELLENCE

DUBAI, UAE

NEW/EMERGING TECHNOLOGY MANAMA, BAHRAIN

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ABU DHABI, UAE

DIGITAL/SOCIAL MEDIA DUBAI, UAE

PUBLIC RELATIONS ABU DHABI, UAE

Oman Avenues Mall MUSCAT, OMAN

GRAND OPENING, EXPANSION & RENOVATION KUWAIT CITY, KUWAIT

PUBLIC RELATIONS ABU DHABI, UAE

MARKETING EXCELLENCE

NOI ENHANCEMENT EXCELLENCE

NOI ENHANCEMENT EXCELLENCE

YAS Mall

Dalma Mall

Snow City @ Al Othaim Mall Rabwa

DESIGN & DEVELOPMENT

DESIGN & DEVELOPMENT

DESIGN & DEVELOPMENT

Al Kout Mall

Panorama Mall

Marina Home Interiors

DESIGN & DEVELOPMENT

RETAIL EXCELLENCE

ENTERTAINMENT, MUSIC AND LEISURE

BEST MENA RETAIL BRAND

Urban Retreat Restaurant

Fabyland – Al Rashid Mall

Mikyajy Glamour Girl

SALES PROMOTIONS AND EVENTS ABU DHABI, UAE

MARKETING/SPONSORSHIP ABU DHABI, UAE

NEW DEVELOPMENTS KUWAIT CITY, KUWAIT

RIYAHD, SAUDI ARABIA

RENOVATIONS/EXPANSIONS

ABU DHABI, UAE

RETAIL STORE DESIGN RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA

RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA

RETAIL STORE DESIGN

OPERATIONS/OVERALL TEAM

ABHA, SAUDI ARABIA

DUBAI, UAE

BEST NEW TECHNOLOGY IN RETAIL

RETAIL PROFESSIONAL OF THE YEAR

Akyasi Services LLC

Fouad A. Al-Rashed

ABU DHABI, UAE

CEO, ASALA HOLDING

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EVENTS GALLERY

SILVER

SILVER AWARD

AWARD

MARKETING EXCELLENCE CAUSE RELATED MARKETING

Mall of the Emirates DUBAI, UAE

The Mall at the World Trade Center & YAS Mall ABU DHABI, UAE

Arabian Center DUBAI, UAE

Dubai Festival City Mall DUBAI, UAE

MARKETING EXCELLENCE

MARKETING EXCELLENCE

CUSTOMER SERVICE EXPERIENCE AND/OR ENGAGEMENT

CUSTOMER SERVICE EXPERIENCE AND/OR ENGAGEMENT

Mall of the Emirates

Dana Mall

DUBAI, UAE

MARKETING EXCELLENCE

City Centre Deira DUBAI, UAE

YANBU, SAUDI ARABIA

CUSTOMER SERVICE EXPERIENCE AND/OR ENGAGEMENT

MARKETING EXCELLENCE

MARKETING EXCELLENCE

Dalma Mall

City Centre Deira

The Galleria on Al Maryah Island

ABU DHABI, UAE

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NEW/EMERGING TECHNOLOGY DUBAI, UAE

PUBLIC RELATIONS ABU DHABI, UAE

MARKETING EXCELLENCE DIGITAL/SOCIAL MEDIA

Al Kout Mall

Burjuman Centre

KUWAIT CITY, KUWAIT

DUBAI, UAE

Mall of the Emirates DUBAI, UAE

MARKETING EXCELLENCE

SALES PROMOTIONS AND EVENTS

City Centre Deira DUBAI, UAE

Mall of the Emirates DUBAI, UAE

Red Sea Mall

JEDDAH, SAUDI ARABIA

NOI ENHANCEMENT EXCELLENCE MARKETING/SPONSORSHIP

ZERO 6 Mall SHARJAH, UAE

Dalma Mall ABU DHABI, UAE

Cairo Festival City Mall NEW CAIRO, EGYPT

DESIGN & DEVELOPMENT

DESIGN & DEVELOPMENT

Riyadh Park Mall

ZERO 6 Mall

NEW DEVELOPMENTS RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA

Tilal Al Naseem – The Souk MAKKAH, SAUDI ARABIA

NEW DEVELOPMENTS SHARJAH, UAE

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EVENTS GALLERY

DESIGN & DEVELOPMENT RETAIL STORE DESIGN

Optifashion DUBAI, UAE

Harvey Nichols

White Robata

KUWAIT CITY, KUWAIT

MARKETING EXCELLENCE

RETAIL EXCELLENCE

The Galleria on Al Maryah Island

Sparky’s – Panorama Mall

RESTAURANTS AND ENTERTAINMENT, MUSIC & LEISURE

ADVERTISING

ABU DHABI, UAE

RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA

Burger Boutique DUBAI, UAE

BEST MENA RETAIL BRAND

Slider Station MANAMA, BAHRAIN

Al Hokair Time Rabwa RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA

Fabyland – Dubai Festival City Mall DUBAI, UAE

BEST MENA RETAIL BRAND

Yardi Systems Ltd DUBAI, UAE

Nearbuy Group DUBAI, UAE

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Umdasch The Store Maker DUBAI, UAE

Middle East Council of Shopping Centres’ introduces Spring Board Networking Reception in Oman M MAIN SPONSOR:

Mall of Muscat SUPPORT SPONSOR:

The Retail Agency ORGANIZER:

Middle East Council of Shopping Centres

MECSC’s Spring Board Networking Event – connecting retail professionals across the Middle East

ECSC hosted the first Spring Board Networking Event in Oman on Wednesday, 12 December at Al Adham Ballroom in Crowne Plaza – Oman Convention & Exhibition Centre in Muscat, Oman.

MECSC’s Springboard Networking events are conceptualised keeping in mind retail and shopping mall professionals, we aim to offer more value-added business growth, career development, and education opportunities for our members in the region. We encourage everyone who is linked to the retail and shopping mall industry to attend this event and avail this unique platform to engage, network and further grow their business .

David Macadam, CEO, MECSC

The Middle East Council of Shopping Centres emphasizes on educating and offering a successful networking platform to its members and therefore MECSC has progressively organized events throughout the Middle East region. These events aim to bring together specialists from the Retail industry to share knowledge, ideas and promote business growth.

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INSIGHTS

How to sustain retail therapy without the environmental price tag T

here is one very good reason why retailers and shopping mall operators need to be at the forefront of sustainability, because consumerism and conservation simply do not go hand in hand. To coin a phrase, it is an inconvenient truth.

Today’s retail environment across the GCC consists of multi-million-dollar air-conditioned shopping malls, with a workforce in the thousands, showcasing products imported from all over the world. And the picture doesn’t get any brighter when millions of shoppers are introduced into the equation.

Unfortunately, and in many ways unfairly, the retail sector is an easy target for the environmental lobby, but it must fight back. Like any modern progressive industry sector, it must be sustainable, practical, realistic and above all transparent.

The average mall visitor in Dubai generates more than half a kilo of waste per visit and consumes 10.86 litres of water. On average, a shopping mall uses 511 kwh of energy per square metre, per annum – that’s enough energy to run a fridgefreezer continuously for 365 days.

How do we know? Because Farnek has calculated it.

We surveyed seven malls across Dubai, taking into consideration the amount of outdoor space, air conditioning by type and distribution, and the percentage of leasable and common areas, which varied between 15% and 56%.

The results were stunning but multiply that by the average footfall witnessed at a mall in Dubai and the environmental impact is significant. In 2017, Dubai Mall welcomed 80 million visitors, imagine the impact they had on water consumption and waste generation alone.

Alarmingly, some malls have not initiated any environmental programmes so far, even though utility bills are a massive expense and they recognise the negative impact it is having on the environment.

However, it doesn’t have to be that way.

Farnek has first-hand experience on the effect environmental benchmarking can have on a sector. For more than 12 years, our Hotel Optimizer has supported more than 150 hotels across the Middle East to benchmark and tackle energy and water consumption, along with the generation of waste and CO₂ emissions.

The retail sector is one of the largest energy consumers in the UAE, so building on our experience in hospitality, we introduced the Retail Optimizer framework.

Because as the old adage goes, you can’t manage what you haven’t measured.

Farnek understands the importance of the retail sector and its contribution to the economy, but equally, we understand that the first steps to action are awareness and measurement. Benchmarking can drive the market to distinguish and reward energy efficiency, pushing the boundaries of what is possible.

So, this first of its kind initiative, is designed to boost energy, water and waste performance, and provide malls with clear KPIs that support a more sustainable decision-making process.

It also comes with significant bottom line benefits. Malls could save as much as AED1.2m a year, just by reducing water and energy consumption. With new landfill regulations on the horizon, that figure will only increase.

We started benchmarking in 2017 and today, this award-winning scheme is endorsed by the Dubai Supreme Council of Energy.

Moving forwards, participating malls will be organised into four categories: super regional malls with a GLA of over 90,000sqm; regional malls between 30,000 and 90,000sqm; community malls with 10,000 to 30,000sqm; and neighbourhood malls with a GLA between 3,000 and 10,000sqm.

Any mall can join the scheme and our targets are clear: we want to enrol more than 50 malls by the end of January 2019, improve the wealth of data we hold, and further define our statistics, so we can help malls to reduce operational costs and boost their environmental credentials.

SANDRINE LE BIAVANT, Director, Farnek Services Sandrine Le Biavant is the Director Consultancy of FARNEK, the Swiss UAE-based Facilities Management company awarded several times as Green FM Company of the Year. Lead Auditor for Energy Management Systems and Green Globe consultant, Sandrine is an experienced hospitality and FM consultant, while moreover being a passionate sustainability advocate and expert. Sandrine’s specialty is to empower owners and managers of facilities in implementing long term innovative solutions to improve guest experience, operational / environmental performance and profits at the same time.

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Retail Relationship Rethink

is long overdue

Credits: Originally published in Estates Gazette in October 2018

D

ebenhams Chief Executive Sergio Bucher is right. Retailers and landlords must rethink leasing models for the sector to thrive.

Bucher’s column in EG (p33, 20 October) outlined the retailer’s hopes for more co-operation from landlords in preparation for the “hard choices” that need to be made on where it will and won’t operate in future.

A broader rethink of leasing models could help strengthen the ties between retailers and landlords.

Reports of major retail brands facing difficulty have been a frequent feature of this year’s news.

Company voluntary arrangements have also dominated the headlines, accompanied by a narrative of adversarial relationships between retailers and landlords.

These are complex times for physical retail; a rethink of the fundamental parts of the traditional relationship could benefit and future-proof both landlord and tenant.

The tension point between retailer and landlord is often rent, and it’s easy to understand why: it is simul-taneously one of the biggest overheads for retailers and the biggest source of revenue for landlords.

Clearly, events this year show that traditional leasing models are not always fit for purpose in today’s retail climate.

So rather than a zero-sum relationship between retailer and landlord, the sector should aim to develop a more holistic and collaborative approach.

One such approach is turnover leasing: a model through which retail brands pay landlords a percentage of their revenue, either totally or on top of a reduced flat rate. Proponents of the model argue that both parties benefit significantly, with landlord and retailer invested in the success of the retail store.

This may seem true at a glance, but shop sales are largely dependent on areas beyond the control or influence of the

landlord. Furthermore, stores are increasingly being treated as de facto showrooms by shoppers, so simply linking rent to sales may not reflect the true value of the store.

Instead, the sector must work to develop a model that offers a better solution, valuing a store fairly for both parties and focusing on collaboration in areas that will create a sustainable business environment for all involved.

As the saying goes, many hands make light work, and retailers and landlords have more shared interests than they do differences: footfall, conversion, effective marketing and sustainable practices all benefit the bottom line of physical shops as well as the shopping centres, retail parks or outlet malls that they are based in.

Rather than a flat base rate and accompanying proportion of turnover rent, landlords could offer flexible levels of base rent which are lowered if retailers fulfill criteria such as data and store value transparency, collaborative marketing initiatives, customer service approaches or sustainability commitments.

The scale achieved if both retailer and landlord were aligned on these behaviours could be significant.

The intricacies and challenges of the retailer-landlord relationship are complex, but certainly not unsolvable. And while these questions may not yet have clear answers, there is no doubt that a fundamental rethinking of what the relationship means in the first place is long overdue.

Landlords and retailers work at two ends of the same sector, with far more to gain than lose from close collaboration.

Physical and online retailers continue to invest huge amounts of intellectual and financial capital into innovative ways to get their products to consumers. It’s time that landlords and retailers did the same with the basics, such as leasing.

Rather than nice-to-have, it will play a significant role in their respective futures.

POLLY TROUGHTON, Head of Retail Markets, Landsec Polly own and manage some of the most successful and recognisable assets in the UK. Their £14.0 billion portfolio spans 23.9 million sq ft of real estate and is a diverse mix of offices, retail and leisure.

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SHOPPING CENTRE UPDATE

City Centre Mirdif Relaunched

“Outdoors” D

uring the cooler months, families in the UAE are always on the lookout for new and interesting ways to spend quality time together and get active outdoors. UAE residents and tourists visiting Dubai have much to look forward to this month as City Centre Mirdif has relaunched its popular, dynamic attraction ‘Outdoors’, a family leisure concept that celebrates the splendour of the season and has now become a must-visit destination in the emirate.

From enjoying the fresh air to strengthening social bonds by gathering for good food and entertainment, City Centre Mirdif’s ‘Outdoors’ brings all the benefits of outdoor recreation in one place with an amazing line-up of immersive activities, active play for children, free family movie screenings and modern street food stalls until March 9.

“City Centre Mirdif believes that the most valuable moments are created through shared experiences with family and friends. ‘Outdoors’ is an innovative destination that allows residents and tourists to enjoy the beautiful weather of Dubai with the people they love, while also giving them a taste of homegrown brands and creative street food concepts,” said Mohamed Al Jasmi, Mall Manager for City Centre Mirdif at Majid Al Futtaim – Properties.

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“The advantages of outdoor activities for physical and mental wellbeing are well-documented. At Outdoors, visitors will also be able to reap all those benefits as they get involved in our jampacked programme in the open air.”

Back by popular demand after a successful inaugural event in February 2017, this time the concept has been divided into two themed versions, each representing the changing seasons.

Having started with a celebration of the festive season in December last year, Winter Wonderland was developed to evoke a feeling of a white alpine vacation until January 14.

Following that, City Centre Mirdif re-launched ‘Outdoors’ on January 17, a space that transports visitors to the Amazonian jungle with active games and entertainment until March 9.

At ‘Outdoors’, City Centre Mirdif invites you to go on an adrenaline-fuelled safari. Escape into the stunning wilderness as the destination transforms into a jungle with towering palm trees and low hanging vines. Kids can get active and make friends in the free-play course fitted and a tyre obstacle course. Visitors can have a good time with family and test their concentration and physical skill in the life-size Jenga and Connect 4 games or get adventurous to make it an action-packed outing with friends. The Insta station gives millennials a chance to go wild and pose for over-the-top photos, while youngsters can challenge themselves to arcade games in the Magic Planet zone.

Food lovers will find plenty of inviting street food to devour, including sliders and cheesy fries at Mr Brisket’s food truck and crispy, buttery coffee flavoured buns at PappaRoti, artisanal handmade confections and baked good at the Chocolate Bar and aromatic karak chai with traditional paratha rolls at Karakati.

Visitors can enjoy a range of family movies and animated films for kids daily from 4pm, as well.

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FEATURE

Dream Big in 2019 with Traffic Data Insight O

mnichannel retail is now top of the agenda in the Middle East. This means retailers and mall owners must dream big in the coming year to meet the demands of a new generation of digitally-engaged shoppers.

A major challenge is adopting data-led strategies to make change possible and effective.

Smartphone usage is rising fast The number of smartphone users across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region will grow to 178.3 million in 2019, up 10.2% yearon-year, Statista calculates. Millennials are increasingly interested in digital interactions with brands and services, with social media and peer-to-peer reviews already hugely influential. The power of platforms such as Instagram (which has over 60 million users in MENA in 2018) to propagate what popular celebrities are doing, or wearing, and instigating purchasing trends, has a real impact. As in Europe, Asia and the US, Middle Eastern retailers recognise the scope of communicating deals through apps and messages, which can drive traffic into stores and shopping centers, and boost sales.

Swap guesswork for scientific data Traffic data will be an essential part of the mall owners’ and retailers’ toolkits to understand and plan for the inevitable progression towards omnichannel, driven by the mass adoption of digital devices.

Smartphones have the power to bring personalized deals to life in stores, if the right data sets are collected and analyzed. By knowing more about customer behavior, and tailoring services to specific shopper needs, malls and stores can seize a vital competitive advantage over their online peers. It’s interesting to note that shoppers in the Middle East value real time personalized offers in-store even more than those elsewhere (34%, compared to 25% globally), says PwC.

Data-driven retail revolution So how can stores and malls digitize the physical space in this way? First and foremost, they need to have a clear idea of who customers are, where they shop and spend leisure time, which platforms they frequent and what mediums they use the most. Discovering where their audience engages digitally, will allow the brand or mall to identify what channels are the most effective to drive visitors to the location. For a brand it is important to convert all touch points into shop-able ones and ensure a smooth transition between offline and online, which requires technology to be fully integrated in stores. We are already seeing the growing importance of click-and-collect in the Middle East, for example.

Time for a traffic data toolkit There are clear benefits from measuring traffic, conversions and dwell time as these new omnichannel elements take off, simply because understanding your customer behaviour is pivotal to managing the transition. How often do they visit the store? At what time? How long do they stay? How many and what products are they buying? Which deals encourage them to buy more than others? Digital marketing strategies will rely on such store insights, so that deals can be tailored to a specific time, price and product category, or demographic group, and optimize traffic and conversions.

2019 – the game-changer year In the digital era, customers crave constant innovation, dazzling content and reliable services - and they want them today, not tomorrow.

Within physical stores – which remain the beating heart of Middle Eastern retail – it’s possible to keep pace with change by analyzing your customers’ journeys and measuring the impact of operational decisions in real time. Doing this, you will not only improve immediate profitability, but you’ll also recognize the customer behavioral changes as they happen. This will help you engage with audience segments, and tailor your offerings far more accurately.

If you haven’t already, join this retail revolution in 2019 by incorporating traffic data analytics into your retail strategy, and begin reaping the very real rewards of insight.

VINCENT DEBRE, Customer Success Manager, ShopperTrak Vincent Debre has over 20 years’ experience in retail, spanning brand management, business development and customer success management. The last ten years of his career have been centred on building key relationships and delivering revenue growth in the Middle East.

As Customer Success Manager at ShopperTrak, Vincent focuses on helping shopping centres and retailers optimise their shopping experience and improve profitability through data-driven insights.

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Measure Shopping Centre Traffic

Enhance Leasing Strategy

Streamline Operations

Performance Benchmarks

ShopperTrak empowers shopping centres to optimise their retail space, shopping experience and improve profitability through data-driven insights.

info.emea@shoppertrak.com

www.shoppertrak.com

+971 4 330 7111

FEATURE

Re-writing Rules of Retail

Alibaba Way!

Can Middle Eastern Hypermarkets leverage technology to redefine and revitalize their business model and create a new playfield for their businesses?

W

hen the team at Middle East Council of Shopping Centres (MECSC) asked me about my views on this question, my immediate reaction was “Yes, the middle eastern hypermarkets can very well leverage technology in order to evolve their business model”.

However, as Einstein once quipped that “Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result” holds very relevant in our region wherein we fail to see a Unique Selling Proposition (USP) amongst hypermarket players. They all fighting a “Me Too” game.

How many times in a week, we receive paper pamphlets from various hypermarket retailers along with the newspaper?

My objective of writing this article is to provide insights to my retail fraternity (who unfortunately still rely on pamphlets) on using the technology available by providing a case study of Alibaba who is redefining Retail in China.

Before I embark on this topic, I would like to ask few questions to Middle Eastern hypermarket giants like Carrefour, Lulu Hypermarkets, Geant, Hyper Panda, Danube Hypermarkets, Manuel, Spar, Nesto Hypermarkets.

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•

How they intend to differentiate their offerings to consumers who are very well connected through the internet, who prefers researching their purchases prior to buying and convenience of shopping?

•

Do these hypermarkets ever think of a business model wherein they grow their scale of operations 10X with minimal investments?

•

How to tap unexplored territories to grow their sales market and share?

I am sure CEOs, CFOs and CIOs of these companies must have an answer to my above questions but I would like to share my learnings of studying Alibaba’s vision i.e.

“Using disruptive marketing as Growth Engine” Every strategist would agree with me that if you cannot defeat your competitor, then change the rules of the game and that’s what Alibaba did with the launch of their project Ling Shou Tong which means Connect Retail.

The basic premise of this project is to tap unexplored markets by utilizing existing Alibaba’s strengths such as robust

supply chain, a wide array of products and vast suppliers base, efficient delivery and order processing, order fulfillment and logistics support.

In order to bring efficiencies into their existing businesses and using their existing strengths, Alibaba has ventured into territory which has been untapped so far by the launch of Project Connect Retail.

They have adopted 100,000 small grocery stores and connected them with their integrated POS system by means of the app, wherein these small grocery owners could benefit from buying directly from Alibaba suppliers which provides Low Prices Everyday brand promise.

This project has created a Retail ecosystem wherein these small groceries procure directly from Alibaba thereby eliminating distributors and improving their buying margins and passing the cost benefits to end customers.

Customers stand to gain from price benefits and good quality products backed by Alibaba’s commitment.

In return, Alibaba gains wider geographical spread using their core strengths such as procurement, wider variety and a large base of suppliers - all neatly knitted into logistics operations.

That’s what I call disruptive marketing or creating a different playfield thus leaving all your competitors behind.

Connect Retail app also provides business intelligence to these small groceries which helps them identify which item is selling better in their shops and how much they need to stock and how they need to merchandise or display.

In UAE alone, there is said to be over 20,000 small groceries, which may be getting serviced through various distributors currently.

Now if any Hypermarkets try to tap into these segments by providing access to have a better procurement, better offers and better supply chains, this initiative would re-define these hypermarkets’ market share and would leave their competitors far behind.

Hema Supermarkets are doing that by leveraging technology to their advantage.

The stores are sprawling and offer a giant selection of fresh food, including seafood that shoppers can select and send to the kitchen to be cooked before the end of their trip.

Shoppers can also order groceries online for delivery in under 30 minutes.

Customers use their smartphones to shop and pay for their groceries at Hema using Alipay app (payment app by Alibaba).

Everything in Hema has a barcode, which shoppers can scan to trace the product's origin, delivery, and nutritional information.

The stores double as warehouses for online orders. Hema employees fulfill the orders by picking and packing them in reusable bags, right alongside customers.

Deliveries are shipped out to customers within 30 minutes of their initial order. Orders within 5 km of store’s radius only are accepted for online delivery within 30 mins.

The end result is that Hema Supermarkets have provided a seamless shopping experience to Chinese consumers who are very much tech savvy and glued to their smart phones.

Second case study again is from Hema Supermarkets (cashless grocery chain of Alibaba).

I sincerely hope that my insights and case studies would encourage the Middle Eastern hypermarket retailers to take a big leap into seamless retail which is more Phygital (physical brick & mortar and online e-commerce).

The premise of every retailer is to enhance its “Customers delight” component in order to retain and attract new customers.

Remember “For those who dare to dream, there is the whole new world to win”.

Basically, it is out of the box thinking approach.

RITESH MOHAN, Retail Expert, www.retailritesh.com Ritesh Mohan is a passionate retail professional with over 20 years in the Retail sector, handling some of the biggest brands in beauty, fashion and fragrances retail and FMCG sector. He has been instrumental in the growth of some of the regional brands as well in the Middle East region. He specializes in Retail management, Product development and Brand management, Retail Operations, Sales Management and Franchising management. He strongly believes in empowering business owners with his wisdom and experience of around two decades in the industry.

RETAIL PEOPLE . FEB-APR 2019 .37

FEATURE

The changing face of F&B franchising – why creating an experience is key I

t is a commonly held belief that food and beverage franchises do so well because “people need to eat”. Yet, we’re taking some big risks relying on this assumption as consumer attitudes evolve. Yes people need to eat but they don’t have to choose your outlet, and there’s certainly no reason for them to return if the experience falls short.

Opportunities are rife in the Middle East right now, with the franchise economy worth $30 billion and growing by 27% per annum (Middle East and North Africa Franchise Association). The GCC, in particular, is at the forefront and, like elsewhere in the world, F&B dominates. In this context, it’s tempting to sit back and follow the typical sales-focused strategy that sets volume as the ultimate prize, but now is the crucial time to get creative and put the customer experience first.

With increased opportunities comes intense competition and complex purchasing behaviours call for greater attention to detail. On one hand, consumers are becoming more discerning and product quality is recognised as the most important driver, yet fluctuating economic conditions generate greater awareness about where they spend money. As a result, customers are more selective than ever and that’s where building loyalty and enhancing the overall experience is key.

Jelly Belly Ice Cream is Jelly Belly Candy Company’s first expansion into the gourmet ice cream sector and the US/UAE franchise partnership puts us in a unique position to do things differently. Generally speaking, international ice cream brands implement a one-size-fits-all model without tailoring it to geographical preferences, so the individual parlor experience gets lost. As the region’s first locally made, globally-inspired gourmet ice cream, we put customers first by combining superior quality with homegrown expertise.

The experiential journey starts with exceptional taste. We offer 50 true-to-life varieties, inspired by the iconic Jelly Belly® jelly beans, with no artificial flavors: the true-to-life taste comes from actual fruits and other inclusions (such as cakes and cookies) freshly baked then chopped into pieces and mixed with our different ice cream bases. Our products are produced in Dubai and we travel the world to source the best ingredients, for example, hazelnuts from Italy, coffee from Columbia, bananas from the Philippines,

and Pecans from the United States. We also serve a selection of bakery treats and original innovations such as the Iceclair, featuring homemade choux pastry filled with gourmet ice cream.

When customers enter the parlor they are greeted by our Super Scoopers, ice cream connoisseurs who take them through a wide range of product recommendations and pairing options. In terms of design, Jelly Belly Ice Cream interiors represent a quantum leap for the category, carefully considered to make everyone feel at home and encourage them to take time away from the everyday with friends, family or alone.

According to research reports from Nielsen, consumers are looking for something more from their favorite indulgence; they want enticing environments with a welcoming ambience, places to enjoy the moment and create happy memories, all without compromising on taste. We’ve worked tirelessly to satisfy their demands and fill a gap for gourmet quality products served in a fun and friendly setting. By putting the customer first, we create loyal ambassadors who believe in what we do and return out of pleasure not “need”, which makes a better recipe for success all around. www.jellybellyicecream.com

Jelly Belly Ice Cream parlors can be found at the following locations in the UAE and we are actively expanding across the MENA region: Dubai: City Centre Deira; La Mer; Al Seef; (opening soon – Bluewaters) Ajman: City Centre Ajman Abu Dhabi: Dalma Mall; (opening soon – Al Jimi Mall) Sharjah: Al Majaz; Zero 6

JB Ice Cream, La Mer

PAUL RASON, Chief Operating Officer, JB Brands Management With over 20 years' experience in the MENA region, Paul has been the Chief Operating Officer of Jelly Belly Ice Cream since 2016. He previously worked with McCann Erickson on global FMCG and foodservice accounts, including Gillette, Reckitt Benckiser, and McDonald's, as well as having launched his own consultancy company, followed by a successful Dunkin' Donuts sub-franchisee business in the UAE.

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Dining, Retail and Entertainment Reimagined for Abu Dhabi. Opening Fall 2019

AlMaryahCentral.ae

@AlMaryahCentral

FEATURE

Bouncebackability

By Cornell Thomas

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f you are trying to figure out if the word bouncebackability is in the dictionary I can save you some time, it isn’t, but it should be. Bouncebackability is a fictional word I made through the trials and tribulations of my life. It is a word that reminds me that despite any personal, or business struggle that I may endure during this wild ride called life I can recover. I can fight through and bounce back even higher than when I was knocked down.

I didn’t take a course on bouncebackability in the academic sense, life was my teacher, and my amazing mother, Tina Thomas, was my first professor. When I was three years old, my father, Bobby Thomas, passed away due to cancer. That left my mom the task of raising five kids, on her own, with very little money.

So I received a crash course in adversity. I saw my mom struggle financially, get doors closed on her, and most importantly never give up despite it.

To say that my mom has a special kind of grit and determination is an understatement because I believe it takes a little bit more than that. Bouncebackability also takes faith. Faith that regardless of the haymaker life hit you with, that you will come back stronger and wiser because of it.

As a child growing up watching this lioness I call mom, I was able to find how to bounce back in my own life. When I was sixteen years old, I discovered basketball for the very first time.

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I was at my mom’s hometown of Birdsnest, Virginia. Birdsnest at that time was a very rural town with little to do. I sat on my cousin Carlos’ bed. For whatever reason, I looked under it and saw about a hundred newspaper articles. When I looked at the first one, there was a picture of my cousin on the front cover.

I was absolutely blown away. I had no idea that they put kids in the newspaper for playing a sport. That week I read every article that my cousin possessed. I knew his teammate's names, how many points he scored, and which teams he scored them against.

I decided that day in my cousin’s room that I was going to be a basketball player.

It would be amazing to tell you stories of how great I was, how I became just like my cousin immediately, or how easy it was to get to that level. There’s one thing that you have to know about me, and maybe the East Coast in general, we do not sugar coat things.

When I got home I found out right away that I was terrible at basketball. I was able to see that with my eyes, with my brother's friends criticisms, and on the sheet of paper that had the Varsity team on it, and my name excluded. I was a junior in high school regulated to Junior Varsity on a team that wasn’t very good. I had to find a way to bounce back from the disappointment of not being one of the main players.

My bounce back required some crucial elements, hard work, and sacrifice. I was willing to sacrifice to get what I love. What I mean by that is everything else in my life (besides family) was secondary to basketball.

My junior and senior prom I was on the basketball court watching the limousines drive by the court as I worked out.

I told my mom that I was going to play professional basketball, and here lies one of the main ingredients in bouncebackability – faith. Faith that even if you are going through the worst storm in your life, it will eventually pass. Faith is something you feel, it’s knowing that you are stronger than the storm. I knew that to play professional basketball I was going to have to weather a bunch of little storms to make that dream to come to fruition. What I didn’t know is that a tsunami was coming my way.

I ended up working two jobs to pay for junior college.

A junior college is a two-year school. My mom couldn’t afford to send me to college, and I wasn’t good enough out of high school to get a scholarship. It was in my sophomore year that a shift happened.

After five years of struggle, my game finally turned

into a swan. I was offered a full scholarship to play college basketball in North Dakota.

After I got back home from North Dakota, I received a professional contract to play in Lisbon Portugal, but a week before I was supposed to leave I ruptured my achilles tendon. Heartbreaking yes, but not the end of my life. The tsunami pushed me to my limits but it eventually washed me upon the shore that is now my purpose in life. My mom raised us on the saying, “Everything happens for a reason”, and without the rain, I never would have found the sun.

So when the storm comes, bounce back my friends. You have much more inside of you than you know.

CORNELL THOMAS, Global Speaker, Author, Social Entrepreneur, Corporate Trainer and CEO at Cornell Thomas Cornell is a father, husband, global speaker, multiple title author, and mindset coach. Cornell also does team and culture workshops for companies all over the world. Cornell's story of being a speaker began after his dream of playing professional basketball ended. He suffered a career-ending one week before he was supposed to play professionally in Europe. That injury shifted him to coaching, and eventually on his current path.

RETAIL PEOPLE . FEB-APR 2019 .41

ADVERTORIAL

Industry heavyweights gear up for THE RETAIL SUMMIT 2019 as the UAE’s retail sector is forecast to grow 16% by 2023

B

ringing together some of the largest names in the retail industry, The Retail Summit is set to inform and educate delegates on the challenges and opportunities facing the sector, fuelled by a burgeoning market that’s already topped US$55 billion in the UAE. Held in partnership with the Dubai Chamber of Commerce & Industry and Meydan One from 13-14 February 2019 at Atlantis The Palm, Dubai, the twoday event will see exclusive content delivered by a new generation of retailers who are demonstrating a winning combination of outstanding service and ground-breaking use of technology to produce memorable shopping experiences.

A recent report by Euromonitor reveals that Kuwait, Oman, Saudi Arabia and the UAE are key regional countries primed for a boom in consumerism which has been spurred on by favourable demographics, a rise in population and a strong growth trajectory in tourism and per capita income.

Retail sales across the four Gulf countries are projected to increase by more than US$24 billion over the next five years, with the UAE expected

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to lead this trend with an estimated growth rate of 16%, according to the Euromonitor research.

Amongst the A-list of speakers, billionaire entrepreneur and Virgin Group Founder Sir Richard Branson will headline the inaugural event in Dubai, and delegates will hear from more than 80 speakers to learn about how digital disruption and shifting consumer expectations are driving a profound transformation in retail.

Other headline speakers attending The Retail Summit 2019 in Dubai include H.E. Hamad Buamim, President & CEO, Dubai Chamber of Commerce & Industry, and beauty powerhouse Huda Kattan, founder and CEO of Huda Beauty, one of the most successful and fastest growing new brands to be launched this decade.

More than 800 attendees are anticipated and the event has been designed for global CEOs and senior teams, bringing together the retail community’s brightest minds to examine the latest thinking of how to win in today’s hyper-volatile landscape.

FAHAD KAZIM

VP – Meydan Malls

The Retail Summit will run from 13-14 February 2019 at Atlantis, The Palm Dubai.

For more information please visit: https://www.theretailsummit.com/

In partnership with

Explore the convergence of retail with technology, experience and hospitality.

F e a t u re d s p e a ke r s :

SIR RICHARD BRANSON

HUDA KATTAN

JO MALONE

ROB SMITH

ANNIE YOUNG-SCRIVNER

JULIA GOLDIN

PATRICK CHALHOUB

OSCAR FARINETTI

Founder

CEO

CEO & Founder

CMO

Innovation partner:

Founder

CEO

Founder

Owner & Founder

Silver partners:

Strategic partners:

Visit www.theretailsummit.com for more information

Supporting Association:

SPECIAL FEATURE

Retail is evolving globally, but Dubai has what it takes to maintain a competitive edge

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etail is evolving and this is particularly evident in the way that consumers are interacting with brands. Consumers are more demanding than ever in this digital age – and rather than interactions being determined by brands, consumers are increasingly dictating how, when and where sales are made.

The ability to deliver a seamless and intuitive service across a number of platforms is vital to a brand’s success and retailers that have not been able to adapt to this approach are the ones that have struggled in recent times.

Physical store expansion remains crucial to a strong retail strategy as well as a continued focus on the delivery of a more omnichannel approach to their business - this will prove critical to their long term success. This is particularly evident by the number of new markets that larger retailers expanded into last year. Dubai is a perfect example of this trend. In 2017, Dubai welcomed 59 new retail brands to the city, moving the emirate from third to second place when it comes to new market entrants.

Over 40 per cent of the new retailers that entered Dubai in 2017 were from Europe, with close to 50 percent coming from the Coffee and Restaurant category, including brands such as the French healthy eating concept Wild & The Moon. Hong Kong once again topped the list of new market entrants in 2017 with 86 new brands. Taipei (52), London (49) and Tokyo (46) came in third, fourth and fifth place respectively.

Dubai’s strength as a retail powerhouse is further evidenced by its ranking as the most important international shopping destination globally. According to CBRE’s 2018 edition of “How Global is the Business of Retail?” Dubai has now overtaken London with 62 percent of global retailers present in the emirate. There are a number of key factors that are directly responsible for the emirate’s success. Many global retailers are using Dubai as a “launch pad” for regional expansion.

Advancements in retail technology and e-commerce, in addition to the strength of the emirate’s logisitics sector, has also enabled retailers to increase operational efficiencies to deliver a seamless consumer experience.

The UAE is set to see the delivery of a significant amount of retail space over the next five years, including the launch of mega-projects Meydan One Mall and Dubai Square. With the continued growth of online shopping in the UAE, retailers are constantly having to innovate new retail experiences to further support the growth of the “bricks and mortar” outlets

whilst strengthening brand power on and off line. The hybrid concept of edutainment and the increased importance of F&B will further bolster Dubai’s mall offerings, whilst health and wellness will also be key areas for growth with gyms, leisure centres and spas becoming staple features in many new mall developments.

Dubai’s leading position demonstrates the competiveness of the emirate’s retailers and their continued ability to overcome changing market conditions to provide world-class retail experiences to locals, expatriates and visitors alike: It will indeed be interesting to see how retailers continue to adapt and evolve in 2019 to maintain their leading edge.

ANTHONY SPARY, Head of Retail, CBRE Middle East Anthony Spary is Head of Retail for CBRE MENAT based in Dubai and has been in the region for past 4 years providing strategic support to commercial clients across multiple asset classes. Anthony works with both Retail Occupiers and Investors across the region providing strategic advice, retail consultancy and transaction services to a wide range of both local and international retailers and is responsible for overseeing transaction delivery throughout the region. Anthony specializes in bringing in new international retailers to the market.

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SPECIAL FEATURE

Rethinking luxury goods in Retail –

New Paradigm

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uxury Goods are undergoing deep changes. The new technologies in digital/social media and the drastic change in customer expectations in the new mobile/social era are a major source of this development. Yet the physical store remains a crucial communication vector for luxury brands.

Today’s customer seeks authentic relationships with brands.

Immersive experiences that fuel their imagination and creativity.

The physical retail stores lend themselves perfectly to these kinds of experiences. As such, physical stores remain a crucial touch point and a unique differentiator in itself, for Luxury Goods.

Luxury Goods retail needs contextual customer experience & engagement, leveraging on technology.

What is a Luxury Good?

It started by taking from the owner - not bestowing to its ownerthe mark of being special.

That has changed. A Luxury good today needs a great story behind it.

Two things must be noted: • •

Quality is much easier to achieve today.

The cost of producing quality goods is significantly lower.

The volume of Luxury Goods Customers has increased tremendously because Luxury Goods are affordable to a much bigger slice of the population that wishes to be identified as belonging to a “special” class.

Therefore, the myth of Luxury must be maintained, by building context and content to the ownership experience.

The ownership experience begins with desire. The desire is boosted by storytelling, embedded with intelligent and targeted communication at the point of sale, the “moment of truth” is the purchase and the ensuing emotional reward.

Retail issues The rising cost of retail is due to two factors: • The cost of rent of a Luxury Goods physical store.

• The diminishing volume of business generated in each Luxury Goods retail store.

Initially, Luxury Retail shops were concentrated in specific areas

46. RETAIL PEOPLE . FEB-APR 2019

in the Cities and just to walk those streets was and is a Luxury Experience in itself.

• This experience is diluted now because of the proliferation of Luxury Goods shops in most Malls.

• In MENA Countries, Malls are the center of retail, due to weather, family habits etc. Here difficulties are due to other reasons.

Malls are exploiting their advantage by charging high rents.

The increase in Malls, in certain regions, leads to the increase of Luxury Goods shops in those malls, without a proportional increase in the number of customers.

The result is two fold negative: 1. The direct, observable one, is the increase of cost per item sold due to a lesser volume of business per retail shop.

2. The indirect is the “banalization” of the merchandise by finding shops selling Luxury Goods in big numbers.

The Luxury Experience cannot be satisfied just by expensive furnishings and servility of shop assistants. Re-creation of the Luxury Experience special feeling is needed.

In the words of Doug Stephens “… the role and purpose of retail space will no longer be principally to sell products…..

Beyond mere consumption, we’ll go to these spaces for entertainment, education, connection and community. There will be the products for sale in these physical spaces, but the emphasis will not be sales but rather on catalyzing a relationship with the consumer….”

The Customer must feel the Luxury Experience all around, prior to entering the shop.

Disneyland is a great commercial experience.

The World is full of Fun Parks, but none is as successful as Disneyland. The fact that Disneyland charges an entry fee, although the Visitor must pay additionally for every experience, prepares the Visitor that something unique is about to happen.

The case of a Luxury Experience must be understood in a new way.

The Luxury retail store must be viewed as a “theater”: • Customers will go to that theater because it has been communicated to them by various channels that there is an exciting play in that theater.

DR. DIMITRIOS VASILEIOS KOKKINOS Chairman & Managing Director DVK Consultants SPYROS GOUSETIS Vice Chairman DVK Consultants

• An interesting play is based on an original and attractive story.

• The store is the stage at which the play is performed.

• The product is the principal actor. The salespeople are the supporting actors in the story.

• The actor can only give as good a performance as the story of the play, the direction of the play, the other actors, the props and the recreated scenery and dresses.

Only when all the above is satisfied, the principal actor i.e. the Luxury product will attain its coveted potential. In the same way that a great actor cannot save a bad play, a great product cannot reach the clientele desired, if its presentation has not been designed, orchestrated and communicated in such a way that the Client would find engaging and memorable.

Production of the story is everything.

Some examples of unfolding retail stories, a new paradigm: • Apple’s flagship stores are now called “Town Squares”. Apple’s approach is a cross between a store, community center and educational platform, in a communal environment.

• Nordstrom the luxury department stores, opened a new concept store. The store will not stock clothes. It will have spa services, tailoring, personal stylists and a bar.

Anticipating the future entails turning the current physical store into an experiential platform, showcasing judiciously selected luxury brands, where unique customer experiences will define the most profitable product. Stop thinking “stores” and start thinking stories

So, it’s true that retail may not be dead. But therein lies exactly the problem. Until we let go of the old era we can never fully move forward into a bright new age.

DOUG STEPHENS Retail Industry Futurist

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IN FOCUS

Bringing Emotional Value

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heleisureway is the only Leisure-thinking solution provider, a company with a profound knowledge and understanding of public and commercial environments. The team combines the power of innovation, consultancy, creative design, technical development, and the management expertise to control the delivery of all these capabilities offered as integral solutions.

The game has changed for a variety of real estate developments. Current trends and changes in user and consumer behavior are pushing developers to rethink new projects. Developers aim to create “living spaces” as people demand more human, friendly, fresh, dynamic and sustainable environments.

At theleisureway, we believe that non-measurable factors such as sense of community, wellness, social and cultural interaction and local values need to gain importance in the configuration of any new urban, commercial and mixed-use development to guarantee sustainability. This is where our leisure-thinking as a whole translates investment into value. The future of human-oriented spaces involves integrating properly and perfectly with all the daily and usual activities of the target audience, ensuring that destinations become places and social hubs working as multifunctional meeting points. The results do not just come from planning, design and a controlled execution, but the outcome of a proven working methodology that focuses effectiveness in understanding and solves the real needs of both customers and final users.

The singularity of each project resides in the ability to create unique and robust concepts to obtain a leisure-oriented system. We firstly shall understand each case perfectly. After this, success is only matter of time and effort. Innovation is essential to continue being a leader in offering emotion-driven user journeys.

Our commitment of creating unique places where people have fun is enabling us to provide the best possible emotional value to your assets

as sustainable environments that facilitate social and commercial exchange equally. That shall be our common Legacy. theleisureway is leading and iconic projects internationally, transforming clients’ needs into innovative bespoke solutions. The primary purpose of which is the reinforcement of leisure-oriented design as the core axis of any emotion-driven customer journey. Our knowledge and expertise is applied using a holistic approach that pervade the entire public and commercial environment. Considering precise intervention spots, the leisure-thinking methodology embraces each project as a whole, integrating all functions within the resulting habitat. theleisureway envisions each integral development as a wellbalanced ecosystem, a destination which becomes a third place in which the various elements interact. In this sense, Leisure-thinking and its resulting layers act as the key catalyst for the emotion-driven customer journey, a nuclear and essential factor that impacts satisfactorily on the perception of the overall result.

GASTÓN GAITAN, Founder, theleisureway Gastón Gaitan is an expert in leisure, having worked with prominent projects in the field for shopping centers and mixed use projects around the world he has become a reference in the sector.

In 2011 Gaston founded theleisureway, a complete leisure solution provider with a multidisciplinary team experienced in combining the power of leisure innovation, consultancy, creative design, technical development, and the controlled delivery of integral solutions with a profound understanding of public and commercial environments.

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IN FOCUS

Telling the story with light O

ne and a half million metres of street decoration. More than a thousand completed projects. Illuminated cities, tourist attractions and prestigious shopping centres almost all around the world. Multidekor – internationally experienced designer and manufacturer of festive illuminations has become the new member of MECSC. The company has been designing joy and unique impressions for over 20 years now. It was all founded as a local family business by two brothers: Grzegorz and Tomasz Podogrocki. Today they are the CEO’s of the festive lights empire – the most modern light decoration production park in central Europe.

Out of the box

The company provides complex light solutions for variety of occasions: festive season illuminations, National Day’s decorations and holy month of Ramadan.

The offer is absolutely unique and innovative, its main idea is to use the potential of powerful synergy of traditional symbols and historical motifs with modern technology and festive lighting. Multidekor illuminates the cities, as well as tourist attractions and shopping centres. – We specialize in daring, top quality custom-made decorations – tailored for a particular space or object, its location, clients’ needs and expectations. This way the lights can be exclusive, refer to local symbols, culture, history of the place or its architecture – explains Kamil Shbeta, Business Development Manager for MENA Region in Multidekor.

Perfect quality of light decorations provided by the company is appreciated all over the world. Alluring illuminations often gain international media attention and rank highly among the most beautiful festively decorated European capitals.

Lately “Deutche Welle” has mentioned the company’s winter light decoration of Warsaw’s Royal Route together with London’s Oxford Street or Paris’ ChampsÉlysees. Multidekor has also won an International Contest of Festive, Event and Environmental Design for the illumination of Moscow.

It’s a kind of magic - how is it made?

The production of complex festive illuminations for cities or shopping centres is a multistage process, which requires work of several dozen people. Everything starts in the designer’s rooms, where sketches of each and every element are drawn and the visuals are created. – The designers’ team consists of internationally experienced specialists who have the expert’s knowledge of how the light works and what the latest trends are. They are also highly imaginative people of various cultural backgrounds who are familiar with languages and

realities of Middle Eastern countries – says Piotr Hopcia – Project Director in Multidekor. – We already proved that few years ago while entering Middle Eastern markets and gaining our first experience – adds Hopcia.

The next step is to make the prototype of every element, to test it. Only then the proper production of illumination takes place. Experienced welders, carpenters and locksmiths can show their skills.

They make aluminium constructions that due to electricians’ work and thousands of LED diodes change into spectacular joyous light decorations.

Later the pieces of illumination go to the paint shop and finally are finished off and adorned in the scenography workshop. In the end Multidekor’s professional illuminations decorate and change spaces, create truly magical atmosphere and guarantee memorable light experience in every location in Europe or outside. – Among the values that guide our everyday work are mastery, top quality, safety and outstanding design – sums up Kamil Shbeta.

KAMIL SHBETA Business Development Manager for MENA Region, Multidekor

PIOTR HOPCIA Project Director Multidekor

With multicultural background and 10 years of experience in business relations’ development between partners from UE and MENA.

With more than 200 festive decoration projects for shopping centres in Europe completed since 2008.

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- From Inception to Reality What is the Dusoul brand about and what does it offer?

Dusoul showcases a unique mix of in-house designed collections, brought to life by the natural elements of sun, sea, sand and the stars. These pieces sit alongside an exciting and exclusive portfolio of renowned international brands. Each of the thoughtfully curated, mesmerising collections reflect a unique style and personality.

Dusoul also stock selected international brands, showcasing their latest collections endorsed by celebrities and socialites from around the world. These include fine jewellery brands; Palmiero, Casato and Giovanni Ferraris, Brumani, a timeless yet contemporary Brazilian brand, and Moiseikin, a statement brand from Russia.

What differentiates the Dusoul brand?

Manish Dhamani, Ms. Laila Suhail, L.N. Dhamani, Ahmed Bin Sulayem, Amit Dhamani & Rohit Dhamani at the launch of Dusoul Boutique at Atlantis, Palm Jumeirah

Dusoul is envisaged as a passionately crafted jewellery brand, born from the desire to develop collections with a more accessible price point whilst ensuring that the key components of the Dhamani group, quality, craftsmanship and design, are retained.

The Dusoul brand stands out with its innovative designs and sparkling personality which echo the spirit of the inspirational city from which the brand is created. As such, Dusoul encompasses the modern, aspirational, inquisitive nature of the ever-evolving landscape of Dubai.

run by Rohit Dhamani as the Executive Director & CEO. After a year of work with the team onboard, CallisonRTKL developed a bespoke boutique design and Fitch, the leading brand & retail consultancy, crafted the brand guidelines.

The Dhamani family developed the collection and team as per the needs of the millennial generation, and the brand was ready to roll in 2017 with a mix of 3 category – the Dusoul Inhouse collection, Dhamani jewels collections and a selection of international brands from Europe and South America.

When was the brand established?

What inspired the brand’s inception?

The brand was conceived in 2014 when the Dhaman group realised that the market required affordable and aspirational jewellery for the millennial audience. After two years, it was confirmed that the brand will be called ‘Dusoul’, a name that captures the unique spirit from the city where it is born – Dubai, UAE. It was also decided by the Dhamani family that be family-owned and professionally

With over 50 years of experience, the Dhamani Jewels Group is a pioneer in the diamond and jewellery industry across Asia and the Middle East. Since establishing its global headquarters in Dubai Multi Commodities Center (DMCC) in 2011, the jeweller has become one of the region’s largest wholesalers of gemstones and diamonds and retailers of high-end diamond jewellery.

The Dhamani family saw the opportunity to offer a more affordable jewellery brand that would address an increasing clientele of global customers & millennials looking for affordable luxury. This led to a dialogue with CallisonRTKL, the retail experts and strategists, and eventually, the inception of Dusoul.

When, and where, does Dusoul plan to launch its stores?

In 2018, we launched the brand along with the flagship boutique opening at Atlantis – The Palm and a soft opening of Mirdif City Centre. A dynamic store network is planned with a pipeline of 10 additional boutiques in a range of locations including Emirates Palace, Abu Dhabi, Zahia Mall, Sharjah, Nakheel Mall, The Palm, Mall of the Emirates, and Emirates Towers in Dubai, to be opened

by Expo 2020.

ROHIT DHAMANI, Chief Executive Officer, Dusoul Chief Executive Officer of Dusoul and a member of the Dhamani Group’s board of directors. He joined the Dhamani Group of Companies in 1992. The second eldest son in the family, he has been a main catalyst in taking the organization to new heights alongside his father L.N Dhamani and his brother’s Amit Dhamani and Manish Dhamani.

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iCONQUER ('SLEEVES UP')

Each one of us has a story that maps the path of our success which can be an inspiration for others. Share your SUCCESS story with us and be featured in the magazine. Time for you to say – My Choice, My Success, My Story.

SUCCESS STORY When the Story Meets Success

2

Al Rayan Gadouri

General Manager, Red Sea Mall

2018, was crowned with several local and regional awards, including: Jeddah Creative Awards, ITAAM Awards, Sponsorship of Jeddah Summer Festival, CMO Asia Awards, GCC Leadership Awards, RECon 2018 Middle East Awards of the MECSC (Middle East Council of Shopping Centers and ICSC (International Council of Shopping Centers) and it is note worth it, that Red Sea Mall and ITAAM Foundation were nominated to the ICSC Awards at Las Vegas, USA.

52. RETAIL PEOPLE . FEB-APR 2019

018, was filled with various activities and campaigns that took place at Red Sea Mall, which is one of the largest and the most modern malls in Jeddah, located on the beautiful King Abdulaziz Road in the northern part of the city. Red Sea Mall concluded its year with success after success, while it welcomed local and international celebrities as well as conducted different marketing activities and campaigns, including the Red Sea Mall Key to Surprises, which was run during the holy month of Ramadan. And due to its success, the campaign was extended to another period, with a twist in its format to meet the visitors’ expectations. The campaign was called, Red Sea Cup and ran during the World Cup 2018.

Further achievements the Red Sea Mall concluded, was the “Career Fair” which was thought of and implemented in a step to support tenants achieve the government’s Saudization program and the National Transformation Program 2020 and the Saudi Vision 2030.

So, it brought along the Human Resources of the tenants/shop to exhibit their vacancies while inviting a vast number of Saudi male and female youth to explore these opportunities. In addition, the Red Sea Mall succeeded to fulfill the goals of the “Productive Families” Project as well as the “ITAAM” Project.

“2018, was crowned with several local and regional awards, including: Jeddah Creative Awards, ITAAM Awards, Sponsorship of Jeddah Summer Festival, CMO Asia Awards, GCC Leader Ship Awards, RECon 2018 Middle East Awards of the MECSC (Middle East Council of Shopping Centers and ICSC (International Council of Shopping Centers) and it is note worth it, that Red Sea Mall and ITAAM Foundation were nominated to the ICSC Awards at Las Vegas, USA.” Said Eng. Al Rayan Gadouri, General Manager of Red Sea Mall.

On the entertainment part, Red Sea Mall could complete the expansion building which was constructed for the Cinema and it is the first Cinema, that will be operating in Saudi Arabia with the whole concept. With the agreement with VOX, a Majid Al Futtaim cinema operator, Red Sea Mall will be having and offering the new Cinema in town to all its visitors and cinema lovers, providing 12 cinema halls, including 6 standard halls, 3 gold, an IMAX hall, a children's hall. The total number of seats is 1472 seats, including seats for people with special needs. Six of the allocated halls accommodates 165 seats each, two of which accommodate 130 seats and 48 in each of the three gold halls, the IMAX seats 280, the VIP hall contains 62 seats and the children's hall 66 seats, on a total area of 8,000 square meters. The movies will be shown on custom screens, "IMAX", which are the most advanced screens.

Red Sea Mall will always be committed to making the mall, the main shopping and entertainment destination for the residents and visitors of Jeddah.

“W

e believe, our design for mall décor is the best in the world”, Dr. Kersten Rosenau, CEO of First Christmas (Germany) and retail emotions (Dubai) says. His customers are Mall of the Emirates, Dubai, Yas Mall, Abu Dhabi, Kingdom Centre and Al Nakheel (both Riyadh), Mall of Egypt, Cairo, Westfield, London and several hundred more in Europe and the GCC-region. “Emotional design is key for huge foot fall, happy clients and great turnover”, Rosenau adds. The really likeable German started as a lawyer and politician, was a Member of Parliament in Germany for Chancellor Merkel´s Conservative Party before he started his current business.

In Dubai he has support from Mr Kacy Abouali, Director for Business Development at retail emotions, a former Events & Promotions Manager at Mall of the Emirates.

Emotionalize your Mall!

Our Decorations increase Footfall and Sale

www.retailemotions.ae Email ka@retailemotions.ae Mobile +971 54 44 37 408

RETAIL PEOPLE . FEB-APR 2019 .53

BOARD MEMBERS' CORNER

Meet the

New Board Members

T

he newly elected Board of Directors has recently voted Mazen Hamza Qandeel, Executive Director of Granada Center, Saudi Arabia as President of the MECSC Board. The Board Members include Alessandro Gaffuri, CEO & Founder of CELS Group UAE; Nada Abou Saab, Director, Marketing East Region Shopping Malls, Majid Al Futtaim Properties UAE; Alfred Abi Antoun, Head of Retail JLL KSA & Egypt; Maimunah Shebani, Managing Director of The Retail Agency Oman; Marcello Larizza, GM of Line Investments & Property LLC UAE; Rony Aoun, CEO SMAG SAL Lebanon; Wail Balkhair, CEO at SAHAT (Jabal Omar Markets), Saudi Arabia.

Mazen Hamza Qandeel

Alessandro GaffurI

Nada Abou Saab

Alfred Abi Antoun

Maimunah Shebani

Marcello Larizza

Rony Aoun

Wail Balkhair

Outgoing & New Board of Directors

L-R Back: Mohammad Alawi;

Wail Balkhair; Avijit Yadav; Rony Aoun; Maimunah Shebani; Nada Abou-Saab; Alfred Abi Antoun; Luca Cappuccitti

L-R Front: Alessandro Gaffuri;

Marcello Larizza; David Macadam; Mazen Hamza Qandeel; Marwan Eskandarani, Andrew Williamson

54. RETAIL PEOPLE . FEB-APR 2019

BOARD MEMBERS' CORNER

The future of customer interactions ALESSANDRO GAFFURI, CEO & Founder, CELS Group Alessandro Gaffuri is a retail strategy specialist passionate about how to create Favorite Meeting Places across the GCC and Europe. With clients from Europe and throughout the GCC, Alessandro is the regional industry leader in shopping center activation, creating unique marketing niches and mainstream digital content.

Working with shopping malls and leisure venues since 1997, his role is helping brands understand the needs of customers and interact more closely with them. Following global market trends, retail strategy today involves the study of each touch point with visitors, thanks to multidisciplinary methods and a full range of tools – from loyalty systems to live events, from in-mall media to festive lighting. Alessandro creates places were social bounds are just as relevant as shopping related interests.

C

onsumers are increasingly becoming more demanding, techsavvy and looking for unique experiences. That means they expect the best; they know where to find information, and they can compare products, services, experiences, especially when choosing which venue to make their own.

This ever-evolving shift in consumer characteristics also demands that businesses evolve as well and perform at a higher level to gain the interest and attract a loyal clientele.

Fundamental for malls is to ensure that their yearly events make them the chosen destination and truly build a positive relationship with visitors by expressing true and positive values.

In the development of the events’ strategy & planning, it is vital to push for malls to be authentic. People can see right through anything generic. Events must aim to be a perfect blend of art, education, culture and entertainment. Through delightful surprises and special engagements, producing strong emotions, a strong marketing team can turn the shopping experience into a social

experience to be shared and remembered. Customers spend their time where they can feel a sense of belonging – where everyone can be part of something bigger than themselves. Only by creating an authentic venue with a consumer-oriented attitude, it’s possible to create destinations where social and relational interests are as strong as shopping-related ones.

Malls can become local destinations of fun, family and togetherness by producing successful activations, increasing interaction to create Favorite Meeting Places: Festivals (festival-like experiences), Learning Labs (workshops and innovation), Factory Experience (a place where you can see how things actually work or), Vacant Spaces (use empty spaces to create temporary unique activations), Markets (traditional market stalls), Games (turn a mall into a location-based social networking game), Open Museum (a participatory exhibit space for finer artists, art museums and art enthusiasts), Pop Ups (create buzz and excitement around a new product launch).

Integrating technology with Retail ALFRED ABI ANTOUN, Head Of Retail, JLL KSA & Egypt Alfred has over 18 years of experience in working with the region’s leading franchise operators such as M.H. Alshaya, Azadea Group, and Retail Arabia International. His diverse background in retail operations, retail management and retail real estate in multiple regions such as MENA, Eastern Europe, Africa and CIS got him involved with major malls some of which are The Dubai Mall, Mall of the Emirates, YAS Mall in UAE; Mall of Arabia, Red Sea Mall, Riyadh Gallery, Granada, Panorama and Mall of Dahran in KSA. Citystars, Mall of Egypt, Mall of Arabia and Cairo Festival City in Egypt. Alfred has the practicality and the technicality to always deliver a successful retail project.

R

etail has come a long way, triggered by new technologies, changing expectations and the need to innovate constantly.

The increasing use of technology by customers is pressuring retailers to find new ways to increase consumer satisfaction instore. As the technological world advances, so needs to integrate this model within retail stores to effectively target consumers any time, any place and on a platform of their choosing.

The phenomena internet of things (IoT), augmented reality, artificial intelligence, cashier-less stores, and mobile payments will have an increasingly profound effect on how we interact with the retail market in the coming years. A number of retailers have incorporated these technologies already, famous examples being: • IKEA, through its IKEA Place app, allows its customers to view furniture in their homes through the use of augmented reality, creating more confident buys, as well as a unique retail experience.

• Amazon Go provides its customers with a checkout-freeexperience through the usage of their Amazon Go app, discouraging long checkout lines that every customer dreads.

• Bonobos, the men’s retailer, calls its stores ‘guideshops’ where the staff help you find your size, place your order in the store, and then have it shipped directly to your preferred address.

There is a constant debate about online retail taking over retail stores. Retail space plays an integral role in creating personalized and memorable experiences, making it more challenging to measure online. Alfred sees that the near future of the brickand-mortar retail will be more about integrating technologies to balance the offline/online customer shopping experience to cope with the rise of e-commerce.

The rise of e-commerce has pushed international retailers to initiate digital platforms which we didn’t see less than a decade ago, and it’s expected to have a trickle-down effect in the retail market in the region.

RETAIL PEOPLE . FEB-APR 2019 .55

MECSC MEMBER’S SEGMENT

MECSC Corporate Members GOLD

BRONZE

CONSEC SECURITY CONSULTANCY LLC

Look Who’s Joined MECSC!!!

New and Renewed Individual Members from October to December 2018 AZERBAIJAN

Lina Abbas

SAUDI ARABIA

Rabih Takieddine

Osama Bukhamseen

Abdullah Alburaythin

Raed Hamad Al Dosari

Sadeq Al Araibi

Abdullah Mshgan

Samia AlShadoukhi

Saud Al Zabin

Abdullah Saud Bin Omer

Tirtha Brata Panda

Abhishek Shrivastava

Shaika Alsaleh

Abdulmajid Alothim

Waleed Al Shehri

Amal Jamal

Sharefah Al Kandari

Ahmad Bin-Saedan

Waleed Aleisa

Khalid Safa Abdulrahim

Sulaiman Al-Mudayan

Ahmed S AlAwadi

Yaqoub Al-Khabbaz

Alanoud Al Omair

Andrew Williamson BAHRAIN

CANADA Walter Kleinschmit CRX, CSM, CLS EGYPT Amany Sadek Ibrahim

Ali Alasmri LEBANON

Amal Alotaibi

Hani Hachache

Anas Serafi

Joanna Chaanine

Ashraf Saifuddin

Mohammad Khaled

Ayman Al Burti

Mohamed Eid Soliman

El Hajj Hammoud

Rania Ahmed Soliman

Nisrine Hammoud

Fahad Aleisa

Roudaina Hassanieh

Fahad Alshathri

FRANCE Agathe Chevance

Zeeshan Ahmed Ghouse Feroze Pasha

OMAN

Bashar Baroudi

SINGAPORE Imane Ouaissa SPAIN David Medina de Andres UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

Gasem Almaimani

Aaron Dougan

Hamad Aldaoud

Abdulkader Sabsabi

Elise Provins

Ali Al Hosni

Hamad Alhendi

Adrian Colin Lee

Jules Bernard

Ashraf Issa Al Zadjali

Hamad Alolayan

Aisha Yorks

Avik Kumar Ghosh

Ibrahim AlOud

Alessandro Gaffuri

Cheatan Koul

Karam Abed

Alexander Holliday

Eman Al Farsi

Khalid Alhussayen

Alexis Marcoux-Varvatsoulis

Mohammed Salim

Kranthi Kumar Dasa

Alia Metwally

Majed Al Gothmi

Ana Radivojevic

Mansour Alshehri

Anna Watson

Mohamed Ali

Anoop Gopal

Mohommad Adil Shareef

Mohammed A. Fattah

Ashok Ramasamy

Rami Jarrar

Mohammed Al Khaldi

Barry McGettigan

Mohammed Zaid Alyafei

Bassam Saleh

Mudassir Shakeel

Bilal Yaqoob

GERMANY Alexander Gross Steffen Schaack

Al Suleimani INDIA Bajrang Bararia Narendra Lodha

Mohammed Abdullah Moosa Al Kindi

KUWAIT Christian Wistrom

PAKISTAN

David Boesley, CSMA

Hinna Chouhdry

Mustafa AlAzem

Birna Mayra

Karim Mostafa Hussien

Nadeem Riaz

Naif Alhumaid

Chadi Mezher

56. RETAIL PEOPLE . FEB-APR 2019

Chantal Hanekom

Linda Patton

Sajjad Akram

Cherrylyn Fauni

Mahmoud Baker

Saleh Al Akrabi

Cristian Ciociola

Mahmoud Hafiz

Sarah Wehbi, CMD

Debbie Russo

Maliha Busheri

Shakeel Hussain

Diana Al-Sakka

Mandy Osgarth

Shilpi Sengupta

Ela Ozbay Eldem

Manuel Gallo

Siddharth Sharma

Elena Hadji Miceva

Margaux Valentine Chane

Simon Newberry

Fabrizio Parodi Gian Paolo Biasotto Guillaume Darlix Haytham Nasr Heba Eiran Imane Khalife Inderjeet Singh Bubber Ioana Ene

Maria Jose Suarez Viacava Mark John Ruffley

Sofya Shamuzova Sophie Llewellyn Stephanie Durand Ba'Shammakh

Matthew Smith

Susan Leonardo

Mauro Casotto

Wadii El Jourani

Michael Brennan Mohamad El Sabawi, CSM, CLS, CMD Mohamad Kobrosly

Yahya Al Jasmi Yasmeen Mohammed Mandeli

Islam Elsherif

Nabil Ramadhan

Jaisamira Ebarle

Prakash Vivekanand

Jean-Herve Bouyer

Pronob Kumar Kerr

Elham Alansari

Jenny Wilson

Richard Muller

John Sullivan

Julia Jackle

Rima Chammas

Julie Harriss

Kacy Abouali

Rizwan Nawab

Mike Thomson

Khaled Abuhamdeh

Sainik Kumar

Rob Arthur

UNITED KINGDOM Ziad Harb

MECSC LEARNING & DEVELOPMENT SCHOOL FOR RETAIL REAL ESTATE PROFESSIONALS LEVEL 1, 2 & 3

SAVE THE DATE

20 - 17 June 2019 | Kempinski Hotel Mall of the Emirates, Dubai, UAE

Delegates will master core concepts, share ideas and identify successful strategies alongside colleagues from around the world to equip yourself to succeed.

Contact MECSC Office: +971 4 359 7909

|

https://mecsc.org/site/education

FEATURED MEMBER

One-on-One With ...

Juby Jose

Share your designation and a brief background about yourself.

Having spent over the last 15 years in the UAE, it’s been a long journey starting from Marketing and Event Management and then entering in the shopping center industry 11 years ago. First in Marina Mall Abu Dhabi and presently working with The Developers Holding, in the capacity of Head of Marketing & Specialty Leasing at Dalma Mall, one the largest shopping malls in Abu Dhabi. Engaging oneself in shopping centre business is such a compelling experience specifically if you are into marketing. Which other industry does one get to satisfy over 50,000 people from across the world everyday.

Being in the Shopping Centre industry, what is the biggest challenge you faced and how did you deal with it?

When you are servicing a large volume of people on a daily basis, every day is indeed a challenge. When I took over marketing at Dalma Mall, my biggest challenge was to set the right pitch and tone for the mall marketing. There was no scope for a trial and error method.

The question was right on the face “What would bring my customers to Dalma Mall?”

Closely examining the catchment, we understood that the majority was families. Malls had long ago become centers of socializing and family day out than just shopping. We decided to target the main decision makers here – the kids. The primary objective was set to entertain, engage and collaborate with kids, kids and more kids. All the activities, events, shows, competitions were plotted targeting this one specific group of demographics. I don’t know if we succeeded or not but one thing is for sure today you ask any resident kid in Abu Dhabi their favorite mall a major junk would say “Dalma Mall” if not all.

In recent RECon MENA Awards, Dalma Mall has won Gold and Silver Awards in NOI Enhancement and Marketing Excellence. As we start in 2019, what new things can we look forward to Dalma Mall? What preparations you are doing to be the leading shopping mall and Abu Dhabi’s favorite mall?

NAME

Juby Jose PREFERRED NAME/NICKNAME

JJ TITLE/DESIGNATION

Head Of Marketing & Specialty Leasing COMPANY NAME

Dalma Mall HOBBIES/INTEREST

Singing, Music, Reading & Travelling EDUCATION

Bachelor of Technology, Certified in Digital Marketing PERSONAL LIFE PHILOSPHY

Don't wait for the right moment to start, start and make each moment right.

Now is the right moment.

And always listen to your heart as humanity survives on emotions, not on rules.

“Your mind, it will trick you but your heart, it will not.”

58. RETAIL PEOPLE . FEB-APR 2019

Dalma Mall is very much a mid to mid + value mall and we clearly understand our brands and audiences. From brands to F&B, entertainment and marketing activities we endeavor to provide a balanced lifestyle for our patrons. 2019 is going to be a very happening year for Dalma with great offerings for our customers wherein we are opening our new state of the art Bowling Center “Zeal” which would be the largest in Abu Dhabi. We are also opening doors for our customers to various fond of eateries and some popular fashion brands. We are also developing a new parking area and overall enhancement of the existing parking to ease traffic flow. On the marketing front, we have some first in the region kid’s entertainment activities, unique customer engagement programs, celebrity visits and much more in the pipeline. Dalma Mall’s priority is their customer’s, retailers and thrives to create value for all stakeholders on a perpetual basis. That makes our Dalma Mall as Abu Dhabi’s Favorite Mall.

Where do you find your inspiration to keep going?

I would say I get my inspiration and energy from firstly the trust and confidence the management has bestowed upon me and the strong support of my teammates and secondly from the smile, happiness and satisfaction I see on the faces of those little kids their parents and my other patrons. It's indeed an overwhelming experience hard to describe.

As a longtime member of MECSC, how does MECSC benefit you? Would you recommend MECSC to others?

I have been a proud member of MECSC for 10 years now it’s been such an amazing experience. Right from the courses in the initial stages to vast networking opportunities it has provided. Must say MECSC also has been evolving and getting better year on year.

MECSC today is the main platform and for the industry where we connect and engage with our industry colleagues and group towards enhancing our industry.

Thanks to MECSC for all the wonderful experiences, those accolades and laurels and for the amazing friends I cherish today.

Energised for Tomorrow

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RETAIL PEOPLE MAGAZINE

REDEFINING EXPERIENTIAL RETAIL IN 2019

ISSUE 18 . FEBRUARY – APRIL 2019

REDEFINING EXPERIENTIAL RETAIL IN

2019