Retail People Magazine – Issue 17

ASALA HOLDING Launched Tabuk Park & Riyadh Park in 2018 Page 20

REEM MALL An Addition to Retail Properties Collection Page 22

AL HOKAIR TIME The Future of Middle East Entertainment Page 26

Special RECon MENA Edition ISSUE 17 OCT–DEC 2018

Circulated in 45 countries

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CONTENTS

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

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Welcome Note

Featured Article...

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Contributors

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Al Hokair Time…The Future of Middle East Entertainment

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The Life of Future Retail

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Consumer Data and Experience are Key to Future-Proof Retail

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Establishing The Right 2018 Retail Foundation

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Retail Needs a New Direction Here’s How?

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Openbravo Helps Retailers Future-Proof their Stores and Achieve Competitive Advantage

Dar Al Arkan Signs Agreement with Majid Al Futtaim to Open VOX Cinemas Multiplex in Al Qasr Mall in Riyadh, SA

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Inbound Content Marketing – An Evolution in Retail

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E-Commerce, Amazon and Walmart

Giordano Continues Expansion in the Region

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Why Planned Preventative Maintenance?

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How Digital Capabilities are Being Used to Disrupt Disparate Healthcare Eco-Systems in Developing Countries

New $200m ‘Santa Monica-style entertainment centre’ announced in RAK’s Al Marjan

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REDS – Your Partner in Bridging the Gap in the Advisory and Consultancy Roles

Al Hokair Plans to Embark on SR147b Virtual Reality Market

Events Gallery…

Cover Story…

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News Brief….

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Justin Espiritu Publishing & Database Manager publishing@mecsc.org JC Gayoma Membership Manager membership@mecsc.org

Riyadh Metro to Drive Real Estate Demand Across Saudi Arabian Capital Blachere Illumination Opens Middle East Office in Dubai

Mariz Matocdo Marketing Officer customercare@mecsc.org Christian Baldonanza Registration / Digital Content Executive connect@mecsc.org

MECSC Celebrates Twenty-Five Years – a Milestone of Success in the Industry

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Abu Dhabi’s Al Maryah Central Mall Slated for August 2019 Opening

Openbravo announces a new office in Dubai to support ambitious growth in the ME

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 Chris Capstick General Manager - Connect

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Future Proof Retail – Visual Merchandising

iConquer…

The Robot Restaurant Revolution: ‘Jetsons-Like’ Dream or Automation Nightmare?

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The Salad Jar: Making Nutrition a Priority

MECSC Members’ Segment

Shopping Centre Update…

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Al-Othaim Group Success Story shared by Mr. Fahad Al Othaim

MECSC Members On-Board

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MODA Mall Leads the Way in Bahrain’s High-End Retail

Regional Representative’s Corner 47

The Best Property Manager I Have Ever Met

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ASALA Holding Launched Tabuk Park and Riyadh Park in 2018

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An Outstanding Addition to Abu Dhabi’s Collection of Retail Properties: The US$ 1.2Bn REEM Mall

Egypt – The Land of the Pharaohs Still Appealing for Shopping Centres Development & Retail Expansion

Featured Member

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Breaking the Brick - Granada Center

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Art Director General Manager - Production

In Focus...

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Rouf Majid Sunil Kumar

Spring Board Networking – Kuwait

Insights...

Ingrid Valles Senior Projects Manager

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One-on-One with Zainab Talati

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.

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WELCOME

ASALA HOLDING Launched Tabuk Park & Riyadh Park in 2018 Page 20

REEM MALL An Addition to Retail Properties Collection Page 22

AL HOKAIR TIME The Future of Middle East Entertainment Page 26

Special RECon MENA Edition ISSUE 17 OCT–DEC 2018

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

Circulated in 45 countries

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.

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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.

M A G A Z I N E

ON THE COVER: MECSC Celebrates 25th Anniversary in celebration with the RECon MENA 2018 Future Proof Retail

The MECSC as an organization was founded on these values twenty five years ago. 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.

The team at the MECSC takes great pride in working to host the RECon Conference annually.

The volume of detail is staggering. Delivering these events and making it look easy takes skill, hard work, dedication, perseverance and luck. Of course, the definition of luck - is when preparation meets opportunity.

The 25th Anniversary of the MECSC is a celebration. The heady days of exuberant growth in the industry may be behind us for now. Success for navigating these changing times in the industry is reflected in the theme of this RECon Conference in 2018 - Future Proof Retail.

Thank you to

The truer definition of retail should be – ‘embracing change’.

Our selection of Keynote Speakers focuses on the foremost global expert in digital marketing, pursuing future trends with shifting consumer expectations, understanding artificial intelligence and securing the power of positivity. Our panel selection is wide-ranging with some of the world’s leading retail experts.

Younus Al Mulla MECSC Chairman

Marwan Eskandarani MECSC Board President Group Business Development Director – GCC Kamal Osman Jamjoom Group LLC

We all have a stake in the future of the retail industry locally, regionally and globally in the many forms which retail will morph into. The MECSC is committed to work with all stakeholders to ensure everyone is brought up to date on the latest news through our many channels of communication.

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.

Andrew Williamson Board Member

Avijit Yadav, CMD, CSM, CLS, CDP, CRX Chief Operating Officer GLA Property Management Co. LLC

Khalid Suleiman Aljasser Board Member Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Luca Cappuccitti Head of Global Business Development & Strategy Design International

Maimunah Shebani Managing Director The Retail Agency

DAVID MACADAM Chief Executive Officer MECSC

MARWAN ESKANDARANI MECSC Board President Group Business Development Director – GCC Kamal Osman Jamjoom Group LLC

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

Mohammad Alawi Partner & CEO Real Estate Development Solution

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WHERE FASHION MEANS BUSINESS MODA Mall is the perfect venue for retail and F&B outlets to make an elegant statement. Located at the landmark Bahrain World Trade Center, MODA Mall is the Kingdom’s fashion capital, playing host to the world’s most exquisite labels, gourmet cafés and restaurants. It’s the epitome of class.

AN IMPRESSIVE CATCHMENT With its strategic location attracting premium business clients, MODA Mall is an exciting shopping destination for not just the shopper in Bahrain but also the neighbouring Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Additionally, it caters to a significant affluent target audience from the GCC visiting Bahrain for business or leisure, as well as visitors and tourists from around the world.

modamall

MODA_Mall

A RANGE OF DISTINGUISHED SERVICES • Valet Parking Service at Gate 2 • Dedicated Customer Service Desks • Banking & Financial Services • Hair Salon • Mosque with Imam • 24-Hr Security • Free Wi-Fi • Five-star Sheraton Hotel • Car Rental Service • Fitness and Health Club • 24-Hr Helpdesk • Ample parking For this great retail leasing opportunity, contact us today Kirsty Anne Leask - Leasing Manager CUSHMAN & WAKEFIELD BAHRAIN WLL Bahrain World Trade Center, West Tower, 2nd Floor P.O. Box 75445, Manama, Kingdom of Bahrain M: (+973) 33604141 T: (+973) 1332 3332 F: (+973) 1332 3200 E: kirsty.leask@cushwake.com.bh bwtc.leasing@cushwake.com.bh

MODA_Mall

www.modabahrain.com

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C NTRIBUTORS

JON BIRD Executive Director, VML The Robot Restaurant Revolution: 'Jetsons-Like' Dream or Automation Nightmare? (P14)

SAMAR AKKOU, CSM, CLS Leasing Manager, CITYMALL The Life of Future Retail (P27)

OLIVER MORGAN & JEFF GREIG Director / Vice President, Real Estate, Deloitte Professional Services Ltd. Consumer Data and Experience are Key to Future-Proof Retail (P28)

MIKE NASREDDIN Sales Director MEA, Openbravo Openbravo Helps Retailers Future – Proof their Stores and Achieve Competitive Advantage (P32)

KIM OVERBYE Business Consultant Why Planned Preventative Maintenance? (P35)

DANIELLE SALLAM Founder, The Salad Jar The Salad Jar: Making Nutrition a Priority (P16)

VIC BAGERIA Entrepreneur & Chief Visionary Officer, Xpandretail powered by Sávant Establishing The Right 2018 Retail Foundation (P30)

MARK ATKINSON Owner / Founder, The Black & White Group Inbound Content Marketing – An Evolution in Retail (P33)

DR. SURESH ROWVEY Director Business Operations, YouGo Tag Technology Solutions How Digital Capabilities are Being Used to Disrupt Disparate Healthcare Eco-Systems in Developing Countries? (P36)

MISHAL AL HOKAIR Deputy CEO, GM of Entertainment, Al Hokair Group Al Hokair Time…The Future of Middle East Entertainment (P26)

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RANIA LAING Founder & Chief Executive Officer, Your Neuro Coach Retail Needs a New Direction, Here's How? (P31)

36 offi the Te Ac co lei dis

SHAH KARIM CEO, SafeRock E-Commerce, Amazon, and Walmart (P34)

MOHAMMAD ALAWI Partner & Chief Executive Officer, Real Estate Development Solutions REDS – Your Partner in Bridging the Gap in the Advisory and Consultancy Roles (P37)

Tra an

CLAIR STUART-MENTETH CEO & Founder, Sticky Red Future Proof Retail – Visual Merchandising (P40)

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GL

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Pr FAHAD AL-OTHAIM Vice-Chairman, Al-Othaim Group, iCONQUER ('Sleeves Up') (P42)

MAZEN QANDEEL Executive Director, Granada Investment Center Company The Best Property Manager I Have Ever Met (P47)

MOHAMED GALAL President & CEO, TSM CRENOVATIONS Egypt – The Land of the Pharaohs Still Appealing for Shopping Centres Development & Retail Expansion (P48)

Fo Em 06. RET RETAIL AILPEOPLE PEOPLE..OCT-DEC OCT-DEC2018 2018

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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

18 Million

17

15

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Projected Footfall

Tennis Courts

Cinema Screens

Anchors

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

WWW.TAMDEEN.COM OCT-DEC 2018 . RETAIL PEOPLE .07

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COVER STORY

MECSC Celebrates Twenty-Five Years A Milestone of Success in the Industry

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n the cover of this Retail People Magazine is a celebration of our 25th Anniversary Conference.

His Excellency Mohammad Al Gergawi, the Minister of Governmental Affairs and the Future of the UAE and the Chairman of the Executive Office of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum in the Government of Dubai is the Founding Father of the Middle East Council of Shopping Centres (MECSC) twenty-five years ago. The MECSC has benefitted enormously from the support and original efforts of His Excellency Mohammad Al Gergawi. One of his earliest roles in the Government of Dubai was in the Dubai Municipality. In this role, he was able to create the original, official DED trade license for the MECSC to legally exist as an organization. The initial DED trade license provided legitimacy for the MECSC and enabled the first ‘not for profit’ organization in the region to gain traction. The original role of the MECSC was to promote

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(L-R) H.E. Mohammed Al Gergawi, Minister of Cabinet Affairs and the Future of the UAE and the Chairman of the Executive Office of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum and HE Majid Saif Al Ghurair, Chairman of the Dubai Chamber of Commerce & Industry and President of BurJuman Shopping Centre

membership collaboration, sharing of knowledge, education, networking and conferences with a view to growing the retail industry in the UAE. The role today for the MECSC remains the same twenty-five (25) years later. Now with regional expansion, the MECSC goals are to promote collaboration within the membership, facilitate sharing of industry knowledge, providing education programs, supporting networking events and to host conferences.

Our role in the success of the retail industry regionally is due in large measure to the original efforts and support of HE Mohammad Al Gergawi. We thank him for his foresight and the enduring legacy of the creation of the MECSC organization.

DAVID MACADAM Chief Executive Officer MECSC

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NEWS BRIEF

News Brief Riyadh Metro to Drive Real Estate Demand Across Saudi Arabian Capital The launch of the Riyadh Metro, a $22.5bn transport project scheduled to be operational in 2019, is likely to create new property hotspots in throughout Riyadh, according to a report

by Knight Frank.

The report investigates the impact of new infrastructure on real estate values in the Kingdom’s capital. Commenting on the report, Knight Frank Research Manager Raya Majdalani says “The Riyadh Metro is set to have a marked effect in relation to real estate dynamics and the ability to spur meaningful urban regeneration.”

At a glance: • According to Knight Frank, real estate is forecast to double its contribution to economic output in Saudi Arabia in the period to 2030.

• Rapid population growth has seen the Kingdom respond with urban regeneration initiatives including mixed-use communities and large-scale infrastructure projects • The opening of the Riyadh Metro is expected to help drive real estate demand across the capital, including in secondary locations.

Recently introduced strategic reforms aimed at encouraging foreign investment and strengthening the non-oil sector have placed a focus on real estate which is forecast to double its contribution to economic output throughout the period to 2030, says Knight Frank.

The implementation of various urban regeneration initiatives including mixed-use communities and large-scale infrastructure projects are expected to act as catalysts for the real estate market.

The Riyadh Metro is one of the key infrastructure projects that is taking shape and is set to dramatically alter the dynamics of both residential and commercial real estate markets. Whilst it is too early to quantify the effect on capital values, land values and rental rates, an analysis of international benchmarks shows that mass transit systems have the potential to be a strong driver for growth as a result of improved connectivity, says Knight Frank.

The Riyadh Metro is planned to cover 176 kilometres which will link 85 train stations, including the major King Abdullah Financial District (KAFD) Metro Station, which will be designed by Zaha Hadid Architects.

Source: Retalk MENA - https://bit.ly/2BMVKQr

Blachère Illumination Opens Middle East Office in Dubai Blachère Illumination is a family-run French company firmly rooted in its home region, but with future-oriented outlook for international development.

Blachere Illumination stand out from the crowd through their expertise and innovative design, creating exceptional lighting tailormade to suit the client’s image. The brand’s know-how means they can meet any demand: decorating shopping centers, illuminating cities, media facades and even event lighting and mapping with the Blachère Events department. They always have their finger on the pulse when it comes to the latest trends, making sure they keep ahead of the game, offering a wide range of lighting ideas.

For more information, please contact: +971 54 476 5111 Blachere-MiddleEast@blachere-illumination.ae

Blachère Illumination: it’s an art of living.

The opening of this new office in Dubai aims to offer all their services, design and unique Know-How in festive lights, and to help the clients to create destinations where more happens.

Blachere Illumination can design, make and deliver all lighting projects, anywhere in the world. It is the staff, with their diversity and professionalism, who are the strength of their company.

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Dar Al Arkan Signs Agreement with Majid Al Futtaim to Open VOX Cinemas Multiplex in Al Qasr Mall in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia Dar Al Arkan, the largest listed real estate developer in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, has signed an agreement with Majid Al Futtaim, to open VOX Cinemas multiplex in Saudi Arabia.

VOX Cinemas will operate the new 15-screen multiplex at Dar Al Arkan’s Al Qasr Mall in Riyadh. The multiplex is scheduled to open in Q1 2019 and will include VOX Cinemas’ signature KIDS and MAX experiences. KIDS is a family-friendly movie environment for little movie fans, and MAX is made for big blockbuster viewing.

The design involves a major retail transformation of an existing section of the mall for the brand-new cinema, which will offer a superior leisure experience to the mall visitors. The addition of more outlets for casual dining and entertainment, including indoor bowling will enhance the visitors’ experience at the mall.

Al Qasr Mall hosts regional and international high-street favourites, diverse dining experiences providing myriad options in food and beverage outlets, a food court for quick bites, indoor fun zone for children and Carrefour Hypermarket to shop home-essentials.

Giordano Continues Expansion in the Region 6 More Stores Opened and On-Line Platform Relaunched in the Region Giordano, the global apparel brand known for its everyday wardrobe essentials, has opened 6 new stores in the region.

The newly opened stores are at the Ajman City Center and Ibn Battuta Mall in the UAE, Riyadh Park, Villaggio Mall and Lulu Briman in Saudi Arabia and Al Kout Mall in Kuwait.

The stores showcase a fresh new look, redefining simplicity and embracing a more classic and refined concept. Space is maximised for product displays and customer interaction, as the new stores include wider entrances and larger, more comfortable fitting rooms.

“Our customers have been the main focus in the design of our new C.I.M. (Customers In Mind) stores. Giordano embodies

simplicity in design and quality in substance, and we have endeavored to simplify and improve our customers' shopping experience, enabling them to mix and match items and avail of excellent quality apparel at a great value.” said Ishwar Chugani, Managing Director, Giordano.

In 2018, six new Giordano stores opened in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Kuwait. Another ten stores in the region were fully upgraded and renovated. In addition, Giordano Group’s expansion continues with the opening of their first store in Paris France and Johannesburg, South Africa.

With the expansion of stores, Giordano introduces their card less loyalty program “World Without Strangers” (WWS) and currently boasts over 500,000 members from the Middle East and over 11 million members worldwide.

WWS members contribute significantly to Giordano’s overall sales.

At Giordano. we continuously innovate to make ourselves relevant to the times and our customers. As part of our global expansion program, we continue to invest in new technology and have recently also relaunched our new online store – www.giordano.com/me.

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NEWS BRIEF

Abu Dhabi's Al Maryah Central Mall Slated for August 2019 Opening Abu Dhabi’s Al Maryah Central mall has obtained its building completion certificate and will open its doors to the public in August 2019, according to real estate development company Gulf Related.

The building completion certificate shows that multiple local authorities have inspected and approved the new mall design, build quality and safety standards.

It is considered the end of the mall’s construction phase.

The completion of the construction phase enables Al Maryah’s tenants to begin taking possession of their units and begin fit-out in anticipation of its opening on August 27, 2019.

“As we conclude construction, Al Maryah Central has now moved into the pre-opening phase. This important certification now enables our tenants to start the fit-out of their stores, ensuring we are ready to open to the public next August,” said Daniel Parry, the Managing Director and General Counsel of Gulf Related.

Parry added that over the coming weeks, Gulf Related will “announce many additional brands, which together will create an incredibly exciting retail, entertainment and dining mix for Abu Dhabi’s residents and visitors.”

The mall – which will include a 2.8 million square foot shopping centre and two 400,000 sq f towers featuring a hotel and luxury residences – has been plagued by delays over the last several years and has repeatedly pushed back its opening date.

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

New $200m ‘Santa Monica-style entertainment centre’ announced in RAK’s Al Marjan Ras Al Khaimah’s Al Marjan Island is set to host a new $200m project with a 300-room hotel and a discovery, fitness and history-themed entertainment park. The ‘Santa Monica-style entertainment centre’ was announced by UAE-based Indian investor Ivan Richard Menezes, director of United Ventures and Investments Limited, on Wednesday.

Menezes has purchased land on the fourth island of Al Marjan Island to create the project, according to a company statement.

“With our development, we are bringing the region’s largest of its kind attraction in the Middle East offering an experience that will have several innovative feel-good, discovery, fitness, historical and thrill-based offerings that appeal to all from UAE and the world,” he said.

Ras Al Khaimah’s first man-made project, Al Marjan Island is a cluster of four coral-shaped islands that currently has over 1,600 operational five-star hotel keys, including Rixos Hotels, Hilton Hotels & Resorts and Accor Hotels brands, and more than 2,000 residential units including Bab Al Bahar residential and Pacific by Select Group.

Dubai developer Emaar is also developing 2 million sq ft of mixed-use projects on the island including high-end residential, hospitality and retail components.

Abdullah Al Abdooli, Managing Director and CEO of Marjan, said the company was focussing on bringing in inward investment to develop freehold property with a focus on mixed-use projects.

“At Al Marjan Island, we offer developers a plug-and-play model of purchasing land with development. The mixeduse project will further drive tourism and also catalyse the economy as a leisure attraction for families, sports lovers, and fitness enthusiasts. We are committed to further strengthening the amenities offered in Ras Al Khaimah.”

Source: Gulf Business (https://bit.ly/2zW97ev)

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Al Hokair Plans to Embark on SR147b Virtual Reality Market AFTER recently embarking on the world of cinemas, Al Hokair Entertainment, one of the leading family entertainment organizations in the region, is now planning to establish its footprint within the global SR147 billion virtual reality gaming sector. With 91 active entertainment centers, under Al Hokair’s key entertainment brand ‘Sparky’s’, the group will now focus on embedding their centres with comprehensive virtual reality (VR) gaming zones.

“We are getting ready for the millennials, the digital natives, they need more immersive games and they exactly know what they want from entertainment centers such as ours. Over the last couple of years, we have seen a giant leap within the VR segment and we see the growth to continue till 2025. Current generation is consuming more entertainment content than ever before. This is estimated to be a multi-billiondollar industry and we want to ensure that we establish our footprint slightly ahead of the industry,” Mishal Al Hokair, the Executive Vice President and General Manager of the Entertainment Sector.

“We are looking at expanding our reach within Saudi Arabia, UAE and other regional markets. We believe that one of the key factors for the success of VR games is the immersion value of the whole VR concept. This ability of the gaming environment to reproduce a realistic representation of all human senses is something that engages the gamer. We are in the midst of conceptualizing such games with our partners. Another significant growth driver of the VR industry includes growing digitization, robust technology, increasing demand for head mounted displays in gaming and entertainment industries, and also rising investment in the overall VR market itself,” added Mishal.

Source: Saudi Gazette (https://bit.ly/2No70U9)

Openbravo announces a new office in Dubai to support ambitious growth in the Middle East Openbravo, the global cloud-based omnichannel software solution vendor for agile and innovative retailing, announced the opening of a new office in Dubai which will support growth in the Middle East and offer enhanced service to existing retail customers in the region like SharafDG and Organic Foods & Café who are currently using Openbravo’s solution in their stores.

"The Middle East represents a huge growth opportunity thanks to the recent market changes stemming from increased competition and new economic policies. These changes compel retailers in the region to renovate their retail management systems to meet the requirements for business digitalization, innovation and omnichannel transformation, and to gain agility for increased responsiveness to future market changes. Openbravo helps retailers address the pressures they are facing effectively." said Marco de Vries, CEO. The new Dubai office is led by Mike Nasreddin, who brings broad IT and software sales experience in the region working with companies including Oracle.

The new office is a welcome addition other Openbravo offices in France, India, Mexico and Spain.

To learn more visit www.openbravo.com

Bahrain may seek bids for metro construction in 2019 Bahrain plans to seek bids to build a metro railway system in the fourth quarter of 2019, the newspaper Al-Ayam reported on its website on Monday, citing a transport ministry official who estimated the project cost at $1 billion to $2 billion. The government may seek private investments to partially fund the project, Abdul Rahman Al-Janahi, an advisor to the transport minister, told the Bahraini newspaper.

Source: REUTERS (https://reut.rs/2wieQc7)

Taj Holding acquires Dubai fashion retailer Beside Group Dubai-based Beside Group is partner for a number of international fashions brands in the Middle East, including Diesel, Fred Perry Pinko and Scotch & Soda. Taj Holding, a Saudi based investment group, has acquired Dubai-based fashion retailer and distributor Beside Group. “We are proud and privileged to be joining forces with an industry leader such as Beside,” said Omar Henaidy Taj Holding Group Chairman and CEO. Source: Arabian Business (https://bit.ly/2NqyEQt)

Dubai's Mumzworld secures $20m in new funding round Dubai-based Mumzworld.com, the e-commerce shopping destination for mothers in the MENA region, announced on Tuesday that it has successfully closed its Series B funding round with an additional $20M investment from Gulf Islamic Investments (GII). This makes GII the single largest shareholder in Mumzworld, a statement said. Mona Ataya Founder of Mumzworld said: "We are delighted to have yet another strong institutional investor in GII join the Mumzworld family at such a critical inflection point in the Company's trajectory.”

Source: Arabian Business (https://bit.ly/2E31fvJ)

Over 50% of Gitex Shopper visitors plan to buy smartphone Survey reveals Gitex Shopper consumers are most interested in purchasing electronic items of personal use, such as laptops, tablets and smartwatches. Smartphones were the most bought electronic item last year and it continues to remain the most favorite this year, said the latest study conducted by Kantar. It said consumers are also interested in purchasing electronic items of personal use, such as laptops, tablets and smartwatches. Moreover, a majority of respondents are willing to invest in two products on average, a pattern similar to last year.

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

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INSIGHTS

The Robot Restaurant Revolution: 'Jetsons-Like' Dream or Automation Nightmare?

T

he Labor Day long weekend just gone is the unofficial end of summer in the U.S. But amidst the end-of-season rush for the beach and the barbecue (not to mention the bonus sales), many Americans don’t realize that Labor Day also officially marks the culmination of a hard-fought movement to celebrate the rights of the worker. Which set me to wondering: will the day take on fresh significance in the next few years as robots begin to assume more minimum wage tasks? (After all, a 2017 Oxford University research study forecast that almost half of U.S. jobs are in danger of being usurped by “computerization” over the next two decades.)

The latest robot restaurants popping up around the planet are perhaps a sign of what’s to come. China’s Alibaba has opened an ingenious automated eatery called Robot.he, in its Shanghai Hema Supermarket. The restaurant offers a “Jetsons like food experience” to quote Alibaba’s official news source, Alizila.

Like the rest of the supermarket, Robot.he is app-driven.

Diners check in by scanning a code on their smartphones, so the system can track where they are sitting. They can then choose their seafood which is sent via conveyor to a robot-controlled refrigerator. Once seated, the robot releases the ingredients to chefs in the kitchen, and the diner can order additional dishes on a table-side tablet, or on their phones. The most visible magic for me, however, is in the food delivery. Inspired from Alibaba’s futuristic robotic warehouse, robot servers whizz along gleaming miniature highways to deliver meals directly to the table.

Back in the U.S., a San Francisco start-up is taking robotics right into the kitchen.

Burger restaurant Creator has no human chefs, just a mesmerizing machine (a “culinary instrument”) which does it all: slicing, toasting and buttering fresh-baked brioche buns; adding layers of salad and shredding cheese; and for its best trick, grinding and cooking hormone-free beef; then assembling the finished product in just five minutes.

The machine shreds cheese onto a bun Creator Burger.

Photographer: Cayce Clifford/Bloomberg

As reported in Tech Crunch, all that automation allows Creator co-founder and CEO Alex Vardakostas to deliver “the kind of burger you would get for $12 to $18 (at an upscale restaurant), and it’s $6”. An additional operating bonus is that the burgerbuilding robot takes up a lot less space than a regular kitchen, so Creator is not just saving on staff costs, but square footage.

The robot restaurant revolution is on the rise. Spyce in Boston, established by four MIT graduates (of course), serves up $7.50 vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free bowls, all cooked by robotic chefs. Humans in the kitchen are reduced to the role of “garnish employees” – they add the toppings.

At Junkichi in Seattle, robots don’t take center stage – they are designed purely to entertain and interact with guests at the table. At Caliburger in Pasadena, a robot short-order cook called “Flippy” works the grill (and cleans up afterwards). Also in California, Zume Pizza (established in 2015, so relatively ancient in the robot restaurant world), has machines to press the dough and spread the sauce. Chris Satchell, Chief Technology Officer of Zume talks about its no-wage mechanical workers as “co-bots”, working collaboratively with humans.

Robots are making real inroads in hospitality too. At the Sheraton San Gabriel in southern California, a team of eight robots can show you around the hotel, open doors for you, plus deliver your luggage and provide room service.

Here too, the management is at pains to say that the hightech approach complements the high-touch service of fleshand-blood employees. “It enhances the guest experience with our team-members”, Fred Kokash, the Director of Sales and Marketing told ABC. So far, in regular retail, robots have been largely consigned to non-customer facing roles such as fulfilling orders in Amazon

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Credits: This article was originally published on forbes.com

warehouses, auditing shelves in Walmart and looking for out-of-stocks and floor hazards in Giant Supermarkets. The notable exception in the U.S. has been “LoweBot”, a retail service robot designed to help customers navigate Lowe’s stores and find items, which again has been tested in California.

The future may be very different, however. As I wrote about on Forbes. com earlier this year, Chinese online retailer JD.com envisions “100% automation”, with “people-free warehouses” and unmanned physical stores.

Restaurants and hospitality are the areas where jobs are most immediately vulnerable. While “retail salesperson” is the most popular position in the U.S., when you combine “food preparation and serving workers” with “waiter or waitress”, food service rockets to the top of the job charts – and those are the roles being most highly targeted.

So, at the end of the Labor Day weekend, will we start to see the end of labor? Will robots take over, or will we experience a more benign “cobot” future, with robots and humans co-existing in perfect harmony, and people allowed to fulfill their full potential? It will be fascinating to find out.

JON BIRD Executive Director Global Retail and Shopper Marketing at VML VML is an award-winning worldwide marketing communications company. Based in New York, I focus on retail as part of the connected consumer experience. Prior to VML, I headed up Y&R’s global retail shopper marketing practice, Labstore, from New York. Before relocating to the United States from Sydney in 2014, I was a co-founder of retail specialist agency IdeaWorks in Australia and NZ, and was ultimately CEO and Chairman. I have also served as Director of Retail Marketing for M&C Saatchi.

I am passionate and excited about retail and where it’s all headed, and I have spoken all over the world on the subject, including the National Retail Federation Big Show in New York; SxSW in Austin, Texas; WPP Global Retail Forums in Miami, Mexico City and Santiago; and the Budapest Brain Bar in Hungary.

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INSIGHTS

The Salad Jar:

Making Nutrition a Priority A one-on-one interview with Danielle Sallam, Founder of The Salad Jar which launched in July 2015. What started as a passion for healthy and wholesome food has now blossomed into The Salad Jar. How did it all get started?

As a fitness enthusiast and mum-on-the-go, I continuously struggled to find great tasting, healthy food, that would be convenient to get and easy to eat. My husband too was eager to have nutritious meals at the office. It was when a friend in Canada introduced me to the concept of packing a lunch in a jar that I embarked on making my first Salad Jar. My husband was sold straight away on his jarred lunch and came home one evening with a dozen differently sized & shaped jars with the suggestion I make a selection of salads for his team. Shortly afterwards we had his office of 9 hooked on my creations. I went on to test my recipes on friends from the gym, mums from school and my daughter’s teachers. From then on we couldn’t keep a lid on it!

What is your target market and why are they so important to reach?

Business professionals, mums-on-the-go, fitness enthusiasts – anyone in search of great tasting, healthy delivery options.

I knew from experience that healthy, fulfilling lunchtime meals were hard to find in Dubai. If it was convenient it was usually unhealthy, if healthy not convenient, and if convenient and healthy it was either very expensive or lacked an abundance of quality ingredients. I believe it is very important to make healthy food options as accessible as possible to anyone.

Proper nutrition on a regular basis has such an incredibly positive impact on people’s overall well-being. Good nutrition pays lifelong dividends.

You’ve recently entered grocery retail. Why have you chosen this route and what has your experience been thus far?

We launched in Spinneys and Waitrose stores in January and the experience has been great. From a brand and marketing

perspective, it got us in front of a large audience - many of whom might not have known about The Salad Jar. This retail channel did come with its own set of challenges, however, it is now a significant part of our business and doing great for us. The Salad Jar now has a thriving omnichannel retail offering, which is great for our customer’s overall experience of the brand & product and, as a result, great for our numbers!

You operate your own mobile app – why did you decide to develop your own when platforms such as Deliveroo and food on click are available?

The original TSJ concept was to make healthy living as easy as possible, from placing your order, delivery to your doorstep, to actual easy of consumption. Our own app and ordering platform was to be a big part of our brand identity: clean, simple & convenient. Because of our retail channels, we do not have the front of house staff to engage with customers, like traditional restaurants. We needed our own unique and effective ways to communicate with our customers – and having our own ordering platform and delivery team (our ambassadors!) has been a big part of our connection with our customers. In addition, dealing directly with the customer has allowed us to provide outstanding customer service – which is hugely important to us.

We have nevertheless recently teamed-up with Deliveroo through their Editions kitchens. This has enabled us to extend our delivery presence outside of our existing delivery areas, reaching new customers. The partnership is relatively new, however, we are having great success with Deliveroo and it’s definitely exceeding our expectations.

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SHOPPING CENTRE UPDATE

MODA Mall leads the way in Bahrain’s high-end retail

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ahrain’s luxury shopping destination, MODA Mall is further expanding the scope of luxury retail in Bahrain, with new lifestyle experiences to complement an already impressive portfolio. With an unrivaled presence of leading retail names, the mall continues to maintain a consistent leased area approaching 15,000 square meters, led by a tenant mix comprising luxury fashion at 41%, Exquisite Jewellery at 23%, Fine Dining and other F&B offerings at 8%. Additionally, MODA Mall’s other retail offerings include Antiques & Collectibles, Gifts & Confectionary, Service Retail, Health & Beauty, Perfumes & Fragrances and Consumer Electronics at 28%.

Bahrain’s retail real estate sector, one of the most dynamic sectors, has been expanding steadily over recent years, at an annual rate of 13%* driven significantly by tourism, large-infrastructure projects, proximity to Saudi Arabia and a growing population of expatriates, reflecting a growing consumer interest in personal luxury goods.

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Capitalising on this demand, MODA Mall has enhanced its retail portfolio with new lifestyle experiences. Amongst the latest launches at MODA Mall is Theresa Beauty Center offering professional services for all women's needs; PERLE, a multifaceted concept store for pop-up events, mini-art expos and extraordinary events; Mia Moon, a multi-brand luxury jewellery store, Artemis, a multi-designer Arabic fashion store, along with renowned Kuwaiti perfume brand Atyab Al Marshoud and a stand-alone booth featuring ENZAS Jewellery.

In addition, set to debut at MODA Mall later this year will be international brands - a luxury car brand that will be showcased at the Behbehani Brothers vehicle showroom; and Messika, one of the world’s most innovative and modern diamond jewellery houses launching its presence in Bahrain with its first boutique at the mall. Last but not least, the mall will also be expanding its food & beverage offerings with three new outlets - AMORE café, Flat White and Mana juice bar.

Alongside growing its retail offerings, MODA Mall is also working with key stakeholders to help boost Bahrain’s growing retail economy. Its ongoing collaboration with the Bahrain Economic Development Board (EDB) has enabled the Mall to successfully host industry networking forums, including the Middle East Council of Shopping Centres (MECSC) Bahrain ‘Next Gen’ Networking Event.

MODA Mall has also actively engaged with the Bahrain Tourism Exhibitions Authority (BTEA), supporting initiatives

Bahrain World Trade Center and MODA Mall’s managing agent, Cushman & Wakefield Bahrain, Kelvin Crutchlow, Director & General Manager

such as Shop Bahrain, aimed at attracting shopping tourism, in addition to hosting several other community-focused cultural and welfare activities.

With the retail industry continuing to expand and attracting participation from all major stakeholders, MODA Mall continues to pave the way for new opportunities, concepts and future growth in Bahrain’s retail economy.

For more information, please contact: Memac Ogilvy: Pooja Rekhi-Sharma at +973 1756 1723 or pooja.sharma@ogilvy.com

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SHOPPING CENTRE UPDATE

Asala Holding Launched Tabuk Park and Riyadh Park in 2018

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sala Holding company announces the soft launch of two major projects in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia “Riyadh Park Mall” in Riyadh and “Tabuk Park Mall” in Tabuk. Both projects are the largest in the region.

Tabuk Park is the most important and the largest of its kind in the northern region, in the city of Tabuk. Tabuk Park Mall is strategically located in the city center. Being in the heart of Tabuk, our new project serves the people in the region.

The mall is located on Tabuk Corniche, features an area of 165,000 sqm.

With a gross leasable area of 76,585 sqm with 2,500 parking slots. It is the up to the minute in design and services and close to the future city of NEOM. The project includes green areas of 6,000 sqm. In addition to 312 commercial units, Tabuk Park Mall has a distinct entertainment area and restaurant area that includes the largest and most famous local and international restaurants. Many international brands were first introduced to Tabuk to serve the people in the region while providing three 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. The latest designs and newest technologies, which proves that we are looking forward to brilliance and nothing less.”

On another 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 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 92,000 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.

Tabuk Park

FOUAD AL-RASHED CEO Asala Holding Asala Holding is one of the most prominent companies in Saudi Arabia in terms of economic activity and real estate investment.

He 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.

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.”

Riyadh Park

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SHOPPING CENTRE UPDATE

An Outstanding Addition to Abu Dhabi’s Collection of Retail Properties:

The US$1.2Bn Reem Mall

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s part of the UAE’s initiatives in becoming one of the strongest retail markets regionally and globally, a new development by Al Farwaniya Property Developments worth US $1.2 billion is being developed in the Emirate capital, Reem Mall.

The construction of the mall started in late 2017 and is anticipated to be completed by end 2020. More than sixteen tower cranes have been mobilized as of date, and more than 150,000m3 of reinforced concrete has already been cast in place, with some sections now at level 4. Construction has been progressing in line with schedule and daily manpower has reached 4,500 persons a day.

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Once completed the project will encompass 350,000m3 of reinforced cement concrete, 75,000 tons of rebar, 10,000 tons of structural steel and 75,000m2 of pre-cast hollowcore concrete panels for a total built up area of over 650,000m2.

Reem Mall will offer 2 million sq. ft. of leasable area (2.9 million sq. ft. of floor area) comprising of 450 local and international brands, hypermarkets and department stores, along with a range of entertainment and leisure options such as Snow Park Abu Dhabi by Majid Al Futtaim, a destination snow park attraction, multiplex cinemas as well as more than 85 dining options covering every cuisine imaginable.

The project is located on Reem Island, an up and coming master planned residential and commercial development which is located directly adjacent to the

Central Business District and is planned to house more than 200,000 residents.

The United Arab Emirates has always been a hub for business and the country continues to establish itself with the will to develop and further enhance itself. "Total sales of clothing and footwear in the Middle East, Asia, Latin America and Africa combined, will rise above 50 percent and continue to increase in subsequent years", based on a report from Deloitte on Global Powers of Luxury Goods 2018.

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SHOPPING CENTRE UPDATE

Breaking the Brick

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ideo kills the Radio Stars. This is not correct.

Radio is booming and so is video, neither has disappeared. Online retail taking over physical shopping is very unlikely.

These debates have raged on in much the same way for the last 10 years. I believe in a complementing approach. Great methods will always work very well together.

But if we mixed up different methods without maintaining the same quality of those methods, then absolutely one will take over the other. Website or online presence of a brand should be at the same level as the physical shop of that brand.

Great shopping centres will stay and great online shopping will stay. Bad business will disappear regardless.

I started the article with this debate to create a solid foundation on the future of retail. The great time we are enjoying in KSA is like never before, with the many opportunities that we can capture. Saying online will hurt brick and mortar is not valid, especially in the KSA case, for many years to come. Many things have been changed in the last three years that affect our sector and many more are coming.

CINEMA: The key anchor of cinema has been added to the list finally completing the typical entertainment offering within shopping centres. Incorporating the cinema box into operating shopping centre is not easy. Clear span structures, high ceilings and large floorplates are some of the hurdles. Compromising the fundamentals of tenant mix and floor plan layout can be challenging. Cinemas are an important element, but will not work everywhere. This is reminding me of the hype of the hypermarket 10 years ago. Custom large scale boxes are required.

EASINESS OF SEPARATION: While still there is no official announcement on the needed change in the regulation of Single / Family sections within cafes, restaurants and Cinema, the physical separation is getting less according to many F&B concepts which have recently opened. Having a unified section, as exists in other GCC countries, will make the experience within the place more family and socially oriented. But it may affect some landlords since less leasable area may be required by tenants.

MAZEN QANDEEL Executive Director Granada Investment Center Organization Granada Investment Center Organization manages the well-known Granada Complex in Riyadh City. Granada Center and Granada Business Park are the major two components in this complex. He is in this position since October 2017. Before that Mazen was handling the Leasing Department in Hamat Property Co for almost 4 years and half. 22 different scales of Retail projects were under his management in 10 different city in Saudi Arabia. From 2010 till 2013, Mazen worked in Research and Capital Markets departments in Jones Lang LaSalle. In 2008, Mazen Graduated from King Fahad University of Petroleum and Minerals with Bachelor in Marketing.

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I believe in a complementing approach. Great methods will always work very well together.

But if we mixed up different methods without maintaining the same quality of those methods, then absolutely one will take over the other.

Mazen Qandeel

Mazen qan Executive Granada In Organizat

Executive Director Granada Investment Center Organization

WOMEN ARE WORKING AND DRIVING: The level of employed women in KSA was never as high as it is nowadays. It is getting higher in terms of the number and the levels of positions they hold. While driving so far is not as tangible as it is supposed to be, the effect will start by next year when more drivers will be on the road. Ladies with cash and car, sounds like magic to shopping centre owners ears.

SHISHA: So far it is hard to get shisha except in Jeddah City. I believe it will be more available in other cities with some limitations. It is not a good habit at all, but it is part of the F&B complementary offering. With eight months of nice weather in most of the Saudi cities, shisha will create an increased value to terraces and outdoor sitting areas like never before.

ENTERTAINMENT: The General Entertainment Authority (GEA) has done an amazing job to create a new market from scratch. The entertainment industry has completely changed and many options and new directions are available beyond the typical offering within FEC inside malls. It will require dedicated and huge efforts from shopping centres to collaborate and host many of these new initiatives within the Malls. New forms of entertainment will occur in outside parking areas. The increased volumes of visitor traffic will follow the great events wherever they are.

Because we like to walk the talk, we would like to share with you what we are doing in Granadia. Please visit granadia.sa to capture some of these opportunities.

We have rebranded to our new name Granadia. One of the biggest cinema complex in Saudi will be available in Granada Mall expansion. We are lucky enough to have the expansion at this time. We are also converting some of the retail

locations within Granada Mall to F&B locations.

The same approach applies to the mall expansion and also within Granada Business which is the office business park linked to the mall. Most of these locations will have outdoor terraces to enhance the experience. Valet parking will be available to make it easy for ladies. Valet is a magical service, and it is fundamental to enhance our experience in Granadia.

Regarding Entertainment and beyond, we are running a very rich calendar within the mall.

We have taken the entertainment experience to the next level by hosting many outdoor events in our newly created entertainment hub called Granada Square.

In the coming months, we will open one the biggest Hilton Hotels & Residence (850 keys) linked to Granada Mall to complete the experience.

Looking forward to welcoming all of you soon in Granadia where you can visit, stay, shop, eat, have fun, work and live.

And always remember that no one can break the brick and mortar retail experience expecially when you unfailingly focus on excellence.

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FEATURE

Al Hokair Time …

The Future of Middle East Entertainment

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he AI Hokair Group is a multi-faceted business and its entertainment division has grown over the past 50 years into the largest operating company, notably of theme parks and family entertainment centres, in the Middle East. This inevitably places certain responsibilities on Al Hokair management, and they are responsibilities that they take very seriously.

Inevitably, this industry leadership position makes the group very much the standard to which other companies aspire.

Al Hokair is more of a technology-oriented group and our business growth has always been focused on technology. That is the secret to our success.

In the Al Hokair Group, we focus on technology in each corner of our business. You can see clearly the technology in all of our projects and especially in our latest concept Al Hokair Time.

The Award winning concept (Retail Excellence 2017 Award by MECSC and Saudi Excellence Award 2018) is a good example of technology-based project with all of the state of the art games, rides and attractions. With all the up to date operation systems, CRM & Testahel loyalty program, customer Survey machines, and Sparky’s Mobile app which enable our valued customers to buy our product online and to stay connected and up to date with our latest offers and promotions.

We believe that every region has a distinct shopping culture that is influenced by local consumer tastes and preferences, therefore you need to tailor your operations to suit your target audience, adding a dash of customisation to even those strategies that are accepted as globally successful.

Yes, the retail experience has to be tailor-made to match the prevalent customer culture. Take the example of the Middle East. Unlike in the West, the retail buzz here is largely in shopping malls.

So while you have several such malls lying empty in the west as customers increasingly engage in online shopping the scenario here is different. The mall is the location to be in to socialise, and People in the region spend a lot of time in malls so the challenge is to arrive at the right retail mix, which includes more leisure and F&B components, and this is what we’ve concluded in Al Hokair time: The new concept which we consider as the new revolutionary entertainment concept in which we’ve mixed the retail with the entertainment in one commercial centre...

It’s a mall of entertainment where you really can find all the fun in one place.

MISHAL AL HOKAIR Deputy CEO, GM of Entertainment Al Hokair Group The Family member with direct responsibility for the Family Entertainment Centers performance within the Al Hokair Group is Mr. Mishal Al Hokair, who took full operational responsibility for the Entertainment Division after gaining considerable experience as Deputy CEO & Vice President for Marketing of the Al Hokair Group. Born in Riyadh, he received his public and university education with a Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing.

He began his career as the Relationship Manager of Commercial Banking Services in the Saudi American Bank (SAMBA), then Senior Relationship Manager in Saudi British Bank (SABB). In 2010, he joined Al Hokair Group as a member of the Board of Directors and later on served as the Deputy CEO & GM of the Entertainment Division, a position he occupies today.

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The Life of Future Retail

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s a loyal customer, she is invited to a customized fashion event at her most loved store. She walks into the Mall and sees interactive glass shop-fronts with futuristic visual merchandising elements; then there is her fashion store which has adopted augmented reality and smart dressing rooms mimicking live experiences! At the store, she receives VIP guest treatment during the in-store activation.

This is retail and its promising future which carries many opportunities to be capitalized on!

Today’s consumers prefer smaller store formats, convenience and accessibility, selective and curated retail, personalized experiences and personal interactions, digital payment methods, and immediate delivery.

Larger stores are out; smaller stores are in as the evolving consumer preferences are pushing even more big-box format retailers to focus on smaller-format stores.

Ikea, for example, has been investing in smaller store formats to accommodate consumer desires for cozier stores and more curated and specialized selections.

The big trend of convenience and accessibility also feeds into the changing store formats as consumers are enticed to visit physical stores, rather than shop online when the experience is quick and easy. IKEA recently introduced an app called “IKEA Place” that allows consumers to preview how different products would look in their own physical environments where they would have their floor scanned and saved on the app.

Another key trend within this holistic concept is browsing big collections of merchandise using store-provided tablets and interactive shelves. This allows consumers to browse endless options and selections with access to a handful of valuable product reviews as well. Retail stores are becoming social venues with little to no inventory as we shift away from consumption-based purchasing to experiential engagement purchasing. Interactive merchandising is being complemented by interactive digital dressing rooms replacing the traditional physical ones. The virtual dressing room is a mirror/screen that uses 3D scanning technologies to enable consumers to see a 3D version of themselves.

This technology creates personalized profiles of the consumers and also allows them to receive recommendations and reviews about fit, style, color, and look.

Pilot programs have shown that conversion rates among buyers have increased by more than 50%.

SAMAR AKKOU, CSM, CLS Leasing Manager CITYMALL Samar Akkou, CSM and CLS, is the Leasing Manager at CITYMALL Lebanon. With over 10 years of experience, her daily bread and butter is the development, redevelopment & uplifting, and leasing of Malls. Her curiosity and passion for retail allowed her to grasp the dynamics of the retail industry also; where she developed retail experience through setting up retail operations, devising full-fledged business plans, and negotiating contracts and franchise agreements.

She is a constant contributor to several regional business publications with over ten articles to date.

Finally, as a trainer, she is continuously passing on her experience and expertise to uprising professionals within the industry.

Consumers are looking for more personalized shopping experiences which cannot be provided digitally; and according to Accenture Interactive Study, 56% of consumers are more likely to shop at a retailer in the store that recognizes them by name.

The in-store experience is complemented and completed with two trends: In-store digital payments / digital and mobile check-out counters and free same day shipping. The latter stems from the “Bonobos Model” that will be more prevalent as stores will stop carrying in-store inventory whereby consumers try things on in-store and pay for them and the purchases get sent to their destinations. These two trends are no longer an option, but rather a complete prominent necessity.

In 2020 more than 80% of the US retail sales will still be made at the physical store. Retailers who reimagine and redefine their stores, with the help and aid of technology, will thrive. Experiences cannot be replicated digitally and online. Retailers have a great potential to leverage this opportunity in a manner that delights customers, builds loyalty, and generates brand value. Yes, Retail is future proof!

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FEATURE

Consumer Data and Experience are Key to Future-Proof Retail

Consumer data as a differentiator (Oliver Morgan) Disruptors within the retail sector provide opportunities for brands to grow their relationships with consumers.

Some of the most successful retailers are those embracing a multi-channel presence that combines bricks and mortar with the consumer’s online experience. More than onethird of shoppers say they research a product online whilst in a store and research indicates that those using a digital device in the store are more likely to make a purchase whilst there.

Vast amounts of data are being collected by leading brands. Artificial intelligence, machine learning, augmented and virtual reality are creating new ways that brands can engage with their consumers. The Deloitte Digital Democracy Survey identified that for 50% of millennials, social media advertising had a medium or high influence on their buying decisions.

In 2018, Deloitte Digital and Salesforce undertook a

survey of more than 500 traditional retail, pure play, consumer goods, and branded manufacturing leaders from around the world. The brands considered as elite performers (with over 10% revenue growth in the last fiscal year) were 1.6 times more likely than brands with flat or decreasing revenue to have rigorous compliance and security measures related to consumer data, 2.3 times more likely to have clear definitions of roles and governance for managing consumer data and 1.9 times more likely to quickly respond to demands and insights identified within consumer data. The survey also found that whilst only one-third of brands had adopted AI, for those utilising it, the most prevalent use (40%) is to tailor pricing and promotions in real time.

Brands must utilise data in a responsible manner to examine and respond to consumer preferences in order to differentiate from the competition.

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About Deloitte

Oliver Morgan, Director - Development Strategy & Investment

Jeff Greig, Vice President - Real Estate

Retail as a catalyst for place making (Jeff Greig) With the convenience of online shopping taking a larger chunk of retail purchase activity, consumer expectations around the experience of going out to shop have changed. Retail developers have therefore had to respond to these changing expectations to ensure the continued relevance of bricks and mortar retail. Bricks and mortar can no longer compete on price alone, so retail developers are delving into the business of creating experiences, recognizing the importance of creating the “third place” as an integral part of their retail development program and design to drive footfall.

While the commercial space of retail is important and certainly the focus of a scheme’s pro forma, developers are increasingly becoming aware that it is the common and public areas within and between the retail that are equally important in generating and sustaining footfall to the retail development.

Through design and place making, these areas are essential in contributing to the retail positioning and identity of a development, enhancing the overall customer experience, and providing opportunities to connect with the community. Such common areas also provide venues for additional revenue generation, through events, product launches, kiosks, or advertisement.

In addition, a successful retail development strategy recognises the vital relationship between retail, arts and culture, entertainment, food and beverage, leisure and recreation, community facilities and events. As such, future-proof retail developments will be those that are programmed as multi-purpose, multi-faceted, and experience-driven environments with a strong destination appeal. It is such retail environments that encourage social and community interaction, provide pleasing, memorable and authentic experiences, and to which consumers will remain loyal for the long term.

Conclusions So while data and technology provide retailers and brands a better understanding of and ability to quickly respond to consumer preferences, as well as offer consumers greater convenience and access to product information, it is not at the expense of bricks and mortar retail. Experiencedriven retail developments that both embrace technology and celebrate the human connection will ensure the relevance of bricks and mortar retail long into the future.

Deloitte refers to one or more of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited, a UK private company limited by guarantee, and its network of member firms, each of which is a legally separate and independent entity. Please see www.deloitte.com/about for a detailed description of the legal structure of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited and its member firms.

Deloitte provides audit, consulting, financial advisory, risk management, tax and related services to public and private clients spanning multiple industries. Deloitte serves four out of five Fortune Global 500® companies through a globally connected network of member firms in more than 150 countries bringing world-class capabilities, insights, and high-quality service to address clients’ most complex business challenges. To learn more about how Deloitte’s approximately 225,000 professionals make an impact that matters, please connect with us on Facebook, LinkedIn, or Twitter.

About Deloitte in the Dubai International Financial Centre Deloitte Professional Services (DIFC) Limited (DPSL) is incorporated in the Dubai International Financial Centre, with commercial registration number CL0748 and is registered with the Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA) as a Designated Non-Financial Business or Profession (DNFBP). DPSL is a joint venture vehicle between Deloitte LLP (UK) and the Middle East member firm of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited. DPSL has a 100% wholly owned subsidiary in the DIFC namely Deloitte Corporate Finance Advisory Limited (DCFAL) which has commercial registration CL2220.

DCFAL is regulated by the DFSA and licensed to provide regulated financial advisory services.

DPSL & DCFAL co-inhabit with their principal place of business and registered offices at Al Fattan Currency House, Building 1, 5th Floor, Dubai International Financial Centre, Dubai, UAE. Tel: +971 (0) 4 506 4700 This document has been written in general terms and therefore cannot be relied on to cover specific situations; application of the principles set out will depend upon the particular circumstances involved and we recommend that you obtain professional advice before acting or refraining from acting on any of the contents of this publication. Deloitte Professional Services (DIFC) Limited would be pleased to advise readers on how to apply the principles set out in this publication to their specific circumstances. Deloitte Professional Services (DIFC) Limited accepts no duty of care or liability for any loss occasioned to any person acting or refraining from action as a result of any material in this publication. © 2018 Deloitte Professional Services (DIFC) Limited.

All rights reserved.

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FEATURE

Establishing The Right 2018 Retail Foundation

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VIC BAGERIA Entrepreneur & Chief Visionary Officer Xpandretail powered by Sávant Crediting his innovative business acumen and vision to his early entry into the dynamic retail sector, Entrepreneur, Vic Bageria, thrives on his formula for success relying on 5% strategy, 15% positioning & 80% execution – where you plan it, stick to it, execute it, and keep moving forward to achieve success.

He is passionate about helping brands establish strategies to sustain loyal consumer clientele, and has a proven talent for blending sales techniques with insights into client needs and expectations, and in-depth knowledge of product lines and services, to help guide clients in their decisions.

or the MENA region, the future is here. Artificial Intelligence (AI), big data, and exponential technologies have moved from the suburbs firmly into the centres, fundamentally evolving the retail landscape and expanding the toolset available for retailers to respond.

With such advancements, retail now has gate to a new category of inquiry in the form of advanced analytics, using refined techniques and tools to collect, organize, and analyze data and content to expose deeper insights, craft predictions, and generate suggestions.

In contemplating the prospects for new approaches and technologies retailers must understand both the potential of these new tools and the risks that can arise when implementing an analytics approach.

To put it simply, analytics without insight risks is creating a black hole of data, from which no opportunities materialize.

The landscape of retail globally is overpoweringly stamped by change. Tools such as AI, computational analysis of large data sets, and accelerating technologies are transforming retail. Establishing the right foundation is the critical first step on the path forward.

We are witnessing newer technologies enabling the ever-changing mindsets of

the consumers today. The need of the hour is for retailers and brands, to evolve, to keep their competitive edge has become greater than ever.

With consumers engaging across multiple channels – mobile, online and in-store – to make their purchase decisions, we can now see that the path to purchase has been dramatically altered. Brands today are increasingly interacting directly with customers, and e-commerce growth continues to outperform conventional retail sales growth. At the same, new and pervasive technologies are taking hold across the retail landscape.

Behind the scenes, the must for malls to reorient their approach is now. With the consumer shopping behaviors and preferences continuously evolving, the malls and retails of the future will need to encompass AI, VR, and personalized consumer services across all stages of the customer experience lifecycle.

We have seen where today’s retailers have struggled to harness in delivering a unique consumer experience. But, moving forward, if retail landscape continues to branch out into different directions, it will only leave room for more casualties. The retailer which endures the ramifications will need to compete with e-commerce and the ascendancy of marketplaces, while automation serves up yet another battleground to conquer—supply chain and logistics analytics—that new competitors are already deploying effectively.

To survive in the market today, retailers must respond effectively to these challenges.

To respond effectively does not require a singular focus on building analytics capabilities. Rather, it requires identifying complex business problems to which advanced analytics can be applied, integrating analytics capabilities within the organization to gain novel insights into those problems, and then using those insights to produce business results.

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FEATURE

Retail Needs a New Direction, Here’s How?

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top the retail train, it’s time to get off! When times have been challenging for so long, it’s not surprising that you might want to escape the industry altogether. We are not only dealing with a local challenge. This is a global train moving fast in one direction. It’s hurtling into the future at a pace faster than what you can keep up with.

The tracks don’t just need mending, they need a completely new build in a new direction. Retailers have exhausted all possible traditional strategies.

Price reductions and promotions are no longer working like they used to, customer habits have changed along with their expectations, employees are demotivated affecting service levels, there’s too much choice and too much competition and customers are not spending any more. This train is now accelerating and the driver has lost control of his brakes!

You cannot protect yourself from what’s coming. The only way to understand the future is to be part of creating it. Here are five ways you start building your new tracks.

• GET BACK TO BASICS. Here’s the reality check on value creation. If you

are losing market share then customers are not choosing you because the value you are offering is not good enough. They can find a faster better, cheaper, more convenient solution elsewhere. What you define as your competition may not be the same as what they are spending on instead of you. Retail formats outdate as product types do. Remember when indoor canals in malls were the big thing?

• DIGITAL IS NOT A GOAL. So many retailers are desperate to incorporate

something techy without a tangible benefit to improving the customer experience. Investment in technology needs to facilitate a real emotional or functional need. Most companies bring digital in as a gimmick, customers are wise to this. When implemented properly, technology shouldn’t even be a thing, it should just work and work better!

academic theory. Hence the old saying, a wrong decision is always better than no decision.

With the Middle East market built on franchise brands, it puts the local industry on a high alert to international economic sensitivities. Change your tracks, do it quickly and get your train moving in a new direction.

• PEOPLE NEED PEOPLE. Believe it or not, how technology is often used

is driving a trend for human interaction. It’s a basic human need to relate and belong. Unless there’s an efficiency benefit, for most, the idea of talking to a robot is a deterrent, not a benefit. There is still nothing in the world of technology that beats a real person who understands the customer and delivers an empathetic solution. There is also nothing more frustrating than not being able to connect with a human when you have a human problem.

• BRING IN THE NEW. Markets are made up of people who are continuously

exposed to new outside stimulus all the time. Businesses, however, find something that works then insists on doing things in the same way again and again. Most senior managers see something new and want to copy it rather than innovate. Allocate a test budget and starting testing new things. Refuse to accept the same old processes and start to make micro changes that keep you aligned with your customers.

• CALCULATE. ACTIVATE. EVALUATE. REPEAT. Get past the discussion stage

quickly and just do it! Consider the risk of not acting as well as the risk of trying something new. The human brain learns through experience, not

RANIA LAING Founder and Chief Executive Officer at Your Neuro Coach, a Fellow of The Chartered Institute of Marketing (UK) and a Board Member of the International Coach Federation, UAE Chapter

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FEATURE

Openbravo Helps Retailers Future-Proof Their Stores and Achieve Competitive Advantage

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hat will retailing look like in the future? No one really knows, of course. But we can identify some trends that are already tangible.

One of the most important changes we see is the shift in the power from mature Western markets to faster-growing economic regions such as the GCC countries.

This year, more than half of apparel and footwear sales will originate outside of Europe and North America according to the McKinsey Fashion Scope.

Another change we are seeing in retailing is the adoption of disruptive technologies like advanced robotics, mobile internet, advanced analytics, virtual and augmented reality and artificial intelligence.

The digitalization of the whole value chain facilitates changes in core processes that improve the agility and efficiency of retailers. This allows them to roll out omnichannel strategies that bridge the digital-physical divide and leverage the strengths of shopping in physical stores.

The store is the central hub of your brand experience, it is where customers engage with your brand. On the internet, engagement is fickle – your competitors are just one mouse click away.

But in a physical store, you have a chance to create a differentiated and memorable experience that causes the customer to linger, to buy your goods, to leave the store in a better mood than when they entered, most importantly, to want to come back.

When they visit your stores, customers expect to be able to browse and buy your complete range of products, even products that are not currently in stock. If a particular store doesn’t have a product, you want to be able to reserve the product for the customer to pick up in another store, or to assist the customer in ordering the product online.

So cross-enterprise inventory visibility and e-commerce integration are essential requirements for a future-proof retail solution.

Customers also want greater convenience when it comes to payments, delivery options and returns. And they want a faster checkout experience, so you need a solution that can offer future-proof functionalities such as self-checkout and RFID. It is clear that many investments and initiatives by retailer today are focused on preparing or improving physical stores for their new role in today’s omnichannel reality.

MIKE NASREDDIN Sales Director MEA Openbravo With over ten years in the Technology industry, Mike will be leading the success and growth of Openbravo from their new Office in Dubai.

With a strong passion for technology, Mike has worked on large high impact business opportunities in North America and the Middle East. Identifying critical problem areas and delivering on customer commitments for multimillion-dollar business transformation deals.

Openbravo Commerce Cloud can help you achieve that goal. It is a highly cost-effective cloud-based solution that has been designed to enable your retail business for agile and innovative omnichannel retailing.

These are just some of the ways that it can help give you a competitive edge: • Improve the quality of your sales forecasts and optimize the costs and management of your inventory • Simplify management of your assortment complexity and gain greater agility to launch new products, prices and promotions • Adopt an omnichannel strategy with a greater focus on customer service with the adoption of a mobile point of sale • Innovate more and manage change efficiently with an architecture built for high performance Whether you are upgrading your existing legacy systems or looking to change completely, you can count on Openbravo providing the best-of-breed in retail management solutions.

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Inbound Content Marketing – An Evolution in Retail

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nbound marketing continues to be one of the retail sector’s most powerful tools. A quick definition. Outbound marketing is the hard-sell method of ‘pushing’ your brand through sales and advertising. Increasingly, consumers are finding such methods intrusive.

PageFair’s 2017 report suggests that 15 million devices now use Adblock, while 11% of the global Internet population blocks web advertising.

Cue inbound marketing which attracts customers to your brand through content marketing, social media and search engine optimisation. Figures from the Content Marketing Institute suggest that inbound content marketing can cost 62% less than outbound and generate three times as much interest.

A blogging strategy is a key to an inbound marketing approach. Rather than a direct sale, a blog is designed to share information and knowledge, to position the blog owner as an expert in its field.

Blogging is also key to an SEO strategy (according to HubSpot, 61% of marketers said their top inbound marketing priority in 2017 was to improve their SEO and grow their organic presence). Search engines such as Google will reward you for putting, fresh, original and informative content on your site on a regular basis.

The quality of your blogs is all important, but so is quantity. According to Hubspot, companies that publish 16-plus blog posts per month generate around 3.5 times more traffic than publishing 0-4 monthly posts.

Over time, your readers will engage with you and keep you at the top of mind.

Readers love visuals, so using design elements such as images and infographics will make your blog even more engaging.

But the ultimate in visuals are video and animation. Forbes estimates that by 2019, video will account for 80% of all consumer Internet traffic.

Ninety-two percent of mobile video consumers share with others, which is why businesses consider video a key aspect of their social media strategy.

Ninety percent of consumers says that product videos guide their decision making. Animation can be branded even better than video and by its nature is often more engaging.

Retailers are using video and animation to tell their brand story and form an emotional connection with their consumers.

They are using video for shoppers to experience a product or service before buying it, or for their customers to provide video testimonials. Malls are using video to show real footage of their visitors enjoying family leisure experiences, engaging in

MARK ATKINSON Owner/Founder The Black And White Group The Black And White Group is a specialist content marketing agency that helps its clients with their communications strategy through written content, graphic design, web content, videography/animation, photography and social content.

Projects specific to the retail industry include creating design criteria for mall tenants, video/animation content, websites and branded magazines.

Clients include Majid Al Futtaim, Cityland, McARTHUR + COMPANY, Union Properties, and Ras Al Khaimah Tourism and Development Authority. https://weareblackandwhite.com/

promotional events, or championing community and green initiatives.

Malls can use video to run competitions and rewards on social media. They can install large video screens to encourage shoppers to post pictures of themselves, so they can see their picture on the big screen.

You can let your shoppers create your video content for you. Offer a gift card to see which shopper can make the best 30-second video on why they love the mall.

While traditional outbound marketing will always have its place, an inbound strategy is how retail brands will engage people moving forward.

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FEATURE

E-Commerce, Amazon, and Walmart What is e-commerce?

E-commerce is a global phenomenon.

This now covers sales platforms such as Amazon, eBay, Wayfair; 'maker' and 'share' economies such as etsy, Uber, Lyft, and Airbnb; financial transactions via wallets and payment processing such as Apple Pay, PayPal, Alipay, WeChat Pay Union Pay, and all kinds of business conducted online servicing customers.

Notably in mainland China the mobile payments market is closing in on $2 trillion of transactions annually. E-wallets make up 58% share of mobile payments and are driven by QR codes and NFC for quick, frictionless transactions. Interestingly, many companies that were once pure online retailers now have physical presence including Amazon, Untuckit, Detox Market, Peleton, Bonobos, and Warby Parker.

Search mechanisms help consumers discover new products. The different interfaces used are search engines, recommender systems, video & mobile search, voice powered search and eye tracking.

Walmart vs. Amazon The United States retail space has two significant players: Amazon and Walmart.

Walmart was founded in 1962 in Rogers, Arkansas, while Amazon is a recent player, originally founded as an online bookstore in 1994 in Seattle, Washington

by Jeff Bezos and now a successful general e-commerce delivery giant.

Amazon is now fully established in the physical retail space with its Amazon Go and Amazon Book stores plus its acquisition of Whole Foods for just under $14 billion in June 2017. Amazon

As CEO of SafeRock, SHAH KARIM advises retailers worldwide For more than 20 years, SafeRock has successfully advised retailers and brands on how to increase company value and EBIT including a strategy for digital transformation, cost reduction, and turnarounds. SafeRock has best-in-class proprietary algorithms that use Big Data and Machine Learning to optimize sales and Marketing ROI. shah@saferock.com

Go stores are unique: Customers simply walk into a store, pick up the items they want, and are e-charged through the Amazon Go app.

Walmart is increasing its presence in the e-commerce sector. One of their recent moves was to acquire Jet.com for $3.3 billion in August 2016. Walmart also announced a deal with the logistics and delivery giant FedEx in March 2018.

Under this tie-up, Walmart announced plans to add 500 FedEx office locations within stores by 2020.

Amazon is successfully leveraging voice-powered search for shopping using the Amazon Echo home device that is now in 30+ million homes. In February 2018

Amazon acquired Ring, the new DIY home security offering with internet-connected doorbells and cameras for $1.1 billion.

Like Amazon Key, Ring enhances delivery capabilities into the home rather than to the doorstep. Ring will likely integrate with Alexa and extend Echo's voice control.

Walmart is looking to expand into e-commerce in other markets. In June 2016, Walmart announced a partnership with JD.com, one of China’s two largest online retailers. JD.com possesses one of the largest drone delivery systems in the world and is also testing driverless delivery using an autonomous delivery truck. Walmart acquired a 77% stake in the e-commerce giant Flipkart in May 2018 for $16 billion, placing a valuation of $20.5 billion on this Indian rival to Amazon.

What lies ahead • The biggest potential for future growth is with mobile commerce.

• The growth of platforms on the internet, especially social media, are the potential for new business models.

• Drone deliveries will be possible in the near future.

• Even within traditional retail, automation is increasing.

How to Measure Success In the face of stiff upcoming competition, malls, retailers, and brands need tools to better understand customer demand and strengthen profitability. SafeRock's tools for sales forecasting and promotion optimization can help, and management should position their companies to take advantage of such solutions that improve shareholder value.

This paper is a condensed and edited version of An Overview on E-Commerce Trends and part of the SEE 360 Initiative, Engineering the 21st Century Economy, at Penn State's College of Engineering. It is Co-authored by Shah Karim, Vignesh Ramanathan, Srikar Yellayi, Paul Funari, Charles R. Schneider, Vittal Prabhu

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Why Planned Preventative Maintenance?

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here are two types of maintenance strategies employed by facility operating managers – reactive maintenance and preventive maintenance. Reactive maintenance goes by the “if it isn’t broke, don’t fix it” motto, a strategy that can sometimes save money short term but always ends up costing even more in the long run. Preventive maintenance, on the other hand, is a carefully designed maintenance program (often using computerized maintenance management software or CMMS) where maintenance tasks are performed routinely in order to avoid larger, costly fixes down the line.

Many facility/property professionals have recognized the benefits of preventive maintenance. Here is a look at 5 reasons why planned preventive maintenance is a much better alternative.

Cost Savings: Management and Owners that rely solely on reactive maintenance are essentially waiting for a problem to happen, and this can often be a very costly move. Unplanned downtime for building operators results in client discomfort (HVAC plant downtime for example), expensive capital repairs and can result inlong-term damage to their brand. An unexpected failure can also mean having to pay technicians overtime and having to pay out extra money for overnight delivery of parts. A preventive maintenance program is meant to avoid these problems through long-term maintenance tasks that are planned for.

A preventive maintenance plan can save a company money because efforts will be focused on preventing equipment failure rather than responding to emergencies, and often results in a prolonged equipment life cycle and preventive maintenance is usually much cheaper and faster than big fixes. Facility managers can use CMMS software to set up a maintenance program, which simplifies the transition from reactive to preventive maintenance and is also very cost effective.

Increased Equipment Efficiency: CMMS software can help plan routine maintenance such as inspections, oil, fluid, belts changes, part replacements and more. These little fixes can help equipment run much more efficiently. In turn, a company will benefit from energy savings, extended equipment life cycles because the equipment will be running at peak performance.

Decreased Equipment Downtime: While almost all maintenance tasks require some equipment downtime, a preventive maintenance program can decrease and optimize that downtime. For example, a company doesn’t experience unexpected downtime as much as if they were to rely solely on reactive maintenance. Companies can also use CMMS software to pre-plan maintenance tasks at optimal times so the downtime experienced by clients / tenants and owners is less troublesome. Decreasing equipment downtime is a benefit that saves time in maintenance and day-to-day operating costs.

Conservation of Assets: Most equipment these days is certainly not cheap, but the better a company cares for its equipment, the longer

KIM B OVERBYE Business Consultant Kim B Overbye has led an impressive career as a Chief Executive Officer in Canada for 14 years working in the Facility Management industry, building a 2 Billion Dollar enterprise. In 2017 he’s company was named Top 500 Fastest Growing Companies in Canada by Canadian Business & Profit Magazine.

Kim is a courteous, forthright and enlightening communicator and relationship-builder, who untangles complexity in negotiations to drive mutual agreements, working through change and challenges to advance investments.

it will last. Preventive maintenance will prolong the life span of equipment so you can get more hours out the equipment, resulting in reduced costs and increased profit. The numerous benefits of preventive maintenance have resulted in many facility managers shifting from reactive maintenance to a regular, routine preventive maintenance plan meant to prevent problems and optimize equipment usage and life.

Today’s CMMS software helps facilitate preventive maintenance by helping schedule maintenance tasks and keep organized records of all inspections and fixes. Preventive maintenance is the best option for companies that want to succeed long term, and therefore understand that they need a long-term plan for proper equipment upkeep.

Improved Client Satisfaction: Asset / Facility and Property management companies all compete for new clients and work hard to retain their existing clientele.

With proper planned preventative maintenance programs management is better able to forecast capital budgets and improve operating budgets accuracy, resulting in greater profits for their clients while enhancing the overall client experience. For an operator that means greater client retention and improved market place reputation.

It would be my pleasure to further discuss the advantages of planned preventative maintenance programs for anyone interested. Please feel free to message me or email me at kimopmg888@gmail.com.

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FEATURE

How Digital Capabilities are Being Used to Disrupt Disparate Healthcare Eco-Systems in Developing Countries?

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etail sector world-wide is no stranger to digital disruptions.

While Amazon and Alibaba are leading from the forefront and bringing innovation at a steady pace, other domains which has its own retail segments are not being left behind. Even though a highly regulated segment, healthcare and drug supply chain in the emerging economies suffer from inefficiencies and lack of easy collaboration possibilities. Here is an example how this divide could be bridged and unprecedented value could be generated for all players operating in the field. eGangaa is a platform offered by YouGoTag Technology Solutions Pvt Ltd – a Bangalore based startup which is slowly but steadily making inroads. While the solution to connect Patients, Pharmacies, Clinics and distributors are in place, there are more interesting innovations in the pipeline which leverages latest artificial intelligence based capabilities which can help tackle some of most intractable issues the industry phases.

Now bid adieu to healthcare complications and embrace the technology of the future – eGangaa.

What is eGangaa?

At YouGoTag Technology Solutions Pvt Ltd, we believe in the strength of digitally enabled platforms as an integrating force.

Our expansive research and analysis is aimed towards integrating stakeholders and facilitating better communication within the healthcare ecosystem.

The eGangaa platform, India’s first digital prescription exchange platform, is a revolutionary solution aimed at realizing the potential of India’s highly fragmented healthcare ecosystem by harnessing technology. It is equipped to unite millions of stakeholders across the nation, from patients to insurance companies, physicians to pharmacies. The solution is designed to understand and integrate operations, making your life as a user simpler, organized and more efficient.

With the potential of integrating a highly fragmented healthcare ecosystem, this technology is set to revolutionalise the face of the healthcare industry.

Keeping track of medical records, e-prescriptions and automatic stock updates has never been easier.

DR. SURESH ROWVEY Director Business Operations YouGoTag Technology Solutions Pvt Ltd. Dr. Suresh Rowvey - an operations leader with more than 25 years of experience… Broad based experience in business model restructuring, finance & operations, spanning accounting, M&A, financial planning, legal, investor relations and human resources. Dr. Suresh Rowvey has an immense network of synergies gained from professionals working with large Fortune 500 companies.

Now we are expanding our expertise in pharma domain to other countries.

For further details, please visit our website www.egangaa.com and mail to suresh.rowvey@yougotag.com.

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Your Partner in Bridging the Gap in the Advisory and Consultancy Roles

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e are pleased to announce today the establishment of REDS “Real Estate Development Solution Company”. Within the last year, I have been working with a group of seasoned Saudi visionary professionals, specialized in retail real estate development, leasing, property management operations as well as marketing.

In REDS it is our mission to help developers, property owners, fill in the gaps in the kingdom’s real estate market by introducing unique commercial/mixed-use real estate solutions that answers today’s end user’s demands as well as fulfill their constant aspiration to enrich their day to day work, live, and play environments.

The Saudi economy is going through a very big transformation, as mega projects are lined up to be launched in the pipeline. ALGEDIA entertainment development in the suburbs of Riyadh City, Neom the future city in the northern part of the country, the Red Sea Island project to attract more tourists into the country are three live examples. Also, many other mega projects around the country where retail, F&B, and entertainment will be a major component are being planned and needs to be properly executed.

Here comes the pivotal role of RED. We help developers and property owners manage the process of applying the knowledge of the international real-estate industry to satisfy the rapidly evolving local market. We do this by interfacing highly qualified international and local consultants whom with them we are building strategic JV’s and consortiums. REDS addresses this market need to bridge the gap in the advisory and consultancy roles. At REDS, we think that the Saudi market has a very big potential in the future.

At the same time, we will be working together with local Saudi businessmen who have retail properties in the market to help them rethink their asset value by giving them new solutions to boost the performance of their properties.

The trend worldwide has changed on the retail development. Many stories about how the e-commerce and the omnichannel retail is impacting the existing and future retail supply & landscape. We are seeing a big shift towards mixing lifestyle shopping with entertainment and F&B together. Saudi Arabia market and consumers are no different from all countries worldwide. Entertainment is becoming a very big component. We are seeing unprecedented demand for cinema theaters space and virtual reality concepts. This is where REDS come into play to utilize its vast network of international brands and consultants to provide unique solutions to our clients.

We are focusing to support our local developers and property owners to grow especially in the industry of shopping centers, malls, and property management. We can provide a full spectrum of solutions to all our clients.

MOHAMMAD IQBAL ALAWI Partner & Chief Executive Officer Real Estate Development Solutions (REDS)

Mohammad has 25 years specialization in development, operations and management of retail properties and prestigious shopping malls in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. He is currently a Board Member and past CEO of Red Sea Markets Co.; an Executive Board Member of the Middle East Council of Shopping Centers, MECSC, Dubai since 2000, of which he was president from 2007 to 2009 and the first Saudi Arab member, elected in 2014 to the Board of Trustees at the International Council of Centers, ICSC, New York and Chairman of the Shopping Malls Committee at the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce.

The Saudi market is dynamic, our businessmen are very dynamic also in adapting all the new global trends.

We are going to work with them to help them achieve their aspirations for their properties.

I am thrilled for the establishment of REDS company in Jeddah – Saudi Arabia. I am working with very unique professional partners who have extensive experience in the business. Our international allies, JVs, consortiums have been created worldwide. We are looking forward to servicing those who are looking for innovative comprehensive solutions that pay high returns for the long term. I am also glad to be in Dubai to attend RECON MENA 2018 this October to continue my involvement with MECSC for the last 21 years and continue the journey of striving to create value to the Retail Real Estate industry.

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EVENTS GALLERY

Middle East Council of Shopping Centres’ Spring Board Networking Event held in 360 MALL Kuwait

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ECSC hosted the first Spring Board Networking Event reception on Tuesday, 25th of September at the 360 MALL, Main Atrium in Kuwait. The Spring Board Networking Event brings retail industry professionals together in an environment to facilitate business development, knowledgesharing and networking.

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

Next Gen events emphasizes on educating and offering a successful Networking platform to its members throughout the Middle East region. These events aim to bring together specialists from the Retail industry to share knowledge; we encourage everyone who is linked to the retail and shopping mall industry to attend this event and avail this unique platform to network and grow their business.” David Macadam, CEO, MECSC

MAIN SPONSOR: GLA Management

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IN FOCUS

Future Proof Retail Visual Merchandising

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he last major shakeup in the retail display world was in the early 80’s when there was a severe global economic recession.

Window display artists were no longer accountable just for the windows and, also absorbed the responsibility for merchandising the shop floor. That is when our industry name changed to Visual Merchandising (VM).

Personally, I am a great believer in change. It makes us realise that we need to think and react differently in order to survive before we become too complacent. Not only that but it forces us to keep learning and problem solving using new tools and resources.

The world of VM is facing another change which will make us relevant in the retail work place (just like it did in the 80’s) and that’s to be Ominchannel Visual Merchandisers (OVMs). Online shopping in 2018 is predicted to reach a staggering $1.5 trillion in annual sales to business to customer e-commerce worldwide.

However, as the market catches up to meet demand, growth will level out, ultimately hovering around $2.5 trillion.

OVM skills now need to go beyond the traditional stores and retail touchpoints. OVMs need to understand how the customer’s visual journey will start and end whilst maintaining the brand’s identity.

I appreciate other retail departments may find VM a dark art.

How we make decisions may be based on our own formulas and methods which have no financial basis. But, as we become more analytical we can start homing in on the true numbers which I am sure the accountants will welcome!

Here are my top three suggestions to staying future proof in the world of OVM.

CLAIR STUART-MENTETH CEO & Founder Sticky Red Clair Stuart-Menteth is the founder of Sticky Red which was established in 2009 and is a Visual Merchandising business assisting SME to large retailers within the Middle East region.

Clair studied Visual Merchandising with the British Display Society in England. Her first position was with Harrods in London where she spent 5 years handling a wide variety of merchandising and her last position was managing the front windows. Clair moved to the Middle East in 2004 and had worked with a variety of retailers. In 2017 Clair was made a Fellow of the Society from the British Display Society.

DATA Customers who shop online can be tracked to which page they visited, on which device and for how long. But, is the page layout easy to navigate and does the search option drill deep enough so that the browsing experience is faster?

OVM should be part of the online team. We can add to the business by; •

Suggesting where add on sales should be positioned in relation to the key products to generate impulse buying.

•

Style the merchandise in a similar way to instore for a consistent look across the brand.

•

Advise on the product placement on the pages.

Should it be the focal point, in balance and in

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Retail is detail

STORYTELLING Most people like interesting story. Many brands focus on brand heritage but, how about these ideas…

harmony or off centred or have space around it so that the merchandise can breathe with less clutter around it.

Store layouts and fixtures are part of our top five priorities that we take into consideration on a regular basis. To move the shop floor fixtures around breaks up the monotony for staff and customers alike and it gives products the opportunity to shine.

Using traffic counting technology to follow customers’ movements around the store will assist VM (for example) in the following: •

Where the stock should be position during it’s life cycle?

•

Location of fixtures for ease of use?

•

Do price points have an effect on the location of products on the shop floor?

•

Talk about the people behind the product.

•

The sales person’s journey from being recruitment, through customer training to day life on the shop floor.

•

What happens to the product once it has been bought, and what impact/benefits has it had on the customer’s daily life?

How can you as a retailer make an emotional connection with the customers?

This tale can be told through window displays, internal signage, digital displays in changing rooms, e-commence sites and flash media. Call centres and sales personnel can relay the same story.

If a retailer opens a new store and starts planning the fixtures’ layout, there is now a wealth of data, produced over time from existing stores to maximise sales per metre.

VISUALS 83% of human information is obtained visually. In order to take full advantage, the use of high-definition (HD) photography means customers can zoom in, rotate the product and inspect every detail when they are shopping online. This should help reduce the return rate and lower operational costs.

Internally the OVM can share their vision of how the shop floor will look by using these images.

In summary, OVMs need to be better at analysing the numbers and understand how we can change the customer's behavior so, they do check out and keep on returning.

OCT-DEC 2018 . RETAIL PEOPLE .41

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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.

Al Othaim Group

SUCCESS STORY

Safforiland Old Theme

A At Al-Othaim Group, our strategy has always been to create dynamic, visually stimulating and attractive retail and leisure & entertainment spaces that will appeal across all age groups. At our family entertainment centers we support our larger entertainment offering with value added customer service and efficient operations. We strive to create the synergy between the retail, F&B and fun components and ensure that the leisure facility plays its part as a key service anchor by attracting the right demographic and increasing dwell time of customers.

Fahad Al-Othaim Vice Chairman Al-Othaim Group

l -Othaim Group has been in the business for over six decades, from humble beginnings as food & non-food wholesale & retail business. Then it was the discovery of oil that led the wave of transformation. And further transformation began with technology and more and more brands started to be based in multi store shopping malls. Once that happened, developers and retailers had to create the concept of entertaining visitors to keep them coming back. So leisure and entertainment was set up in the 1990s. We introduced the large format size amusement and world class shopping mall components to our business in the 2000 era. A decade later, beginning from 2010-11, we ventured into fashion franchise retail.

Today we’re a company listed on the Saudi Arabian stock market operating more than 200 stores with a multi cultures 8,000+ workforce, clocking revenues in excess of SAR8 billion across the GCC and North Africa. Leisure and amusement are vital components of retail. The leisure and entertainment industry is a highly exciting segment within regional retail.

You cannot have FECs without retail - you cannot have retail without entertainment.

It is like the two sides of a coin. Between them they offer a family; a complete range of leisure pursuits, shopping, dining and fun, in a package which is unique.

At present there are seven top notch leisure brands under Al Othaim Leisure umbrella, SafforiLand, Fabyland, Xtreme Zone, XtremeLand, Splash Island, MyTown & Snow City. Our intention is clear that we are committed to enhance our existing locations to constantly improve customer experience thereby adding more locations across the MENA & Asia.

Today, Al Othaim is ranked as one of the best shopping Centre and amusement operators in the Mena region. We are also the first leisure operator to have opened the first indoor Snow Park in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia with the brand name of “Snow City”.

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Safforiland New Branding

At present we operate more than (25) family entertainment stores in GCC and Egypt. Soon we will open seven more Fabyland FEC’s across different geographies, six Safforiland FEC’s in KSA and two additions to our Snow park’s; Snow City in Cairo and Riyadh. It’s through such expansion that we’re able to open up opportunities for our executives and avenues for their growth. My Choices, My Success, My Story.

FAHAD AL-OTHAIM Vice-Chairman Al-Othaim Group, Saudi Arabia Fahad Al-Othaim is a young and dynamic businessman, he manages the group’s diverse, world-class shopping malls and leisure portfolio that includes several upcoming leisure projects in Saudi Arabia, other GCC countries and Egypt.

After graduating from the reputed school in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; he went to United States for higher studies to pursue a degree in Shopping Malls and Retail Management. Upon successful completion of his studies; he joined the Al-Othaim Group and is successfully developing best shopping malls and family entertainment centers across the GCC and North Africa. His strength lies in listening to his business partners and team members to improvise strategies and synergize business interests.

Al Othaim Mall, Rabwa, Riyadh, KSA

OCT-DEC 2018 . RETAIL PEOPLE .43

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MECSC MEMBER’S SEGMENT

MECSC Corporate Members PLATINUM SPONSOR

GOLD SPONSOR

BRONZE SPONSORS

Look Who’s Joined MECSC!!!

New and Renewed Individual Members from July to September 2018 AUSTRALIA

SPAIN

Ismail Saddiq

Ahmad Mustafa Mujallid

Anudeep Beniwal CRX, CSM, CLS, CMD

Nermeen Bishady

Ali Aldrihem

Alfonso Garcia

Francis Loughran

Sohel Ahmed Abdul Qhadeer

Almohanad Farooq M Alzooaabe

Gaston Gaitan

Ashraf Awad Alyas

Mihaela Maxim

BAHRAIN

LEBANON

Fahad Al Dibasi

Magdi Elsayed Mohamed Ahmed

Claudia Kassab Tarazi

Fahad H Al Sheikh

Maher Abdulaziz Yousif Al Shaer

Jana Kattar

Farooq Mohammad Ali

Afrah Al Khatheri

Maria Charles John Chinnaiyan

Rony Aoun, CSM

Firas Haidar

Ahmet Kayhan

Samar Akkou CSM, CLS

Fouad Al-Rashed

CANADA Gholam Reza Alikhani

Fouad Al Fakhri OMAN

Georges Sofia

Michael L. Kehoe

Benjamin Cullum

Ghanem Al Sharaa

Samer Ghazi

Derick Michael

Hani Al-Sulaimani

Salim Qatan

Hussain Al Shaikhi

Samier Khan

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DENMARK Heike Nagler

Khaled Al Amoudi PAKISTAN

EGYPT

Majed Ibrahim S Alheji

Aamina Nasir Butt

Mazen Al Sihman

Moataman Daader

Shahzad Hassan Anwar

Mazen Al Ghamdi

Mohamed Saed

Syed Salman Bukhari

Mohammed A. Fattah

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Waqas Awan

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Mosab Al-Hamad

UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

Alessandro Gaffuri Ali Fahs Ali Talib Al Jadere Amal Dabboussi Angus Woodhead Aravind Ravi Banu Tas Binas Basheer Carlos Gomes Pissarra Celeste Guarino Cem Apaydin Cheryle Treanor Chirag Khiara

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Claudia Lopusinska

Abdulaziz Alrabiah

Waleed Shehri

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POLAND JORDAN Mohammed Al Hawamdeh Mohammed Yaaqba SAUDI ARABIA KUWAIT

44. RETAIL PEOPLE . OCT-DEC 2018

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Hamad Al Darwish

Matthew Dadd

Roshan Baban

Hamad Al Lawati

Mayank Pal

Sadiq Ali Khan Afridi

Hana Abu Lughod

Mehmet Soltay

Sahil Dewan

Hanan Kamal Eddin

Michael Ohlms

Salim MA

Hanley Thomas

Mike Nasreddin

Samir Gupte

Harvey Monk

Mohamad Issa

Sanjay Kapoor

Hatem Allahham

Mohamed Dabaan

Sanjay Mehta

Hicham Dabbagh

Mohamed Riaz

Sergio Novais

Hossam Anwar

Mohit Ahuja

Shanil Abdul Rahman

Jacqueline Patrona

Mohmad Taha Wani

Simon Newberry

Janice San Pedro

Moustafa Moussa

Simon Townsend

Jean Pierre Nammour

Muhammed Meeran

Sineesh Vaikkattil

Jefferson Urriquia

Naseem Ahmad Jawa

Steph Hedger

John Ogier

Neeraj Teckchandani

Wajeb Al Khoury

John Saad

Nesrine Baccar

Yi Chen

John Joseph Fekete

Nishath Abbas

Zeynep Sarsar

Joselin Benson

Nisrine Hajj Ali

Kacy Abouali

Pierre Cassimatis

Kareem Omar Al Ayat

Pierre Semaan

David Kemp

Katherine Revett

Prem Mohan

Davide Padoa

Khalid Shraim

Raed Al Hammami

Luca Cappuccitti

Lino Oommen Baby

Raja Abdulkader

Mark Anders

Louwrens Marais

Ranjit Patel

Luann Parker

Retso Varughese

Mark Ian ONeill

Riyas Cherichi

Javiera Delacerda

Marwan Abboud

Roger Wilson

Vincent Zawodny

UNITED KINGDOM

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Here’s how your 200 USD can help in your career: • Get a full access to an online directory with over 1,000 members in the Middle East and North Africa with 800+ Shopping Centres, 2,000+ Retailers and 700+ Service Providers • Be ahead of everyone by taking advantage of the discounted fee on our Educational Programmes in preparation for your ICSC Global Certifications • Expand your professional network by attending the SPRING BOARD Networking Events happening in various countries across the region all throughout the year • How about some free advertisements? Promote your projects, businesses, advertisements on MECSC’s social media platforms (Facebook, LinkedIn & Twitter) and MECSC monthly newsletters • Master your writing skills with a free write up about your company in our quarterly magazine, Retail People Magazine (**subject to the article slot availability and theme for the quarter. Contact Mariz Matocdo at customercare@mecsc.org / +971 55 551 7605)

JOIN MECSC NOW! Connect with us at: membership@mecsc.org | Contact Ian Baldonanza: +971 56 477 6536 You will always be delighted when you see your career takes off

www.mecsc.org

OCT-DEC 2018 . RETAIL PEOPLE .45

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• •••••••• • ••• • • •••••• • ••• • • •••••••••• ••• •• •• • ••• • • • ••••••• ••••• ••• • ••••••••• ••• •••• ••••• ••••

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REGIONAL REPRESENTATIVE'S CORNER

MECSC Regional Representative's Corner The Best Property Manager I Have Ever Met

I

t was around 1978 when first phase of the property was completed.

As the owner, he occupied first unit. Two years later the property was fully completed and the owner moved into a bigger unit in same property. He started welcoming tenants into the building. Only considering the long term vision, he accepted only highest quality tenants to be in the property.

At that time, he was keen to have some new features in the property even if it had a high cost. His interest was only in creating a high quality of living. Having Schindler elevators in that city, at that time was exceptional. Offering outdoor terraces, although the design was poor compared to today’s standards was another great feature. Over the period of 40 years three residential units were occupied with only six tenants. The longest lasting tenant occupied an apartment for 37 years. Today two of his sons remain as tenants in the building. One tenant stayed many years till he passed away. One of them stayed until he left the country. Currently one tenant is still occupying the building since around 10 years.

Imagine that for around 40 years, the property manager / owner just decided only once to increase the rent over all that time. He rarely raised the rental rates for the sake of preserving good relations and maintaining great connection with the tenants. All utilities are paid by him not by the tenants. When he cannot do the renovation at his own cost, he agrees with the tenants to do the renovation the way they wanted and these improvements were deducted from the rent.

Excellence of Operation and maintenance is a very important aspect of ownership. On time service, fixing, painting and required renovation are always done without delaying with the top quality regardless of cost.

This strategy has always paid off greatly.

Many years ago, securing Gaz was an issue. Without any hesitation a central Gaz system was installed and in place serving the tenants ahead of many other neighboring properties at that time. He believes in green in very a very simple way. He planted five trees in front of the building creating a nice shadow for the cars and enhancing the look of the entrance to the property.

Giving back to society is normal for him. For many years a free drinking water machine was in place connecting to the outside boundaries of the property for any thirsty person passing by.

Surprisingly, the property manager has never been in the real estate industry, not as employee in the industry or having a property management business. He is a TV show director in a governmental channel with a great career in that field. However the quality of living was in his DNA, even if there are not enough resources.

The property is my father’s residential G+4 building in the holy city Al Madinah Al Monawwarah. He was very inspiring for me all over those years. His way of managing the property, with so much care and attention and although small in size, has stuck with me.

Excellence of Operation and maintenance is a very important aspect of ownership. On time service, fixing, painting and required renovation are always done without delaying with the top quality regardless of cost. This strategy has always paid off greatly.

Mazen Qandeel

Executive Director Granada Investment Center Organization

Today I am connecting the dots of my upbringing related to my profession. As you can see, many dots are applied.

Choosing great tenants is essential for your property’s success and keeping them for a longer period is another triumph. Never be cheap when it comes to design and development. Always try to put the best and the needed features in everything you design. Excellence of operation is a daily practice which should never stop. Being green and eco-friendly is not new trend, it is a fundamental practice.

Giving back part of your real estate business to society even if it is too small will turn into a big thing over time.

In 2018, our Family celebrated with a very simple cake, to salute the 40 years of his quality and vision. He is still living in the same property, enjoying his great job and planning this year to build a mini roof garden. I wish for him the best of luck.

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REGIONAL REPRESENTATIVE'S CORNER

Egypt – The Land of the Pharaohs Still Appealing for Shopping Centres Development & Retail Expansion Mohamed Galal is the President and CEO of TSM CRENOVATIONS Egypt, a leading real estate retail mall management consultancy firm focusing on Retail Shopping Malls Development and Mixed Used Residential Management.

GALAL TSM CRENOVATIONS is a people’s organization currently capitalizing its widespread expansion with the support of its 327 Egyptian staff members, tracing a new trend in small & middle Shopping Malls developments with non-institutional developers & investors.

MOHAMED GALAL, President & CEO TSM CRENOVATIONS; TS-MALLS.COM

E

gypt continues to be amongst the most interesting retail destinations in the Middle East. Despite the aggressive devaluation of the Egyptian currency in 2016, and the temporary measures by the Egyptian Government to put restrictions on the importation-market to capture the demand for foreign currency and parallel market non-conforming imports, Egypt with its 100m inhabitants continue to be a major agenda item on board discussions for most retail groups in the Middle East and in Europe.

Retail groups already operating in Egypt, are almost back on track with their expansion plans. Also, the market now avails with a suitable real estate in the right preferred commercial zones. There are numerous projects developed and under development by Egyptian local developers, with contemporary designs appropriate

to provide the optimum retail operation for regional players. Secondary cities are thirsty for trendy retail operations.

Developers have started the investment in secondary cities like Mansoura, Assyut, Tanta, Port Said, Mahala, and Minya for developing mixed-use projects.

In 2018 several Egyptian Investment Banking Groups are analysing Mixed Real Estate Developments in secondary cities and will introduce suitable real estate options for regional retail expansion, widening the retail market to include these rich populated secondary markets; and also investing in vocational retail training.

The Egyptian Government & International Developmental Organizations are now focusing more on providing investors & developers of Mixed Use and Shopping Centres more privileges and assistance, to help boost the internal trade Economy and Human Development.

S C H O O L F O R R E TA I L R E A L E S TAT E P R O F E S S I O N A L S

SAVE THE DATE

17 - 20 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.

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FEATURED MEMBER

One-on-One With ...

Zainab Talati

Could you tell us a little bit about your role at The Galleria?

As Marketing Director for The Galleria on Al Maryah Island and Al Maryah Central, Abu Dhabi’s next-generation mall due to open next year, my role is to strategize and implement effective marketing plans for both of these world-class projects. It’s an exciting role that requires an intimate understanding of the luxury fashion, retail and F&B sectors, and is focused on engaging the diverse local community.

What can we expect from The Galleria over the next 12 months and beyond?

It’s an exciting time for The Galleria. We have just added a number of new brands that include the renowned Tiffany & Co. and the popular L’ETO Caffe which has been a very successful addition to The Galleria’s outstanding Dining Collection. We also have some incredible events planned for the coming months, and with Al Maryah Central opening next August bringing a vibrant, fullyintegrated mix of shops, restaurants, parks and entertainment to the heart of the capital, there is plenty to look forward to.

How would you describe the role of the mall today, and what does the future look like?

NAME

Zainab Talati JOB TITLE

Malls are no longer just shopping destinations, they are spaces where the community gathers to be entertained, to dine and to create memories. Developments such as The Galleria and Al Maryah Central will become even more important as new urban retailtainment destinations, providing everything from fine-dining and retail, to recreational spaces, regular events and large-scale celebrations. It is a fascinating time to be in this industry.

Marketing Director COMPANY

Gulf Related NATIONALITY

British HOBBIES

Cooking, Shopping, Entertaining and Spending Time with Family

Who are the 3 people, past or present, you admire most and why?

One of the people I admire most is Her Excellency Noura Al Kaabi, whose leadership across a number of sectors is truly inspirational.

I also admire Arianna Huffington, a proud and dedicated mother who established herself as one of the most influential leaders in modern media. The third has to be Coco Chanel for revolutionising the fashion industry. Even today, the brand is continuously growing and evolving, while staying true to the roots on which it was built.

What are you passionate about and where do you find inspiration?

I am truly passionate about my work. I also take inspiration from destinations at the forefront of the experience evolution. It’s thrilling to see what’s on the horizon and how we can improve and adapt that to the UAE market. At home I put the same energy into being a parent. I have three amazing children that I am proud to say inspire me on a daily basis. Family values are important to me and I try to be a strong role model for my kids.

OCT-DEC 2018 . RETAIL PEOPLE .49

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Al MARYAH CENTRAl Technological Sea Change Approaches the Gulf Page 14

FUTURISTIC Global Retail VR & AR in Future Retail Page 29

MODA MAll Bahrain’s Luxury Retail Shopping Destination Page 40

ISSUE 12 JUL-SEP 2017

Circulated in 45 countries

EDUCATION AND TECHNOLOGY IN RETAIL Maimunah Shebani

Managing Director of The Retail Agency

Addressing the Employment Gap in Oman through Retail Training

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E A S T

C O U N C I L

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S H O P P I N G

MARAKEZ The Expansion at Mall of Arabia Cairo Page 16

C E N T R E S ’

MARINA MALL Abu Dhabi Extension Project Page 18

M A G A Z I N E

SHOPPING MALLS Why Customer Experience?

Page 34

ISSUE 14 FEB-MAR 2018

Circulated in 45 countries

CREATING EXCEPTIONAL EXPERIENCES Mohammed J. Al Marzouq Chairman, Tamdeen Group

Building Great Places Creating Exceptional Experiences Delivering Outstanding Sales

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S H O P P I N G

MODA MALL Expands its Retail Portfolio Page 20

C E N T R E S ’

MALL OF DILMUNIA Historical Dilmunia Meets Modern Bahrain Page 22

M A G A Z I N E

COMPLEMENTARY Retail Digital Solutions Page 36

ISSUE 16 AUGUST-SEPTEMBER 2018

Circulated in 45 countries

RETAIL DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION Daniel Parry

Managing Director & General Counsel Gulf Related

Speaks about “The Experience Evolution: Creating Next-Generation Retail Destinations”

A

Retail People Magazine, gives you the edge to share your personal professional experience that other professionals in the industry could benefit from. It provides you with the updates & insights going all around the MENA region.

– Zain Abu Sitteh, Leasing Manager at Swefieh Village and MECSC Regional Representative in Jordan

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M I D D L E

E A S T

C O U N C I L

O F

S H O P P I N G

C E N T R E S ’

M A G A Z I N E

Retail People Magazine is a well-read publication and helps connect like-minded people in our industry to constantly improve their careers and professional accomplishments.

– Phil McArthur, Founder & Managing Director McARTHUR + COMPANY

10/22/18 12:43 PM

Organised by the largest Retail Industry Associations

Keynote Speakers

David Meerman Scott

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Kate Ancketill

Dr. Tommy Weir

Cornell Thomas

10/21/18 12:23 PM

Contents

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Welcome Message Thank You to MECSC Board Members & Regional Representatives 2018 RECon MENA Sponsors & Partners Conference Program & Speakers Exhibitors and Deal Making Event Floor Plan Sponsor Profiles Exhibitor Profiles

2018 Middle East and North Africa Shopping Centre & Retailer Awards Welcome Message MENA Shopping Centres & Retailers Awards Jury Judging and Scoring Procedure Gala Evening Awards MENA Awards Finalist • Category 1: Traditional Marketing • Category 2: NOI Enhancement • Category 3: Design and Development • Category 4: Retail Excellence • Category 5: Best MENA Retail Brand • Category 6: Best New Technology in Retail • Category 7: Retail Professional of the Year

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Welcome Message Welcome to the RECon Guide The Middle East Council of Shopping Centres (MECSC) and the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC) are pleased to welcome you to the 25th Anniversary RECon Conference, Exhibition and the Awards Gala Dinner for the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) Region. This event is the leading retailer and shopping centre convention and is the MENA region’s dedicated forum for Retailers, Shopping Centre Owners, Developers, Service Providers, Managers and all Retail Industry Professionals.

FUTURE PROOF RETAIL – IS OUR THEME AT THE 2018 RECon CONFERENCE Keynote Speakers

David Meerman Scott is our first keynote speaker. Speed and Agility in Business today is vital in the business world. Based in Boston, David is no stranger to the international speaker’s world having spoken in more than 40 countries. The acknowledged global expert in online marketing strategy, The New Rules of Marketing and PR, 5th edition is his latest best selling book. Creating and coining the term ‘Newsjacking’ which is now a word in the English dictionary and author of several related books, David is the online marketing strategist we all will learn from.

Kate Ancketill is our second keynote speaker. One of the world’s top retail trend forecasters, Kate formed her business GDR Creative Intelligence in London and New York in 2000. She was recently rated the top speaker at the prestigious National Retail Federation event in New York in 2017 with a hugely successful and insightful 45-minute presentation to 1000 delegates. Her presentation will focus on innovation and emerging trends in retail, leisure and hospitality from a global perspective.

Dr. Tommy Weir joins us from Dubai where he heads up EMLC. A past sensational keynote speaker at the RECon Conference, Dr. Tommy has 20 years’ experience in leadership research and coaching CEOs with data science. He also built the world’s first Leadership Ai Lab where EMLC’s team of data scientists and leadership experts combine together to help organizations radically improve their productivity. Author to several books relevant in the region including Leadership Dubai Style and 10 tips for Leading in the Middle East, Dr. Tommy is also the editor-and-chief of Emerging Markets Business. We look forward to learning about the practical lessons from using and acquiring Artificial Intelligence.

Cornell Thomas – The Power of Positivity presentation. Cornell is an International speaker, author, leadership coach, entrepreneur, Population Unplugged podcast host, Renzo Gracie blackbelt and a Ted X Speaker.

He travels all over the world sharing his story, and his book “Extra–Ordinary the distance between good and great” is endorsed by Tony Robbins.

Our speaker line up and panel sessions are full of innovative thought leaders who all have a great track record in the retail industry. These retail Industry leaders will share their insights into what is creating the fabric of the current retail scene.

Deal Making Sessions at this year’s RECon Conference is already a huge hit and is a feature in every RECon Conference.

Our members tell us that they are able to complete a full year of business in two days at our RECon Conference. Our team at the MECSC urges each and everyone to take advantage of this unique annual opportunity to meet and chat with the retail industry professionals in the room with you throughout the Conference.

We want to thank the MECSC Board Members, Thank you also to our tireless workers on the MECSC team who have worked so hard over the past months to make this 2018 RECon Conference a reality.

Best Wishes for a Great Conference,

David Macadam CEO – MECSC

Younus Al Mulla Chairman – MECSC

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Thank You MECSC Board Members & Regional Representatives Our organization is blessed with great members who support the MECSC with their time, talent and advice. It is our privilege and honor to work with such a passionate group of accomplished professionals as Board Members and Regional Representatives.

In 2018 we have initiated the creation of a new relationship with the ICSC in New York. By year end we are working to have a new agreement in place between the MECSC and ICSC. The biggest achievement of the Board will be the creation of a new working agreement between MECSC and ICSC. This agreement will see an evolution in the relationship between the MECSC and ICSC. The MECSC will become autonomous being able to freely operate independently, a true milestone for our organization. Truly fitting that on the 25th Anniversary of the MECSC, that our organization will become self-determining.

At the end of October this year our existing Board Members will retire with a great legacy through the creation of a new relationship with the ICSC. Avijit Yadav, Luca Cappuccitti, Andrew Williamson, Marwan Eskandarani, Marcello Larizza, Mohammad Alawi, Khalid AlJasser and Maimunah Shebani all played pivotal roles as Board Members in making the year 2018 an exceptional year for the MECSC. Assisting in hosting Next Generation Networking Events, introducing sponsors and exhibitors to the RECon Conference, raising the profile of the MECSC Education Programs, sourcing new members, providing support and the source of many new and creative ideas are just a few examples of the depth and strength of the Board. Thank you All! Our Regional Representatives contributed enormously again in 2018 to the success of the Next Generation Networking Events, now renamed the Springboard Networking Events across the MENA region. Lina Abbas, Fouad Al Fakhri, Doris Hazzan, Jamal Al Shawish, Samar Akkou, Wail Balkhair, Mohamed Galal, Abdul-Rahman Touqan, Mazen Qandeel, Zain Abu Sitteh and Malik Qaiser Awan, to each and everyone of you Thank You! The MECSC team has already begun working on the new and expanded version of the 2019 MECSC Directory. We want to make the MECSC Directory the ‘go to’ reference book and a ‘must have’ for the retail industry in the MENA region. We have expanded plans for the newly named Springboard Networking Events, more custom education programs in store in 2019, holding the Jeddah Forum again in the second quarter of 2019. All these ambitious plans require the ongoing support and team work of our Board Members, Regional Representatives and the team at the MECSC.

MECSC Board Members YOUNUS AL MULLA Chairman – MECSC Dubai, United Arab Emirates

MARWAN ESKANDARANI Board President – MECSC; Group Business Development Director – GCC Kamal Osman Jamjoom Group LLC Dubai, United Arab Emirates

ANDREW WILLIAMSON Board Member Dubai, United Arab Emirates

AVIJIT YADAV, CMD, CSM, CDP, CLS , CRX Chief Operating Officer, GLA Property Management Co. LLC Dubai, United Arab Emirates

MAIMUNAH SHEBANI Managing Director – The Retail Agency Muscat, Oman

MARCELLO LARIZZA, CSM, CRX General Manager – Shopping Malls, Line Investments & Property LLC / Lulu Group International Dubai, United Arab Emirates

KHALID S. ALJASSER MECSC Board Member Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

LUCA CAPPUCCITTI Head Of Global Business Development & Strategy Design International London, United Kingdom

MOHAMMAD I.B. ALAWI Chairman – Shopping Malls Committee, Jeddah Chamber Chairman and Partner – Saudi Sand Souvenir Partner & CEO – Real Estate Development Solution Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

Regional Representatives

Lina Abbas Leasing Manager GLA Management Safat, Kuwait

Fouad Al Fakhri General Manager Alrashid Mall Al Rashid Trading & Contracting Co. Al Khobar, Saudi Arabia

Samar Akkou, CSM, CLS Leasing Manager CityMall Beirut, Lebanon

Wail Balkhair Deputy CEO Al Mahmal Development Co. Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

Mohamed Galal President & CEO TSM Mall Management Cairo, Egypt

Mazen Hamza Qandeel Executive Director Granada Center Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Zain Abu Sitteh Leasing Manager Swefieh Village Amman, Jordan

Malik Qaiser Awan President Club Qaiser

A collective effort is essential to make the MECSC association profoundly successful. The credit belongs to our professional Board Members, committed Regional Representatives and the truly passionate MECSC and ICSC teams.

A sincere THANK YOU to each and every colleague, member and friend for their time, effort, energy and support in achieving our many successes!

David Macadam CEO – MECSC

Mohammad Jamal Doris Hazzan Senior Division Manager Al Shawish Retail Property Devt Mngt. Director of Leasing & Sales Chalhoub Group Alef Group Dubai, UAE Sharjah, UAE

Abdul-Rahman Touqan Business Development Manager Muscat National Development and Investment Company (ASAAS); And Chairman Touqan Investments Muscat, Oman

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ORGANISED BY THE LARGEST RETAIL INDUSTRY ASSOCIATIO ONS

PLA INUM SPONSORS PLAT

GOLD SP SPONSORS

Building retail excellence

Building retail excellence

Building retail excellence

SILVER SPONSORS

BRONZE SPONSORS

OFFICIAL ICIAL EXHIB BITION CON ONTRACTOR OR

EXHIBITORS

McARTHUR cARTHUR

+ COMPANY IT Solutions LLC

CON CONFERENCE BREAK, LUNCH & B GALA GIFT BA AG SPONSOR

Building retail excellence

Building retail excellence

Building retail excellence

CONFERENCE DELEGAT A E BAG AT & EXCLUSIVE GALA DINNER SPONSOR

Building retail excellence

B u i l d i n g r e t a i l e x cSeH l l eOn cPeP I N G

CENTRE SPECIALISTS

LANYARD LANYARD SPONSOR ONSOR

DELE ELEGAT A E BADG AT GE SPONSOR ONSOR

Building retail excellence

CONFERENCE DELEGAT A E & GALA GIFT SPONSORS AT

Building retail excellence

Building retail excellence

Building retail excellence

SUPPORT OR PART ORT PAR NERS

MEDIA PAR PARTNERS

IT Solutions LLC THE Emirates HERITAGE FLORIST EST. 1975

AZAB PRODUCTION GROUP FZE

WWW.AZDEF.COM

For further furtherinformation: information visit visit:www.reconmena.com www.reconmena.com | To register contact: lea@mecsc.org or +971 (0)4 l To register contact: register@mecsc.org or call: call +971 (0)4 359 3597909 7909 Sponsor and Logos RPM Advert RECON 2018 205x265.indd 1

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Conference, Exhibition

ICSC MENA AWARDS

Deal-Making & Networking Conference Programme & Speakers PRE-CONFERENCE: Sunday – October 28, 2018 Pre- Conference Masterclass: Workshop Samaya Ballroom, Ritz Carlton Hotel DIFC

10:00

How to attract the best new retailers to your shopping centre – Michael Hirschfeld

The retail environments from Tokyo to Los Angeles and New York to Singapore and everywhere in between, shopping centre owners and leasing teams are constantly seeking the best new concepts. Michael joins us from the NY office of JLL where he heads up retail as Vice Chairman of National Retail Tenant Services. Come and learn what the retailers are and who are trending in the US and other global retail markets today.

11:00 10:00 – 14:00

Advanced Retail Delivery Workshop – Colin Beaton

Retail delivery is always a key component of the retailer experience and ultimately the look and feel of the retailer and shopping centre. Learn how to add value to the shopping centres long beyond opening day. Learn advanced and on-going retail delivery services and identify significant new industry trends in this session.

12:00

Interactive Digital Marketing Workshop – David Meerman Scott

Learn from case studies how to be the top marketing and public relations authority in the region. Use FREE web based communications to connect with countless new customers. Cement old customers into fierce new supporters of your business.

13:00

The Championship Formula- What Winning Teams Do!! Bouncebackability – Cornell Thomas

Teamwork in the workplace, mindset and culture.

Welcome to RECON 2018 – Kick off Cocktail Party Reception and Launching of Souks to Malls Receive your complimentary copy of the New Souks to Malls Retail Entertainment in the Gulf

18:00 – 20:00

Celebrate with us and join the festivities for MECSC’s 25th year of RECON Conference in Dubai Join us to salute the RECON Sponsors at our Kick Off Cocktail Party Awards Ceremony The venue is in The Sunken Garden in the Ritz Carlton Hotel DIFC

CONFERENCE DAY ONE: Monday – October 29, 2018 09:00 – 10:00

Registration and Coffee Ritz-Carlton Hotel DIFC - Grand Ballroom - Samaya Conference Ballroom

Conference Official Opening & Welcome 10:00 – 10:15

David Macadam, CEO, MECSC

Rania Ali, Master of Ceremonies

Welcome Addresses 10:15 – 10:30

Younus A Mulla, Chairman, MECSC | Marwan Eskandarani, Board President, MECSC

Keynote Address: David Meerman Scott 10:30 – 11:15

11:15 – 12:00

David Meerman Scott is our first keynote speaker. Speed and Agility in Business today is vital in the business world. Based in Boston, David is no stranger to the international speaker’s world having spoken in more than 40 countries. The acknowledged global expert in online marketing strategy, The New Rules of Marketing and PR, 5th Edition is his latest bestselling book. Creating and coining the term ‘Newsjacking’ which is now a word in the English dictionary and author of several related books, David is the online marketing strategist we all will learn from.

Panel Discussion: How to Make Cinema in the Shopping Centres Regionally Work?

The cinema industry, like every other industry, is in a constant state of change. Every year, new technologies emerge that force the industry to reinvent itself and that pace of disruption is only getting faster and faster. Cinemas have

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continued to innovate over the years with immersive sound, stereo 3D, digital film prints, even reclining and moving seats, environmental conditions such as rain and wind effects.

Malls in Saudi Arabia are getting ready to take advantage of the government’s decision allowing them to open cinemas. Mall operators across the Kingdom are locating space for theaters and exploiting empty units.

This session brings together prominent industry speakers to discuss the current issues, challenges, trends and how malls gear up for big screens and entertainment in the future.

Moderator: VIC Bageria, Xpandretail powered by Sávant Data System Panelists:

Cameron Mitchell, VOX Cinemas | John Davis, Colliers International | Mazen Qandeel, Granada Center | Ashish Shukla, Cinepolis

Keynote Address: Cornell Thomas 12:00 – 12:30

Cornell Thomas is an International speaker, author, leadership coach, entrepreneur, Population Unplugged podcast host, Renzo Gracie blackbelt and a Ted X Speaker. He travels all over the world sharing his story, and his book “Extra–Ordinary the distance between good and great” was endorsed by Tony Robbins.

Cornell will leave us excited for the future and optimistic for where we are headed in the world today.

Come and learn to “Stop looking outside because Everything you need - is ALREADY within you.”

Panel Discussion: Future Proof Marketing

12:30 – 13:00

The retail industry is changing and what works today will need to adapt for tomorrow. We’re constantly researching what’s important to consumers and how businesses can put the right pieces in place to make sure their customers get what they want and need, whether it’s through surveys, data analytics and learning about the new rules of Marketing.

The discussion is focused on emerging retail trends, the evolution of consumer markets, effective marketing strategies, customer experience, AI and Technology, and connecting online and physical stores experiences.

Moderator: David Meerman Scott Panelists:

Alex Andarakis, Andarakis Group | Nada Abou Saab, Majid Al Futtaim Properties | Stacy Mackler, LifeOnScreen USA

Panel Discussion: Environmental Mall Benchmarking Project. Why all Shopping Centres should be part of this project

13:00 – 13:15

Utility costs do consume a large percentage of a shopping centres cost of operations and overheads. When managed correctly, these costs can be reduced by up to 30%. Farnek’s award-winning environmental mall benchmarking study, endorsed by The Dubai Supreme Council of Energy, was revealed earlier this year. The study provides a benchmark for malls to monitor their energy performance, water use and waste generation.

Farnek and the Dubai Supreme Council of Energy are launching phase two of the study at this year’s RECON MENA 2018 encouraging all malls to participate. One of the study’s major advocates and participants, the Dubai Mall, will join the discussion to highlight how the study has helped it reduce consumption, have a positive effect on the environment and save on costs. The discussion will provide mall owners and operators with more visibility surrounding their industry’s energy performance, water use and waste generation.

Moderator: David Macadam Panellists:

Sandrine Le Biavant, Farnek | Abdulla Al Wahedi, Emaar Properties | Faisal Ali Rashid, Dubai Supreme Council of Energy

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Conference, Exhibition

ICSC MENA AWARDS

Deal-Making & Networking Panel Discussion: What makes F&B sustainable in the retail environments of the MENA region shopping experience?

13:15 – 13:45

The GCC and in particular Dubai is home to a vast number of F&B brands, food products, entertainment options and exciting opportunities in spite of the large number of entrants already present in the industry. Many of the most popular F&B options originated in the US. Our panel will discuss what is necessary to have successful food components in the retail environments today. Our panelists include the current vision and insights from the US market with Michael Hirschfeld. An industry leading architect Paul Firth from RTKL. Anoop Gopal joins us from one of the largest and most successful food brands globally Americana. Daniel Parry MD of Gulf Related shares his first-hand knowledge and experience from the UAE. Join us for insights to the trending F&B winners at this panel discussion.

Moderator: Alexis Marcoux-Varvatsoulis, Foodservice Consulting MENA, JLL Panelists:

13:45 – 15:00 15:00 15:00 – 15:20

Michael Hirschfield, Vice Chairman of National Retail Tenant Services JLL | Paul Firth, RTKL | Anoop Gopal, Americana | Daniel Parry, MD for Gulf Related

Networking Lunch Cara Restaurant

Close of Conference Day One Annual General Meeting Samaya Conference Ballroom

CONFERENCE DAY TWO: Tuesday – October 30, 2018 09:30 – 10:00

Registration and Coffee Opening and Welcome Remarks

10:00 – 10:15

David Macadam, CEO, MECSC

Rania Ali, Master of Ceremonies

Keynote Address: Kate Ancketill

10:15 – 11:00

Kate Ancketill is the driving force behind her business GDR Creative Intelligence based in London and New York. She is one of the world’s top trend forecasters for retailers, retail technology and product brands. Her work looks at the key shifts in consumer behavior, retail innovation and technology which provides confidence to senior business decision makers about where to innovate, adapt and invest resources. In her words her mission is “to help our clients make sense of the world through global context, insight and inspiration to help them to drive innovation, anticipate trends and create actionable strategies for delivery” Come and join us to learn about what trends are heading our way in the GCC.

Keynote Address: Dr. Tommy Weir

11:00 – 11:45

Dr. Tommy Weir joins us from Dubai where he heads up EMLC. A sensational keynote speaker at a past RECON Conference, Dr. Tommy has 20 years’ experience in leadership research and coaching CEOs with data science. He has also built the world’s first Leadership AI Lab where EMLC’s team of data scientists and leadership experts help organizations radically improve their productivity. Author to several books relevant in the region including Leadership Dubai Style and 10 tips for Leading in the Middle East.

We look forward to learning about his new focus which is the practical lessons from acquiring and using Artificial Intelligence in day to day situations locally, regionally and globally.

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How Digital Innovation Leads Retail?

11:45 – 12:30

Come and learn from the retail industry’s best companies and their spokesmen providing how data is becoming much more relevant to all our decisions. Retailers and shopping centre owners, management and retail professionals must be aware of the latest technology available in the market today and how to win market share with this information.

The panelists will answer your questions in an interactive Q & A session which will provide the audience with practical knowledge on what is available in the market today and how best to use this information. Digital Innovation does lead retail. Join this session to understand fully how you can harness this resource.

Moderator: David Macadam, CEO, MECSC Panelists:

Said Haider, Yardi | George Kasparis, ShopperTrak | David Wee, Abuzz | Ben Chesser, Coniq | Demirhan Büyüközcü, VCount

Heart of a Community – Future Proof Retail – Relationships based on strong emotions for venues where culture, art, food, music and entertainment truly engage the community

12:30 – 13:00

13:00 – 13:10

13:10 – 14:00 13:30 – 15:00

15:00 – 16:00

18:00 – 19:00

In this session, Alessandro Gaffuri CEO of CELS Group and David Macadam CEO of the MECSC have a discussion on stage.

Alessandro tells us about his passion to create Preferred Meeting Places across the GCC. With clients from Europe and throughout the GCC Alessandro is the regional industry leader in shopping centre activation, creating unique marketing niches and mainstream digital content. Come and listen to what Alessandro has succeeded in doing in the region where he has learned that social bounds are just as relevant as shopping related interests. Learn how your retail environment can be Future Proof.

Mazen Qandeel launches the new re-branding of Granada Centre to Granadia. Mazen will showcase the revamp of the shopping centre and highlight a short video on the great strides the team at Granadia have taken to expand their retail, lifestyle, business and entertainment offering.

Networking and Exhibition Area Deal Making Networking Lunch Cara Restaurant

MECSC Board Meeting Meeting Room No. 7, Mezzanine Floor, Ritz Carlton Hotel DIFC

ICSC Awards Cocktail Reception Exhibition Area

ICSC MENA Awards Gala Dinner Richard Dean, Master of Ceremonies

19:00 – 22:00

Samaya Ballroom (Dress Code: Evening Attire) ** Concurrent Deal-Making Sessions from 10am onwards on 29 and 30 October 2018 in South Hall, Sahaab 1 & 2 Meeting Rooms and Salon Mezzanine Meeting Rooms

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Exhibitors Al Hokair Group Country: Saudi Arabia

Premier Marketing Management Booth Location: 49-50

Al Othaim Leisure & Tourism Co. Country: UAE

Booth Location: 6-7

Amusement Services International LLC Country: UAE

Booth Location: 1

Arabian Oud Country: UAE

Booth Location: 14-17

Blachere Illumination Country: UAE

Booth Location: 52

Blue Rhine Industries Country: UAE

Booth Location: 28

Buz Management & Marketing Consultancy Country: UAE

Booth Location: 21

Café Saraydan Country: UAE

Booth Location: 11 & 13

CELS Events & AFKAR Lighting Equipment Trading Co. LLC Country: UAE

Booth Location: 51

Xpandretail powered by Sávant Data System (SDS) LLC Country: UAE

Booth Location: 53

Deal Making

South Hall Table 6

–

South Hall Table 7

Nearbuy Group

South Hall Table 8

Dalma Mall

Sahaab 1 - VIP Room

Alavance

Sahaab 2 - Table 1

The Leisure Way

Sahaab 2 - Table 2

Saudi Bonyan / Al Rashid Group

Sahaab 2 - Table 3

The Grooming Company

Salon 1 - VIP Room

Abuzz Solutions

Salon 2 - VIP Room

GLA Property Management

Salon 3 - VIP Room

GLA Property Management

Salon 4 - VIP Room

Line Investments & Property LLC

Booth Location: 4

Salon 5 - VIP Room

LifeOnScreen Marketing Management

Booth Location: 37-38

Salon 6 - VIP Room

Unified Asset & Property Management & Al Rajhi Investment

Booth Location: 39-41 Booth Location: 10 & 12 Booth Location: 27 Booth Location: 24-25 Booth Location: 3 Booth Location: 48 Booth Location: 42

Oud Elite Country: UAE

Country: UAE

Oasis Mall - Oman

Optifashion Country: UAE

V-Count Teknoloji A.Ş.

South Hall Table 5 Booth Location: 26

MK Illumination Country: UAE

Booth Location: 45-47

Optifashion

MECSC Country: UAE

Country: Saudi Arabia

South Hall Table 4

Booth Location: 5

McArthur + Company Country: UAE

Unified Asset & Property Management & Al Rajhi Investment

JLL

LPFlex Base Industry LLC Country: UAE

Booth Location: 2

South Hall Table 3

Line Investments & Property LLC Country: UAE

Country: UAE

Yardi

Kingsmen Middle East LLC Country: UAE

Solution BI Middle East DMCC

South Hall Table 2

Booth Location: 22-23

Jelly Belly Ice Cream Country: UAE

Booth Location: 18-19

Red Sea Mall

Jeddah Park Country: Saudi Arabia

Country: UAE

South Hall Table 1

InLogic IT Solutions LLC Country: UAE

Retail Emotions

COMPANY NAME

Funtopia Franchising Ltd. Country: Bulgaria

Booth Location: 20

DEAL MAKING AREA

Booth Location: 55-58

Dalma Mall Country: UAE

Country: UAE

Booth Location: 54

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ORGANISED BY THE LARGEST LARGEST RETTAIL AIL INDUS NDUSTTRY ASS SSO OCIAT CIA ION

GROUND FLOOR 6-7 18

8&9-F&B

19

4

3 2

13

21

4

14

15

22

5

16

17

20

CONFERENCE AND GALA

23 24

26

27

PRE-FUNTION AREA

REGISTRATION

1

11

12

STAGE

5

10

3

28 42

1

40

2

45

41

3

SAHAAB ROOM 2

LIGHT BOX

SOCIAL MEDIA WALL

37-38 39

ENTRANCE

25

1

46

47

ALAVANCE

VIP SAHAAB ROOM 1

48

DEAL MAKING SESSION

6

2

DEAL MAKING SESSION

7 DEAL MAKING SESSION

8

SOUTH HALL

1

49

51

52

53

54

2

MEZZANINE LEVEL

VIP SALON 2

DEAL MAKING SESSION

GLA/TAMDEEN GROUP

LINE INVESTMENTS & PROPERTY LLC

VIP SALON 3

VIP SALON 1

VIP SALON 5

GLA/TAMDEEN GROUP

ABUZZ SOLUTIONS

TO LOBBY

55 56 57 58

MEDIA ZONE

50

SALON 4

PRE-FUNCTION AREA

LIFEONSCREEN

BUSINESS CENTER

VIP SALON 5 UAPM

GUEST LIFTS

EXHIBITORS BOOTH NO.

49-50

COMPANY NAME

COUNTRY

BOOTH NO.

SAUDI ARABIA

27

Al Othaim Leisure & Tourism Co.

UAE

24-25

Amusement Services International LLC

UAE

3

Arabian Oud

UAE

52

Blachere Illumination

28 21

COUNTRY

Kingsmen Middle East LLC

UAE

Line Investments & Property LLC

UAE

LPFlex Base Industry LLC

UAE

48

McArthur + Company

UAE

UAE

42

MECSC

UAE

Blue Rhine Industries

UAE

4

MK Illumination

UAE

Buz Management & Marketing Consultancy

UAE

37-38

Optifashion

UAE

11 & 13

Café Saraydan

UAE

54

Oud Elite

UAE

55-58

CELS Events & AFKAR Lighting Equipment Trading Co. LLC

UAE

20

Premier Marketing Management

UAE

22-23

Dalma Mall

UAE

Retail Emotions

UAE

6-7 1 14-17

5

Al Hokair Group

COMPANY NAME

Funtopia Franchising Ltd.

26

BULGARIA

InLogic IT Solutions LLC

39-41 10 & 12

UAE

Jeddah Park

SAUDI ARABIA

Jelly Belly Ice Cream

UAE

18-19 2 45-47

Solution BI Middle East DMCC

UAE

Unified Asset & Property Management & Al Rajhi Investment

SAUDI ARABIA

51

V-Count Teknoloji A.S.

UAE

53

Xpandretail powered by Sávant Data System (SDS) LLC

UAE

DEAL MAKING SESSIONS DEAL MAKING AREA

COMPANY NAME

SOUTH HALL TABLE 1

Red Sea Mall

DEAL MAKING AREA

COMPANY NAME

SAHAAB 2 - TABLE 2

Saudi Bonyan / Al Rashid Group

SOUTH HALL TABLE 2

Yardi

SAHAAB 2 - TABLE 3

The Grooming Company

SOUTH HALL TABLE 3

JLL

SALON 1 - VIP ROOM

Abuzz Solutions

SOUTH HALL TABLE 4

Optifashion

SALON 2 - VIP ROOM

GLA Property Management

SOUTH HALL TABLE 5

Oasis Mall - Oman

SALON 3 - VIP ROOM

GLA Property Management

SOUTH HALL TABLE 6

-

SALON 4 - VIP ROOM

Line Investments & Property LLC

SOUTH HALL TABLE 7

Nearbuy Group

SALON 5 - VIP ROOM

LifeOnScreen Marketing Management

SOUTH HALL TABLE 8

Dalma Mall

SAHAAB 1 - VIP ROOM

Alavance

SALON 6 - VIP ROOM

Unified Asset & Property Management & Al Rajhi Investment

SAHAAB 2 - TABLE 1

The Leisure Way

For further information: visit www.reconmena.com l To register contact: lea@mecsc.org or call +971 (0)4 359 7909

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Booth Stand No.

14 – 17

PLATINUM SPONSOR

Arabian Oud An Al Jasser Group Company Established in 1982, is the largest perfumes mono-brand retail chain in the world, with over 800 branches and more than 400 unique Oriental and Western luxurious fragrances.

20 th Floor, Burlington Tower Al Abraj St., Business Bay PO Box 86884, Dubai, UAE

+971 4 388 1990

khalid.aldamen@arabianoud.com

Being the Scent of Luxury, Arabian Oud is a prominent and trusted name with over 36 years of expertise in the production of authentic scents. Arabian Oud was ranked number 1 in the Middle East, Africa and 11th globally as per reports from Euromonitor in 2013, and honored as one of the strongest 50 brands in Saudi Arabia in 2013 and 2017.

The company manages a retail chain of 800 stores worldwide, serving customers across over 110 cities and 40 countries worldwide, from London to Paris, Istanbul, all across the Middle East Far East and the flagship store in Times Square, New York.

www.arabianoud.com

Khalid Al Damen Sales Manager

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Booth Stand No.

55 – 58

PLATINUM SPONSOR

CELS Events LLC We are not the common event agency: we imagine and produce original formats.

We understand that in order for your guests to make memories, they must first be willing to take the step to partake. We have spent time developing a range of live shows and event experiences, fun activations, exciting themes, scouting International exhibitions and Spend & Experience solutions that ensure you are connected at every guest touchpoint.

We manage all elements from storytelling to performers and set-up: developing impressive, creative experiences that foster social sharing – events that build rapport and customer relationships.

This is how we get the community to engage and develop your destination into the ultimate Preferred Meeting Space.

CELS Events is the Event Design branch at CELS Group with more than 15 years of expertise. We operate everywhere within the GCC region, but we are fully able to provide our services worldwide with offices in Torino, Dubai, Doha, Kuwait City, Jeddah and London.

Commercial Villa 606 Al Wasl Road, Jumeirah 3 PO Box 114306, Dubai, UAE

+971 4 341 0699

alessandro@celsgroup.it info@celsgroup.it

www.celsevents.com

Alessandro Gaffuri Chief Executive Officer

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Booth Stand No.

55 – 58

PLATINUM SPONSOR

Afkar Lighting Equipment Trading Co LLC Lights tell you stories.

Commercial Villa 606 Al Wasl Road, Jumeirah 3 PO Box 114306, Dubai, UAE

+971 4 341 0699

alessandro@celsgroup.it info@celsgroup.it

www.celsevents.com

When it comes to inspiring your visitors, we believe there’s nothing more powerful than light. In AFKAR, we know lighting is building a relationship. Whatever your values, we create tailored projects that strengthen your bond with the community.

We specialize in creating inspirational original festive lighting, handcrafted decorations, and multimedia settings that strengthen the community bond, through lively installations that reflect your brand and enhance your services.

We’ve been in this business from 1999 in Europe, and from 2013 in the Gulf region. AFKAR Lighting is a part of the CELS Group.

We operate everywhere within the GCC region, but we are fully able to provide our services worldwide with offices in Torino, Dubai, Doha, Kuwait City, Jeddah and London.

Alessandro Gaffuri Chief Executive Officer

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BRAN DEVE

TIME FOR ACTION: CELS’ TOOLS TO SUCCESS EVENT MANAGEMENT & EXHIBITIONS

USER EXPERIENCE ORIGINAL ACTIVATIONS

CREATIVE PRODUCTION

BRAND DEVELOPMENT

DIGITAL INTEGRATION

FESTIVE LIGHTING

LOYALTY PROGRAMMES

LEVERAGE EVERY “TOUCH POINT” WITH VISITORS

COMBINED TOOLS FOR A DEFINITIVE CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE

We don’t have a one-size-fits-all method: all our solutions are customised to ensure we meet your ambitions to become a Preferred Meeting Place.

www.cels.group | info@celsgroup.it Offices in: TURIN / DUBAI / DOHA / KUWAIT CITY / LONDON

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Booth Stand No.

22 – 2 3

GOLD

SPONSOR

Dalma Mall Dalma Mall, is a super-regional shopping mall and one of the largest in Abu Dhabi, prominently situated on Abu Dhabi-Tariff Al Ain highway, opposite to Mohammed Bin Zayed City at the heart of Abu Dhabi’s growth corridor. Sprawling across a total built-up area of 2.75 million sq. ft. and a retail space (GLA) of 1.63 million plus sq. ft. area, the mall houses a wide range of international and local fashion brands, entertainment and dining options.

PO Box 91122 Abu Dhabi, UAE

+971 2 550 6111 +971 2 550 6161

info@dalmamall.ae juby@dalmamall.ae lino@dalmamall.ae

Owned by The Developers Holding LLC, the mall boasts of more than 450 renowned retail brands such as Carrefour, Centrepoint, Debenhams, H&M, Marks & Spencer, Max, Gap, Matalan, Home Centre, Pottery Barn, E-max, Fitness First, Toys R Us, Fun City and many more, including a wide collection of 50 F&B outlets, 14 screens Cinema and a large variety of Entertainment stores.

A short distance from Maqta Bridge and Abu Dhabi’s International Airport, Dalma Mall, is one of Abu Dhabi’s shopping and tourist destination whilst being a part of the strategic plan of Abu Dhabi’s 2030 vision which sets out the framework of Emirate’s long-term growth.

www.dalmamall.ae

Bhupinder Singh General Manager and CFO

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Conference Delegate Bag Exclusive Gala Dinner & Gift Sponsor

GOLD

SPONSOR

Gulf Related Gulf Related is a regional real estate development company focused on retail, residential and high-end mixed-use real estate developments in the Middle East. Gulf Related represents a joint-venture between Gulf Capital, one of the Middle East’s leading alternative asset management firms, and Related Companies, one of the largest private real estate development and investment companies in the United States.

The Gulf Related team leverages its core competencies from Related in real estate planning, development and management; while Gulf Capital brings strong regional relationships, access to deal flow and fund raising capabilities.

Gulf Related is focused on pursuing marquee large-scale mixed-use real estate development opportunities in Abu Dhabi and Saudi Arabia. In addition to developing The Galleria on Al Maryah Island and Al Maryah Central, Gulf Related is developing a 550 unit expatriate residential compound in Riyadh, KSA. Gulf Related is identifying additional multi-phase, master-planned, mixed-use development opportunities in urban centers as well as large-scale community developments.

Al Sila Tower, Level 25 Al Maryah Island, PO Box 27522 Abu Dhabi, UAE

+971 2 671 6060

info@gulfrelated.com

www.gulfrelated.com

Zainab Talati Marketing Director

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Booth Stand No.

45 – T47 CON ENTS

GOLD

SPONSOR

Unified Asset & Property Management (UAPM) Unified Holding Building Exit 2 - Prince Turki Ibn Abdelaziz Al Awwal Rd., Hitteen Dt. PO BOX 54110, Riyadh 11514 Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

+966 11 207 55 00

amer.jraki@uapm.com

www.uapm.com

Unified Asset & Property Management (UAPM) is a full-fledged Property Management Company based in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia with an additional two regional offices in Al-Khobar and Al-Qassim. UAPM is one of the largest and most respected Property Management companies in the Kingdom with over 5 Million sq feet of prime retail and office space under management, spread across over 50 properties.

UAPM offers the full spectrum of property management services and products with a specialization in commercial, offices and retail properties.

In addition, UAPM is a member and major participant of the most important domestic and regional retail and shopping centers councils, participating in all major conferences, exhibitions and property conferences including the Middle East Council of Shopping Centres and the International Council of Shopping Centers.

Amer Jraki Function Head – Marketing & Communication

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OVER

57,000+ BE

SQM

RETAIL GLA

part

OF MAKKAH'S RETAIL FUTURE! Whether you are planning to start a new business or looking to expand and lease a promising space for your brand in Makkah within the ďŹ nest mix of retail business and brands, Tilal Al Naseem - The Souk is your perfect choice for success as being the next shopping destination in the Holy Capital.

Tilal Al Naseem - The Souk is the retail component of a mix-used project, which has been developed to generate the best shopping experience ever for Makkah's visitors and residents from all around.

OWNED & DEVELOPED BY:

MANAGING & OPERATING BY:

For more information on opportunities at Tilal Al Naseem, Please contact our leasing team:

+966 50 746 3333, +966 50 764 3333 lopd@uapm.com - uapm.com www.tilalna seem.com

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Booth Stand No.

24 – T25 CON ENTS

GOLD

SPONSOR

Conference Break & Lunch Sponsor Gala Gift Bag and Gala Gift Sponsor

Line Investments & Property LLC

PO Box 60188, Al Qusais Dubai, UAE

+971 4 707 6000

nisrinh@lineinvestments.ae

www.lineproperty.com

Line Investments & Property L.L.C., a shopping mall development & management division of Abu Dhabi based Lulu Group International is surging ahead into the future with an impressive line-up of shopping centers in the Middle East Countries, South East Asia & India.

Armed with a strategic vision of the future and with extensive experience in retail business environments across the GCC, Line Investments & Property expertise stretches over every conceivable area from a selection of strategic locations, design & development, management and marketing; offering the optimal support for the brands to come.

As leaders in shopping mall sector offering full 360 degree retail solutions, Line Investments & Property LLC overlooks over more than a dozen malls in different markets with numerous properties ready to open in the near future.

Nisrine Hajj Ali Marketing Manager, Dubai, NE

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GOLD

SPONSOR

Red Sea Mall

PO Box 54320, Jeddah 21514 Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

+966 12 215 1551

info@redseamall.com

www.redseamall.com

Mohammed Alasiri Marketing Manager

Red Sea Mall is one of the biggest shopping centers in Jeddah, it is located in the northern suburbs on Malik Road. The mall has 310,087 square meters-built area where it offers a GLA at 136,886 sq mtrs, a five-star hotel, seven story office building, and both external and underground parking areas all of which are linked to the 18 entrances of the mall thus facilitating easy access to the mall.

Red Sea Mall will be featuring the first and one of the biggest Cinema halls in the city of Jeddah, in accordance to its agreement with “VOX”, one of the best cinema operators.

Red Sea Mall sees the creation of diverse cultural and recreational options that suit all tastes and categories is the focus of the Kingdom’s Vision 2030, which considers culture and entertainment a quality of life, that can only be achieved through a variety of cultural and entertainment opportunities, to identify the human and cultural heritage.

Red Sea Mall has a wide range of activities, events and festivals throughout the year, and boasts a blend of international and local brands, as well as providing entertainment options to the youth and children. It sponsors and supports awareness-raising activities, making it the main shopping and entertainment destination for the residents and visitors of Jeddah. It has the biggest Food & Beverage options and it is also committed to participating in the sustainable development of Saudi society and to promoting and supporting the spirit of citizenship among Saudi youth. and to promoting and supporting the spirit of citizenship among Saudi youth.

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RedSeaMallKSA

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www.redseamall.com

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GOLD

SPONSOR

BackLite Media FZ-LLC BackLite Media is a specialist OOH media company and is recognized as Dubai’s leading OOH media authority. We concentrate on selling OOH media solutions in prestigious locations and by building enduring partnerships with our clients.

Office 2501, Media One Hotel Al Falak Street, Media City PO Box 48794, Dubai, UAE

+971 4 446 7540

info@backlitemedia.com bfordyce@backlitemedia.com

www.backlitemedia.com

Operating in Dubai since 1996, BackLite Media has a thorough understanding of the local market and strives to create deep engagement between people and brands through influencing consumers in the physical world. We combine our knowledge and experience to build compelling and creative solutions for our Clients.

The Company also holds exclusive rights for all high definition digital screens at CITY WALK, Dubai’s latest luxury outdoor shopping destination, which attracts over a million visitors a month and offering 50 full motion, high-resolution digital screens. Digitalisation allows for sales packages to be tailormade to meet individual needs.

All of our elegant, architecturally-designed unipole signs are located on Dubai’s Sheikh Zayed Road (SZR), the City’s most important thoroughfare with a huge traffic flow comprising almost exclusively of mid-to-upper socio-economic consumers.

Bill Fordyce Chief Executive Officer

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The best OOH media for strategic, digital and retail advertising

Backlite Media FZ-LLC info@backlitemedia.com www.backlitemedia.com

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Booth Stand No.

39 – 41

GOLD

SPONSOR

Jeddah Park With a total area exceeding 500,000 square meters occupying a total land area exceeding 200,000 square meters, Jeddah Park is the largest shopping mall in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and one of the largest multi-use shopping malls in the world.

PO Box 279, Jeddah 21411 Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

+966 12 284 5001

Jeddah Park derives its importance not only from its large area, but also from various and distinguished options offered to visitors through a unique one-stop-shop meeting all the needs, including Shopping, entertainment, accommodation, treatment, relaxation, restaurants, open spaces, museums and art galleries.

In addition, it combines modernity and advancement with authenticity and originality of heritage.

info@jeddahpark.com.sa

www.jeddahpark.com.sa

Abdulmajeed AlJamal Leasing Director

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Booth Stand No.

54

SILVER

SPONSOR

Oud Elite 20/F Burlington Tower Al Abraj Street, Business Bay PO Box 86884, Dubai, UAE

+971 4 388 1990

khalid.aldamen@arabianoud.com

www.oudelite.com

Khalid Al Damen Sales Manager

In 2007, Oud Elite started its journey to innovate, create and passionately provides its clients with an essential and exquisite perfume experience. The inner and constant belief that your perfume is a strong sign of who you are, was and always been.

We bring decades of experience in the fragrance field in every product line, down to the last drop. Our team works day and night to carry nothing but the best to our customers, we also created a very trendy, luxury and modern concept to give them an irreplaceable shopping experience where they feel value for their money in every single detail.

Since then, we at Oud Elite, strive to maintain the satisfaction and loyalty of our clients by offering to them the best quality and after sale services.

Oud Elite is operating more than 350 retail stores around the GCC and Iraq, where an affordable luxury is not a slogan, it is what we are is offering to the perfume lovers now.

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SILVER

SPONSOR

Tamdeen Group The Tamdeen Group has consistently delivered exceptional results across several businesses including real estate.

Its projects include the prestigious 360 MALL and Al Kout, which have won several international awards for architectural design and operational performance and the up-coming Al Khiran and Tamdeen Square retail real estate developments.

The guiding philosophy behind each project has been to set the highest standards in design, development and operations to create exceptional experiences for shoppers and outstanding sales for Investors.

Today the Group is managing and developing over 5 million sq.ft of space across regional, community, lifestyle, neighbourhood and mixed-use centres with a single minded purpose.

360 MALL, 4th Floor PO Box 21816 Safat 13079, Kuwait

+965 2208 5550 +965 6551 9579

leasing@gla.ae

To Build Great Places.

www.tamdeen.com

Christian Wistrom General Manager - Leasing

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Booth Stand No.

51

SILVER

SPONSOR

V-COUNT TEKNOLOJÄ° A.Ĺž.

V-Count is a global 360-degree visitor analytics suite for physical locations with products including people counting, heatmap, queue management and mood/age/gender recognition technologies. Our customer behavior analytics tools help businesses boost conversions, increase profits and optimize operations in their physical locations.

One Central The Offices 1 01.03 PO Box 9821 Dubai World Trade Center Dubai, UAE

++971 52 6383 111

Serving 550+ businesses in various industries world wide and partnering with global platforms like Microsoft and Amazon, our company has evolved into a success story with continuous innovation.

V-Count solutions are used in more than 100 countries and installed in over 25,000 locations around the world. Our company has a dynamic team of 60 employees in offices located in London, Miami, Istanbul and Dubai.

sales@v-count.com

www.v-count.com

Tuna Vehaplar Kartal Regional Sales Director (MEA)

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SILVER

SPONSOR

Delegate Gift Sponsor

KINAN International Real Estate Development (CJSC) Kinan International Real Estate Development Company was founded in 2005; a closed joint stock company (CJSC) with a capital of SR 1.7 billion.

13th Floor, Saudi Business Center Madinah Road, PO Box 32200 Jeddah 21428 Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

In 2009, Kinan entered the residential development industry and is currently working on developing residential projects with a total area of over 5 million square meters, which makes Kinan one of the biggest residential development companies targeting middle income families in Saudi Arabia.

Over the years Kinan has developed Shopping Malls in seven Saudi cities with investments of more than SR 1.8 billion

+966 12 651 9393

amujalled@kinan.com.sa

www.kinan.com.sa

Ahmad M. Mujallid Manager, Malls Marketing & Marketing Income

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Booth Stand No.

18 – 19

SILVER

SPONSOR

Retail Emotions FZE It’s all about EMOTIONS! Successful Retail is Emotional Retail.

And nothing is so emotional as stunning decorations!

PO Box 333568 Dubai, UAE

+971 54 443 7408

ka@retailemotions.ae

www.retailemotions.ae

Dr. Kersten Rosenau

We create holiday and seasonal decorations, for Ramadan, National Day, Festive or any other occasion. That opens people’s purses and wallets. Customers stay longer. Buy more.

Return often and tell others. This leads to higher footfall, longer stays, more turnover and consequently a faster return on investment. This is the result of our decorations and events.

We prove it every year.

Our customers are shopping malls, cities and streets, airports, hotels and mixed-use developments. Some of our clients: Mall of the Emirates (Ramadan, National Day and Festive), Al Nakheel Mall (Ramadan), Kingdom Centre (Ramadan), Westfield London (Christmas), GUM Moscow (Festive), in total more than 800. We have no catalogue, no standard items. Each concept is created individually, adapted to the property and its branding. Decorations from us increase footfall and sales!

Chief Executive Officer

Kacy Abouali Director Sales & Marketing

We see ourselves as full-service providers. From the design to the delivery of the decorations; from their installation to their dismantlement as well as, if need be, taking care of storage and maintenance, retail emotions is your partner.

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“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

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Booth Stand No.

49 – T50 CON ENTS

SILVER

SPONSOR

Al Hokair Group PO Box 895, Al Khobar 31952 Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

+971 2 491 4445 Ext 104

h.hussein@Alhokair.com

www.alhokair.com

Hani Al Hussein

Al Hokair Group is synonymous with entertainment and hospitality in the Middle East with 91 FECs and 35 hotels throughout KSA, UAE, India and Egypt.

Al Hokair FECs hosts more than 10 million visitors a year and has been a successful group in maintaining its leading position as the first and the largest Saudi company invested in this sector.

Al Hokair FEC distinctive brands include Sparkys, Skyzone, Snowy Forest, Kidzzdom, and our new and unique entertainment concept “Al Hokair Time.” The opening of our first Al Hokair Time in Dammam located at Al Shati was last April 2017, marks the new beginning of our Al Hokair Time FECs and soon to emerge other Al Hokair Time FECs in the region. Al Hokair Time FEC has a mixture of Sparky’s, Snowy and Skyzone Trampoline all available in one single mall with the accessibility of F&B outlets such as Pezzo, La Mode and other Kiosks ready to serve all our visitors.

Regional Marketing & Sales Manager

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SILVER

SPONSOR

Hamat Property Company Riyadh, King Fahad Road Olaya District, Tulipe Tower, 1st Floor PO Box 8592, Riyadh 12333 Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

+966 1 461 4400

mkurdi@hamat.sa

www.hamat.sa

Mohamad Nour Al-Kurdi Customer Relations Manager

With the extensive growth in the Facility Management Services for semi & luxury retail properties, a new company, HAMAT Property Company, was established through a Joint Venture between Mohammad Al-Habib Investment Company, Jarir Investment Company and Al-Andalus Real Estate Company under a powerful new entity; Hamat Holding Company.

Hamat Property Company is dedicated to providing professional services in retail property management. These services includes mall operations; security and safety; cleaning and maintenance; development and design; leasing and tenancy mix; and marketing services, with the collaboration of major retail and international brands in the region.

With its dedicated team of retail professionals and extensive network, Major Retails and International Brands in the Region, Hamat Property Company has a comprehensive range of retail property services throughout Saudi Arabia.

Hamat Property Company currently oversees a portfolio of close to 10 million square feet of GLA operating and developing centres which includes seven new strip malls as well as the management and operation of four new regional and superregional malls.

We strive to upgrade the shopping experience for our customers through our commitment to our retailers; to effectively operate retail properties; to deliver superior services to our shoppers in order to maximize footfall.

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Booth Stand No.

6 – 7

SILVER

SPONSOR

Al Othaim Leisure & Tourism Co. Al Othaim Real Estate Investment & Dev. Co. OREIDCO (established in 1998), a closed joint stock company, owning 10 malls with more than 8,000,000 sq.ft of Retail GLA (Gross Leasable Area) and a vision to establish 4 malls by 2020. Our malls are characterized by unique designs, excellent locations, easy accesses and are strategically planned to suit local demo graphics in the region.

Unit 2301-2304, Al Ameri Towers Tecom, PO Box 50710 Dubai, UAE

Al Othaim Leisure & Tourism Co. is an integral part of the OREIDCO. The group has been involved in creating benchmark Family Entertainment Destinations across many cities in GCC and North Africa that offer endless family fun for everyone from all age groups. At present there are 8 top notch leisure brands under Al Othaim Leisure umbrella, SafforiLand, Fabyland, Xtreme Zone, Action Zone, XtremeLand, Splash Island, MyTown & Snow City. Al Othaim Leisure is built for children entertainment and fun. It’s equipped with latest state of art games with advanced gaming machines with arcade, along with enthralling rides that provide fun for everyone.

+971 4 276 6388

c.baherwani@othaim.com

www.othaimleisure.com

Chandan Baherwani Marketing Manager

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Opening soon at Nakheel Mall, Dubai

Opening soon at Palm Mall, Muscat

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SILVER

SPONSOR

Granada Investment Center Organization (Granadia) PO Box 84828, Riyadh 11681 Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

+966 11 253 4981

mqandeel@granadacenter.com.sa

www.granadacenter.com.sa

The capital city Riyadh has today a new magnet: Granadia is a unique mixed-use lifestyle destination that offers residents and visitors life-enriching experiences through upscale properties for shopping, entertainment, dining, work and stay.

The 500,000 sqm land elevates the city’s offering for urban dwellers and explorers with the experiential Granada Mall that’s expanding for new entertainment and more food choices. The newly established Granada Square is ever bustling with grand events and public attractions.

Together with the complementing Riyadh Hilton Hotel and Residents, Vivenda Hotel Villas, Granada Business Park and Sidra restaurants, this holistic place continues to change, evolve and renew its offering constantly.

Mazen Hamza Qandeel Executive Director

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Booth Stand No.

21

SILVER

SPONSOR

BUZ Management Marketing Consulting 205, Sama Tower Sheikh Zayed Road PO Box 126093, Dubai, UAE

+971 4 358 9789

vinisha@ibuz.ae bilal@ibuz.ae

www.ibuz.ae

BUZ Management & Marketing Consulting is a Dubai based consulting firm that offers comprehensive 360-degree consultancy services. Over the years, BUZ has built an ability to look at business solutions in a holistic perspective. With concentrated divisions specializing in Marketing Communications & Strategy, Public Relations, Events Management - Exhibitions, Digital Media & Human Resources, BUZ-MMC has a proven track record to deliver end to end solutions to both Government & Private sectors.

BUZ stands as the most experienced consulting firm and as a result, it has been associated with many prestigious companies, institutions and organisations. BUZ manages prestigious clients like: •

Dubai Festivals & Retail Establishment

•

Abu Dhabi Tourism and Culture Authority

•

Dubai Shopping Malls Group

Vinisha Halarnkar Executive Assistant Marketing Specialist

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Booth Stand No.

37 – 3 8

SILVER

SPONSOR

Optifashion LLC Optifashion, an Italian manufacturer of optical frames and sunglasses established in the early 80’s, was the first in the world to understand that an eyewear is more than a medical device; it is a fashion and luxury accessory.

Office 2901/2902, Executive Towers D (Aspect Tower), Business Bay PO Box 116249, Dubai, UAE

+971 4 447 2388

fabrizio@optifashionuae.com

Following its visionary intuition, it was the first to secure licensing agreements with fashion houses for production of branded eyewear such as Gucci, Missoni and Ferre’.

The eyewear industry was transformed forever.

In the 90’s Optifashion was acquired by the industry leader Safilo s.p.a. which in 2003 converted it into a retail project and, in a joint effort with Optitalia Group, the regional leader eyewear distributor, it has been developed in the GCC.

www.optifashion.com

Fabrizio Parodi Operations Manager

Through its present network of boutiques, Optifashion perfectly combines quality and exclusivity by offering, along with the newest in the market, several launches of limited editions and emerging brands within a contemporary store concept where luxury and technology meet to deliver an impeccably engaging shopping experience.

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BRONZE SPONSOR

Yardi Systems Limited YardiÂŽ is dedicated to the development and support of software for the Middle East real estate industry. Designed for residential and commercial real estate portfolios, our fully-connected solutions help automate processes, drive efficiencies, reduce costs and provide business intelligence to help minimize risk and improve strategic decision-making.

Cloud-based and mobile ready, Yardi provides full business solutions with comprehensive front and back office services that are integrated into a single system.

Yardi Voyager provides a platform from which companies can utilise a broader range of scalable solutions which deliver enhancements to services right across the real estate life-cycle.

Unit 331-335, DIC Building 16 Dubai Internet City PO Box 500562, Dubai, UAE

+971 4 432 2679

fadwa.eraky@yardi.com

www.yardi.com/ae

Fadwa Eraky Marketing Associate

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BRONZE SPONSOR

Sharjah Investment and Development Authority (SHUROOQ) PO Box 867 Sharjah, UAE

Shurooq was established in 2009 with the aim of achieving social, cultural, environmental and economic development on the basis of Sharjah’s distinct Arab and Islamic identity, and to encourage investment by adopting the best international standards in providing quality services that help attract investors from the region and the world.

+971 6 556 0777

a.velian@shurooq.gov.ae

www.shurooq.gov.ae

Albert Velian

C

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The Authority’s key mission is to provide facilities and incentives to help overcome obstacles facing investment activities in the Emirate, evaluate tourism and investment related infrastructure projects, and lay down the necessary plans to complete such projects.

In recognition of its overall accomplishments, Shurooq was named The Banking Awards 2013 and 2014 - FDI Agency of the Year in the MENA region, in The European’s Global Banking and Finance Awards.

CM

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Leasing Manager

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Booth Stand No.

52

BRONZE SPONSOR

Blachere Illumination LLC Blachère is the original and largest illumination provider with a global presence of 25 subsidiaries, 5 factories and 45 years of experience. As a major global player, Blachère has the resources and infrastructure to deliver complete illumination concepts with an unrivalled service and the highest quality.

Empire Heights Tower A Podium 3, Office A04-40 Business Bay, PO Box 124584 Dubai, UAE

+971 4 4462021 971 50 506 9231

blachere-middleeast@ blachere-illumination.ae

www.blachere-illumination.com

From fashion creations with top designers to collaboration with contemporary artists, our ideas inspire and delight customers in search of memorable experiences. We support our clients by designing and delivering unique customer experiences using light to inspire, draw attention and promote involvement.

We understand the challenges faced by cities and shopping centres today to be competitive and the necessity for stylish commercial ideas that enable increased footfall and longer dwell time.

Thus, working with our customers we develop ideas that support and express the individual brand while distinguishing it among competitors. As well as being stylish, we develop interactive solutions using the latest mobile and illumination technology that enable customers to create their own artistic creations delivering longer dwell time, viral marketing opportunities and commercial benefits.

Mehmet Soltay Managing Director

Our products and services include Festive Lighting and Decoration, City Lights, Media Façade, Projections and Mapping, Interactivity, Augmented Reality and Retail Line for homes, restaurants and cafés.

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Booth Stand No.

53

BRONZE SPONSOR

Xpandretail powered by Sávant 401, One by Omniyat Business Bay Dubai, UAE

+971 4 393 9315

marketing@sdsdxb.com

www.xpandretail.com

Damien Singh Marketing Manager

Xpandretail powered by Sàvant analytic solutions support organizations to develop new insights into how to make their business more efficient and successful. Being the leading business intelligence and solutions provider for retail businesses including malls, banks, tourist attractions and casinos, Xpandretail powered by Sàvant is a pioneer in focusing entirely on optimizing the shopper experience. With more than 400 established relationships who have adopted Xpand analytics software and retail expertise to better understand the shopper journey to increase same-store sales, customer experience management and eliminate unnecessary costs.

Headquartered in Dubai, the commercial hub of the Middle East, Xpandretail powered by Sàvant market coverage extends to 40 countries across the Middle East, the Asia Pacific region, and India. With a strong team of highly qualified, skilled and experienced personnel and channel partners, Sàvant remains at the leading edge of technology by evolving with the market trends, adopting new technologies and setting high standards to ultimately benefit our customers.

The business solutions Xpandretail offers are born to tackle today’s competitive retail environment where success is dependent on a thorough understanding of customer trends and behavioral patterns. Retail businesses gather considerable data from shop floors, suppliers, employees and logistics. Empowered with this knowledge, organizations in corporate and government sectors can solve many daily challenges. As modern public places are increasingly becoming touchpoints for urban communities around the world, counting and customer behavior analytics are crucial to a wide range of businesses and non-profit organizations. With Xpandretail Analytics, be up to date on market trends across all verticals - locally and globally. Get a monthly measurement of footfall based on retail stores, malls, and high footfall locations.

The insights of data assist businesses in understanding the current consumer flow in the market and which locations are seeing higher footfall traffic, driving their businesses towards delivering a seamless unique customer experience.

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Our Clients:

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BRONZE SPONSOR

JLL Emaar Square, Building 1 Office 403, PO Box 214029 Dubai, UAE

+971 4 426 6999

JLL (NYSE: JLL) is a leading professional services firm that specializes in real estate and investment management. Our vision is to reimagine the world of real estate, creating rewarding opportunities and amazing spaces where people can achieve their ambitions. In doing so, we will build a better tomorrow for our clients, our people and our communities. JLL is a Fortune 500 company with nearly 300 corporate offices, operations in over 80 countries and a global workforce of 86,000 as of June 30, 2018. JLL is the brand name, and a registered trademark, of Jones Lang LaSalle Incorporated. For further information, visit ir.jll.com.

Jll-mena@eu.jll.com

www.jll-mena.com

Anood Haddad Head of Marketing MEA & Turkey

JLL MEA Across the Middle East and Africa (MEA) JLL is a leading player in the real estate and hospitality services markets. The firm has worked in 35 countries across the region and employs over 700 internationally qualified professionals across its offices in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Riyadh, Jeddah, Al Khobar, Cairo, Casablanca, Johannesburg, Lagos and Nairobi. www.jll-mena.com; www.jllvantagepoint.com.

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jll-mena.com

Achieve Ambitions With retail intelligence experts across the globe, we work as a team to make your ambitions our own.

When you succeed, so do we.

To learn more about how our retail intelligence fuels your ambitions, please visit jll-mena.com

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BRONZE SPONSOR

Office 505, Blue Bay Tower Marasi Drive Street Business Bay, PO Box 443004 Dubai, UAE

+971 4 458 0140

susan.seibert@lifeonscreen.com

www.lifeonscreen.com

Susan Seibert Business Development Director Middle East

LifeOnScreen Marketing Management LifeOnScreen is a technology provider that has built and launched the first online platform where advertisers can directly access an international network of digital screens.

Our goal is to re-invent the advertising industry by enabling the world to create a new marketplace, making it possible for every single company to take part in the indoor and outdoor advertising process by either launching an advertisement or being a screen owner, making their digital screen available for advertisers to use.

With LifeOnScreen’s proprietary technology screen owners can generate revenue by hosting our global network of advertisers. While we enable advertisers to participate in the Out-Of-Home industry, regardless of advertising competence and company size. We offer precise targeting that reduces cost and increases conversion rate. This online booking process is easy, fast and targeted.

Our vision is to empower businesses, organizations and brands around the world to participate in an affordable and easily accessible Digital Out-Of-Home advertising by connecting advertisers with individually owned screens, through the worlds first and leading platform.

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SUBSCRIBE NOW! Please send an SMS with the word ‘subscription’ to

+971 50 1007621 or email us at subscription@forbesmiddleeast.com

FOR ADVERTISING INQUIRIES Contact us at

+971 4 4408975 or send us an email at advertising@forbesmiddleeast.com

www.forbesmiddleeast.com ALSO AVAILABLE ON THE APP STORE

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@ForbesMEEnglish

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forbesmiddleeast

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BRONZE SPONSOR

ShopperTrak Office 2401, API World Tower Sheikh Zayed Road PO Box 211851, Dubai, UAE

+971 4 330 7111

ShopperTrakÂŽ, part of Tyco Retail Solutions, is a leading provider of analytics-based Traffic Insights for retailers and shopping centers worldwide.

Our solutions deliver real-time visibility to help retailers maximize business outcomes, improve profitability and enhance customer experience in a digitally-driven shopping world.

Our data collection devices in the retail and property marketplace capture 40 billion shopper visits each year.

gkasparis@shoppertrak.com

www.shoppertrak.com

George Kasparis Regional Director MEA

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SUPPORT PARTNERS CBRE (Delegate Badge Sponsor) CBRE Group, Inc. (NYSE:CBRE), a Fortune 500 and S&P 500 company headquartered in Los Angeles, is the world’s largest commercial real estate services and investment firm (based on 2017 revenue). The company has more than 80,000 employees (excluding affiliates), and serves real estate investors and occupiers through approximately 450 offices (excluding affiliates) worldwide. CBRE offers a broad range of integrated services, including facilities, transaction and project management; property management; investment management; appraisal and valuation; property leasing; strategic consulting; property sales; mortgage services and development services. www.cbre.ae

Dhamani (Gala Gift Sponsor) Since 1969 Dhamani has grown into a vertically integrated company offering a wide variety of rare Diamonds and precious stones to create the finest jewelry set in beautiful designs while maintain the highest level of craftsmanship.

Dhamani’s commitment to exclusivity & creativity is highlighted with the “Dubai Cut” diamond, a distinctive cut technique that elevates the beauty of a diamond, which can only be found at Dhamani and nowhere else in the world. www.dhamani.com

Reem Mall (Lanyard Sponsor) Reem Mall will be a major retail, leisure, dining and entertainment destination for families in the heart of Abu Dhabi. The 2 million square feet of gross leasable area (2.9 million square feet of gross floor area) will feature 450 units including 100 restaurants, 3 department stores, one of the largest hypermarket space in the region, as well as unique entertainment and edutainement features – notably Snow Park Abu Dhabi operated by Majid Al Futtaim.

The project, developed by NREC and UPAC at a cost of over $1 billion, is strategically located at the entrance of Reem Island, and will become a leading destination shopping centre in one of the most vibrant and growing cities in the MENA region. Its proximity to downtown, the ample parking, its modern high-quality design and its complete offering truly position this mall in a class of its own. www.reemmall.ae

Crystal House FZC Crystal House Sharjah is One of UAE’s leading manufacturer and Trusted Name in industry of Corporate Awards. Our Each & Every product is made with Passion of perfection to ensure that it’s not just aesthetically appealing but also fulfills the purpose of Creation.

Our Specialization is Crystal Awards, Metal Awards, Acrylic Awards, Wooden Awards, and velvet/Leather boxes. In Branding we can do Engraving, color filling, Laser engraving, Die cutting of trophies, 3D models/Replicas, Screen printing, UV printing and Etching.

You are welcome to choose from wide range of corporate gifts like trophies and desktop products, replicas of famous traditional and modern buildings, objects of common interests, religious artifacts, sports awards and trophies, 3-Dimensional images in cubes, gift ideas for family occasions or simply the latest gift trends. osama@crystalhousesharjah.com; asif@crystalhousesharjah.com; +971 6 559 5716, Sharjah, UAE. www.crystalhousesharjah.com

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Axis Communication Axis enables a smarter and safer world by creating network solutions that provide insights for improving security and new ways of doing business. As the industry leader in network video, Axis offers products and services for video surveillance and analytics, access control, and audio systems.

Axis has more than 3,000 dedicated employees in over 50 countries and collaborates with partners worldwide to deliver customer solutions. Founded in 1984, Axis is a Sweden-based company listed on the NASDAQ Stockholm under the ticker AXIS. www.axis.com

NEARBUY GROUP NEARBUY GROUP is a multi-awarded digital company, born and headquartered in Dubai, which provides top-of-the-line retail tech and Ad tech experiences. We bridge the gap between digital and physical offering malls and large venues ‘phygital’ solutions designed to better engage visitors and add value to their shopping experience.

NEARBUY GROUP offers a large selection of products to guide, engage and advertise visitors in shopping malls, retail stores, hypermarkets and other large public areas.

NEARBUY GROUP provides the following technologies: Interactive TouchPoints (wayfinder, Smart Directory), Holograms, Robotics, Interactive Applications, Engaging activations, Digital Signage. Those are unique technologies NEARBUY GROUP implements in the Middle East, Europe, Asia and beyond. www.nearbuygroup.com

Oleander Flower Oleander Flowers has been part of Emiratis’ life since 1975, when resignified the floral market, by introducing the first full service flower shop which was inspired on European design and quality standards.

Over years, we have been accompanied by loyal customers, and together, we consolidated a timeless and distinguished brand that carries the innovative and bold spirit of Dubai in its heritage.

We are offering landscaping services, premium flower retail, events and corporate flowers.

Oleander Flowers directly sources the finest blossoms and plants from world’s best farms, always ensuring a fair and ethic trade, and guided by best governances practices For over 40 years, Oleander Flowers’ bedrock values are honesty and reliability, principles that have been sustaining the company as the longest established flower business in UAE.

THE Emirates HERITAGE FLORIST EST. 1975

www.oleanderonline.com

The AZDEF Group / AZAB Production Group FZE AZAB Production Group FZE is a part of THE AZDEF GROUP of Companies focusing on Event Management, Business Development and International Business Ventures. Our Company operates in the USA, UAE, KSA, South Africa and Bahrain.

We offer a wide range of services focusing on Kids & Family Related Events for Malls and Venues. We have 12 years of experience in organizing events including Mall Related Events, Concerts, Fashion Show and leveraging artist and stars for appearances that create a maximum impact and bring branding, sales, and marketing opportunities to a wide range of international clientele. We pride ourselves in providing our clients with professional service, accurate and highest level of confidentially.

We have collaborated with many leading companies in the United States, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and South Africa. Alongside our partners, we have created a team that can handle all your international collaboration need.

AZAB PRODUCTION GROUP FZE

www.azdef.com / www.azabproductions.com

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䔀嘀 MEDIA PARTNERS Selfie TV Selfie TV is the ultimate destination and guide to entertainment happening all around the world. It’s an online Web Channel catering to all your entertainment needs at your fingertips.

Our company was launched in 2014 with the vision of creating a platform that covers everything from exciting happenings around the world to the latest celebrity and lifestyles trends. From producing our own TV shows to providing flawless events coverage, we aim to provide rich and remarkable multimedia creations that match your expectations.

At SELFIE TV, we believe in providing services like you’ve never seen before. From interviewing celebrities in our original talk show to covering all events from press conferences to festivals, we do everything the Selfie way – blending creativity and charm. In-house Production: Photography – Events Coverage – Documentaries. www.selfietv.co

Forbes Middle East Forbes Middle East is the region’s foremost recognized and influential business publication, and the Arab World’s tailored edition of the globally renowned Forbes Media. The platform is a go-to source for inspirational stories, authentic and accurate analysis, and essential business commentary from leaders and experts.

Every month Forbes Middle East champions local success and entrepreneurial vision, and reveals original lists ranking the people and companies transforming the Arab world.

Celebrating its 100th birthday last year, today Forbes is number one in the world for financial and business news. This trust has made it one of the largest media brands and sources of business information in the world. www.forbesmiddleeast.com

W W W. O P T I FA S H I O N . CO M @OptiFashionGulf

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䌀伀 嘀䔀 刀䄀 䜀䔀

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Amusement Services International LLC 1706-1708 Tameem House Barsha Heights PO Box 113926, Dubai, UAE +971 4 454 2929 info@asi-world.com www.asi-world.com Rojy Thomas Sales Director

Booth Stand No.

1

Amusement Services International (ASI) is dedicated to providing Design-Build-Operate-Transfer solutions for the Leisure & Entertainment Industry worldwide. ASI offers a range of professional expertise for our clients to choose from, including initial project feasibility, master planning, conceptual design development, detailed design development, landscaping, theming, fit-out, equipment installation & commissioning and onsite project supervision/management.

Not only do we offer you end-to-end turnkey solutions for your projects, but we also fit out your operations with the latest, most popular amusement equipment solutions. From Customized Attractions, Redemptions, Major-Family-Kiddie Rides, Arcade Games, Play Ground Systems, Adventure Play Areas, Soft Play & Toddler Play, Simulators, Carnival & Midway Games, Custom Designed Elements to Spare Parts and After Sales Support for all of the listed categories, ASI offers you a TOTAL SOLUTION for all your Fun Business requirements.

Blue Rhine Industries

Booth Stand No.

28

PO Box 114001, Dubai Investment Parks 2 Dubai, UAE +971 4 885 7517 hello@brisigns.com www.brisigns.com Nita Odedra GM Sales & Marketing

Blue Rhine Industries are a digital display, signage and wayfinding manufacturing company. We have been in the signage business for more than 18 years and are specialists in creatively engineering, fabricating and installing brands into the built environment across shopping malls, retail, hospitality, leisure and many more sectors.

We collaborate with end-clients, architects and design consultants to plan, develop and deliver signage products that meet brand, design and environmental requirements.

We provide complete turnkey solutions for all types of digital display solutions including the design, supply, installation, software, testing and commissioning. Our digital team provides training to the client on the software for the screens being used, to enable independent management.

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Support Partner

Café Saraydan Saraydan offers a unique experience of modernized and authentic Turkish food and hospitality which spans centuries, continents and various culture.

In a casual, yet opulent ambience we serve todays amalgamated cuisine with our grandmothers recipes in a wonderfully blended menu.

Saraydan brings the real flavors of Turkish home cuisine with all the ingredients and the chefs from Turkey, to enrich our guests taste buds. Wide range of delicious baklava, pastry & bakery products, savory & sweets are served with famous Turkish tea and coffee.

Saraydan provides great selection of pastry and bakery products to serveral 5 star hotels and restaurants as well.

2nd Level, Deerfields Mall Al Bahia, Abu Dhabi, UAE +971 2 563 2133 info@saraydanme.com www.saraydanme.com Safak Yuksel Operations Manager

Funtopia Franchising Ltd.

Booth Stand No.

5

Funtopia® is the synonym of Active Entertainment. Developed to combine sports with fun and built according to highest safety standards, our facilities offer thrills and excitement to families and friends alike.

Based upon the vision of a place that inspires visitors and empowers their imagination, Funtopia® creates an interactive and socially engaging environment. Each Funtopia® offers a one-of-akind adventure that invites visitors to experience new sensations such as climbing the back of a dinosaur, exploring the caves’ secrets, jumping off the edge of a skyscraper, hiking on aerial obstacles, sliding down an extraordinary slide, test their performance in a Ninja course or jump the trampoline field. Furthermore, Funtopia® takes pure open space activities such as playing hide and seek, chasing friends around the neighborhood or climbing trees, and recreates them in enriched and safe environment.

111 V “Tsarigradsko Shosse” Blvd.

Sofia, Bulgaria, 1784 +359 884 849 158 tania@funtopia.com www.funtopia.com Tania Kishkin CEO

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KINGS

Support Partner

InLogic IT Solutions LLC

Booth Stand No.

26

IT Solutions LLC

M-06, Al Durrah Building Al Garhoud, Dubai, UAE Landmark: GGICO Metro Station +971 4 295 5773 info@inlogic.ae www.inlogic.ae Sumit Godiyal Business Development Consultant

InLogic IT Solutions is the leading IT services and business technology company, providing the best-quality software services, mobile application development, and online marketing at affordable costs. We serve our clients in the best manner, from strategy to software solutions and implementing project development plans.

We offer a variety of expertise aimed at assisting customers in designing, developing and marketing their businesses to compete successfully in the ever-changing marketplace.

We provide the following: •

IT Business Consulting

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Mobile Application Development and Innovation

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SharePoint Development

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Systems Analysis & Strategy

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Software Solutions and Website Development

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Big Data & Analytics

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Software Testing and more

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Support Partner

Jelly Belly Ice Cream

Jumeirah Business Centre 1 Office 4202, Cluster G, Jumeirah Lake Towers, PO Box 336415, Dubai, UAE +971 4 248 5678 p.rason@jbicecream.com www.jellybellyicecream.com

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Booth Stand No.

10 & 12

Jelly Belly’s iconic candy creations have won fans across the world with an original approach and fantastically fun gourmet flavors. Now, together with JB Brands Franchising Limited, we’re channeling our creativity into something we all love – ice cream.

With over 50 flavors fusing the finest natural ingredients, Jelly Belly Ice Cream is a breakthrough gourmet adventure inspired by Jelly Belly’s most popular beans and crafted to deliver a joyful customer experience.

Our fun-filled parlours are enticing environments where guests of all ages can savor special moments in the company of family and friends. Already a success in the UAE, Jelly Belly Ice Cream represents a significant opportunity for franchisees across the MENA region and we offer the full range of support to launch your Jelly Belly Ice Cream franchise to maximum effect.

Paul Rason Chief Operating Officer

+971 50 453 5501

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KINGSMEN ADVERT-Edited.pdf

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www.kingsmen-me.com . www.kingsmen-int.com

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Official Exhibition Contractor

Kingsmen Middle East LLC Al Quoz, Industrial Area 1 PO Box 37741, Dubai, UAE +971 4 338 9340 rohan@kingsmen-me.com www.kingsmen-me.com Rohan Dodhi Manager, Business Development

Booth Stand No.

27

Established in 1976 and listed on the main board of Singapore Exchange, Kingsmen is a leading communication design and production group with offices in 19 major cities across Asia Pacific and the Middle East.

Through its strategic network of offices and worldwide associates, Kingsmen provides integrated communication solutions covering a full range of services from ideation, research & design, consultancy, project management, prototyping to fabrication, implementation & installation, logistics support and after sales services.

These seamless end-to-end solutions are offered to global clients across multiple sectors like trade shows & exhibition, retail & corporate interiors, thematic and museums and alternative marketing.

Kingsmen – your partner of choice in Asia Pacific and Middle East.

LPFLEX Base Industry LLC

Booth Stand No.

3

Plot Number 5330314 Dubai Industrial City, Saih Shuaib 4 PO Box 341242, Dubai, UAE +971 4 371 2550 +971 55 470 6652 solutions@lpflex.ae www.lpflex.ae Sanjay Nambiar.A Administration Manager

LPFLEX is part of MAAS+ROOS AG, a 95 year old Brand Engineering & Technology company, headquartered in Germany, having factories in UAE, USA, Poland, GCC and India. The company holds patents for various signage products, supporting Brands to ensure and maintain uniformity in Brand Identity across all locations.

We are specialized in executing all kinds of Branding & Re-Branding Projects, Globally with no hassles. We produce and supply High Quality LED Signages, Digital Displays and Retail Display Solutions to all major Brands, in over 100 countries across the globe.

As a subsidiary of the M+R Group, LPFLEX brings to the UAE over 95 years of expertise and has evolved as a full-service supplier of innovative static signages, digital display solutions, retail marketing displays and architectural lighting solutions. The group has established itself as a global industry leader known for superior product technology and unparalleled customer service.

Our Products are high quality, eco-friendly, sustainable, durable & maintenance free.

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McARTHUR + COMPANY

Booth Stand No.

48

The creation of shopping centres that generate strong returns for investors and profitable businesses for retailers is at the heart of the McARTHUR + COMPANY approach to shopping centre and mixed-use development, leasing and operations advisory Today, McARTHUR + COMPANY boasts a talented team of over 30 industry professionals with decades of global shopping centre development and leasing experience. Our strategy is to add real financial value to each retail development project. Our team is well experienced in shopping centre investment, finance, development planning, marketing, as well as retail leasing and management.

We understand retail real estate and shopping centres and what it takes to achieve successful new centres or reinvigorate centres that require new energy. We work closely with global retail chains to assist with cross-border expansion needs.

McARTHUR + COMPANY believes in well-planned, highly popular shopping destinations with long-term financial growth in value.

Our philosophy is to use international best practices combined with local knowledge of retail markets and shopping influences to meet each project’s goal.

MK Illumination

McARTHUR + COMPANY SHOPPING CENTRE SPECIALISTS

Pinnacle Building Suite 401 Sheikh Zayed Road PO Box 283850, Dubai, UAE +971 4 392 8304 merhan@mcarthurcompany.com www.mcarthurcompany.com Merhan M. Keller Marketing and Business Development Manager

Booth Stand No.

4

At MK Illumination, we know how to connect with your customers.

We are the world leader in spectacular festive lighting, decorations, animations and grottos and are experienced at creating unique atmospheres that attract people and engage with their emotions. We have been an established and popular company with an excellen track record for the best customer satisfaction.

Our Festive displays are proven to give you a competitive edge, drive footfall to your destination, and reinforce brand loyalty. Consequently, it makes economic sense to make your festive decoration a key element of your marketing strategy and partner with MK Illumination.

Business Bay, Bay Square Building 7, Office 601-03 PO Box 32768, Dubai, UAE +971 4 567 4903 mohammed@mk-illumination.ae nader@mk-illumination.ae www.mk-illumination.com Nader Al Nashash Executive Director

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Premier Marketing Management Regal Tower, Office No. 1609 Bussiness Bay, Dubai, UAE +971 4 453 1110 margaux@pmmc.ae www.pmmc.ae Margaux Chane Business Development Executive

+971 4 247 5411 admin@solution-bi.com april.delavega@solution-bi.com

20

PMM is an independent regional market research consultancy company based in Dubai and was established in 2010. Customers are the source of real growth, PMM combines thorough customer perception with practical operations to help our clients create sustainable growth. We help our clients to: •

Understand customer needs and behavior

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Introduce innovation

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Boost their sales by quick and customized solutions

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Build and nurture loyal customer base

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Generate highest returns and reinforce brand positioning

Our core services: Mystery Shopping, Mystery Calling, Benchmarking, Customer and Staff Satisfaction Survey, Location & Customer Analysis, Retail Audits, Create a Demand, Qualitative Research and Competitive Intelligence.

Solution Business Intelligence Middle East Office No 9th Floor, Irish Bay Tower Business Bay, Dubai, UAE

Booth Stand No.

Booth Stand No.

2

Created in 2009, Solution B.I. is an independent service company in business intelligence that puts technical innovation at the service of decision-makers. With an international presence through its 5 sites in Paris, Dubai, Montreal, New York and Phnom Penh, it accompanies monitoring projects for all departments by making available its publisher-certified consultants. You have a BI project, an analysis to conduct, billions of pieces of data, and just as many questions...We can help you find a solution!

www.solution-bi.com Musa Ozan Tercan CEO

April Rose Dela Vega Executive Assistant

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27-29 OCTOBER 2019 DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATE A S ATE

For further information visit: www.reconmena.com

For further information: visit www.reconmena.com registercontact: contact:register@mecsc.org lea@mecsc.org or call +971+971 (0)4(0)4 359359 7909 ToTo register or call 7909

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ABU DHABI 5 DECEMBER 2018 Bursa Kebap Evi In Deerfields Mall, Abu Dhabi

TO REGISTER, CONTAC T T THE MECSC OFFICE A TAC AT

T: +971 4 359 7909 | E: lea@mecsc.org

SAVE THE

DATE

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OMAN WEDNESDAY, 12TH DECEMBER 2018 TIME: 6:30PM to 8:30PM VENUE: Al Adham Ballroom, Crowne Plaza - Oman Convention And Exhibition Centre RSVP: 25TH NOVEMBER 2018 at CONNECT@MECSC.ORG

10/21/18 12:27 PM

Middle East & North Africa Shopping Centre & Retailer

AWARDS

For more information please contact: T: +971 4 359 7909 | E: lea@mecsc.org www.mecsc.org

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Welcome Message Welcome to the 2018 ICSC / MECSC Retailer and Shopping Centre Awards The 2018 ICSC – RECon Gala Awards Celebration

FUTURE PROOF RETAIL GALA AWARDS CELEBRATION

The Gala Awards event at the MECSC continues to be the pinnacle of recognition for excellence in the retail industry.

In 2018 the MECSC team has received more submissions for awards than ever. The retail industry continues to thrive, innovate and evolve. These latest submissions indicate the high levels of creativity and investment in the industry locally, regionally and globally.

Credibility in the retail industry for our awards and the recognition through our association with the ICSC and the MECSC have resulted in the amazing growth of submissions for our Gala Awards Dinner.

The Judges deserve a special thank you for their time invested for their independent review of all submissions. With the large number of submissions, our Judges spent many hours of their volunteer time reviewing the merits of each entry. Thank you!

The ICSC and MECSC teams also need to be recognized and thanked for their dedication and support in making the ICSC MENA Retailer and Shopping Centre Awards, the outstanding event which it has grown to be!

A huge thank you to JoAnn Laut from ICSC who has spearheaded these awards globally for many years. JoAnn heads up the New York awards team. A very special thank you also to Lea Venezuela, our Director in the MECSC, who deserves true recognition for the tireless efforts to bring this Awards Event and the entire RECon Conference to life!

Congratulations to all entrants for taking the time, effort and investment to make these detailed and sophisticated submissions. Your continual striving for excellence and your desire to achieve exceptional results raises the standards in the retail industry in our region and globally. Best of all, we are all being recognized for our excellence on a world stage!

Enjoy the Evening!

Younus Al Mulla Chairman – MECSC

David Macadam CEO – MECSC

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2018

ICSC MENA Shopping Centre & Retailer Awards Jury

Bhupinder Singh General Manager and Chief Financial Officer Dalma Mall

Leanne Hamilton

Lizelle Fitoussi

Managing Director LH7

Director – Marketing Meraas

Maimunah Shebani

Nada Abou Saab

Managing Director The Retail Agency

Marketing Director East Region – Shopping Malls Majid Al Futtaim Properties

Pam Bryson

Zainab Talati

Senior Vice President – Retail Marketing Aldar Properties PJSC

Marketing Director Gulf Related Services Ltd

Stephen Clough

Sanjay Mehta

Technical Director Black & White Engineering

Director – Retail Marketing Aldar Properties PJSC

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Judging and Scoring Procedure

T

he Middle East and North Africa Shopping Centre and Retailer Awards Jury, a group of leading industry experts, will review eligible submissions and score them confidentially. The jury will not review entries from their own companies or any entry that might constitute a conflict of interest. Judges review each entry according to a specific criteria and award points accordingly. Please refer to the specific awards categories.

In each category and classification there is a potential for honouring Gold and Silver winners. All entries with a total of 85 for Design and Development and 40 for Marketing, NOI Enhancement and Retail will be honoured with a Gold Award and entries with the score of 75 points but less then 85 for Design and Development and 35 points but less then 40 for Marketing, NOI Enhancement and Retail will receive the Silver Award regardless of how many other winners are in each category or classifications. The entries that score within the top 50 percent are designated finalists.

ICSC and MECSC seeks to honour entrants in every category and classifications, but remember, the programme is designed to recognise the highest level of excellence, so entries must achieve a minimum number of points required to be considered for an award.

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Gala Awards Evening Program 18:00 hrs :

Cocktail Reception & Networking

19:00 hrs :

Introduction & Welcome Remarks

19:15 hrs

Gala Dinner

:

20:45 hrs :

Awards Ceremony 2018 MENA SHOPPING CENTRE & RETAILER AWARDS PRESENTATION ICSC FOUNDATION COMMUNITY SUPPORT AWARD TRADITIONAL MARKETING Advertising Cause-Related Marketing Customer Service Experience and/or Engagement Digital/Social Media Grand Opening, Expansion & Renovation New/Emerging Technology Public Relations Sales Promotion and Events NOI ENHANCEMENT Marketing/Sponsorship Operations/Overall Team Leasing DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT New Developments Renovations/Expansions Retail Store Design RETAIL EXCELLENCE Fashion Children’s Wear Gold, Jewellery, and Watches Footwear and Accessories Sportswear and Goods Pharmacy, Health and Beauty Home and Office Furnishing Kiosks Entertainment, Music and Leisure Bank and Financial Services Fast Food Restaurants Luxury BEST MENA RETAIL BRAND RETAIL PROFESSIONAL OF THE YEAR BEST NEW TECHNOLOGY IN RETAIL

22:00 hrs :

End of Awards Ceremony

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2018 MENA

SHOPPING CENTRE & RETAILER AWARDS FINALISTS

TRADITIONAL MARKETING

Advertising

Festival of Flavours at Dubai Festival City Mall

The Scent of a Mother

Dubai Festival City Mall, Dubai, UAE

CEFIC’s ‘Scent of a Mother’s initiative concurrently held at three shopping centers in May, offered children the opportunity to create a unique gift of perfume for their mums for Mother’s Day.

Owner: Al Futtaim Group Real Estate Management Company: Dubai Festival City Retail

Development LLC

CEFIC, Istanbul, Turkey

The five week long ‘Festival of Flavors’ campaign at Dubai Festival City Mall included a specially designed food passport that rewarded center diners with special offers, discounts, and instant shopping vouchers.

Fashion Illustrator Megan Hess The Galleria on Al Maryah Island, Abu Dhabi, UAE

Traditional Children’s Game Festival

Owner: Joint Venture: Gulf Related and Mubadala Real Estate & Infrastructure (MREI)

Owner: Bainbridge Holding A.Ş.

Palm City Mersin Shopping Center, Mersin, Turkey

Management Company: Gulf Related

Management Company: CEFIC

The Galleria collaborated with the renowned International Fashion Illustrator Megan Hess during their campaign to promote center retailer’s Spring and Summer 2018 fashion collections.

Palm City Mersin Shopping Center was sponsor and host of the sixth annual ‘Traditional Children’s Game Festival’ to celebrate and mark Turkey’s National Sovereignty and Children’s Day.

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Cause Related Marketing A Ramadan Journey Filled with Rewards

Islamic Museum

City Centre Sharjah, City Centre Ajman & City Centre Fujairah, UAE

The Mall at World Trade Center and Yas Mall,

Management Company: Majid Al Futtaim Properties

Management Company: Aldar Properties PJSC

Northern Emirates Malls invited young visitors to workshops at three City Center Malls, and asked them to design ‘Iftar Boxes’, which were filled and then distributed to people within their community.

Yas Mall and The Mall At WTC’s joint Ramadan campaign included an Islamic Museum installation, complete with an exhibition of never before seen antiques on loan from a private local collector.

Building Great Moments - LEGO

Flag of Unity

City Centre Fujairah, Fujairah, UAE

Arabian Center, Dubai, UAE

Owner/Management Company: Majid Al Futtaim Properties

Owner/Management Company: LALS Group

City Centre Fujairah’s campaign to raise awareness and funds to rebuild a greenhouse at a special needs school, included an installation where the community could create a replica greenhouse using LEGO.

Arabian Center invited more than 16,500 participants from 57 nations to craft interlocking paper pegs using the Japanese art of Origami, to create a nine-foot long by five and a quarter foot tall ‘Unity Flag.’

Abu Dhabi, UAE

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CFCM/Cairo Runners First Full Marathon & Paralympics in Cairo

Positive Days

Cairo Festival City Mall, New Cairo, Egypt

CEFIC’s ‘Positive Days’ campaign offered workshops, talks, charitable initiatives, and an art exhibition and competition for less advantaged students to share their vision of what a positive world looks like.

Owner/Management Company: Al Futtaim Group

Real Estate

Cairo Festival City Mall collaborated with the Cairo Runners to host a marathon for able and Paralympic racers, to benefit the city’s cancer hospital that provides free services for less advantaged people.

“We Love You Baba Zayed” Dalma Mall, Abu Dhabi, UAE Owner: The Developers Management Company: Dalma Mall

Dalma Mall’s tribute to Baba Zayed – the man whose dream was to create a united nation, included a digital video featuring children offering love and respect to mark the 100th anniversary of his birth.

CEFIC, Istanbul, Turkey

Disney Magical Wishing Well: Ramadan 2018 Dubai Festival City Mall, Dubai, UAE Owner: Al Futtaim Group Real Estate Management Company: Dubai Festival City Retail

Development LLC

Festival City Mall’s Disney Themed Ramadan campaign featured a Magical Wishing Well where visitors could send a message to their loved ones, whilst generating a donation to the Al-Jalila Foundation.

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Pink Caravan Initiative

Art From the Heart

The Galleria on Al Maryah Island, Abu Dhabi, UAE

Mall of the Emirates, Dubai, UAE

Owner: Joint Venture between Gulf Related and

Owner/Management Company: Majid Al Futtaim Properties

Mubadala Real Estate & Infrastructure (MREI)

Management Company: Gulf Related

The Galleria on Al Maryah Island partnered with the Friends of Cancer Patients charity to host a series of information sessions, one on one examinations, and breast screenings at the Pink Caravan activation.

Mall of the Emirates invited ‘people of determination’ to capture the spirit of Ramadan through a camera lens, and exhibited their photographs in-centre at the ‘Gallery of Determination.’

Mosaic of Wishes

Let’s Read Library

The Mall at World Trade Center and Yas Mall, Abu Dhabi, UAE

Oman Avenues Mall, Muscat, Oman

Management Company: Aldar Properties PJSC

Owner/Management Company: Lulu Group International

The ‘Mosaic of Wishes’ initiative featured an exhibition and silent auction of art inspired by the wishes of terminally ill children, with proceeds donated to the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

Oman Avenues Mall’s 350 square-meter library features colorful slides, cozy seating, educational toys, and a bus bookshop offering subsidized books with sales proceeds benefitting a literacy organization.

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Red Sea Mall & ITA’AM Red Sea Mall, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia Owner: Red Sea Markets Management Company: Intimaa a subsidiary of SEDCO

Holding Group

Customer Service Experience and/or Engagement The Cooking Daze – Cooking has Turned Digital

Red Sea Mall collaborated with the Saudi Food bank to host a joint event and community program that raised awareness for food recycling and the importance of reducing food waste.

City Centre Deira & City Centre Ajman

Jungle Journey Play Zone – An Edutainment Experience

Staying INDOORS has Never Been Cooler!

BurJuman Centre and Reef Malls, UAE

City Centre Deira, Dubai, UAE

Management Company: BurJuman Centre LLC

Owner/Management Company: Majid Al Futtaim Properties

BurJuman and Reef Malls transformed their main atriums into jungle adventure zones, to offer younger visitors and their parents an experiential and edutaining journey into the jungle.

City Centre Deira’s 1300 square meter INDOORS environment features a variety of home-grown food concepts, local entrepreneurial brands, unique entertainment activities, and a high-tech gaming zone.

Dubai, United Arab Emirates Management Company: Majid Al Futtaim Properties

Two City Centre malls installed digital kitchens accompanied by the aromas, sizzles, and feel of real cooking, to challenge visitors to prepare virtual dishes within a limited time for the chance to win prizes.

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The Backyard – Community Engagement Program City Centre Me’aisem, Dubai, UAE

UAE National Anthem Resonates @ Dalma Mall & in Every Heart – ISHY BILADI

Owner/Management Company: Majid Al Futtaim Properties

Dalma Mall, Abu Dhabi, UAE

‘The Backyard’ at City Centre Me’aisem is an 81 square meter indoor space offering the community a summer long series of interactive workshops, arts and crafts, live performances, and fitness activities.

Owner: The Developers Management Company: Dalma Mall

Dalma Mall’s two day-long ‘Sing it with Pride’ initiative featured more than 300 children from a variety of nationalities singing the UAE’s National anthem and competing for a chance to win gift vouchers.

CANVAS OF ACHIEVEMENTS

Guinness World Record Live!

Dana Mall, Yanbu, Saudi Arabia

Canvas of Achievements

Owner/Management Company: Kinan International Real

Mall of the Emirates, Dubai, UAE

Estate Development Company

Owner/Management Company: Majid Al Futtaim Properties

Dana Mall’s ‘Guinness World Record Live!’ initiative invited visitors to race against the clock to complete a variety of challenges, for the opportunity to set a new Guinness World Record.

Mall of the Emirates invited a leading graphic artist to attend an exclusive dinner experience along with twelve influential women, and commissioned her to create a unique portrait of each of them as a gift.

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Digital/Social Media MOE Active Fitness Program

Bahraini National Day

Mall of the Emirates, Dubai, UAE

City Centre Bahrain, Manama, Bahrain

Owner/Management Company: Majid Al Futtaim Properties

Owner/Management Company: Majid Al Futtaim Properties

The ‘MOE Active’ program was a series of free fitness classes led by qualified professionals held each morning before centre opening, designed to engage novice exercisers to the committed fitness buffs.

City Centre Bahrain celebrated the country’s 46th National Day with a series of digital videos that showcased the renowned hospitality and vibrant nature of the nation’s diverse residents.

Digital Take-Off Al Kout Mall, Kuwait City, Kuwait Owner: Al Manshar Real Estate Co.

BurJuman’s Social Tree BurJuman Centre, Dubai, UAE

Management Company: GLA Property Management

Owner: Saif Al Ghurair Real Estate Group

Company WLL

Management Company: BurJuman Centre LLC

Al Kout Mall used a digital only strategy during their 45-day long campaign to promote the centre’s grand opening and celebratory events, competitions, promotions, and activities.

BurJuman’s 8.4-meter tall tree structure was the backdrop for three seasonal social media campaigns that enticed visitors to share their selfies using a designated hashtag for an opportunity to win prizes.

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“I Love Mom” – Dalma Mall Abu Dhabi Inter School Art Competition & Exhibition Dalma Mall, Abu Dhabi, UAE Owner: The Developers Management Company: Dalma Mall

Dalma Mall’s ‘Inter School Art Competition’ featured an exhibition of Mother’s Day inspired art from students across the Emirates, with the winner being determined by the most Facebook likes.

Megan Hess – Social Media Influencer Partnership The Galleria on Al Maryah Island, Abu Dhabi, UAE Owner: Joint Venture: Gulf Related and Mubadala Real

Estate & Infrastructure (MREI)

Management Company: Gulf Related

The Galleria on Al Maryah Island collaborated with social media influencer and renowned illustrator Megan Hess to promote the centre’s seasonal and luxury fashion offerings.

Festival City Kids Club Dubai Festival City Mall, Dubai, UAE Owner: Al Futtaim Group Real Estate Management Company: Dubai Festival City Retail

Development LLC

The Festival City Kids Club offers registered members and their families the opportunity to attend a variety of special events, and to receive loyalty rewards, special offers, and monthly incentives.

The Galleria’s ‘Get The Look’ Digital & Social Media Campaign The Galleria on Al Maryah Island, Abu Dhabi, UAE Owner: Joint Venture: Gulf Related and Mubadala Real Estate & Infrastructure (MREI) Management Company: Gulf Related

The ‘Get the Look’ campaign at The Galleria on Al Maryah Island showcased 93 items from key retail partners in a curated collection of outfits for men and women to suit the season’s occasions.

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Mother & Daughter Campaign Mother’s Day

SIMPLY Influencing Dubai Mall of the Emirates, Dubai, UAE

The Galleria on Al Maryah Island, Abu Dhabi, UAE

Owner/Management Company: Majid Al Futtiam Properties

Owner: Joint Venture: Gulf Related and Mubadala Real

MOE invited four international social media influencers and 25 popular local and regional personalities to participate in their ‘Simply Dubai’ digital campaign promoting their luxury fashion offerings.

Estate & Infrastructure (MREI)

Management Company: Gulf Related

The Galleria collaborated with three influential social media leaders, centre retailers, and Harpers Bazaar Arabia, to celebrate and showcase the special relationship between a mother and her daughter.

Grand Opening, Expansion & Renovation

Plug into the Future Like Never Before - Family Promotion 2018

Exuberance

Sahara Centre, Sharjah, UAE

Owner: Al Manshar Real Estate Co.

Owner: Al Nahda Real Estate & Trading Co LLC Management Company: Sahara Centre Management

Sahara Centre used a series of five humorous digital videos featuring a group of aliens in search of a new Tesla as part of their strategy to promote their ‘Plug into The Future like Never Before’ campaign.

Al Kout Mall, Kuwait City, Kuwait Management Company: GLA Property Management

Company WLL

Al Kout Mall’s Grand Opening ‘Exuberance’ campaign, featured 10 world class troupes in a variety of exciting and first to region performances, held in-centre nine times a day over a 13-day period.

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Tabuk Park Grand Opening Campaign

New/Emerging Technology

Tabuk Park Mall, Tabuk, Saudi Arabia Owner: Asala Holding Management Company: Hamat Property Company

Tabuk Park’s celebratory grand opening campaign included a variety of cultural, music and dance performances, art activities, and the region’s first staging of the ‘Bubble World Show’.

A Very Brr...Juman Winter BurJuman Centre, Dubai, UAE Owner: Saif Al Ghurair Real Estate Group Management Company: BurJuman Centre LLC

Burjuman’s glacier shaped installation equipped with augmented reality offered visitors the chance to immerse themselves in a winter wonderland, and to interact with a variety of animals and birds.

City of Imagination

Catch The Emoji-The Emoji Augmented Reality Game

City Centre Bahrain, Manama, Bahrain

CIty Centre Deira, Dubai, UAE

Owner/Management Company: Majid Al Futtiam Properties

Owner/Management Company: Majid Al Futtiam Properties

City Centre Bahrain used innovative and interactive digital technology and software to animate children’s illustrations and bring them to life on screen, during their ‘City of Imagination’ initiative.

City Centre Deira challenged visitors to go in search of Emojis hidden throughout the centre, and to bring them to life using the centre’s augmented reality equipped app, for an opportunity to win prizes.

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Public Relations Dalma Mall’s “PREDICT THE CUP” Challenge

Year of Zayed Ramadan Activation

Dalma Mall, Abu Dhabi, UAE

Owner: Joint Venture: Gulf Related and Mubadala Real Estate

Owner: The Developers

The Galleria on Al Maryah Island, Abu Dhabi, UAE & Infrastructure (MREI)

Management Company: Dalma Mall

Management Company: Gulf Related

Dalma Mall’s football themed digital competition challenged users to predict match winners and number of goals scored, for a chance to win daily prizes throughout the FIFA World Cup 2018 campaign.

the UAE’s founding father.

An Artistic Journey - From Challenges to Inspiration Dalma Mall, Abu Dhabi, UAE

The Galleria on Al Maryah Island in partnership with the National Archives, hosted an exclusive exhibition of 40 photographs detailing pivotal moments in the life of

Chinese New Year 2018 Celebrations The Galleria on Al Maryah Island, Abu Dhabi, UAE

Owner: The Developers

Owner: Joint Venture: Gulf Related and Mubadala Real Estate & Infrastructure (MREI)

Management Company: Dalma Mall

Management Company: Gulf Related

Dalma Mall invited a renowned armless artist to demonstrate her painting technique, and be their guest of honor at the awards ceremony for their Mother’s Day themed Inter School Art competition.

The opening event for the The Galleria on Al Maryah Island’s Chinese New Year 2018 Celebration included a gala dinner event with dignitaries and VIPs, and an exclusive Chinese Art exhibition.

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Winter Wonderland PR Support

Red Sea Mall Career Fair

The Galleria on Al Maryah Island, Abu Dhabi, UAE

Red Sea Mall, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

Owner: Joint Venture: Gulf Related and Mubadala Real

Owner: Red Sea Markets

Estate & Infrastructure (MREI)

Management Company: Gulf Related

The ‘Winter Wonderland’ campaign featured a tree lighting ceremony, a variety of dance and dramatic performances, themed workshops and activities, and the opportunity to visit Santa Claus at his grotto.

Management Company: Intimaa a subsidiary of SEDCO

Holding Group

The Red Sea Mall Career Fair was a two-day long initiative that offered Human resource professionals representing a variety of industries the opportunity to meet and interview potential employees.

Sales Promotion and Events

Fashion Hits Home

Yas Gaming Festival

Yas Mall, Abu Dhabi - Yas Island, UAE

Yas Mall, Abu Dhabi – Yas Island, UAE

Owner/Management Company: Aldar Properties PJSC

Owner/Management Company: Aldar Properties PJSC

Yas Mall invited internationally renowned interior design celebrities, and regional influencers to design and decorate a two-room show home and garden, using home fashions available at center retailers.

Yas Mall welcomed the back to school crowd with their ‘Gaming Festival’ initiative featuring interactive gaming zones, expert panels, weekly tournaments, and daily prize quests, over an eleven-day period.

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Onam Celebration

BurJuman Fun Cruise

Arabian Center, Dubai, UAE

BurJuman Centre, Dubai, UAE

Owner/Management Company: LALS Group

Owner: Saif Al Ghurair Real Estate Group

The Onam Celebration at Arabian Center featured exhibitions of traditional art, live dance and music performances, flower festivals, and the playing of age-old games to celebrate Kerala’s rich culture.

Management Company: BurJuman Centre LLC

CFCM Live Premiere Nights

Fashion For You – Spring Fashion Campaign

Cairo Festival City Mall, New Cairo, Egypt

The ‘BurJuman Fun Cruise’ initiative included a nautically inspired installation with seven interactive play zones for young visitors, as well as a virtual reality adventure inside a yellow submarine.

Owner/Management Company: Al Futtaim Group

City Centre Bahrain, Manama, Bahrain

Real Estate

Owner/Management Company: Majid Al Futtaim Properties

The ‘CFCM Premier Nights’ initiative offered customers who met a minimum spend amount, the chance to attend in-center tapings of three of Egypt’s most prominent television and comedy shows.

City Centre Bahrain’s Spring Fashion Campaign offered fashionistas the opportunity to meet professional stylists and influencers, win instant prizes, and qualify for the grand prize draw of a Porsche Cayman.

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Emoji Drop Campaign

World Cup Campaign

City Centre Bahrain, Manama, Bahrain

City Centre Bahrain, Manama, Bahrain

Owner/Management Company: Majid Al Futtaim Properties

Owner/Management Company: Majid Al Futtaim Properties

City Centre Bahrain’s ‘Emoji Drop’ campaign included a Shop & Win promotion in combination with themed décor and activities, live performances, and an in-centre gameshow activation.

City Centre Bahrain capitalized on the hype of the world’s favourite game to offer shoppers a variety of football inspired activities and games, and the chance to win World Cup themed Babushka dolls.

RoboFun-Shaping the Future Leaders

Spring Summer Fashion - Brand Days

City Centre Deira, Dubai, UAE

City Centre Mirdif, Dubai, UAE

Owner/Management Company: Majid Al Futtaim Properties

Owner/Management Company: Majid Al Futtaim Properties

City Centre Deira’s back to school campaign included a collaboration with a leading robotics company, to host a series of hands-on robot building workshops designed for visitors of all ages.

City Centre Mirdiff equipped their central atrium with LED screens, exhibition areas, and a performance stage, and offered retailers a dedicated day to showcase their Spring Summer collections.

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Outdoors by City Centre City Centre Mirdif and City Centre Me’aisem, Dubai, UAE

“The More The Merrier” Relay of Events

Owner/Management Company: Majid Al Futtaim Properties

Dalma Mall, Abu Dhabi, UAE

City Centre Mirdif and Me’aisem created a unique outdoor zone during the Dubai Food Festival, where could watch movies, have a meal, play a variety of arcade games, or enjoy live music performances.

Owner: The Developers

Helipad Cinema Dubai Festival City Mall, Dubai, UAE

Management Company: Dalma Mall

Dalma Mall’s summer campaign featured a relay of shopping events including spend and win promotions, deep discount sales, a 24 hour Mega sale, and a variety of children’s edutainment activities.

Al Maryah Island’s 2018 Chinese New Year Event The Galleria on Al Maryah Island, Abu Dhabi, UAE

Owner: Al Futtaim Group Real Estate

Owner: Joint Venture: Gulf Related and Mubadala Real Estate & Infrastructure (MREI)

Management Company: Dubai Festival City Retail

Management Company: Gulf Related

Festival City Mall partnered with Toyota to launch the Camry Helipad Cinema, an exclusive first of its kind outdoor cinema experience situated on the centre’s helipad.

To celebrate Chinese New Year, Al Maryah Island was transformed with authentic decorations, hanging lanterns, a fortune tree, cultural music and dance performances, and a spectacular fireworks display.

Developlemt LLC

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Chinese Tourism Marketing Initiative The Galleria on Al Maryah Island, Abu Dhabi, UAE Owner: Joint Venture: Gulf Related and Mubadala Real Estate & Infrastructure (MREI) Management Company: Gulf Related

The Galleria on Al Maryah Island’s Chinese Tourism Marketing initiative included dedicated multi-lingual ambassadors, invitations to exclusive events, restaurant reservations, and the use of VIP viewing rooms.

Shop Play & Win – Mirror Maze Adventure

The Al Maryah Island 2017 Winter Wonderland Event The Galleria on Al Maryah Island, Abu Dhabi, UAE Owner: Joint Venture: Gulf Related and Mubadala Real Estate & Infrastructure (MREI) Management Company: Gulf Related

The ‘Winter Wonderland Event’ included themed décor, an outdoor village and artisan marketplace, a variety of festive performances, children’s activities, and a spectacular tree lighting ceremony.

Lulu Mall Fujairah, Fujairah, UAE

MOE Fashion Live

Owner: Lulu Group International

Mall of The Emirates, Dubai, UAE

Management Company: Line Investments & Property

Owner/Management Company: Majid Al Futtaim Properties

Lulu Mall Fujairah’s ‘Shop Play & Win’ campaign invited shoppers to navigate through a challenging mirror maze within 60 seconds for an opportunity to win instant prizes and gift vouchers.

Mall of the Emirates invited their affluent and VIP customers to the centre’s new luxury fashion wing for a gala dinner event and runway show unveiling the Spring Summer Fashion premium collections.

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The Gallery of Diversity

24 Hour Mega Sale Returns!

Mall of The Emirates, Dubai, UAE

The Mall at World Trade Center and Yas Mall, Abu Dhabi, UAE

Owner/Management Company: Majid Al Futtaim Properties

Management Company: Aldar Properties PJSC

MOE collaborated with luxury fashion brand Christian Louboutin during their Spring Summer Fashion Campaign featuring a photography exhibition of seven of the UAE’s most inspirational women.

Three Aldar properties partnered with Abu Dhabi’s Department of Culture and Tourism and convinced 15 additional centres to participate in the ‘MEGA 24-hour Sale’ the city’s biggest retail event of the year.

THE GALLERY OF DIVERSITY

Red Sea Mall Key to Surprises Red Sea Mall, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia Owner: Red Sea Markets Management Company: Intimaa a subsidiary of SEDCO

Holding Group

Red Sea Mall’s Ramadan campaign offered visitors the opportunity to exchange their shopping receipts for a key to one of 300 lockers containing an instant prize.

Red Sea Mall Cup Red Sea Mall, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia Owner: Red Sea Markets Management Company: Intimaa a subsidiary of SEDCO

Holding Group

The ‘Red Sea Cup’ initiative offered visitors the opportunity to unlock a locker containing a variety of gifts ranging from gift cards to televisions, as well as one grand prize award of a new Jeep vehicle.

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Operations/Overall Team Kinan World Cup Fiesta 2018

Black & White Formula 1 Sale

Roshan Mall, Jamea Plaza, Aliat Mall, Saudi Arabia

Yas Mall, Abu Dhabi – Yas Island, UAE

Owner/Management Company: Kinan International Real

Owner/Management Company: Aldar Properties PJSC

Estate Development Company

Three Kinan Malls offered visitors a variety of interactive and themed gaming experiences, daily prize competitions, and large screen viewings of FIFA matches during their World Cup Fiesta campaign.

Yas Mall used the iconic black and white checkered flag as the theme of their inaugural ‘Black and White’ sale – a three-day long event held concurrently with Abu Dhabi’s Grand Prix in late November.

NOI ENHANCEMENT Leasing

“Every Nook n Corner” – Efficient Utilisation of Unexploited Spaces Dalma Mall, Abu Dhabi, UAE

Creative Earning in Retail Entertainment

Owner: The Developers

Majid Al Futtaim (Leisure and Entertainment), Dubai, UAE

Management Company: Dalma Mall

Owner/Management Company: Majid Al Futtiam Properties

Dalma Mall’s comprehensive NOI Enhancement strategy included outfitting their parking lots with car maintenance and detailing services, valet parking, rental car zones, and electric car charging stations.

Majid Al Futtaim’s strategy to generate additional revenue streams at their leisure and entertainment venues includes branding agreements, in-centre kiosks, and partnerships with financial institutions.

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Marketing/Sponsorship CFCM/Coca Cola World Cup Trophy Tour

CFCM World Cup Arena - Welcome to Mini Russia

Cairo Festival City Mall, New Cairo, Egypt

Cairo Festival City Mall, New Cairo, Egypt

Owner/Management Company: Al Futtaim Group Real Estate

Owner/Management Company: Al Futtaim Group Real Estate

Cairo Festival City Mall partnered with the Coca Cola corporation to offer their visitors a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to have a photograph taken alongside the iconic FIFA World Cup Trophy.

Cairo Festival City Mall marked the Egyptian football team’s participation in the FIFA 2018 World Cup competition with a dedicated fan zone featuring the largest outdoor screen environment in Egypt.

Celebrity Buzz @ Dalma Mall with Megastar Mammootty Dalma Mall, Abu Dhabi, UAE

Sharjah’s Lifestyle Destination

Owner: The Developers

Zero 6 Mall, Sharjah, UAE

Management Company: Dalma Mall

Owner/Management Company: Alef Group

Dalma Mall hosted a Celebrity Buzz evening featuring mega film personality ‘Mammootty’ and his fellow costars, following the release of the popular star’s 2018 blockbuster movie ‘Street Lights’.

Zero 6 is a sophisticated and contemporary lifestyle centre that offers a diverse range of dining options, trendy retailers and innovative leisure attractions including housing the largest IMAX screen in the UAE.

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Operations/Overall Team Snow City @ Al Othaim Mall Rabwa Al Othaim Leisure & Tourism Riyadh, Saudi Arabia Owner/Management Company: Al Othaim Group

Al Othaim performed extensive analysis to ensure strict adherence to the daily, weekly, and monthly maintenance schedules of their Snow City Rides, attractions, power and water sources, and equipment.

Intelligent Systems in Mall Operations - A Valued Friend Dalma Mall, Abu Dhabi, UAE Owner: The Developers Management Company: Dalma Mall

Dalma Mall’s investment into upgraded technology and equipment used to monitor and control the centre’s BMS and CCTV systems will reduce overhead costs by an estimated AED 2.3 million.

DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT

New Developments

Tabuk Park Mall

Al Kout Mall

Tabuk, Saudi Arabia

Kuwait City, Kuwait

Owner: Global Investments Company Development Company: Asala Holding Design Architect: Ross Ocava Production or Executive Architect: Asala Holding

Owner: Al Manshar Real Estate Development Company: Tamdeen Shopping Centers Design Architect: CRTKL Production or Executive Architect: KEOIC

Tabuk Park Mall is located in a dynamic urban location and provides residents and visitors with a comprehensive selection of retail, food and beverage, and entertainment and leisure offerings.

Al Kout Mall’s distinctive triangular footprint houses an international mix of retailers, nearly 2,500 parking spots, direct access to a 5-star hotel, and easy connectivity to the adjacent beach and marina.

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Al Shatea Square

Riyadh Park Mall

Dammam, Saudia Arabia

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Development Company/Owner: Unified Real Estate

Development Company/Owner: Asala Holding

Development

Al Shatea Square occupies 11,000 square meters in a vital urban location, and offers a diverse range of retailers, food and beverage offerings, and daily needs and services to the community it serves.

Design Architect: Benoy

Riyadh Park Mall offers a diverse mix of international, local, and food and beverage retailers, as well as a dedicated fashion zone, an external shopping street, and a host of enhanced customer amenities.

Tilal Al Naseem - The Souk Makkah, Saudi Arabia Development Company/Owner: Al Rajhi Investment

Company

Zero 6 Zero 6 Mall, Sharjah, UAE

Management/Leasing/Finance Company: UAPM

Development Company/Owner: Alef Group

(Unified Asset & Property Management Company)

Design Architect: Schwitze

The iconic Tilal Al Naseem-The Souk development incorporates a world class retail podium, hotel, offices and residences, with a beautifully landscaped outdoor shopping boulevard and dining zone.

Zero 6 is a new-generation community centre offering visitors a diverse selection of restaurants and cafes, al fresco dining areas, first to region retailers, entertainment, recreation and fitness amenities.

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Renovations/Expansions Alandalus Mall Food Court

Panorama Mall

Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Development Company: Hamat Property Company

Development Company/Owner: Asala Holding

Owner: Alandalus Property Company

Design Architect: Asala Holding

Architect: Mesura

Panorama Mall’s recent renovation included the addition of an innovative food street concept, double height restaurant frontages, increased seating areas, and a versatile central event space.

Alandalus Mall’s comprehensive food court renovation included extensive upgrades to the interior lighting, fixtures, and finishes, as well as the inclusion of a diverse mix of food and beverage offerings.

Retail Store Design

Safforiland @ Al Othaim Mall, Rabwa Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Khaadi

Development Company: Al Othaim Group

Yas Mall, Abu Dhabi, UAE

Owner: Al Othaim Real Estate and Development Co

Company: Khaadi

Design Architect: Wouter Van Wemmel

Architect/Designer: Usman Mughni

The renovated Safforiland at Al Othaim Mall-Rabwa features upgraded lighting and fixtures, modern flooring and ceiling finishes, and vibrant graphics and signage to reflect the venue’s re-imagined brand.

Khaadi’s quality offerings of beautifully embroidered kurtas are placed within an understated open-concept environment incorporating a subtle color palette and patterned wood design elements.

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Marina Home Interiors

Fabyland

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Al Rashid Mall, Abha, Saudi Arabia

Company: Marina Gulf Trading

Company: Al Othaim Leisure & Tourism

Architect/Designer: Schwitzke & Partners

Architect: Wouter Van Wemmel

The modern yet industrial design of Marina Home’s flagship showroom in Riyadh incorporates brick cladding, concrete columns, double height glazing, iron beams, and wood panel dÊcor elements.

Fabyland

Designer: Melethil Madhu

Fabyland at Al Rashid Mall offers the latest amusement rides and attractions, dedicated zones for toddlers and teens, and trendy cafes and food kiosks, to provide something for visitors of all ages.

Tabuk Park Mall, Tabuk, Saudi Arabia

Harvey Nichols

Company: Al Othaim Leisure & Tourism

Doha Festival City

Architect: Wouter Van Wemmel

Company: Al Mana

Designer: Melethil Madhu

Architect/Designer: Four IV

Fabyland at Tabuk Park Mall offers dedicated age-specific play zones, a variety of trendy food and beverage offerings, as well as the latest in amusement rides, attractions, and arcade sports and games.

The multi-level Harvey Nichols Store at Doha Festival City evokes luxury, combining marble, natural wood, and granite, with a subtle color design palette and innovative merchandise display units.

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Magic Planet And VOX Cinemas

Optifashion

Riyadh Park, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Dubai, UAE

Company: Majid Al Futtaim Magic Planet And VOX Cinemas

Company: Optifashion

Architect/Designer: RW Armstrong (Magic Planet) and

Architect/Designer: AIC Design LLC

Unick Consulting Ltd (VOX Cinemas)

The Magic Planet and VOX Cinemas complex features a four-screen multiplex, including an IMAX auditorium and VOX KIDS, and a host of games, rides and attractions for visitors of all ages.

VOX Cinemas City Centre Mirdif, Dubai, UAE

Optifashion offers the latest collections of designer frames and sunglasses, in an Italian-inspired environment incorporating natural finishes with geometric and organically shaped design elements.

Urban RetrEAT Restaurant Yas Mall, Abu Dhabi, UAE

Architect/Designer: Unick Consulting Ltd

Company: Urban RetrEAT Restaurant Company LLC Architect: MA Lizel Gajasan Designer: Dana AlSharif

The newly renovated and expanded VOX Cinema Complex at City Centre Mirdif included the addition of six theatres, four luxury auditoriums with lounges, and the Middle East’s first IMAX Sapphire experience.

The innovative Urban RetrEAT environment features a rotating lineup of local street vendors, who have the opportunity to prepare and sell their unique offerings within the centre for a three month period.

Company: Majid Al Futtaim VOX Cinemas

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Xtreme Zone

White Robata

Deerfields Mall, Abu Dhabi, UAE

Kuwait City, Kuwait

Company: Al Othaim Leisure & Tourism Architect: Wouter Van Wemmel Designer: Melethil Madhu

Company: Gastronomica Middle East Architect/Designer: Basil Al Salem and Harrissons

The Xtreme Zone at Deefields Mall includes a trampoline park, a high rope ninja course, climbing walls and apparatus, and a zip line activity, designed to appeal to adventurous thrill seekers of all ages.

The White Robata is a Japanese-inspired open concept dining establishment featuring a variety of seating areas surrounding large BBQ pits where chefs prepare Asian influenced cuisine.

RETAIL EXCELLENCE

Entertainment, Music and Leisure

Sparky’s Panorama

Fabyland

Panorama Mall, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Al Rashid Mall, Abha, Saudi Arabia

Sparky’s at Panorama Mall offers 14 amusement rides, skills and redemption games, a trampoline zone, 5-D cinema, food and beverage kiosks, and soft play areas, as well as a private special event room.

Fabyland at Al Rashid Mall offers a wide range of leisure opportunities for visitors of all ages and includes the latest sport arcade games, amusement rides and attractions, and trendy cafés and food kiosks.

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Restaurants

BEST MENA RETAIL BRAND

Burger Boutique

Al Hokair Time Rabwa

Dubai, UAE

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

The Burger Boutique uses organic grass-fed beef devoid of antibiotics and hormones to prepare designer-worthy burgers in a welcoming environment with natural wood, plants, and stone accents.

Al Hokair Time is an innovative family destination that includes Sparky’s, Snowy Forest, a Sky Zone trampoline park, and a video games arcade, alongside a variety cafes and food kiosks.

Fabyland

Mikyajy Glamour Girl

Dubai Festival City Mall, Dubai, UAE

Mikyajy Arabian Center, Dubai, UAE

Fabyland at Dubai Festival City Mall offers a variety of amusement rides and attractions, a games arcade, and a variety of trendy cafes and food kiosks, designed to appeal to parents and children alike.

The ‘Mikyajy Glamour Girl’ store at Arabian Center features bright graphics, stylized displays and design elements, and a vast selection of affordable and quality cosmetics and merchandise from Europe.

OCT-DEC 2018 . RETAIL PEOPLE .155

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My Town

Safforiland

City Stars Mall, Cairo, Egypt

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

My Town is an interactive play environment for young visitors, featuring a variety of colorful soft play areas fashioned after city buildings, restaurants, emergency services, stores, and houses.

Safforiland is a comprehensive indoor entertainment facility featuring amusement rides and attractions, trendy food offerings, and a games arcade, that offers something for everyone.

BEST NEW TECHNOLOGY IN RETAIL

Slider Station

AKYASI Services LLC

Manama, Bahrian

Abu Dhabi, UAE

Slider Station is the world’s first conveyer belt restaurant, offering visitors a variety of American specialties, iconic classics, and new-age styled tapas, in an industrial chicinspired environment.

The AKYASI app allows registered users to easily log on, shop amongst participating retailers, pay for their merchandise, and conveniently collect their purchases from the center of their choice.

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ESL inclusive by umdasch The Store Maker

Nearbuy Group

Dubai, UAE

The Dubai Mall incorporated robots, holograms, LED screens, touchscreen kiosks, and the latest technology, to offers visitors a phy-gital environment throughout their newest extension wing.

The Electronic Shelf Labeling platform is an innovative and cost-effective way for retailers to digitally update and display merchandise information, product numbers, and pricing.

Dubai, UAE

Xpandretail powered by Sรกvant

Yardi Systems Ltd

Dubai, UAE

Dubai, UAE

Xpandretail powered by Sรกvant technology, are leaders in business intelligence and have been providing analytic solutions for businesses across the Middle East and the Asian sub-continent since 2000.

The Yardi Voyager 7S, system offers clients built-in modules for leasing, CRM, budgeting and forecasting, procurement, mobile inspections and maintenance, online tenant portals, and much, much more.

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Retail Professional of the Year Mishal Al Hokair

Deputy CEO & Entertainment General Manager Al Hokair Group Dammam, Saudi Arabia Mishal Al Hokair is the Deputy CEO and General Manager of Entertainment and had been the driving force behind the Al Hokair Group’s new concept, partnerships, and growth across the MENA region

Fouad A. Al-Rashed CEO

Asala Holding Company Riyadh, Saudi Arabia Asala Holding’s CEO Fouad A. Al-Rashed has spent the last two years defining the company’s mission, and direction, and has been instrumental in reducing overall operating expenses by 15%.

Shane Eldstrom Chief Executive Officer

Al Farwaniya Property Developments LLC Abu Dhabi, UAE Chief Executive Officer Shane Eldstrom has led Al Farwaniya Property Developments during a strategic growth period, including the development of the $1.2 billion US Reem Mall being built in Abu Dhabi.

158. RETAIL PEOPLE . OCT-DEC 2018

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Energised for Tomorrow

Meet Yardi at RECon Middle East & North Africa 28-30 October 2018 Ritz-Carlton Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) Dubai, UAE. Centralise your property data to minimise risk and deliver key performance metrics, while using mobile technology to revolutionise interaction with prospects and tenants. + 971-4-4322679 Yardi.com/ae

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