Business & Money | Sunday 25 September, 2016 4:17 pm |

The Fifth edition of the Middle East Retail Forum (MRF) will host discussions on how retailers can reinvent themselves to meaningfully connect and engage with the connected consumer. The Middle East Retail Forum will be held on 11th and 12th of October 2016 at the Conrad Hotel, Dubai. GCC's most prominent business leaders from illustrious retail, real estate and consumer brand organisations have already confirmed their participation at the forum.

 

Now in its fifth year, the Middle East Retail Forum has come to be acknowledged by retailers and retail support companies alike as a vibrant, critical intelligence platform for the business of retail and consumer experiences.  The theme of the forum –‘Retailing to the Connected Consumer’- has been carefully designed to help incubate next-generation ideas for GCC retail to stay relevant and a globally iconic destination as technology disrupts consumer behaviour and their expectations from retailers. This is especially key due to the region's rich success in leading the world in best-in-class 'retail tourism' and all its components.

 

 “The Middle East Retail Forum is an established platform where regional retailers congregate to review the past and discuss the future of the Middle East retail industry. This two day conference is replete with knowledge sharing sessions; its where industry peers engage in meaningful networking,” says Mohammad Alawi, CEO, Red Sea Markets Co, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. 

 

“We now live in a world where change is constant and brands have to move fast to stay relevant for today’s connected consumer,” says Paul Kenny, partner, Emerging Ventures, Dubai, UAE.

“Retail fundamentals have not changed. It is still about being where your customer is, capitalizing on opportunities and constantly reinvesting to improve your customer offering,” says Ashish Panjabi, COO, Jacky’s Group of Companies, Dubai, UAE. 

 

Middle East Retail Forum 2016 will feature thought-provoking subjects that will help boost the retail sector in the region. Topics that will be covered this year will include –‘The GCC Retail Outlook’, ‘Retail Vision 2020’, ‘The 3C’s to delight customers - Convenience, Choice and Customer Experience’, ‘The Power of She-Economy’, ‘Creating Retail Destinations Of The Future’, and lots more.

 “The Middle East Retail Forum is a platform created for retailers to share insights and thought processes. With new age technology we have seen a constant change with the connected consumer. The fifth edition of the Middle East Retail Forum will focus on just this: How do retailers walk hand-in-hand with the connected consumer delighting them at every touch-point,” says Amitabh Taneja, chairman, Images Retail Group.

Amongst more than 60 key speakers confirmed for this year’s forum we have; Omar Bseiso, CEO - Al Sayegh Group, Rajiv Suri, CEO - Al Futtaim Fashion, Muna Al Gurg, Director Retail - Easa Saleh Al Gurg Group, Nisreen Shocair, President - Virgin Megastore Middle East, Ramesh Cidambi, COO -Dubai Duty Free, Rohin Thampi – Regional Director Middle East & Africa Zomato, Ronaldo Mouchawa, CEO and Co-founder - Souq.com, Raza Beig, Director - Landmark Group, CEO-Splash & Iconic, Shafeena Yusufali, CEO - Tablez food Company. Sanjay Manchanda, CEO - Nakheel PJSC, Shant Oknayan, Head of DR-MENA - Facebook, to name a few.

 

MRF is one of the most anticipated events of the year in this region for retail leaders and industry experts, who converge from various sectors under the retail banner; be it Real Estate, Fashion, Food, Leisure or Technology. The Middle East Retail Forum is being organised by Images RetailME, the only B2B publication dedicated to the retail sector in the region. For more information on the event log on to http://middleeastretailforum.com/