Christmas Wishes

A Merry Christmas to all.
Wishing joy and Health to you and your family. Have a wonderful Christmas and a Happy New Year.
Kind regards
Neil Oviatt

New Vacancy - Security Manager - Riyadh

I require an experienced Security Manager for a leading business across the Middle East. The role will be based in Saudi Arabia (Riyadh) with significant travel across MENA.
Ideal experience will be Military and large corporate with experience in Sudan or South Africa.
Package negotiable
Cv's to neil@globalretailrecruitment.com

CFO Required - Retail

I am currently in search of a leading retail CFO to take financial control of a significant business in KSA.
This role will report directly to the Group CFO of this highly regarded and successful diversified group.
You will have a proven track record at CFO level in retail and be chartered qualified with the ability to communicate strategic plans at all levels.
Fluency in English and Arabic required.
This role is suitable for a Saudi national only.

Group CFO - Retail - Arabic or Indian nationals

A Chartered Accountant with 10 or more years of experience in the related industry is sought to assume a very strategic leadership role with a leading business house. Assuming the role of Chief Financial Officer and reporting to the Group MD, the successful candidate will take on a strategic leadership role within the organization and will immerse himself with bank relations and engaging new financing with various avenues. The Chief Financial Officer assumes lead on all legal agreements related to financing and mergers & acquisitions as well as negations and reviews, financial reporting and strategic planning. He will oversee the entire finance group and while this is quite a big bill to fill; this opportunity is a great venture for a dynamic leadership type who welcomes new challenges. English - oral presentation, written documentation - are a must as the CFO will work with clientele and stake holders throughout Saudi Arabia and MENA region.

Candidates must have a recognized accounting designation, ideally a chartered accountant with minimum 15 years post qualification experience in the related industries, in MNC or with a large local group. You should be at least 35 years of age. A solid understanding of investment strategies and financial services and strong understanding of financial risk management and oversight is also required.
NEGOTIABLE PACKAGE circa $500,000

Referral fee's can be agreed for successful placements

CV's to neil@globalretailrecruitment.com only sucessful applicants will be contacted.

currently searching for :-
Country HR Managers- Bahrain and Jordan, must have country nationality, experience in Retail ideal but possible service led industry. Packages circa 2000 per month negotiable.
Also requiring AGA Manager for Bahrain.
corporate recruiters in Kuwait, retail to 850 KD
CV's to neil@globalretailrecruitment.com

Retail Vacancy update

Retail jobs at www.globalretailrecruitment.com
Current urgent roles:-
Merchandise Manager - Saudi - Male - Retail Merch experience.
Various Area management - Retail - Bahrain to 20000Dh's
Group MD - Retail - Saudi - Package Neg - Arabic fluency required
Group CFO - Retail - Saudi Package circa $500,000 - Arabic fluency required
More vacancies at www.globalretailrecruitment.com
CV's to neil@globalretailrecruitment.com

New Vacancies - Urgent Requirements - Middle East

Merchandise Manager - Retail - 16000 SRi's - KSA
Area Manager - Retail Fashion - 18000 Dh's - Bahrain
Retail Manager - Books - 18000 Dh's - UAE
Divisional Manager - Fashion - 24000Dh's - Bahrain
Head of Business - Fashion - 40000Dh's - Bahrain
Supply Chain Manager - Retail - 20000Sri's - KSA
Internal Auditor - Retail - 20000 Sri's - KSA
Executives to $1 Million - KSA - Group MD and Group CFO - must be Arabic fluent from large MNC's

CV's to Neil@globalretailrecruitment.com

Vacancy - Supply Chain

I am currently searching for a Supply Chain Manager to join a leading Saudi retailer.
You will have direct supply chain management experience in fashion retail in the GCC.
Package negotiable
Forward CV's to neil@globalretailrecruitment.com

New Vacancies - Middle East - Bahrain

Currently recruiting : -
Head of Business - Fashion - Merch and marketing experience - 500000Dhs per annum
Area Manager - Fashion - 10 brands - 300000 Dhs package per annum
Divisional Manager - Furniture - negotiable package
Retail Business Manager- Books - 18000dhs per month
Area Manager - Fashion - 5 brands 18000dhs per month
CV's to neil@globalretailrecruitment.com

New vacancy - Bahrain - Fashion Divisional Manager

A head office and field based international role that takes accountability for driving sales and profitability of a specific groups of Brands through an existing (and expanding) store portfolio. Accountable for ensuring all Brands deliver a consistent approach towards the Customer Service Proposition, specified visual excellence and high retail standards. Sphere of responsibility requires commercial decision making, development of a strong and effective team and regional knowledge spanning 6 territories.

Key Objectives:

? Accountable for the achievement of the agreed Divisional Brand Business Plans
? Focused upon coaching Brand Managers to consistently deliver the Customer Service Proposition and influence the Principles at all levels for the benefit of the business.
? Drive Brand Managers to meet and exceed agreed Business and Store level KPI?s
? Reviews the effective delivery of Brand retail standards
? Recruitment and development of Brand Managers / Merchandisers to support future promotion (succession) opportunities across the Fashion Division
? Brand Building, expansion and relationship management with existing and potential Principles / Partners
? Key negotiation with Principles to ensure each Brand operates profitably within each respective region.
? Influence the Principles on strategic changes if required to ensure the brand delivers market values.

New Vacancy - Bahrain - Fashion

We are currently in search of a 'Head of Business - Fashion' to control all retail operations for this leading client.

The ideal candidate will have a proven track record of success in fashion retail regional / country / operations management ensuring all KPI's are consistently achieved.
You will have a keen eye for VM and the ability to drive sales and standards through a motivated and developed team.

GCC fashion experience is a must.

On offer is a package to circa 40,000Dhs per month and a bonus potential exceeding 50%.

New Vacancies - Saudi

Currently seeking :-
Retail Internal Auditor to 20000SR - Riyadh
Retail Supply Chain Manager to 20000SR - Riyadh
Marketing Manager - Female to 15000SR - Al - Khobar
Store Ops Manager - 25000SR - Lux fashion - Riyadh

Website changes

Please note, we are currently upgrading our systems to allow greater functions for both candidates and clients. We apologise for any inconvenience caused should you find pages or email being effected.
Kind regards
Neil Oviatt
Director

Website and Email changes at Global Recruitment

In order to improve the website functionality for candidates and clients you will notice significant changes to the websites at www.globalretailrecruitment.com & www.globalrecruitmentconsulting.com. This will happen over the next 72 hours and may affect the display of the sites when viewing. Email systems are also being adapted to enhance productivity.
If you experience any difficulties in corresponding with us during this period please accept our apologies. We will have normal service as soon as possible.

New Vacancy - N.East England to 55k - 12 month Contract

Responsible for the purchase and sourcing across of all Goods Not For Resale, working closely across all functions to ensure that products and services are sourced as cost effectively and as efficiently as possible. Ensures that there are appropriate contracts or agreements in place with suppliers and that each has a clear business owner. Maintain effective order and invoice, and discount authorisation processes in conjunction with business supply owners.
Cv's to neil@globalretailrecruitment.com

New vacancies - UAE and Saudi

Business manager- Wholesale Retail - UAE to 30000. Must have retail 10 years + fashion experience. HR Manager - UAE to 25000 - must have 10 years HR experience + 3 years in GCC / UAE Marketing Manager- Al-Khobar - 15000SR - Female with retail experience

Abdulla brothers to repay $165m over 18 months

UAE jewellery retailer Damas International on Wednesday announced that the three Abdulla brothers have given a formal commitment to repay $165m they owe the company over the next 18 months.

The payment schedule is part of the formal settlement agreement between the Abdulla family and Damas, in respect of the repayment of unauthorised transactions that led to the resignation of Tawhid Abdulla as CEO last month.

The Abdulla brothers have undertaken to pay $55m within 6 months; an aggregate of $110m within 12 months; and the total within 18 months.
The company added that should auditors PricewaterhouseCoopers (PWC) discover further unauthorised payments as part of their investigations, repayments would need to be paid within two years.

The Abdullah brothers produced a list of assets that are potentially available for liquidation to be converted by them into cash to meet their obligations.

These included real estate investments in the Middle East and North Africa (including a number of residential and commercial buildings and units in the UAE) and an investment in a shopping mall in Turkey.

As part of the settlement agreement, the Abdulla brothers have also pledged 350 million of their shares in the company that would be transferred in whole or in part back to the company in the event of the terms of the settlement Agreement are breached.

Last month, PWC was appointed by the board of the company as an independent auditor to examine unauthorised transactions conducted by former CEO and MD Tawhid Abdulla.

The appointment of PWC follows the formation of a separate committee to examine the transactions in detail.

Harvey Nichols CEO sees Dubai luxury market saturation

The chief executive of luxury retailer Harvey Nichols has expressed reservations about the number of upmarket department stores coming to Dubai.

I have my reservations regarding the future sustainability of so many competitors in the same place, where the population ismaybe less than two million,Joseph Wan told Arabian Business in an interview in Dubai.

But at least we, Harvey Nichols, have the first-mover advantage. We were the first ones to come, and ever since we opened we have been trading very successfully.
In March 2006 the luxury British retailer opened its largest outlet outside the UK in Dubais Mall of the Emirates. The store is operated by the Al Tayer Group.

High-end store Saks Fifth Avenue opened in BurJuman in 2004 as a joint venture with the Chalhoub Group, and launched a second branch on The Walk at the Jumeirah Beach Residence in 2008.

France?s Galeries Lafayette, a partnership between Emaar Malls Group, Galeries Lafayette and Gard Investments, opened in The Dubai Mall in May this year.

US rival Bloomingdales has partnered with the Al Tayer Group to open two outlets in the same mall in February next year.

I will have to wait and see. Clearly, in the long term it is hard to believe that all of us will be doing very well, said Wan.

But who will be doing better or worse I do not want to forecast, it remains to be seen. All I can say is that up to now, we have been doing exceptionally well, well above all our original expectations.

Sales at Harvey Nichols in Dubai were down in single digits compared to last year, he said.

Luxury brands pin hopes on Middle East

Van Cleef and Arpels, the French luxury retailer, sees the Middle East as a prime destination for high-end shopping.

Stanislas de Quercize, the president and chief executive of Van Cleef and Arpels, said in the next two months it would open four stores in the GCC; two in Kuwait, and one each in Qatar and Bahrain. Those four represent one half of the total number of stores to be opened by of the company worldwide this year.

The company already has three stores in the UAE.

Mr de Quercize said the retailer was eager to establish a foothold in the region to prepare for the GCCs future growth.

This is the region in the world where the 21st century is being built and we want to be a part of it, he said.

Luxury sales worldwide have suffered during the economic downturn as consumers shy from discretionary purchases. Such sales will shrink by 8 per cent, to 153 billion this year from 167bn last year, the business consultancy Bain and Co says.

But Bain says the Middle East will be a bright spot for future growth, with 30 per cent of the estimated 300 new luxury boutiques to be opened worldwide going to the region.

The main reason it seems to attract a lot of high-profile brands in the luxury sector is it still has a nice amount of wealth being created in the region, and a high concentration in the GCC, said Laurent-Patrick Gally, a retail analyst at Shuaa Capital in Dubai.

full story @
http://www.thenational.ae/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20091102/BUSINESS/711029933/1055

Vacancies - Riyadh and Al-Khobar

Riyadh - Store Operations Manager to 22000SR - Luxury fashion experience.
Al-Khobar - Retail Operations Director to 35000SR inc allowances - Small Store format experience essential. Experience of multi-site retail ops exceeding 50 stores. More vacancies at www.globalretailrecruitment.com and www.globalrecruitmentconsulting.com

Flying to Saudi Arabia!!! Hajj

it is currently Hajj, if you are boarding a plane to Saudi between Nov 1st and Nov 21st you may not be able to fly! 90% sure you won't fly even with all Visa paperwork. PLEASE CHECK FIRST before waving goodbye.

New Vacancy - Saudi Arabia

Retail Sales / Operations Director
Must have prior experience of managing operations in small store formats exceeding 50 branches / stores.
Must have a proven track record of achievement in operational KPI's
CV's to neil@globalretailrecruitment.com

Marketing Director - Leading Jewellery - Cairo, Egypt

Currently in search of an experienced Marketing Director with retail Jewellery / Gems / Luxury experience for a leading MNC based in Saudi Arabia.
Females can be considered for this role although significant workload may be in Saudi Arabia as females will be based in Egypt.
Contact CV@globalretailrecruitment.com

Urgent search

is searching for Retail Group MD and Group CFO - must be retail experienced Saudi nationals.
Roles based in Riyadh, CV's to director@globalrecruitmentconsulting.com

View some of our current executive vacancies

http://www.cv-library.co.uk/cgi-bin/yourjobs.cgi?agency=233331

OIL & GAS vacancies - Urgent

Currently searching for:-

CP Specialist ? Kuwait.
Senior Instrumentation Engineer & Senior Mechanical Piping Engineer ? Tripoli, Lybia.
Wireless Project Manager & Chief Systems Engineer ? Oman.
Submarine power cable Engineer ? Korea.
General Mechanical Manager & Project Control Manager ?Arzew, Algeria.
Project Control Manager & Senior Civil Technical Office Engineer ? in middle of Saharan desert.

CV's to director@globalrecruitmentconsulting.com

New Vacancies - Luxury Jewellery

We are currently supporting a leading firm in the supply of numerous senior level positions in the luxury jewellery market.
Positions include Retail Director, Marketing Director, Export Manager, Wholesale manager and Technical Development Manager.
These roles will be based in Saudi Arabia. Experience in the jewellery market is a must.
CV's to neil@globalretailrecruitment.com

See all of our current vacancies at www.globalretailrecruitment.com

Savola in talks to buy Tate & Lyle stakes

JEDDAH - Savola Group, a Saudi-Arabia based food producer, is in discussions to purchase UK-based sugar refiner and sweetener group Tate and Lyles stakes in sugar refineries in Egypt and Saudi Arabia.
The ongoing negotiations are regarding Tate & Lyles 10 percent stake in a sugar refinery in Saudi Arabia and a 3 percent stake in another sugar refinery in Egypt, reported Reuters. The deal is expected to be finalized by mid-January 2010.
According to media reports, the agreement will put an end to the business partnership between the two companies.
A spokesman for Tate & Lyle was quoted by Maktoob Business as saying: When we announced the sale of our international sugar trading business in July 2008, we made it clear that the business sold excluded a small number of minority interests related to the sugar trading business which would be disposed of separately in accordance with the related shareholders agreements.
Savolas net profit was SR277.8 million ($74 million) in the three months to end-September, up from SR158 million a year earlier, the company said in a statement earlier.
Sales over the nine-month period to end-September rose 28 percent to SR13.1 billion, up nearly 31 percent on the same quarter a year ago.
Looking ahead, we expect the major growth factor could be the retail business. Savola is in the process of increasing its retail outlets, said Syed Taimure Akhtar, financial analyst at Global Investment House.
Excluding capital gains, net profit reached SR656 million in the nine months to end-September, up from SR485 million a year earlier. Total net profit, including capital gains, stood at 683 million riyals during the same period in 2009, up 2.5 percent from a year-ago period.
Separately, the South Koreas state-run KOGAS will invest about 400 billion won ($344.9 million) to build an energy plant in Saudi Arabia, the company said on Wednesday.
Early in the day, the Maeil Business Newspaper cited sources at the economy ministry and KOGAS as saying that the company would sign a preliminary deal with the Saudi Arabian government on Nov. 2 for the plant in Jubail, which would have an annual capacity of 300,000 tons of dimethylether (DME) from 2013.
DME is mainly made from the synthesized gas by cracking natural gas, coal and bio-mass, and is considered cheaper and cleaner than liquefied petroleum gas
source:- Saudi Gazette

GCCs planned single currency pegged to dollar not beneficial.

RIYADH - The four Gulf Arab states that plan to establish a joint central bank may initially peg their single currency to the dollar, reported Bloomberg, citing Howard Handy, the chief economist at Samba Financial Group.
However, a common Gulf currency that is pegged to the US dollar will not benefit the region as most countries in the GCC, with the exception of Kuwait, have their currencies already linked to the greenback, said a senior official of Standard Chartered Bank on Wednesday.
Effectively, the GCC already has a single currency because of the common dollar peg. So the new unified currency, if denominated in dollar, will not make any difference, said Marios Maratheftis, the bank?s regional head of Research for Middle East, North Africa and Pakistan.
Handy told Bloomberg earlier that before the introduction of the unified currency, ?we do not expect any changes to GCC exchange rate regimes, including in those countries currently opted out of monetary union,? ?In the first instance, we also expect that the single currency will retain the dollar peg.?
Speaking at a banking seminar, Maratheftis said ?there are some pre-requisites to have a successful common currency. First, a more flexible monetary policy and a more flexible exchange rate regime. Second, we need to see strong capital markets in the region, and third, a strong supra national institution.? ? Agencies
source:- Saudi Gazette

New vacancy - Saudi Arabia

We are currently in search of a Store Operations Manager within the Luxury fashion / accessories market.
The ideal candidate will be Arabic / English fluent with a proven track record of achievement in operations, sales and service in the luxury market.
CV's to neil@globalretailrecruitment.com

Oman on the up

Positive monetary news and the announcement of continued investment have come as a boost to Oman's retail sector, as retailers enjoyed their customary seasonal boom during the Eid Al Fitr holiday.

Figures released by the Central Bank of Oman in September demonstrate a fall in the rate of inflation from 2.88% in June to 1.82% in July.

The latest figures are a major improvement from Oman's 2008 inflationary peak of 14%, prompted by high oil prices and fiscal loosening at the US Federal Reserve (the Omani Rial has been pegged to the dollar since 1973, with only one adjustment to the exchange rate in 1986).
full story @
http://www.arabianbusiness.com/570461-oman-on-the-up

UAE retail sales seen growing by 37% by 2013

Sales in the UAE's retail sector is predicted to grow to nearly $165bn by 2013, driven by economic growth, expat spending power and increasing household consumption, a new report has said.

Sales are seen increasing by 37 percent from a 2008 figure of $103.5bn and sub-sectors seen leading the growth will be pharmaceuticals, automotive and consumer electronics, Business Monitor International (BMI) said in its UAE Retail Report Q3.

The report highlighted future economic growth, a rise in tourist numbers and an increase in the country's population as key factors leading the improved retail conditions.

Qatar's Barclays stake sale stokes Sainsbury talk

By Steve Slater and Mark Potter
LONDON (Reuters) Qatar is selling a 1.3 billion pound ($2.1 billion) stake in British bank Barclays (BARC.L), stoking talk it will use a big profit to make a move on UK food retailer J.Sainsbury (SBRY.L).
Qatar owns 26 percent of Sainsbury and the retailers shares jumped by a fifth last Thursday on talk the sovereign wealth fund was planning a renewed offer for it, after a previous bid attempt failed in 2007.
Qatar Holding is set to make a 600 million pound ($985 million) profit on its Barclays stake, making it the second big Middle-Eastern investor to make a big profit from a stake in the bank this year, after Abu Dhabi made $2.5 billion on the sale of an 11 percent stake in June.
Qatar will remain Barclays biggest shareholder with a stake of about 7 percent. It is selling 379.2 million shares, which will come from the exercise of warrants for the same amount of shares at a price of 197.775 pence.
Barclays will receive 750 million pounds from the warrants.
The warrants were part of a controversial 5.8 billion pound fundraising by the bank last November, when the bank avoided selling the state a stake by raising money privately.
Roger Jenkins, a top Barclays banker who orchestrated that fundraising, left the bank in August and his new investment firm is working with Qatar, according to an industry source. A spokesman for the firm, which specializes in the Middle East, declined to comment.
The Barclays shares are being sold by Credit Suisse (CSGN.VX) via an accelerated bookbuild.
By 0800 GMT Barclays shares were down 4.6 percent at 364.5 pence. Sainsbury shares were up 3.2 percent at 340.8p, valuing the retailer at 6.3 billion pounds.
Sainsbury declined to comment.
The Qatar Investment Authority was mulling an offer at 420p per Sainsbury share, traders said last week, well below its 2007 proposal of 600p a share.
QIA was founded by the State of Qatar in 2005 to strengthen its economy by diversifying into new asset classes. Subsidiary Qatar Holding is its main vehicle for strategic and direct investments by the state.
($1=.6088 Pound)

Join me on Viadeo

please click the link to join Viadeo for free and link to my network

http://www.viadeo.com/invite/neil.oviatt

Mall of Arabia opening delayed to 2012

The opening of the first phase of Mall of Arabia, which will outsize Dubai Mall when complete, has been pushed back until 2012, officials say.
full story at http://www.thenational.ae/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20091007/BUSINESS/710079980/1055

Retail rent declines slowing

Now shoppers are watching their wallets, retailers are much more cautious and some landlords are more willing to negotiate to fill their centres, said the manager of Cold Stone Creamery in the UAE.

?Before you could say the landlords were ruling,? said Mr Mehta. ?Now more tenants are ruling in these projects. You can see the buying power of the tenants is much stronger at this time.?

As a result, the average rent for a new store in Dubai continued to fall in the third quarter of this year, though not as steeply as in the first half, real estate consultants say.

Rents declined by between 2 per cent and 3 per cent between July and September, said Craig Plumb, the head of research in the MENA region for Jones Lang LaSalle, compared with a 6 per cent drop in the second quarter.

?I don?t think retail rents will fall as far as with other types,? he said. ?They will not halve as they did with office and residential rents.?

Property rental rates in Dubai have fallen across all sectors since the onset of the economic downturn. Prime office rents are down by roughly half and residential rents have slumped as much as 35 per cent since the end of last year, according to Jones Lang LaSalle?s latest city report.

Vacancy - Store Operations Manager - Saudi Arabia

Leading luxury department store requires a dynamic and fashion diverse Store Manager - Operations to lead operational performance ensuring sales and team objectives. CV's to neil@globalretailrecruitment.com

New Vacancy - Chief Accountant - Jeddah

currently searching for numerous Chief Accountant's to be based in Jeddah. you will have a relevant degree in accounting / commerce, experience of at least 5 years in retail accounting and fluent in Arabic / English.
You must also be currently residing in KSA.
CV's urgently to director@globalrecruitmentconsulting.com

IKEA makes home on Yas

IKEA, the world?s largest home furnishings company, is set to open its largest regional store in Abu Dhabi, as the Swedish company expands its Middle East footprint.

Aldar Properties said yesterday it had signed an agreement with the Al-Futtaim Group to build the store on Yas Island, the leisure destination being developed in the emirate.

The opening of IKEA on the island is another boost to Aldar?s US$40 billion (Dh146.92bn) development, which will host the Formula One Grand Prix for the first time in November.

The Abu Dhabi developer said the island was chosen for the store because of its location within the new growth area of the emirate, and its accessibility, close to a new road network.

IKEA, famed for its low-price, self-assembly furniture, has an existing store in Abu Dhabi at the Marina Mall, in addition to a store in Dubai?s Festival City, currently the largest in the region, which opened in 2005.

The retailer?s expansion of its presence in the UAE capital is part of a switch in its global focus from saturated markets such as the US and Europe to emerging markets that include the Middle East, China and Russia. Despite the financial crisis, IKEA said in May it was planning to push ahead with plans to expand into Oman and Qatar, in addition to opening more stores in Saudi Arabia.

14 retailers open at Festival Centre

Fourteen new international retailers have recently opened shops at the Festival Centre in Dubai Festival City, Khaleej Times has reported. Among the new brands are Build-a-Bear Workshop, Laura Ashley, Jerretelle Trading and Riverwood.

Qatar retail major charged over Ramadan price hikes

A big name retailer in Qatar is facing legal action by the government for ignoring a ministerial decision to freeze the prices of 104 consumer items during Ramadan.

The retailer, which has not been named, is understood to be the first in the Gulf state to be officially charged over price manipulation, it was reported on Monday.

It has been charged for violating the guidelines issued by the Ministry of Business and Trade related to the prices of commonly used items, mostly basic foodstuff, during the holy month, The Peninsula reported.
Inspectors from the Consumer Protection Department of the Ministry discovered the alleged violations and referred the case to the Public Prosecution and the case will now be heard in court, the report added.

The Ministry froze the prices of the 104 basic consumer items to protect consumers who had been complaining of unfair and unprecedented price hikes by retailers.

The court case is thought to be the first time any retail outlet has been charged for price manipulation in Qatar.

Metro increases footfall

Retail units operating in the new Mall of the Emirates Metro link have reported "huge footfall" on their opening weekend, mall chiefs said on Tuesday.

They said stores had started to open earlier than normal in an effort to catch the thousands of commuters using the metro to travel to work in the mornings.

Among the new businesses that have opened their doors along the link are Home Sweet Home, Emax, E-City, Paperchase, Borders Express, Cold Stone Creamery and Nokia while Jacky's and Better Life have relocated to the area and UAE Exchange now has its second outlet at the mall.
"We've found that our Metro Link stores are proving not only popular with visitors using the new service, but also with shoppers who come to the centre by other means," said Fuad Sharaf, vice-president of Mall of the Emirates.

"We designed it to be much more than a mere access route to the trains and it is clear that it is being seen more as a shopping extension to the mall by our customers," he added.

The new 1,753 square metre area facility has its own customer service desk, restrooms, trolley bays and courtesy parking crews to assist commuters and customers.

"Many of the Metro Link stores are opening early in the morning to help service the needs of commuters who are using the Mall of the Emirates as their exit station on their way to work," said Sharaf.

"We've noticed that a lot of people are stopping to pick up snacks and newspapers before they get to their offices and a number are also taking advantage of this quieter time of the day to ensure that they have the store assistants' undivided attention when enquiring about a particular product," he added.

The 175 metre-long link comprises three travellators operating in both directions.

Louis Vuitton to expand into Lebanon

Louis Vuitton, the French fashion brand, has announced it is in the 'final stages' of a planned expansion into Lebanon. 'The next market where there are opportunities is clearly Lebanon, which has been resilient to the crisis and has already shown to be a strong market for luxury,' Damien Vernet, the company's general manager for Middle East and India operations told Reuters. The brand is also looking into Egypt, Jordan and Syria as possible markets, he added.

Kesa FD Quits

The finance director of FTSE-250 electricals giant Kesa has resigned.

In a brief statement this morning, the Anglo-French company said Simon Herrick had resigned ?in order to pursue other business interests.? It said he would leave ?in the coming months.? No successor was announced but the company said an announcement would be made ?in due course.?

Kesa has operations in eleven European countries, owning businesses including Comet in the UK and Darty in France.

Singer analyst Matthew McEachran speculated that new Kesa chief executive Thierry Falque-Pierrotin, who took charge in January, may want to bring in a former colleague from French retail empire PPR to replace Herrick.

Product Managers Required- Saudi Arabia

Currently seeking numerous Product Range Managers. (Software, Hardware, accessories, digital etc)

Responsible for the research, introduction, product planning and product marketing and sales strategies for a wide range of Software within an agreed portfolio. This includes managing the product throughout the product lifecycle, gathering and prioritizing product and customer requirements, defining the product vision. Also, responsible for exceeding / achieving target sales volumes and revenue in accordance with retail unit store, established strategy, and business objectives. Candidates are required to work closely with Product Range General Manager, Marketing Manager, Sales Manager, and Floor Sales Agents to deliver winning products, in addition to working with concerned staff across the organization to ensure revenue and customer satisfaction goals are met.

send your CV to cv@globalretailrecruitment.com 

Technical Services Manager - Saudi Arabia -Electrical Retail

We are currently in search of a Technical Services Manager for a leading Saudi Retailer.
Think experience in establishing a technical customer service repair and upgrade centre with excellence in customer service.
If you have achieved in this field previously having worked in a key electrical retailer anywhere in the world send your CV to cv@globalretailrecruitment.com 
Package negotiable

MD / CEO / President

The CEO shall be a prime driver for the creation of value for the group by interfacing its board to its operational management team. As a CEO, you will lead the Managers for Strategic Reporting to the Board of Directors, and will play a critical role in developing and implementing the strategic plan to advance the company's mission, overall vision, and objectives to promote revenue, profitability and growth.

You will provide inspirational leadership balancing the internal and external demands of this role; you will be a visible presence within the organization and be recognized externally as a courageous leader of conviction. Conversant with the operating metrics of a large group operating in diversified business segment, you will be accountable for companys financial resources and a champion of innovation in the organization.

To qualify, you will need a successful track record of running an efficient and profitable operation, growing revenues, and minimum 20 years management experience, preferably in a retail and real-estate development and construction environment. Your key focus is to grow profitable revenue and build a strong brand in and outside the kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

You should be at least of 40 years of age and possess a university degree preferably MBA in Business Administration, having strong analytical skills with fluency in Arabic and English.

Urgent Vacancy - CFO - Retail / FMCG / Real Estate

A Chartered Accountant with 10 or more years of experience in the related industry is sought to assume a very strategic leadership role with a leading business house. Assuming the role of Chief Financial Officer and reporting to the Group MD, the successful candidate will take on a strategic leadership role within the organization and will immerse himself with bank relations and engaging new financing with various avenues. The Chief Financial Officer assumes lead on all legal agreements related to financing and mergers & acquisitions as well as negations and reviews, financial reporting and strategic planning. He will oversee the entire finance group and while this is quite a big bill to fill; this opportunity is a great venture for a dynamic leadership type who welcomes new challenges. Fluent bilingual skills in communicating in both Arabic and English - oral presentation, written documentation - are a must as the CFO will work with clientele and stake holders throughout Saudi Arabia and MENA region.

Candidates must have a recognized accounting designation, ideally a chartered accountant with minimum 15 years post qualification experience in the related industries, in MNC or with a large local group. You should be at least 35 years of age. A solid understanding of investment strategies and financial services and strong understanding of financial risk management and oversight is also required.

CEO - Food Retail Required

I am currently in search of a CEO for a food retail ( Hyper / Super ) in Saudi Arabia.
The key brief is food retail executive experience with Arabic and English language fluency. CV to director@globalretailrecruitment.com.
full briefing will be discussed on shortlist.

Arthur Ryan steps down as Primark chief executive

Primark boss Arthur Ryan will step down as chief executive of Primark from Sunday, but will remain chairman of the value fashion retailer.

Chief operating officer Paul Marchant has been promoted to chief executive. He joined Primark from New Look in January, where he was also chief operating officer.

Ryan, who founded the business as Penneys in Ireland in 1969, said: ?I am extremely proud of all that Primark has achieved. As chairman, I am looking forward to working with Paul to ensure the ongoing success and future development of the business.?

Marchant said: ?This role is one of the most exciting in international retail and I am looking forward to working with Arthur Ryan and the rest of the Primark board to build on the success of the business to date.?

George Weston, chief executive of parent company Associated British Foods said: ?Since Paul joined Primark earlier this year, he and Arthur have been working together to drive its growth. Paul will now take on day-to-day control. Arthur is the creator, driving force and inspiration behind the business and will continue to bring his enormous expertise and experience to its development in his role as chairman.?

British discount chain Matalan plans to open between 15-20 stores across the Middle East

British discount chain Matalan plans to open between 15-20 stores across the Middle East, its CEO told Arabian Business on Thursday.

[We] want to open at least 2-3 stores a year so there could easily be 15-20 stores in the Middle East over the next five years, Alistair McGeorge said.

On Thursday, the value fashion and homeware retailer opened its second store outside of the UK at the Arabian Center Mall in Dubai. The retailer, which has more than 200 stores across Britain, opened its first branch in Amman, Jordan in July.
Matalan opened its first store in Preston in 1985 after its founder John Hargreaves took inspiration from low-price, out-of-town discount retailers in the US. The chain has made Hargreaves one of Britain?s richest men with an estimated fortune of 330m ($545m), according to the Sunday Times Rich List 2009.

Cash-strapped customers have boosted sales in British discount stores amid the economic downturn. Matalan posted operating profits up 14 percent to 102m ($168.4m) for the year to the end of February 2009 and has plans to hire more than 1,000 new staff to cope with demand leading up to the festive season.

Jacky's opens MoE Metro outlet

Jacky's Electronics has opened a Jacky's Express outlet at the new Mall of the Emirates (MoE) Metrolink. The new 3,000 square feet store offers various brands of notebooks, games, mobile phones, digital cameras, digital devices, LCD TVs and personal healthcare products.

Dubai Metro launches tonight

After suffering through four years of disruption and dislocation caused by rail construction, Dubai?s residents today finally get to welcome the Metro, which many hope will make the city far more user-friendly.

Launch formalities begin at 7.45 tonight, when VIPs gather in the Galleria of the Mall of the Emirates before boarding the first train and the Metro?s Red Line is declared open by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai.

The Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) also has high expectations. Speaking on Dubai TV last night, Mattar al Tayer, the board chairman and executive director of the RTA, said the authority expects the Metro to break even within seven years.

The RTA also expects a payoff from the Metro in better traffic conditions. Congestion costs the Dubai economy Dh5.2bn (US$1.4 bn) per year because of lost time and accidents, Mr al Tayer said, noting that Dubai today has nearly three times the number of registered vehicles as it had when the Metro project began in 2005.

Yesterday, as people began to absorb the idea that the end of the project really was in sight, some began to make plans to let the train take the strain out of their daily journeys.

?It will be great, believe me,? said Abdul Sabbah, 32, a Jordanian who commutes by car to work in Media City from his home next to Khalid bin Al Waleed Station (formerly called the Burjuman Station) in Bur Dubai. ?I?ll take it from my home in Bur Dubai to work. Why not? I can?t find parking anywhere anymore.?
full story @
http://www.thenational.ae/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090909/NATIONAL/709089826/1001/rss

Tesco continues to invest in Fresh & Easy

Tesco is continuing to invest in its US Fresh & Easy shops, despite it saying it had put its expansion in northern California on hold.

According to the Financial Times, Tesco opened 125 shops in southern California, Las Vegas and Phoenix over the past two years.

It said in April it was slowing the pace of store openings in existing areas and would delay its move into northern California because of the recession.

But the retailer is understood to have added almost 50 stores in communities including San Francisco, Sacramento and San Jose, and Reno, Nevada. This month it reportedly paid 2.3m for two plots in the East Bay area, and in summer it bought a third site in San Francisco.

Tesco is understood to be seeking to buy sites instead of leasing properties.

The retailer has also completed work on the structure of a distribution depot in an industrial park in Stockton that it will use to service new northern California stores.

Tesco said it was being prudent in our expansion and our plans for northern California remain on hold?.

New Look to launch online TV show

Fast fashion retailer New Look is to launch a weekly online interactive TV show to be distributed by YouTube.

New Look will launch the site on September 18, using a format which allows viewers to upload their own content, comment and vote on features and visit New Look stores where filming will take place.
The channel has been created by digital agency Zone. Managing director of Zone Jon Davies said: This is a first for a big brand high street retailer and demonstrates the importance of digital interactive content in bringing the in-store experience to life online. By inviting the audience to participate instead of treating them as consumers, we can help New Look develop a long-term relationship which goes far beyond just advertising.

Melissa Loddo, online and CRM manager at New Look, said: We know that our audience enjoy creating and sharing online content and that they love New Look fashion so we wanted to offer them a way of combining both.

The show is executive produced by Hannah Springham, who has directed numerous fashion TV productions including Goks Fashion Fix, Britains Next Top Model and The Clothes Show.
By Jennifer Creevy

Harold Tillman will maintain Aquascutum?s luxury position

Jaeger boss Harold Tillman said he will maintain Aquascutum?s luxury position and sees great opportunity for the brand.

Tillman and Jaeger chief executive Belinda Earl bought Aquascutum today from Japanese owner Renown. They aim to grow the brand internationally, develop new product categories and launch a transactional website.

Tillman said: The company [Aquascutum] has had considerable investment and is an outstanding brand which punches above its weight. We plan for it to maintain a luxury position. Theres still growth in the luxury market.

The new owners said that costs will be cut by sharing back office functions with Jaeger. Earl said: We will have increased buying power and economies of scale.

Tillman and Earl added that they would begin implementing any necessary changes to manufacturing and staffing within weeks. They could not confirm which members of the Aquascutum team would stay with the new company but said they are committed to keeping Aquascutums UK factory in Corby open.

Earl added that the brand has the potential to grow its mens and womenswear offer, and added that accessories and giftwear were the categories with greatest growth potential.

Regional President of Virgin Megastores, said the retailer is set to open the first in a series of basic-needs stores in select residential communities across Dubai, Gulf News has reported. The new stores will only offer essentials, such as batteries, chargers and emergency gifts, she said. 'We wouldn't sell laptops, we would sell more covers, more batteries, more chargers, toners, things that people need every day and can just come in and get it,' the retailer's regional president, Nisreen Shocair, told the daily. The first of these stores will be launched within six months.

Regional President of Virgin Megastores, said the retailer is set to open the first in a series of basic-needs stores in select residential communities across Dubai, Gulf News has reported. The new stores will only offer essentials, such as batteries, chargers and emergency gifts, she said. 'We wouldn't sell laptops, we would sell more covers, more batteries, more chargers, toners, things that people need every day and can just come in and get it,' the retailer's regional president, Nisreen Shocair, told the daily. The first of these stores will be launched within six months.

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No News, Is it good news?

Having a quick review of the retail news this morning to post yet more interesting topics there appears to be a lack of negativity. Are we on our way out of the black hole of despair? Is the world's media struggling to find significant loss to write about within the retail sector?
Please post your thoughts on this as I am receiving strong indications from retail executives that there is some positivity out there!

Region is duty-free bright spot

The Middle East is the only region to post an increase in duty-free sales for the first half of this year, while most of the world suffered double-digit losses, according to an independent industry research firm.

Yngve Bia, the president of Generation Research, based in Sweden, said global travel retail sales in the first six months of this year fell 7.4 per cent compared with the same period last year, to US$19.9 billion (Dh73.09bn) from $21.5bn.

But sales in the Middle East rose by 2.6 per cent in that same period, partly driven by growing passenger traffic and local investments in travel and tourism infrastructure, Mr Bia said.

?The Middle East, they have been capturing market share for the past 10, 15 years,? he said. ?But now it?s quite remarkable that one region in the world has managed to record an increase when the rest of the world has suffered.?

Travel retail sales in Europe and the Asia-Pacific were the worst hit, with falls of 17.4 per cent and 18.9 per cent respectively. In Africa, sales dropped 15.6 per cent, while in the Americas the numbers fell by 8.2 per cent.

Dubai Duty Free, at Dubai International Airport, held on to its title of number one retailer in the world based on total sales in the first half, Mr Bia said.

The airport retailer, which accounts for 60 per cent of all duty-free sales in the Middle East, sold $1.1bn worth of merchandise last yearFrom January to August 18, sales at the retailer were on track with last year?s figures, said Colm McLoughlin, the managing director of Dubai Duty Free.

Sales had fallen 4 per cent in the first five months of the year, but began to recover afterwards, Mr McLoughlin said. They were up 6 per cent in May and June, and up between 7 and 8 per cent last month, he said.

Sales from January to August 18 this year totalled Dh2.4bn, down just 0.8 per cent from Dh2.41bn in the same period last year, Mr McLoughlin said.

The relatively strong sales stems from the increase of passengers, with traffic through Dubai airport up 6 per cent from January to the end of July, he said.

Mr McLoughlin said he expected Dubai Duty Free to keep its title as the top-selling travel retailer, with a sales increase of 5 per cent over last year.

?Given that our sales are almost on par with 2008 figures, I am confident that the same will hold true by the end of the year,? he said.

?The duty-free business in the region is doing well, which is encouraging for the industry as a whole.?

Duty-free retail in Abu Dhabi is also growing, with sales from January to the end of last month up 5.8 per cent compared with the same period last year, said Dan Cappell, the vice president of non-aeronautical revenue and business development at the capital?s airport.

That was despite two months when passengers arriving in Abu Dhabi?s new terminal 3 had to bypass the duty-free shops because of construction, Mr Cappell said.

Terminal 3?s new retail wing, with 2,600 square metres focusing on luxury and boosting the airport?s total duty-free area by 38 per cent, opened in April.

Mr Cappell expects the growth to continue, and is optimistic that passenger growth at Abu Dhabi?s airport will average between 8 and 9 per cent each month for the rest of the year, he said.

Mr Bia expects the remainder of the year will be tough for the rest of the world?s duty-free and travel retailers, and sales will not hit last year?s levels of $37bn.

?I think they will be about $2bn behind, which means a decrease of about 5.5 per cent,? he said. ?We will see an improvement in the second half, but that?s comparing it to an extremely poor fourth quarter last year.?

Carrefour post $58 Million Loss

French supermarket giant Carrefour, ranked world number two, said today it had slipped into the red for the first half of the year. Although in difficult times the firm still confirmed its 2009 earnings targets.

The company, second only to Wal-Mart of the United States, posted a net loss of ?58 million (Dh305.68m) in the six months to June after taking exceptional charges of ?511m.

Operating profit fell 27.6 per cent from a year earlier to ?1.01 billion.

The results reflect both a difficult environment and the company?s strategic choices as it positions itself going ahead, said finance director Pierre Bouchut.

If the exceptional charges were stripped out, net earnings were down 42.4 per cent to ?415m, Carrefour said.

Analyst forecasts had been for a net profit of around ?100m after exceptional charges of ?550m.

Carrefour, which has 11 stores in the UAE, said it still expected a 2009 operating profit before exceptional items of ?2.7 - 2.8bn if current trends and sales continued.

It also confirmed its target to secure cost savings of ?4.5bn by 2012, with ?212m achieved in the first half this yearCarrefour said sales had held up well in the six months, with revenue down 1.6 per cent from a year earlier but up 1.9 per cent if fuel, exchange effects and seasonal-adjustments were taken into account.

?We are a good way towards achieving our 2009 objectives, towards carrying out our transformation plan,? the Carrefour head Lars Olofsson said.
source- thenational.ae

Dubai, Abu Dhabi gold retail sales take a hit in Aug

Gold jewellery sales in Dubai fell around 30 percent in August, compared with a year earlier, as high gold prices and an economic downturn deterred buyers, retailers said on Thursday.

Dubai's gold retailers are seeing sale volumes drop as prices of the metal are boosted by institutional funds seeking a safe haven for their assets during the global economic slowdown.

"Our sales in August have dropped by around 30 percent from last year because the price of gold is too high for (retail) consumers during this crisis," said Sanjay Brahatti, co-owner of Al Khaledyah Jewellery, which is based in Dubai's old gold souk and has five branches.

"And if things continue like this over the coming two months, we are thinking about cutting down the number of branches to ease costs," he said.
full story at :

http://www.arabianbusiness.com/566717-dubai-gold-sales-drop-as-price-remains-high---trade

Divisional Manager - Furniture

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Rich list - Saudi Arabia

http://www.arabianbusiness.com/saudi-rich-list/list?clr=

Gulf Region Salary Survey

http://www.arabianbusiness.com/research/salary-survey-report-2009

Al-Futtaim to build mall in Doha

Dubai-based developer Al-Futtaim Group plans to build a multi-billion dollar shopping mall in Doha, Meed has reported. The group is currently negotiating with a Doha landowner to purchase a site for the development, which would house a mall with 250 different retail outlets and 10 or more residential towers. The Qatar development would be the fourth major retail and residential project in the region from the group, following developments in Egypt, Morocco, and the UAE.

New M & S Cheif Exec

Marks & Spencer is on the verge of appointing a headhunter to begin its search for a new chief executive to replace Sir Stuart Rose next year.

The retailer has had a number of calls from other headhunters wanting to act for M&S as it seeks to address its succession issues.

M&S hopes to appoint a new chief executive by next summer, meaning the search must begin this autumn. It is considering international and external candidates to success Rose.

Rose will to step down from the role by July 2011.

Contenders for the chief executive position include M&S?s director of food John Dixon, its finance director Ian Dyson, Asda?s Andy Bond and Sainsbury?sJustin King.

It is also thought M&S may be looking at a broader range of retail bosses, including HMV?s Simon Fox, who was last month in the running for the role of chief executive of broadcaster ITV, before he ruled himself out.

CFO candidates available

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UAE retail sales to accelerate

United Arab Emirates
According to the latest retail report by the UK-based Business Monitor International (BMI), retail sales in the UAE are forecast to grow by 59% by 2013. It estimates retail spending in the country will rise to almost $165bn (Dhs606bn) by 2013 from $103.5bn in 2008. Elsewhere in the Gulf, retails sales are also expected to grow over the same period, with Saudi Arabia up 25%, Bahrain up 11% and Kuwait up 31%.

Carrefour China To Invest CNY60 Million In Energy Conservation

According to a representative from the asset engineering department of Carrefour China, the French-headquartered retailer plans to invest between CNY50 million and CNY60 million in energy-saving renovation in its Chinese outlets in 2010.

The representative said energy-saving renovation and construction have recently become major issues for traditional retail enterprises. Over two years of energy-saving renovation, Carrefour's energy consumption was reduced significantly in 2008 compared with the situation in 2005 and yielded savings of about CNY100 million.

It is said that Carrefour's main area of energy consumption are lighting, air-conditioning, and refrigeration. Currently, it has 139 outlets in China and all these stores are undergoing energy-saving renovations by implementing new technologies and enhancing energy management.

The goal for these Carrefour stores is to reduce energy consumption by over 10% in 2009.
by www.chinaretailnews.com

Focus wins backing for CVA

24 August, 2009 | By Nicola Harrison - Retail -Week.com

The future of embattled DIY group Focus has been secured after creditors today supported a proposal for a company voluntary arrangement (CVA).

At a meeting held this afternoon in London, more than 99% of creditors voted to pass the CVA on one set of votes for three interlocking companies relating to Focus DIY. On the remaining vote, for stores under the Payless company name, creditors voted 93% in favour.

Securing the CVA means the retailer?s banks will now renew its two-year revolving credit facility. 75% of creditors have to approve the terms for a CVA for it to be passed.

Focus chief executive Bill Grimsey said: ?We?re all relieved and pleased the creditors have supported us in this way. Now we can get back to trading, we?ll be a formidable competitor in DIY. We?re here to fight another day.?

He added that the DIY retailer?s 4,700 staff will be ?absolutely overjoyed? at the move, which has secured their jobs.

The retailer?s banks had insisted on Focus dealing with its so-called dark store situation ? 38 non-trading stores that drained the retailer of ?12m a year. 16 of the 38 stores have sub-tenants, while 22 lie completely empty.

As a result of the CVA, Focus will now save ?8.6m of the ?12m annual cost.

Under the terms of the CVA, Focus will not pay rent, service charges and insurance on the stores. In return, the landlords will receive a share of a ?3.7m compensation fund, paid in two equal parts next year.

Focus will continue to pay business rates on the properties until the landlord surrenders the lease or assigns it.

The majority of Focus?s landlords are already accepting monthly rent payments, but as part of the CVA, all Focus?s remaining landlords will also move to monthly rent payment for the next 18 months.

The retailer will return to quarterly payments after this period.

UAE consumers feel the country is now driving in the recovery lane

http://www.zawya.com/Story.cfm/sidZAWYA20090824092309/UAE%20Consumers%20Feel%20Country%20Is%20On%20Recovery%20Lane

Saudi Arabia tops in new retail arrivals

?Middle East countries have seen a marked increase in the number of new retailers entering the region and have dominated the top-five world rankings, with Kuwait in second place and the UAE fourth,? says the report titled. Serbia and Indonesia ranked third and fifth, respectively.

World's top mall woos Gulf, emerging market shoppers

Sales picked up sharply at the world's largest mall in Dubai in the last two months as tourists from emerging markets seized on bargains, though turnover remains below expectations, retailers say.

The Dubai Mall opened in November as the financial crisis swept the globe, sending consumer confidence into freefall as the Gulf stood on the cusp of an economic recession. It is part of a $20bn development by Emaar Properties and houses some 900 stores as well as an ice rink and aquarium.

Retailers had braced for a slow summer after a dismal first half of the year which saw sales plunge around 30 percent.

"We are seeing a pick up in sales and more foot-fall," said Rahul Jadhav, system store manager at luxury brand Cartier, adding sales were up "20-30 percent since March."

Jadhav said tourists mainly from the Gulf Arab region and China have made up most of the customers at the branch.

Expensive tastes for designer clothes and luxury items accompanied the Dubai boom and attracted more brand name shops than in many Western shopping capitals.

The emirate, which built itself as a regional fashion hub, has more than 40 malls and attracts more tourists per year than any Arab country outside of Egypt. It hosts an annual shopping festival that brings in two million visitors. The retail sector contributes about a third of economic output.

The slump has kept regional tourists closer to home this year, opting for inter-Gulf travel as opposed to further afield, while an uptick in visitors from China has underpinned spending at the mall.

Chinese guests staying at Dubai hotels were up 14 percent in the first quarter of 2009 compared with a year earlier, according to latest data from Dubai's tourism department.

Hunter International Tourism, one of China's largest travel agencies which has a Dubai office, estimates a 30 percent increase in Chinese tourists to the UAE in May and June compared to the two previous months.
The number of attractions at the Dubai Mall - as well as high leasing costs - has prompted some retailers to complain the mall is more a sightseeing destination than a shopping one.

"Tourism has dropped, the resident population is shopping less and times are difficult," said Nilesh Khalkho, chief executive of electronics retailer Sharaf DG. "The mall needs to be more aggressive in differentiating itself.

Operating costs are high and sales are not "performing up to the mark", said Khalkho, adding that foot-fall still needed to increase to stimulate buying.

Jacky's Electronics, another regional retailer, said although sales picked up 25-28 percent in the last two months, they were 60 percent below expectations prior to the opening.

Retailers at Dubai Mall must also cope with rental contracts signed at the peak of Dubai's property boom, before the meltdown last fall.

Retail analyst Laurent-Patrick Gally at Shuaa Capital said there might be adjustments to rents at the emirate's malls as new retail space comes on stream next year.

He also said there may be a flipside to the increase in spending during the summer, as it might mean less spending towards the end of the year.

"We expect a pick up on a year-to-year basis in the first quarter of 2010 versus the first quarter of 2009, instead of our previous assumption of a pick up in the fourth quarter this year versus the same period last year," said Gally. (Reuters)

Food prices in UAE head skywards

UAE daily Gulf news said an expected shortage in rice would send prices sky-high, with Pakistani rice suppliers threatening to reduce exports if prices are not increased to match Indian products.

The price of cooking oil has risen by 80%, Indian mutton by more than 100%, while cooking gas has increased by 30%, the newspaper said, adding that residents had been forced to shop for groceries in more affordable neighbouring countries.

Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia said it would withdraw subsidies from rice importers if prices continue to increase without good reason.

Retail sales 3.3 per cent higher than in July 2008

The volume of retail sales in July 2009 rose by 3.3 per cent compared with the same month in 2008.

Total sales volume in the three months to July was 1.6 per cent higher than the same period a year ago. Sales volume for predominantly food stores increased by 1.4 per cent, the highest increase since 2007.

Predominantly non-food stores increased by 1.0 per cent. Within predominantly non-food stores, non-specialised stores rose by 4.9 per cent and textile, clothing and footwear stores rose by 7.3 per cent, driven by clothing. Household goods stores decreased by 5.5 per cent, driven by furniture and hardware stores. Other stores fell 1.5 per cent, this is the lowest along with May 2009 and May 2003, since October 1995.

Non-store retailing and repair increased by 9.0 per cent.

Sales volume in the three months May to July 2009 increased by 1.2 per cent when compared to the previous three months. Three-monthly growth increased by 1.3 per cent for predominantly food stores while predominantly non-food stores increased by 1.1 per cent. Within predominantly non-food stores, all sectors showed growth apart from other stores, which decreased by 0.2 per cent. The largest increase was in non-specialised stores at 1.9 per cent. Non-store retailing and repair increased by 1.9 per cent.

Year on year, the volume of retail sales in July was 3.3 per cent higher than in July 2008. Predominantly food stores increased by 2.0 per cent compared to the same period a year ago. Predominantly non-food stores increased by 3.4 per cent. Within predominantly non-food stores, non-specialised stores increased by 5.6 per cent and textile, clothing and footwear stores increased by 10.3 per cent, driven by clothing.Household goods stores decreased by 1.3 per cent, driven by hardware

stores. Non-store retailing and repair increased by 12.9 per cent.

Between June and July, total sales volume increased by 0.4 per cent. Predominantly food stores decreased by 1.0 per cent. Predominantly non-food stores increased by 1.1 per cent. Within predominantly non-food stores, other stores increased by 1.1 per cent and household goods stores increased by 4.5 per cent, driven by furniture and electrical stores, this is the highest since August 2006. Non-specialised stores and textile, clothing and footwear stores both decreased by 0.4 per

cent. Non-store retailing and repair increased by 3.1 per cent. The seasonally adjusted value of retail sales for the three months to July was 1.4 per cent higher than the same period a year earlier and July 2009 was 2.6 per cent higher than in July 2008.
from The Retail Bulletin.com

Retail group says Dubai festival sales up 17%

Total sales at this year?s Dubai Summer Surprises (DSS) shopping festival rose just 17 percent, failing to keep pace with the increase in the city?s gross leasable area (GLA) following the opening of record-sized The Dubai Mall.

When all its stores have opened, The Dubai Mall alone will have added around 23 percent to Dubai?s gross leasable area (GLA), which stood at roughly 1.5m sq m at the time of the opening in November last year, according to CB Richard Ellis (CBRE).

However, the phased opening of the mall means only around 75 percent of all outlets are currently open, Emaar Retail said on Thursday.

DSMG did not break out figures for summer sales at malls that have been open for a year or more.

Still, DSMG chairman Majid Al Ghurair said footfall, or the number of visitors, had ?surpassed all expectations?.
DSS sales rose 17 percent from the previous year, according to data from 23 Dubai malls compiled by the Dubai Shopping Malls Group (DSMG).

But sales were boosted by the opening of The Dubai Mall, which bills itself as the largest mall in the world, and local shopping centres Arabian Centre, Dubai Marina Mall and Oasis Centre.
Major retailers have told Arabian Business that sales at this year?s DSS were down by up to 35 percent despite deep discounting at many chains.

by Soren BillingThis email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it on Thursday, 20 August 2009

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Areej Expands

Areej, the perfume and cosmetic retail chain, has launched its first two new stores in Saudi Arabia, at Riyadh Gallery and Dhahran Mall. The two stores offer a wide collection of international brands including Dior, Guerlain, Chanel, Lancome Yves Saint Laurent, Givenchy, Clarins, Estee Lauder, Clinique, La Prairie, Calvin Klein, Tom Ford and Armani. The two new outlets bring the total number of Areej stores across the Middle East to 17.

Sustaining a Global Recovery

The recovery has started. Sustaining it will require delicate rebalancing acts, both within and across countries


In normal recessions, however disruptive they are to businesses and jobs, things turn around predictably. The current global recession is far from normal.

Usually, to fight a recession, the central bank lowers interest rates, which results in increased demand and output. People resume buying durable goods such as appliances and cars. Firms start delayed investment projects. Often, an exchange rate depreciation gives a boost to exports by making them cheaper. The lower-than-normal growth during the recession gives way to higher-than-normal growth for some time, until the economy has returned to its normal growth path.
But the world is not in a run-of-the mill recession. The turnaround will not be simple. The crisis has left deep scars, which will affect both supply and demand for many years to come.

http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/fandd/2009/09/blanchardindex.htm

Doha Sooq agrees Jumbo tie-in

Doha Sooq, Doha Bank?s e-mall, has announced a tie-up with Jumbo Electronics, a member of Ahmed Bin Said Al Thani & Partners, to meet the increasing demand of Doha residents who are switching over to web-shopping, the Peninsula has reported. The new partnership will increase Jumbo Electronics' sales according to Ranjith Philip Abraham of Jumbo Electronics.

Jessops like-for-likes down 4.7%

Jessops has reported like-for-like sales down 4.7% in the 12 weeks ending August 16, against the continuing difficult retail environment.


In a trading update today, Jessops said trade has remained broadly similar to that reported in its interim results for the six months to March 31, which showed like-for-likes down 4.5%. For the eight weeks ending May 24 like-for-likes were down 3.6%.

The board said it continues to expect the business to report a loss before non-recurring charges and taxation for the year.

It also continues to engage with its advisers and bankers HSBC to put the business on a more stable footing, including discussions on a fundamental restructuring of its debt.

It said: ?Discussions with HSBC continue working towards a solvent solution. However, as previously announced, due to the historic high level of debt, the board believes that it is unlikely that any value will be attributed to shareholders.?

The retailer has also decided to change the group?s year end from September 30 to November 30.

EMKE Group plans to invest Dh1.5 Billion / £250 Million in 18 months

EMKE Group, one of the largest retail chains in the Gulf region, has finalised its plans to expand its customer reach across Abu Dhabi by investing Dh1.5 billion in the next 18-months.

The next phase of expansion involves opening of seven new shopping malls and hypermarkets in the emirate of Abu Dhabi alone — a plan which will be completed by the end of 2010,

In an interview with Khaleej Times, Yusuffali MA, Managing Director of Abu Dhabi-based EMKE Group, who is also on the board of the Abu Dhabi Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said that he had strong faith in the economic vision of Abu Dhabi government and does not see any need to slow down or rethink on th group’s expansion plans.

He termed the current market turmoil as a temporary economic phenomena. “A strong group like us will become ever more stronger during these tough times,” he said.

The group recently opened Lulu Express Supermarket and Mazyad Mall in Mohammed Bbin Zayed City ?in Abu Dhabi.

According to GRC, a market research consultancy, Lulu Hypermarket has 32 per cent market share in GCC region’s organised grocery retail sector. In the UAE, the group has 43 per cent market share with a $2.1 billion sales turnover at the end of 2008.

“We are also looking for new locations to expand our Lulu Express concept, especially in upcoming residential suburbs,” Yusuffali said.

The group, which already has strong market presence in the capital, operates popular shopping malls Khalidiya Mall, Al Wahda Mall, Al Raha Mall and Madinat Zayed Shopping Center. “Burjeeel Mall in Abu Dhabi, is a new shopping mall that will be added to our portfolio very soon,” he said.

He said that 45 per cent work is completed on the Central Fish & Vegetable Market, a shopping mall project, which is group’s most ambitious project ?in Abu Dhabi.

The project is being developed in association with Mubadala Development Company, and includes about 200-fish, meat and vegetables shops on the ground floor, while the upper floors will house more than 200 branded stores and boutiques.

He said that the unique point of the shopping mall will be specialty seafood restaurants representing tastes and cuisines from around the world.

Located on the new airport road the shopping centre will have easy access and parking facility for more than ?3,000 cars.

Elaborating further, Yusuffali said that his group is now renovating and expanding the prestigious Madinat Zayed Shopping Centre and Gold Souk in the city centre to add another 300,000 square feet of retail space, which will bring in a new hypermarket apart from food courts, restaurants, family entertainment centres and branded stores.

“Now our focus will be on expanding to the Western and Eastern regions of Abu Dhabi as we believe that these regions are going to see a lot of development and we should be closer to the residents there rather than they coming to us,” Yusuffali said.

Other projects to be completed and launched this year include hypermarkets and shopping malls in Abu Dhabi, Al Ain, Dubai, RAK, Doha, Al Khobar, Jeddah, Riyadh, Kuwait, Bahrain and Oman, he added. ?

29/Jun/2009
Khaleej Times

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UK news- H&M like-for-like sales fall 3 per cent in July

Sales at H&M fell 3 per cent on a like-for-like basis in July compared to a 3 per cent increase for the same month last year.


Total sales for the Swedish fashion group grew 7 per cent in local currencies for the month.

?This is slightly worse than expected but no drama,? one analyst told Reuters. ?H&M is not as active as its competitors when it comes to markdowns, which is bad for like-for-like sales but good for margins.?

10 new shops set to open in MoE metro expansion

Mall of the Emirates on Monday unveiled its new Dubai Metro expansion plan, which will enable visitors using the Metro to start shopping from the minute they step off the train.

Ten new stores are to open along the link between Mall of the Emirates and its Metro station, which will transport passengers using a covered air conditioned travellator system, or moving walkway.

Seven new retailers, Home Sweet Home, Emax, E-City, Paperchase, Borders Express, Cold Stone Creamery and Nokia, will open their first stores in the mall, while remittance firm UAE Exchange will open their second outlet, and two existing retailers, Jacky?s and Better Life, are to relocate their shops. UK stationer Paperchase will launch its express store format in the UAE market, while Nokia will be opening the world?s first Evo Nokia store.

US bookstore chain Borders will introduce its first Borders Express metro station format store, which will cater to the everyday needs of commuters.

UAE clampdown to prevent Ramadan price hikes

Inspectors will increase the number of visits to UAE food retailers during Ramadan to ensure prices are kept low in the holy month.

The Ministry of Economy (MoE) has warned suppliers they will face legal action if prices of basic food items are hiked.

"The MoE has instructed price supervision committees formed by the ministry office in each emirate and other local authorities to conduct field visits around the clock,? said Mohammed Ahmed Bin Abdul Aziz Al Shihhi, director general of the MoE.

?We are keen to place controllers in fruit and vegetable's markets to prevent monopoly and any price manipulation and to ensure the implementation of the relevant Federal laws."

Officials have also agreed with suppliers of rice, meat, chicken, wheat, oil, juices and dairy products to stabilise prices during Ramadan.

The move is part of a wider awareness campaign to educate people against price manipulation and hoarding food during the holy month.

?We have agreed with all concerned parties to join hands to avoid any manipulation of prices, and we have already established censorship team works in cooperation with the ministry?s offices in each emirate to closely monitor the sale of meat, vegetables, fish and chicken at all major retail outlets,? Al Shihhi said.

?We will also coordinate awareness campaigns before and during Ramadan to inform consumers on the availability of commodities. This is to avoid the tendency to make rush purchases before and after the holy month.

?There will be special lectures for the team to guide consumers on the best ways to monitor the market. The ministry will distribute leaflets and brochures in coordination with the local departments that will guide consumers on the right behavior and avoid any manipulation attempts?.

Dubai Mall cineplex begins operations, to expand by year-end

Reel Cinemas, the new megaplex at The Dubai Mall, has opened nearly half of its planned 22 screens.

Ten screens started operations on Friday with a further 12 coming on line later in 2009, bringing the total seating capacity up to 2,800.

Developed by Reel Entertainment LLC, the joint venture of Emaar Retail and Singapore-based premier entertainment provider Cathay Organisation Holdings Ltd, Reel Cinemas at The Dubai Mall, once completed, will house more screens than any other cineplex in the UAE.
Arif Amiri, CEO, Emaar Retail said: ?We are truly excited to have opened the first Reel Cinemas megaplex in the UAE; it is a superb addition to our leisure and entertainment portfolio here at The Dubai Mall.?

He added: ?We have launched with ten of our commercial halls in place, and additional features such as the amazing Platinum Movie Suites will come later this year.?

The megaplex will add four Platinum Movie Suites, The Picturehouse and seven more commercial halls to its setup.

The Platinum Movie Suites offer the ultimate in cinema luxury. VIP service begins in one of two private lounges complete with marble-clad service counters, signature designer furniture and ambience lighting, creating the perfect backdrop for a relaxed drink or bite before the movie.

The first dedicated arthouse cinema hall in Dubai, The Picturehouse, will create a new wave in local cinema by screening critically-acclaimed films and films from the Arab world for the discerning movie lover.

DSGi poaches John Lewis man to be web chief

Electricals group DSGi has poached a John Lewis online boss to become ecommerce director in charge of its UK websites.


David Walmsley, at present head of web selling and customer services at John Lewis, will join DSGi in October and report to commercial director Steve Ager.

He is expected to play a pivotal role at DSGi, which has made ?winning on the internet? one of the five planks of its renewal and transformation plan. At John Lewis Walmsley increased online conversion by 40% in two years.

He will now be in charge of Dixons.co.uk, Currys.co.uk and Pcworld.co.uk. Last year, DSGi generated group sales of ?1.2bn online and the intention is to generate a return of 2% to 3% a year on internet sales ?in the medium term?.

This year, Dixons.co.uk will adopt the e-merchant platform used by DSGi etail stablemate Pixmania, which is expected to deliver a variety of site improvements.

It is understood that Walmsley was placed in the DSGi role by headhunter Odgers Berndtson.

? Senior DSGi ecommerce executive Simon Pritchard is to leave the retailer. It is understood he will become head of ecommerce at fashion group Arcadia.

Article at: http://www.retail-week.com/multichannel/online-retail/dsgi-poaches-john-lewis-man-to-be-web-chief/5005300.article

GCC rich list facing new scrutiny from UK taxman

Thousands of the GCC?s wealthiest nationals with money in the UK on Wednesday came under renewed scrutiny in the British government?s fight against tax evasion.

All banks or financial institutions with branches in the UK, including Arab and Swiss companies, will be affected by the crackdown and legal experts predict the move will affect "huge numbers" of Arabs who currently hold money in the UK.

From Wednesday, the UK?s HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) can force hundreds of banks and financial services providers to disclose information about clients with UK addresses who have offshore interests. Thousands of Arabs - if they qualify as a UK resident by spending more than 183 days a year in the country or an average of 91 days over four years - who have money locked up with UK banks or Arab banks with branches in the UK, face having their financial details poured over by the British government.

?It?s bad news. All the money that is held [by Arab banks] in accounts in London is now going to be subject to this intrusive examination,? said Al Harith Sinclair, partner at law firm DLA Piper Middle East.

?If I was sitting here as a brand new billionaire, and someone asked me ?where would I put my money, I wouldn?t put it in London?,? he added.

This comes amid a huge drive by the UK authorities to claw back money from tax evaders, as the Treasury?s revenues have been hit hard by the economic downturn.

Over the past two years the government has only targeted specific organisations. But this latest move by the UK is being seen as a massive escalation in its fight against tax avoidance.

Banks and financial institutions who are served with a compulsory disclosure notice by HMRC have 30 days to appeal, after which they must handover details of every customer with a UK address.

Sinclair said there will be a "huge number" of Gulf Arabs together with many individuals in Dubai that will be affected.

?They [the UK tax authorities] will want to know about people with an address in the UK and then will try and find out what they are doing abroad,? Sinclair said.

?Let?s say they force HSBC in London to disclose details about people that have invested in the UK. Those details will include the fact they have an associated HSBC account or some other kind of account where money is going to abroad, or is coming from abroad,? he added.

?They will check whether the person is a UK resident, and then go after them and try to take a load of tax.?

Individuals have a six month amnesty period starting on Sep 1 this year to declare and pay unpaid taxes in return for more lenient penalties.

See comments on this article at www.arabianbusiness.com

New Vacancy - Software Process Architect - Singapore

To analyse and improve product development process, methodologies and techniques so as to improve delivery time and product quality.

Key Accountability Areas

1)To analyse and identify software development process weakness so as to define and implement a set of process/method/technology and improve it

2)To perform coaching and pair-development so as to be able to knowledge transfer proper development process and methods to developers.

3)To perform code analysis from performance, reliability and maintainability, and provide advice to developers to improve code quality

Job Responsibilities

1)To constantly research on development methodologies

2)To constantly research on design patterns and good coding practices

3)To work closely with architect team members to ensure improve programs meet business needs

4)To raise the awareness of good coding practice to improve quality of product

Education & Experience

Degree Holder

Minimum 8 years of development experience

Ability to speak and write English well with Chinese or Hindi

Skills, Knowledge & Abilities

Has a passion for technology and coding practices

Strong understanding of Design Patterns and frameworks such as ORM, Spring, etc

Strong practical exposure to development methodologies such as Test Driven Design and Domain Driven Design

Strong knowledge of .net C# technologies (i.e. WCF, WPF, LinQ, etc)

Major Doha supermarkets issued Ramadan price list

Qatar officials have issued a price list for 105 food items which they say should not increase during the holy month of Ramadan.

The list, compiled by the Consumer Protection Department, has been issued to 10 major shopping outlets, including Carrefour and Mega Mart, across Doha, according to a report in the Peninsula.

Food items included on the price guide are rice, wheat flour, oil, eggs, butter and fresh milk.?All these products are fast-moving and it is clear from the list supplied to us that the ministry has done tremendous research on what food items are of mass use,? a spokesman from the Family Food Center (FFC told the paper.

?Our management has, for example, decided to sell these items cost-to-cost and add some more products on our own,? he added.

The 10 shopping outlets which have been given the price list are; Carrefour, Lulu, Family Food Center, Giant Stores, Mega Mart, Dasman, Safari, Al Safeer, Duhail Shopping Complex and the Al Meera chain of cooperatives.

Retailers do not have to follow the price guide by law, but have agreed not to raise the prices of essential commodities during the fasting month, the paper said.

New Vacancy - FOOD RETAILERS REQUIRED

Store General Managers required.
Negotiable basic + bonus +accomodation / travel allowance + relocation + flights
Saudi Arabia based.
Must be from hypermarket food retail i.e. Tesco, Sainsbury, Asda, Auchan, Carrefour etc
CV's to cv@globalretailrecruitment.com

Wal-Mart contemplates Kopeyka

The American retail giant Wal-Mart is said to be interested in acquiring the Russian Kopeyka discount chain. It is reported that the company made a preliminary offer to Kopeyka?s owner, Nikolay Tsvetkov in June 2009. It is thought that Mr Tsvetkov has not yet accepted the offer but that he is likely to do so in August. The retailer is estimated to be worth up to $630m. According to reports in the press, Wal-Mart is interested in obtaining a 100% stake in the retailer, but the possibility of Mr Tsvetkov?s retaining a minority stake is also being considered. Neither of the parties would comment on the reports.
Interestingly, in April 2009 Wal-Mart held talks with another Russian retail chain, Lenta, on the acquisition of a 51% stake but it withdrew from the negotiations. On the other hand, the X5 Retail Group and Magnit showed interest in purchasing Kopeyka, but neither succeeded in concluding a deal.
Wal-Mart operates 7,000 stores in 15 countries around the world, whereas Kopeyka owns a chain of 528 discounters all over Russia.
source:Russia Retail

45% of UAE consumers see end of downturn in 2010

A total of 45 percent of consumers who took part in an international survey are confident the country will emerge from the recession in the next 12 months.

The figure, which comes from the Nielsen Global Consumer Confidence report for the second quarter released on Monday, is an increase of 13 percent, compared to a previous survey conducted in March.

This shows consumer confidence is returning to the region, said Piyush Mathur, Nielsen?s regional managing director, Middle East, North Africa and Pakistan.
Full story:- http://www.arabianbusiness.com/564361-45-of-uae-consumers-see-end-of-downturn-in-12-months

Vacancy update!

Commercial Director - Wholesale - non food - Pakistan
COO - Saudi Arabia - Fashion
Retail Business Manager - Asia - Food
CFO - Saudi Arabia - Fashion
Designers - Kuwait - Fashion
VMM - Kuwait - Fashion
Chefs - Germany
Regional Manager - Saudi Arabia -Department Stores

Sales of homewares increase for the first time in a year

Sales of homewares improved for the first time in 12 months in July while fashion suffered due to poor weather.


After a year of like-for-like declines sales for homeware retailers, sales rose 1.2% according to BDO Stoy Hayward?s High Street Sales Tracker.

Furniture and textiles performed particularly well, partly due to deep discounting across the sector.

Fashion sales fell 4.2% for the month, with soft sales across most areas as the rain and cooler temperatures deterred shoppers from buying summer stock.

Non-fashion like-for-like sales grew 1.2% with leisure goods and gifting reporting the strongest sales.

BDO retail partner Don Williams said: ?The strong rebound in homewares has certainly provided some long overdue good news for retailers in those sectors. However fashion had a particularly difficult month due to lack of ?barbeque weather.? This supports our view that the recovery in consumer spending is patchy and by no means uniform.?
by Lisa Berwin www.retail-week.com

Thai furniture store to open 10 GCC stores

Index Living Mall, a home retail chain with 17 stores in Thailand, plans to roll out 10 outlets across the GCC within the next three to five years, after opening its first international store in Dubai.

The company?s local partner, Retail Is Detail LLC, said its expansion plans were unaffected by a decline in consumer spending across the Gulf.

?The plan is to open in Abu Dhabi, Qatar, Bahrain and Saudi. Logistically, it would be much easier to go to Abu Dhabi next, and that?s what?s in the pipeline,? said Sanveer Gill, director of operations and merchandising. An influx of expatriates during Dubai?s six-year economic boom boosted retail sales but the market has slumped amid slowing tourism and a wave of layoffs in the emirate?s real estate and financial sectors, which analysts believe could lead to an 8 percent population decline this year.

Home furnishing firms typically benefit from a downturn in the property market as more people redecorate their existing homes instead of buying a new one.

Index?s 50,000 sq ft outlet in The Dubai Mall is smaller than the big box retailer?s outlets in Thailand, which range from 80,000 sq ft to 220,000 sq ft in size.

?We took a 50,000 sq ft space because we got a location in The Dubai Mall,? said Gill.

?We thought that with the amount of traffic this mall brings in?it?s a great way to showcase Index not just to the Middle East but to the rest of the world.?

Dubai Sales UP!!

Sales at this year?s Dubai Summer Surprises (DSS) festival are up 10 percent on the year, the event?s organiser has claimed, despite major retailers reporting revenue declines of up to 35 percent.

Full story http://www.arabianbusiness.com/563974-fw-dubai-summer-surprises-says-sales-up-10

Opinions count; Who's the best?

In the European fashion retail market, who is perceived to be the most knowledgeable, dynamic and delivery orientated COO?

New Vacancy - Department Store Divisional Manager

Package - negotiable.
Based in Saudi Arabia.
Previous multi-site department store format a must.
Send your Cv urgently to cv@globalretailrecruitment.com

Country Manager - Food Retail Required

Currently working on a Country management opportunity in the UAE.
Food retail and GCC experience a must at senior level. i.e. Tesco, Sainsbury, Carrefour, Spinney's senior management . Package to be confirmed circa 55000 AED

Dubai luxury sales 'incomparable' to last year - BinHendi

Sales during this year?s Dubai Summer Surprises (DSS) festival are ?incomparable? to last year?s results, one of the region?s leading luxury retailers has said.

?The strong buying that used to happen is not there anymore,? said MohiDin BinHendi, president of BinHendi Enterprises, which owns and operates upmarket stores including Hugo Boss, Brioni and Porsche Design.

DSS, the annual event organised by the Dubai Shopping Festival (DSF), is an important time of year for the city?s retailers, as schools and universities close for the holidays and soaring temperatures keep people from going outside.But despite offering bigger discounts earlier in the season this year, most retailers have suffered revenue drops of 20 to 30 percent.

?There is no comparison between this summer and last summer, the whole economy is different,? BinHendi said.

Predicting when sales would rebound is impossible, he added.

?Things are definitely going to improve, but how and when I really don?t know? There have been a few improvements, but not a significant improvement."

Earlier this year BinHendi Enterprises shuttered BinHendi Avenue, a luxury retail development that was part of Majid Al Futtaim?s Deira City Centre in Dubai, citing growing competition in the luxury goods market from other, newer malls.

Retailers in Dubai have been more affected by the international recession than companies in other parts of the region due to their reliance on tourism from countries like the UK, the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) and Iran.

Marks and Sparks could add £1bn to earnings by 2014

See full story at the Retail Week below:
http://www.retail-week.com/retail-sectors/department-stores/marks-and-spencer-could-add-1bn-to-earnings-by-2014/5005012.article

New Vacancies - Fashion

COO and CFO required for leading fashion company in the Middle East. Experience must be from senior level management in leading fashion brands internationally. Strong academic and vocational background essential.
Send CV's to cv@globalretailrecruitment.com
see www.globalretailrecruitment.com for further vacancies

Office Depot set for Mideast debut

Office Depot Inc., the global supplier of office products and services, is launching its first store in the Middle East.

In cooperation with local retailer M.H. Alshaya Co, the company will launch its first one stop shop for office supplies in the ME at The Avenues Mall, Kuwait.

Full story at: http://www.arabianbusiness.com/563734-office-depot-set-for-me-debut

June Retail Sales - UK

Sales in UK shops shot up 1.2% in June following a sharp fall in May as hot summer weather boosted clothing purchases, official figures show.

The jump was much more than the 0.3% rise expected by economists. Retail sales had fallen 0.9% in May.
Full story - http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/8164539.stm

Worlds biggest retail duty free

Dubai Duty Free recorded sales of $1.1bn last year making it the biggest airport retail operation in the world

http://www.arabianbusiness.com/563513-dubai-duty-free-named-as-the-worlds-biggest-retail-operation

New Vacancy - Fashion Design - Kuwait

Vacancy in Kuwait for leading fashion design retailer.
significant experience in Photoshop, 3D Max, InDesign required.
Salary and package negotiable.

Send your Cv immediately to neil@globalretailrecruitment.com

New Vacancy - Visual Merchandise Manager - Kuwait - Fashion

Salary : apprx. U$ 4000 per month
University degree, experience in software as follows: photoshop, illustrator, indesign,3Dmax
2 months accomodation allowance
Visa and expenses of relocation covered.
Send your CV to cv@globalretailrecruitment.com

Commercial Director - Wholesale - Pakistan

Negotiable package.
I am currently searching for a senior commercial manager to play a leading role in the growth and profitability in the retail / wholesale sector for this leading group.
you will have prior experience in both retail and Pakistan.

Fixed fee - executive search Asia

Offering fixed fee recruitment to executive level for assignments in Asia. Contact us today. Director@globalretailrecruitment.com
Quote code:GRCpa

New Vacancy - Kuwait - Fashion - Senior VM / Visual MerchandisingManager

To $4000 per month + benefits.
Creative role - university degree and experience in various software packages such as photoshop, illustrator, indesign,3Dmax

apply at cv@globalretailrecruitment.com

John Lewis performing well

http://www.retail-week.com/city/trading-update/john-lewis-ends-clearance-sale-on-a-high/5004940.article

Pottery Barn in the Gulf

http://www.arabianbusiness.com/563313-pottery-barn-to-enter-gulf-market-next-year

Poll - Vacancy Volumes

Whats your view on current retail vacancy volume?

http://polls.linkedin.com/poll-results/49929/tqvjl

Retail Sales Increase

http://www.retailnewstoday.co.uk/us-retail-sales-up-again-in-june

Global Recruitment Consulting - Job Details

Global Recruitment Consulting - Job Details

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Global Retail Recruitment, retail careers in retail operations, head office, distribution, and logistics

Global Retail Recruitment, retail careers in retail operations, head office, distribution, and logistics

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Retail Jobs from Global Retail Recruitment

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We recruit retail management in Europe, Asia and the Middle East.

New vacancy - Store Manager - Food retail - Germany

To £33000 tax free + housing + schooling + bonus