Latest Articles
In Conversation: Charles Awad, Former Chief Brand Officer, Majid Al Futtaim
From Procter & Gamble to leading brand strategy at a top regional retailer, Charles Awad knows what separates brands that scale in the GCC from those that stall. He reflects on the discipline behind genuine localisation and why relevance here is earned, not declared.
In Conversation: Alison Rehill-Erguven, CEO, Cenomi Centers
From a career spanning Asia, Europe, and Latin America to leading Saudi Arabia’s largest mall operator, Alison Rehill-Erguven reflects on the Kingdom’s retail transformation, the shift from shopping to experience, and why relevance — not scale — defines the next era.
Private Shopping Salons Redefine Luxury Retail in the Gulf
Across the GCC, VIP programmes are evolving into intimate salons that mirror majlis culture. Trust, family dynamics, and cultural alignment now shape purchasing decisions more powerfully than exclusive access alone, writes Taqua Malik, founder of Freedomvisory.
In Conversation: Nicola Turner, Principal at Heidrick & Struggles
From London to Dubai, Nicola Turner has placed senior leaders across luxury, retail and beauty. Now she shares insights on the Gulf's talent landscape, why cultural fluency and global acumen must coexist, and what leaders will need by 2028.
In Conversation
Q&As with the innovators shaping culture, capital, and tech.
In Conversation: Alison Rehill-Erguven, CEO, Cenomi Centers
From a career spanning Asia, Europe, and Latin America to leading Saudi Arabia’s largest mall operator, Alison Rehill-Erguven reflects on the Kingdom’s retail transformation, the shift from shopping to experience, and why relevance — not scale — defines the next era.
In Conversation: Nicola Turner, Principal at Heidrick & Struggles
From London to Dubai, Nicola Turner has placed senior leaders across luxury, retail and beauty. Now she shares insights on the Gulf's talent landscape, why cultural fluency and global acumen must coexist, and what leaders will need by 2028.
In Conversation: Lara Varjabedian and Jonathan L. Hasson, Co-Founders of UBQT
From Dubai, an AI-powered platform is attempting something radical: getting people off their phones and back into real life. Lara Varjabedian and Jonathan L. Hasson reflect on digital minimalism, proximity-based connection, and why the UAE provides the ideal testing ground for their work.
In Conversation: Rebecca Bemhena, VP Content at Shoptalk Luxe
As Shoptalk Luxe makes its Abu Dhabi debut, Rebecca Bemhena reflects on technology as luxury's new craftsmanship, how heritage maisons and disruptor brands forge the future together, and why invisible AI creates space for deeper human intimacy in elevated retail.Latest Articles
In Conversation: Charles Awad, Former Chief Brand Officer, Majid Al Futtaim
From Procter & Gamble to leading brand strategy at a top regional retailer, Charles Awad knows what separates brands that scale in the GCC from those that stall. He reflects on the discipline behind genuine localisation and why relevance here is earned, not declared.
In Conversation: Alison Rehill-Erguven, CEO, Cenomi Centers
From a career spanning Asia, Europe, and Latin America to leading Saudi Arabia’s largest mall operator, Alison Rehill-Erguven reflects on the Kingdom’s retail transformation, the shift from shopping to experience, and why relevance — not scale — defines the next era.
Private Shopping Salons Redefine Luxury Retail in the Gulf
Across the GCC, VIP programmes are evolving into intimate salons that mirror majlis culture. Trust, family dynamics, and cultural alignment now shape purchasing decisions more powerfully than exclusive access alone, writes Taqua Malik, founder of Freedomvisory.
In Conversation: Nicola Turner, Principal at Heidrick & Struggles
From London to Dubai, Nicola Turner has placed senior leaders across luxury, retail and beauty. Now she shares insights on the Gulf's talent landscape, why cultural fluency and global acumen must coexist, and what leaders will need by 2028.
