ME Retail News • 23 August 2022

7 questions with ... Jodie Thorpe

Jodie Thorpe is managing director of e-commerce site Little Birdy, which she founded in 2015. The retailer stocks beauty, gift, stationery, lifestyle, homeware, wellness and baby care products and is the exclusive distributor of Kit and Kin, Plum and Ashby, Aery, Aroma Home, Peppermint Grove, Cristina Re, Yvonne Ellen and more. Based in Dubai, Little Birdy’s e-commerce site caters to customers across the UAE, Bahrain, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Lebanon, Omar and Qatar.

Based in Dubai, Ms Tho

ME Retail News • 16 August 2022

7 questions with ... Nicola Augusti

Nicola Augusti is founder of online sportswear and athleisurewear brand NickyBe. Since its founding in 2019, the Dubai-based brand has amassed more than 65,000 followers on social media. NickyBe keeps its customer base top of mind and designs items, such as innovative sports bras and leggings, that cater to their needs.

The brand’s TikTok followers regularly give Augusti feedback on the intricacies of items’ designs and products they would like to see. Interacting closely with her customers has

ME Retail News • 9 August 2022

7 questions with ... Abdulaziz Saja

Abdulaziz Saja is general manager of Tabby, Saudi-based buy-now-pay-later platform operating in the kingdom and UAE. Last year, the application recorded 26 million clicks, its highest user engagement to date. Partnered with over 3,000 retailers, including IKEA, Shein, Adidas, Level Shoes, H&M and Bloomingdale’s, Tabby is ranked among the top 10 shopping applications in the UAE and Saudi Arabia on Apple’s AppStore, with 500,000 users installing it every month. An eager and continuous student of f

ME Retail News • 2 August 2022

7 questions with ... Sachinn J. Laala

Sachinn J. Laala is CEO of Liquid, the region’s first independent agency specialising in shopper marketing, e-commerce content creation and e-distribution. The agency employs more than 100 employees across six offices internationally, including those in Dubai, Riyadh, Jeddah and Beirut. An advertising professional and veteran of utilising consumer behaviour and insights to drive marketing campaigns, Laala shares the greatest achievement of his career.

What is the best way to start your day? Sta

ME Retail News • 26 July 2022

7 questions with ... Asil Attar

An award-winning retail figure, Asil Attar has enjoyed numerous success. As the first female CEO of three prominent Middle East retail groups – Majid Al Futtaim Fashion, Alyasra Fashion and Damas Jewellery – Ms Attar was one of Forbes Middle East’s Top 50 International CEOs, leading regionally founded businesses.

Ms Attar is also co-founder of SALT Fashion, an integrated e-commerce and pop-up retail concept that supports up-and-coming local talent, and The Modestination, which showcases the wor

ME Retail News • 19 July 2022

7 questions with ... Marc Laurent

Marc Laurent is president of the retail division of Gulf Marketing Group (GMG), recent acquirer and operator of Geant in the Middle East. The acquisition marked GMG’s venture into food retail and the company’s aim to expand the grocery retailer amid the rapid growth of the region’s food economy. Besides operating 18 stores in the UAE, GMG recently opened Monoprix in Dubai Hills’ Garden Residence. Laurent shares his ten-year vision for GMG Retail.

What is the best way to start your day?

Waking

ME Retail News • 12 July 2022

7 questions with ... Mario Faria

Mario Faria is head of food and beverage at Galeries Lafayette, luxury retail group of fashion, beauty and home accessories. First founded in Paris in 1893, Galeries Lafayette was brought to Dubai Mall in 2009 and has since grown to become the city’s largest department store. The multi-brand store stocks luxury womenswear, menswear, jewellery, children’s clothing, lingerie, beauty products and homeware. Galeries Lafayette also houses food gallery Le Gourmet.

What is the best way to start your d

ME Retail News • 5 July 2022

7 questions with ... Rohan Siroya

Rohan Siroya is founder and CEO of jewellery brand Evermore. The brand operates under Siroya Jewellers. Evermore prioritises sustainability, proudly boasting lab-grown diamonds that produce a low carbon footprint. Evermore’s products are available across all Siroya outlets in the UAE, and are set to be showcased in a flagship store later this year. Siroya shares

What is the best way to start your day?

A litre of water, a strong coffee and complex carbs. I hit the gym right after. I wish I coul

ME Retail News • 28 June 2022

7 questions with ... Abbey Dean

After her role as head florist at Jumeirah Beach Hotel, Abbey Dean went on to co-found Bliss Flower Boutique. The homegrown brand caters to numerous industries, including fashion, music and corporate events, with floral designs showcased across corporate offices, design showrooms, luxury fashion outlets, restaurants, bars and hotels across the UAE. Bliss Flower Boutique operates 11 locations across Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah and Ras Al Khaimah, and recently expanded its operations to Saudi Arabia

ME Retail News • 21 June 2022

7 questions with ... Minal Siyal

Minal Siyal is founder of e-commerce platform Beauty Binge, which stocks clean-ingredient skincare products. The company strives to offer products from the likes of environmentally driven start-ups and female-led businesses. With sustainability kept top of mind, Beauty Binge offers reusable and zero-waste packaging, such as cardboard boxes, jute bags, furoshiki gift boxes and tote bags. Siyal shares how Beauty Binge was born after leaving her career as account director at a marketing agency in D

ME Retail News • 14 June 2022

7 questions with ... Nancy Nese Ozbek

Nancy Nese Ozbek has held numerous leadership positions across shopping centres in the UAE and has risen to general manager of Times Square Centre. The shopping mall supports local homegrown brands with pop-up concepts, including The Ripe Market, Baby Bazaar and Arte – The Maker’s Market. Ozbek oversees leasing, tenant relations, business planning, finance, facilities and operational management of the mall. She shares how the character Pollyanna inspires her.

What is the best way to start your