M.H. Alshaya Co., the Kuwait-based retailer that owns and operates 1,200 stores across the Middle East and Europe, announced today that it will take a leading role in this year’s Arab Strategy Forum. Not only will the company sponsor this high-profile event, which will be held in Dubai from December 4-6, but its Chief Executive Officer will also participate in panel discussions on some of the most crucial issues facing the Middle East.
Mohammed Alshaya, CEO of M.H. Alshaya, said that while the company has become known in the region as the driving force behind high-profile international brands such as H&M, Starbucks, Boots and Debenhams, it remains very much rooted in the Middle East.
Alshaya said: “This sponsorship, and my participation in various panel discussions, demonstrates our desire to be part of the debate that is propelling this region to greater prosperity and increased global prominence.”
M.H. Alshaya’s participation comes at a time when the company’s business is growing aggressively across the many markets where it operates, including the Middle East, Turkey, Cyprus, Russia and Eastern Europe. Its involvement further supports the Arab Strategy Forum’s reputation as the foremost platform for debate among regional and international leaders from government, business and academia.
Alshaya said: “With 14,000 employees, 1,200 stores and 42 of the world’s most recognized brands, our company plays a part in the everyday lives of millions of people across the world and, of course, here in the Middle East. We help you get dressed in the morning, we serve you coffee and help you through the day. As a result, we see ourselves as far more than a collection of international brands: M.H. Alshaya is part of the fabric of Middle East society. So it’s only natural that we want to play a leading role in ensuring that our society prospers.
“How can such prosperity be achieved?” asked Alshaya. “We believe that can be accomplished through fostering job creation, generating a spirit of entrepreneurship and increasing the world’s understanding about what’s really happening in the Middle East. M.H. Alshaya, like all other businesses in the region, has to play a role in achieving these goals.”
Alshaya will be taking part in three panel discussions during the Arab Strategy Forum: “Fuelling growth in job creation,” “Wealth creation in the Middle East: A time of change for families” and “The New Silk Road: Dealing with India and China.”
The Arab Strategy Forum will be held at the Madinat Jumeirah in Dubai, December 4-6.
About the Alshaya Group:
Alshaya Group is one of the most dynamic businesses in the Middle East. It is a Kuwaiti-based holding company covering a wide range of sectors including real estate, retail, automotive, hotels, trading and investments.
Alshaya Retail is a franchisee for 42 of the world’s most recognized retail brands including H&M, Starbucks Coffee, Mothercare, Debenhams, Boots, The Body Shop and Foot Locker. The company operates more than 1,200 stores across eight Middle East countries (Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Qatar, Oman, Lebanon, and Jordan), Cyprus, Turkey, Russia and, most recently, Poland.
This network of stores is supported by an integrated pan-regional infrastructure, incorporating best practice activities in retail operations, merchandising, marketing, information technology, logistics, real estate, human resources and financial control. Alshaya Retail employs more than 14,000 employees from 40 nationalities. You can learn more about the company on www.alshaya.com.
