Knowledge collaboration at MRF to empower Retail Sector

Dubai-based Images Multimedia is proud to announce the fourth edition of the annual Middle East Retail Forum (MRF) and the fifth annual Images RetailME Awards on the 27th and 28th of October 2015, at the Conrad Hotel Dubai, UAE. 

This year MRF will focus mainly on knowledge collaboration among retail businesses with the theme ‘Connect, Share, Evolve’ while the prestigious Images RetailME Awards will be held at an evening gala on the 27th October 2015.

Traditional and existing businesses need to evolve and reinvent to stay connected with todays consumer. The MRF 2015 theme of ‘Connect, Share, Evolve’ is therefore, designed to promote knowledge collaboration among retail businesses as collective wisdom will empower them with collective power.

Mr Yusuffali MA, managing director of LuLu Group International, with over 119 hypermarkets and supermarkets across nine countries, says, “We take pride in associating with an event such as the Middle East Retail Forum for the fourth consecutive year. Retail is a key economic driver. Modern retail has become highly innovative and MRF provides the right platform to share knowledge and insights on this vibrant sector.” Lulu Group International is the title partner of the Middle East Retail Forum and Images RetailME Awards 2015. 

Mr. Amitabh Taneja, chairman of the Images Group says, “With successful outcomes of the previous MRFs and in response to the feedback received from retailers and industry professionals, we have introduced six sector specific conclaves at MRF 2015, Retail Business Owners & CEOs conclave, Technology conclave, Logistics conclave, Marketing conclave, Retail Design conclave and Shopping Malls conclave. Peers in each sector will share their approach and in-depth understanding of their respective businesses and how it would influence the retail market by 2020. 

Sharing of information and insights with peers and channel partners would enable retailers to actively influence and manage shoppers’ motivations, inclinations and paths-to-purchase.”

“Participants to MRF and the Images RetailME Awards have nearly doubled since last year. A larger venue is being dedicated to the sector based conclaves and new exhibitor windows have been added at the venue,” he adds.

Some of the distinguished speakers at this year’s MRF include Charbel Sarkis, sector lead for retail, e-commerce, technology and telecom, Google MENA; Karen Staley, senior vice president, IAAPA EMEA; Mark Anthony Lack, COO, Retail Arabia; Mohammad Iqbal BH Alawi board member & CEO, Red Sea Markets Co Ltd. (owner & developer of Red Sea Mall in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia); Narain Jashanmal, head of DR advertising – MENA, Facebook | Instagram; Nasif Kayed managing director, Sheikh Mohammed Centre for Cultural Understanding (SMCCU);  Nisreen Shocair president, Virgin Megastore Middle East; Raju Shroff, managing director, Regal Group; and Mark Thomson, director of retail & hospitality solutions EMEA, Zebra Technologies,  to name a few. All speakers with their profiles can be viewed on http://middleeastretailforum.com/. 

The Forum and Awards in Dubai are among the most anticipated events of the year in this region for retail bigwigs and industry experts, who converge from various sectors under the retail banner; be it real estate, fashion, food or leisure. Lulu Group International, ZEBRA, SAP, SAVANT DATA SYSTEM, WIPRO, Vinculum, AMBAB, EYC symphony, Qwikcilver have come together as partners for the MRF and Images RetailME Awards 2015.