BOOTS IS A HOUSEHOLD NAME ACROSS THE GCC TODAY. LOOKING BACK AT TWO DECADES OF THE BRAND IN THE REGION, WHAT DO YOU BELIEVE HAS BEEN THE MOST CRITICAL FACTOR IN ADAPTING A BRITISH HERITAGE BRAND TO THE SPECIFIC HEALTH AND BEAUTY NEEDS OF MIDDLE EASTERN CONSUMERS?
We’re currently celebrating 20 years of Boots in the region. We were Boots’ first international franchise partner and brought the brand to the Middle East two decades ago. Most people were already familiar with Boots because they had travelled to the UK. It’s a highly trusted brand, particularly when it comes to healthcare, wellness and beauty. We were fortunate that consumers already knew and trusted Boots before it arrived here. While we’ve made some adaptations for the local market, the proposition remains largely the same. Many of the products you see in our Middle East stores are the same products you would find in the UK.
DO YOU HAVE ANY PRODUCTS THAT ARE EXCLUSIVE TO BOOTS?
Yes, we do. One of our leading brands is No7, which is a beauty and skincare brand. We also tailor parts of the product offering to meet the preferences and needs of local consumers.
PRIMARK’S RECENT LAUNCH AT DUBAI MALL ATTRACTED AN INCREDIBLE 35,000 SHOPPERS DURING ITS OPENING WEEKEND. HOW DOES THE SUCCESS OF THIS HIGH-VOLUME, VALUE-DRIVEN BRAND INFLUENCE YOUR STRATEGY FOR FUTURE FRANCHISE PARTNERSHIPS IN A MARKET OFTEN ASSOCIATED WITH PREMIUM RETAIL?
I think people across the region have been waiting for Primark to arrive for many years. It’s one of the most recognized global retail brands that hadn’t yet entered the Middle East. We’ve been discussing the opportunity with Primark for the past decade, and we were delighted that they chose the Middle East for their first regional stores. We opened our first Primark store at The Avenues Kuwait in October, and this Dubai Mall location is our third store in the region. Primark offers great quality at great prices. The products you see here are the same as those available in Europe and other international markets, and they’re offered at very similar price points. It’s all about delivering outstanding value without compromising on quality.
WITH ULTA BEAUTY NOW ENTERING THE KUWAIT AND DUBAI MARKETS, HOW DO YOU SEE THE OMNICHANNEL BEAUTY EXPERIENCE EVOLVING FOR ALSHAYA GROUP? WHAT UNIQUE VALUE DOES ULTA BEAUTY BRING TO AN ALREADY CROWDED BEAUTY LANDSCAPE?
That’s a great question. Alshaya Group has been operating in the beauty sector for over 40 years, so we have a long heritage in the category. What Ulta Beauty allows us to do is create a truly comprehensive beauty destination under one roof. The brand brings together more than 650 beauty brands, combining well-established names that customers already know and trust with exciting emerging brands from the US, Europe and beyond. It gives customers access to the very best of what’s available today, while also introducing them to new brands and products they may not have discovered otherwise. That’s what makes the Ulta Beauty proposition compelling.
YOU RECENTLY LAUNCHED THE ALSHAYA RETAIL ACADEMY TO EMPOWER SAUDI YOUTH. HOW IS ALSHAYA GROUP ALIGNING ITS LONG-TERM COMMERCIAL GOALS WITH LOCAL TALENT DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVES IN THE KINGDOM?
We’ve done extensive research and planning around this initiative. The Alshaya Retail Academy was created to help develop the tremendous talent that exists across Saudi Arabia. We’re particularly proud to be the largest private-sector employer of Saudi women outside the government sector. We want to provide opportunities for everyone, regardless of gender or age, to build meaningful and successful careers. By offering structured learning and development through the Academy, we’re investing in the future workforce. As we continue to expand across Saudi Arabia, we want to ensure we have highly skilled Saudi talent equipped with the training and opportunities needed to grow and succeed.
ALSHAYA GROUP HAS COMMITTED SIGNIFICANT INVESTMENT TO THE AVENUES RIYADH. CAN YOU SHARE YOUR VISION FOR HOW THIS DESTINATION WILL REDEFINE THE RETAIL AND LEISURE EXPERIENCE IN THE SAUDI CAPITAL?
I believe The Avenues Riyadh will transform the retail experience, not only in Riyadh but across Saudi Arabia and the wider region. The mall is scheduled to open in March 2027. Construction is complete, and tenants are now carrying out their fit-outs. As Alshaya Group, we’re making substantial investments in stores and infrastructure, while also creating employment opportunities for large numbers of Saudis. We’re very excited about the opening next spring and the impact it will have on the market.
THE AURA LOYALTY PROGRAM HAS BECOME A MAJOR SUCCESS ACROSS MULTIPLE COUNTRIES. HOW IS ALSHAYA GROUP USING THE DATA AND INSIGHTS GENERATED BY AURA TO PERSONALIZE THE CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE?
Aura was created as a single rewards platform across all Alshaya Group brands. Customers can earn points while shopping with one brand and redeem them across many others. For example, a customer can earn rewards while shopping at Primark and then redeem those points at Shake Shack, Raising Cane’s, Victoria’s Secret or any of our other participating brands. The data generated through Aura helps us personalize communications and offers for individual
customers. Since most customer engagement now happens through mobile devices, we can send tailored notifications and promotions based on each customer’s shopping preferences and spending habits.
AS GLOBAL RETAIL TRENDS INCREASINGLY FOCUS ON SUSTAINABILITY AND ETHICAL SOURCING, NOTABLY SEEN IN BRANDS SUCH AS TRIBE OF 6, HOW IS ALSHAYA GROUP INTEGRATING ESG PRINCIPLES ACROSS ITS FRANCHISE OPERATIONS?
Sustainability has been a major focus for us over the past decade and remains a very important part of our strategy. We work closely with many of our global brand partners, particularly in apparel, to ensure responsible and ethical sourcing practices are maintained throughout the supply chain. Beyond sourcing, we also look at how products are transported, distributed and managed, with a focus on reducing environmental impact and improving our overall carbon footprint. Collaboration is key. We work hand-in-hand with our brand partners, many of whom have globally recognized sustainability programs, to ensure we’re making meaningful progress in this area.
