Page 20 - November 2021

Anthropologie, Dubai Mall,
Dubai, UAE

ustomer
r
ue to the C
T
True to the Customer

The Azadea Group exists to provide customers and people with
an entertaining and exciting way of life. In this interview, RLI
speaks with the company CEO Said Daher to discuss how
he and the team steered the business through the Covid-19
pandemic and what the ambitions are moving forward.

A premier lifestyle retail company that owns and operates to assess new markets, the
international franchise concepts in fashion and accessories, food GCC remains our core geography
and beverage, home furnishings, sporting goods, multimedia and and in the coming 18 months we aim to
beauty and cosmetics, the Azadea Group has a presence across the strengthen our position in these core markets.”
Middle East and Africa and is situated across 13 countries where Having developed a vast presence across their core markets, they
they operate over 600 physical stores and more than 40 digital continue to develop new stores and customer initiatives by working
e-commerce/omni-channel experiences with a specific concentration with amazing partners who continue to deliver exceptional customer
on the GCC region. experiences by extensively engaging the frontlines.
“While 2020 was a difficult year for everyone, we are extremely “We exist to provide our customers with an entertaining and
excited about the stronger-than-expected recovery in our region exciting journey. We aim to deliver on that through a differentiated
so it is business as usual for us, with a slightly more increased focus omni-channel offering that adds value to the experience of our
on digital which was already a strategic pillar for our business,” says customers,” Daher explains.
Azadea Group CEO Said Daher. Social media is of vital importance to Azadea Group, not only
When discussing how the company steered itself through a time because it is at the heart of being able to engage with their customers
of such adversity, Daher was quick to point out that great credit closely through marketing campaigns, but also because social media
must go to their people and partners who supported them during in the GCC has a much higher penetration than in European markets
the difficult times, saying that everyone generously pitched in to according to Daher. “If you combine this with the importance of
ensure that they overcame one of the most difficult macroeconomic this channel within the discovery part of the journey for fashion
situations in history. consumers, it is no surprise we often refer to social media as the
Meanwhile closer to the present, already this year the business virtual shop window for our brands, he comments.”
has seen the opening of 60 new stores across Africa and the Middle Rather than follow the market, Azadea Group prefers to follow
East, and they are particularly excited about new properties such as their customers and as they have moved and shown interests
Al Zahia City Centre in Sharjah, UAE and Garden City in Algiers, in channels like TikTok and Snapchat they have seen their media
Algeria in addition to new stores in some of the existing prominent channels diversify within the social space. Their partners are also key
properties in the region such as The Dubai Mall and City Stars innovators in this medium and in the use of influencers; as such they
in Egypt. see influencers as a core part of their marketing but the execution
“It is going to be a busy 12 to 18 months as most openings that of this varies by brand and by objective.
were planned in 2020 were pushed to 2021 and 2022. We are Recent global events have seen the company accelerate the
looking to add 200 new stores and 20 new digital experiences to execution of their online strategy and they will continue to work
our portfolio by the end of 2022,” says Daher. “While we continue closely with their partners to ensure a seamless omni-channel

20 NOVEMBER 2021 RETAIL & LEISURE INTERNATIONAL