The Carter Murray Retail Report 2016 gives further information into our capabilities across the region, examples of projects and assignments we have completed as well as insight into the retail market and trends across the Middle East region. For further information please contact sophiemarshall@cartermurray.com

1. THE
CARTER
MURRAY
RETAIL
REPORT
2016
MIDDLE EAST
PROVIDING RETAIL
RECRUITMENT ADVICE &
SOLUTIONS ACROSS
THE REGION

2. Carter Murray Dubai is a 360 degree recruitment service connecting
leading brands with the elite leaders and professionals within the Middle
East region & internationally. Based in Dubai, we are well-placed to hand-
pick top candidates for a broad range of jobs within the sector thanks to
our extensive network of influencers and top players within the region’s
growing retail industry.
We commonly recruit for luxury brands, department stores, retail holding
groups, malls and commercial property management companies, travel
retailers, cosmetics brands and independent designers. We have plenty
of expertise placing candidates in divisions including fashion & apparel,
accessories & footwear, cosmetics & beauty, luxury home & lifestyle, premium
food and beverage, and consumer electronics.
As a comprehensive recruitment service we specialise in installing staff at
all levels, from Boutique Managers to Executive-level positions. We place
candidates in a variety of roles including general management, operations,
marketing & brand management, PR & communications and commercial,
as well as mall management, retail leasing, visual merchandising, buying,
merchandising, store management, sales and franchising. We help companies
of all sizes who are looking to set up in the region: from SMEs to global luxury
brands, there are plenty of services we can offer to help make the transition
smooth and successful.
Our prime location and willingness to travel means we can spend time on the
ground with clients, learning about different businesses and their cultures
in order to match talent with companies and ensure synergy between goals
and skill sets. Having our offices in the region’s retail hub of Dubai means
we understand the importance of placing retail professionals with the right
brands, not just in terms of professional skills but also soft skills.
ABOUT
CARTER MURRAY
MIDDLE EAST
/company/carter-murray
2 CARTER MURRAY @CarterMurrayCOM
@CarterMurrayCOM
carter_murray_retail
cartermurray.com

3. 3/company/carter-murray RETAIL REPORT
Dubai competes with London, Paris and New York
on the global retail stage, with the UAE being the
second most brand-soaked region in the world
after London. The city’s Mall of the World is under
development, while its reputation in the fashion
industry continues to attract in foreign investment
and expansion.
Fashion and retail is ingrained in Dubai’s culture:
glamorous events are packed with style bloggers
and its shopping festival runs throughout January,
providing an annual boost in tourism and revenue
for retailers. Those living in Dubai certainly have a
taste for luxury, and shoppers looking for a high-end
experience frequently jet in to experience the retail
haven.
While Dubai is the most established - and perhaps
most westernised - city in our region, there are still
many cultural differences that companies launching
ventures in the UAE need to be aware of. Due to our
extensive experience in the region, Carter Murray is
able to inform retail groups, and those moving out
to the UAE for work, of important aspects of UAE
culture, from office etiquette to daily life.
ABOUT
RETAIL IN DUBAI

4. The Middle East and North Africa already has a
number of very well-established retail hubs, and
plenty that are well on their way, but there are also
up-and-coming regions such as Pakistan that are on
the verge of breaking into our top five.
QATAR
In 2015 Qatar was named the Middle East’s most
attractive retail market by the AT Kearney index.
Multinational high-end brands such as Harvey
Nichols have plans to launch in the country, and there
are massive opportunities for expansion. Indeed, an
estimated one million square metres of retail space
is set to open in the country over the next two-to-
three years in a bid to meet the Qatari demand for
luxury goods. Furthermore, a series of infrastructure
projects ahead of the 2022 Fifa World Cup, including
Doha airport and Metro expansion, will make Qatar’s
capital more accessible - thereby boosting retail
opportunities further.
UAE
The UAE is the most established retail hub in the
Middle East, with the nation’s big cities Dubai and
Abu Dhabi competing with the likes of London, Paris
and Milan when it comes to high-end shopping. By
2018, the UAE will have welcomed another big brand
- Macy’s - to its already-packed marketplace, while
Bloomingdale’s plans to open its second store in the
country over the next two years. A Knight Frank report
recently revealed that the UAE has one of the highest
numbers of shops per capita in the world. A number of
new malls have opened, while others have expanded,
seeing 220,000 square feet of retail space added in
just the final three months of 2015.
OUR TOP 5
TERRITORIES
RETAIL LEADERS AND
THE ONES TO WATCH
1
2
4 CARTER MURRAY @CarterMurrayCOM

5. SAUDI ARABIA
Retail groups are rapidly investing and expanding in Saudi Arabia due to the country’s size and
recent boost in infrastructure. Al Futtaim Group, which operates Marks & Spencer and IKEA outlets
in the region, has announced it will quadruple its retail offerings in the near future, while Sun & Sand
Sports remains focused on the region. The drop in oil prices has seen the government trying to attract
foreign investment in other ways, creating many retail opportunities. However, Saudi Arabia’s cultural
differences mean it is not the ideal location for many people. However, Carter Murray is experienced in
identifing those suitable for living and working in the country.
IRAN
Italian jeweller Bulgari recently said that Iran stands to be “the next big thing in the Middle East”.
The government has lined up a massive boost to the country’s infrastructure and is inviting foreign
investment. Jean-Christophe Babin, the chief executive of Bulgari, said that Iran’s 80 million population
has an appreciation of luxury informed by “centuries of culture and architecture”. Furthermore its
relations with major players on the world stage have vastly improved in 2015, making entry plans for
foreign brands easier.
EGYPT
Egypt’s presence in our top five might surprise some, but there is currently a lot of investment going
into the country. Indeed Saudi Arabia’s Abdullah Al-Othaim Markets Company is planning a £26 million
expansion into the North African state. It said the reason for this decision was that the company “found
that the current opportunity and the economic conditions of the Egyptian market are favourable and
encouraging in light of the continued growth of the population and increasing demand for goods and
services.” Furthermore, developer Emaar has recently announced a $820 million retail project to be
based in Cairo in partnership with Dubai’s Al Futtaim Group. The project will include a mall with a gross
leasablee area of 120,000sqm and will boast brands including IKEA, Marks & Spencer and Toys ‘R’ Us.
Indeed, Emaar noted last year that the initial public offering for the Egyptian space had attracted more
than 11 times the number of shares available for institutional buyers.
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UAEqatar
saudi
arabia
egypt
iran
5/company/carter-murray RETAIL REPORT

6. ROLES
WE HAVE WORKED
VP
Premium Global Department Store, Qatar
Head of CRM
Shopping Mall, UAE
Head of Marketing
Global Luxury Optics Group, UAE
Regional Sales Director
USA-based Brand, UAE
Corporate Sales Manager
Luxury F&B Brand, UAE
Head of Logistics
Luxury Retail Group, UAE
Digital Marketing Manager
Consumer Electronics Brand, KSA
Flagship Store Manager
Luxury Brand, UAE
Senior Operations Manager
Retail Group, Kuwait
Marketing Manager
Retail Group, Bahrain
Mall Manager
Shopping Mall, Bahrain
General Manager
Luxury Consumer Electronics Brand, UAE
Operations Manager
Luxury Retail Group, Qatar
Project Manager
Retail Holding Group, Qatar
Luxury Kidswear Brand Manager
Retail Holding Group, Qatar
Logistics Manager
Cosmetic Group, UAE
Brand Manager
Luxury Leather Goods Brand, UAE
Country Retail Head
Consumer Electronics Brand, KSA
Retail Manager
Luxury Retail Group, UAE
Social Media Executive
Retail Holding Group, Kuwait
VP
Semi-Government Entity, UAE
Senior Retail Marketing Manager
Semi-Government Entity, UAE
Visual Merchandiser
Luxury Home Brand, UAE
Head of Category
Premium Global Department Store, Qatar
Senior Merchandiser
Premium Global Department Store, Qatar
We have worked alongside companies from local retail
groups to luxury global brands, placing the right people in
jobs at all levels up to presidential positions. Being located
in Dubai and within easy travelling distance of Qatar,
Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Oman and Bahrain we often work on
assignments and projects across the region.
We also take on many projects with brands currently located
outside the MENA region but looking to expand into it. It
is expensive and difficult to build new department stores
in already-established fashion capitals such as London,
while locations such as Qatar and Iran are a cheaper but
very lucrative option with numerous opportunities for
development.
A current project exclusive to Carter Murray will see us place
people into 100+ jobs for a global luxury brand.
The positions
range from
buying,
merchandising,
stock control,
operations,
marketing,
visual
merchandising
right up to the
VP level.
6 CARTER MURRAY @CarterMurrayCOM
Merchandiser & Stock Controller
Premium Global Department Store, Qatar
Junior Buyer
Premium Global Department Store, Qatar
Senior Buyer
Premium Global Department Store, Qatar
Marketing Executive
Luxury Jewellery Brand, UAE

7. THE TEAM
7/company/carter-murray RETAIL REPORT
The Carter Murray Middle East Retail team is
headed up by Sophie Marshall, Senior Consultant
Talent Acquisition & Executive Search, who has
years of experience in fashion and retail.
Sophie graduated from the University
of the Arts London (London College
of Fashion) with a BA hons in Product
Design and Development. Since then she
has taken on roles at luxury British brand
Jaeger, cosmetics company Benefit,
high-end designer Ralph Lauren, and
French luxury brand Lancome, working
invariousmarketingandcommunication
roles, before moving to the UAE in 2010
in order to pursue a career in retail
recruitment across Middle Eastern
markets.
Our team’s strong background in the fashion and
retail sector means we have a deep understanding
of retail companies, and are well-placed to
identify the top talent and match candidates
with the right roles. We pride ourselves on our
adaptability and our ability to service clients very
quickly, as well as our capabilities when it comes
to understanding exactly what our clients are
looking for.
The team’s Dubai location means we have built
up a strong retail network in our region, which
is where many of our referrals are sourced. Our
marketing activities, attendance at product
launches and events in Dubai’s retail and social
calendar mean we’re an active player in the UAE’s
fashion world. We have builded up relationships
with big brands, influencers and regional fashion
bloggers to ensure we’re aware of up-and-coming
developments, events and talent in the sector.
Sophie Marshall
Senior Consultant
E: sophiemarshall@cartermurray.com
T: +9714 448 7777

8. MARKETING & SALES RECRUITMENT
London
T: +44 (0) 20 7415 2840
Hong Kong
T: +852 2973 6333
Düsseldorf
T: +49 (0)211 2479 1150
Singapore
T: +65 6420 0549
Munich
T: +49 (0)89 716 7756 00
Frankfurt
T: +49 (0)69 363 9632 00
Milan
T: +39 (02) 82950655
Sydney
T: +61 (0)2 9236 9060
Dubai
T: +9714 448 7777
Melbourne
T: +61 (0)3 8610 8400