VOL 1 ISSUE 5

THURSDAY, AUGUST 22

OUTLOOK

91% of retail IT leaders are prioritising AI as the top technology to implement by 2026 – Gartner’s 2024 CIO Agenda.

PEOPLE MOVEMENTS

Fawaz Abdulaziz Alhokair Co.’s (Cenomi Retail) board of directors appointed Salim Fakhouri as CEO. Fakhouri has more than 20 years of experience in the retail and fashion business across MENA. He served as CEO of the fashion segment at Cenomi Retails since November 2021. Before that, he was the fashion section head at Azadea Group.

Sunil Nair joins Majid Al Futtaim Retail in a new position as SVP – Business Technology & Analytics. In his recent role, he was working as a Chief Technology and Information Officer (CTIO) at Cenomi Retail. With over 28 years of experience in the technology and retail domains, Sunil is a seasoned digital and technology leader who delivers business value through technology transformation and innovation.

THE POWER OF
COMMUNITY
“Customisation and community-building will remain at the top of every retailer’s mind. Fashion retailers, particularly, are embracing the concept of customisation and trying to offer personalised products and services to customers just to build a community of like-minded people. This trend is gathering a lot of momentum, alongside sustainable practices”.
TIMELESS
APPROACH
“If you are building a ‘brand for tomorrow’ and portraying your brand as the ‘brand of choice’ for Gen Z then sustainability is not an option anymore, it is a must. In KSA pricing is a factor of consideration as customers don’t like to pay a premium or bear that extra cost when it comes to investing in a sustainable product. However, social responsibility is a big factor too and sustainability is a key trend to align with social causes and responsibly stand up to the situation to create a brand that will resonate with a youth-centric customer base”.
SCALING WITH
TECHNOLOGY

“AI is on any CIO’s agenda at the moment. Retailers leveraging AI will deliver an elevated customer experience at lower costs while building scalable businesses. As we expand our footprint and enter new categories and markets, safeguarding customer, enterprise and other data and ensuring the resilience of our systems become critical. We’ve made significant investments in cybersecurity, implementing robust security measures, fostering a culture of ‘security by design’ across the organisation and continuously strengthening our defences.”

GETTING FUTURE
READY

“The future tech agenda will focus on smarter, more integrated use of emerging technologies, particularly Generative AI and other AI tools. These technologies will permeate all aspects of our business, from accounting to customer service and even website management. In 2025, we plan to invest in new devices equipped with advanced AI capabilities, such as the recently announced Microsoft Surface Copilot PCs. These devices require enhanced NPU power, necessitating an upgrade of our existing laptops and PCs. This investment will enable us to leverage these powerful AI tools fully, enhancing our operational efficiency and overall business performance”.

THOUGHT PROVOKING

“The biggest sources of opportunity are collaboration and partnership. And today, with digital communication, there is more of that everywhere. We need to expose ourselves to that as a matter of doing business.”

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RetailME presents SHELF TALK | Panchali Mahendra | CEO, ATELIER House hospitality

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