MAGRABi leads the way in retail innovation at the World Retail Congress 2016

UAE, 19th April 2016: MAGRABi, the Middle East’s leading optical retailer, showcased its groundbreaking retail store concept at the 10th edition of the prestigious World Retail Congress (WRC) which took place 12-14 April at the Madinat Jumeirah, Dubai. The WRC, held in the Middle East for the very first time, saw over 1,000 retail visionaries and industry experts congregate to discuss key industry trends and challenges through a range of events including panel discussions, inspirational talks, and networking.

Amidst an audience of leading global industry experts Amin El-Maghraby, CEO of MAGRABi, shared key insights on experiential retail offerings and customer engagement as part of a panel discussion entitled Creating the ultimate retail destination – delighting your customer at every touch point.

Commenting on MAGRABi’s participation in the WRC, Amin El-Maghraby said, “It is a momentous opportunity to be a part of the leading global retail event that has come to the region for the very first time. It is a significant milestone that Dubai has been chosen as the host of the World Retail Congress, given its position as one of the most important international shopping and retail destinations in the world. While there may be a predictive slump in the sector due to current socio-economic factors, we are confident in Dubai’s stability as a retail hub; the UAE will remain a key market for MAGRABi over the coming years. We are committed to expand our network both locally and regionally as we prepare to launch our new store concept and double our number of outlets over the next five years”.

MAGRABi displayed a model of its “Future Store”, which will feature an inspiring retail environment with cutting-edge technology and carefully curated in-store areas, offering customers new and unparallelled retail experiences. At the heart of MAGRABi’s re-imagined store lie ground-breaking innovations such as facial recognition technology that will display a personalised image the moment a customer enters the store and a Selection Bar which will allow shoppers to virtually try on MAGRABi’s wide range of eyewear. 

As part of the WRC discussions, Tamer Makary, Group Chief Development Officer at MAGRABi, took part in a panel session focusing on Doing business differently: Changing retail models to grow with your consumer. The discussion shed light on the importance of a customer-centric approach and the effect corporate social responsibility (CSR), sustainability and community initaitives have on businesses and their customers.

At the World Retail MAGRABi also presented the Young Retail Entrepreneur of the Year Award to Julie Stevanja for Stylerunner at the World Retail Awards, in alignment with the firm’s core value of being “Restless Pioneers”, and showcasing MAGRABi’s commitment to promoting innovation and nurturing the new generation of retail leaders.

MAGRABi continues to pave the way for ground-breaking optical retail across the Middle East, and will see an increase in retail growth with approximately 120 new outlets set to launch over the coming three years.