Diverse MEDFA conference announced by TFWA – 01/09/04

MIDDLE EAST. The programme for the third annual Middle East Duty Free Association (MEDFA) conference brings together a highly-varied mix of speakers under the broad theme “Growing the Business Together”.

The event, managed and organized on behalf of MEDFA by TFWA, takes place in Dubai on 27-28 November. The Moodie Report parent company Moodie International is contracted to TFWA to provide programming and moderating services.

After a “˜state of the industry’ address from MEDFA President Mohamed Mounib, the first day will examine the changing nature of the aviation sector regionally and worldwide and consider its impact on airport and inflight retail in the Middle East.

Peter Harbison, who heads the much-respected Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation, will give the keynote address, leading into a panel discussion featuring leading representatives from the regional airline and aviation scene.

The first session will wind up with an examination of a major trend in the Middle East duty free channel – the growing emergence of sub-let specialist shops. Nadine Heubel, Hugo Boss Travel Retail Director and Gerry Crawford, Aer Rianta International-Middle East Regional Procurement & Logistics Manager, will debate the subject with a further speaker to be named.

Day one will conclude with a lunch hosted by Dufry followed that night by a Dubai Duty Free-sponsored Gala Dinner.

Day two kicks off with a supplier-led session that will attempt to probe deeper than the usual platitudes on that great industry cliché of “˜Partnership”. Pernod Ricard Gulf General Manager David Freeborn; Graeme Bradstock, Head of Middle East/Africa/Indian Sub-Continent, Lindt; and Salim Mohammed, Area Manager – Duty Free, Middle East & Asia South Region, Philip Morris Services, are the heavy-hitting panel line-up with one more speaker to be named soon.

Habchi & Chalhoub Managing Director Anthony Chalhoub will present a case study on the exciting new developments at Cairo International Airport, arguably the region’s most under-developed retail location in terms of potential opportunity. With a flurry of retail development now taking place there, Chalhoub’s speech will be of major interest.

How can analysis of airline schedules benefit retail planning? That’s the question that will be answered by Duncan Alexander, Managing Director of OAG Data, the world’s biggest source of global flight schedule information. OAG processes the data of some 1000 airlines and Alexander’s speech on the subject at this year’s ACI Europe conference in Dublin was one of the highlights of the event.

Sarah Hewin, Senior Economist at American Express Bank Global Economics Unit, will then examine key currency movements both retrospectively and in forecast terms, and consider their impact on business. Currency fluctuations have been one of the most volatile industry dynamics in the Middle East over the past year.

Dubai-based independent retail consultant Mark Venables will then examine the good, bad and indifferent of the travel retail marketplace in the region and deliver a neutral’s perspective on how the business could be grown.

As always, the conference ends with an informal session entitled “The Last Word”, where the MEDFA President Mohamed Mounib is joined by TFWA CEO Andrew Ford, and leading suppliers and retailers in a punchy and sometimes controversial examination of the conference’s themes and the regional industry’s direction.

Besides its most diverse programme to date, the 2004 MEDFA conference offers superb networking opportunities and a chance to sample the industry’s legendary hospitality. The conference is preceded by the Dubai Duty Free Golf World Cup and followed by the Middle East Exclusive exhibition.

For registration details, go to www.TFWA.com or contact Micheline Enkiri at MEDFA by email at medfa@emirates.net.ae

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