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Pictured from left: Hellenic Duty Free Shops President George Koutsolioutsos, Philip Morris Travel Retail Managing Director George Farah, who was named Supplier of the Year, and Hellenic Duty Free Shops CEO George Velentzas |
GREECE. Hellenic Duty Free Shops has named Philip Morris Travel Retail Managing Director George Farah as its inaugural Supplier of the Year.
The award, introduced this year, aims to recognise the contribution of suppliers and strengthen relations with them, the leading Greek operator said.
“The recognition of George Farah and Philip Morris seals a long-term and particularly fruitful collaboration,” the retailer added.
Hellenic Duty Free Shops President George Koutsolioutsos said the new award would create the “desired motivation, enhance competition between suppliers, facilitate innovative commercial practices and achieve the ultimate goal of our business, which is none other than to provide products with greater added value for the benefit of travellers”.
The award ceremony took place in Athens at Dionysos restaurant near the Acropolis before an audience of suppliers and executives from Philip Morris and Hellenic Duty Free Shops.
As part of the two companies’ long-standing relationship, Farah asked Hellenic Duty Free Shops to take on the distribution of Phillip Morris products on ships sailing to other countries as well as at local points of sale, leading to collaboration with numerous benefits for both sides, the travel retailer said.
New boost to duty free tobacco products
“Commercially, Philip Morris has undertaken not only pioneering, but also substantive efforts to create real shopping opportunities for travellers by giving a new boost to duty free tobacco products,” said Hellenic Duty Free Shops. “George Farah was a major supporter of this collaboration. For that reason, Hellenic Duty Free Shops sought to go beyond the often impersonal image of large companies and not only acknowledge Philip Morris, but also honour the person behind it all. Without Mr Farah’s unwavering support and guidance, this specific endeavour would not have been realised.”
Hellenic Duty Free Shops CEO George Velentzas noted that “this co-operation constitutes an ideal case-study, like the ones often found in textbooks. George Farah’s personality consists of fine qualities of moral character rare to find in the world, an outstanding, unique soul. We feel very lucky to have Mr Farah in our lives as a partner and as a friend.”
He continued: “In a difficult year, as 2010 turned out to be, Philip Morris stood firmly at our side and adjusted its pricing policy, invested in human resources and implemented a number of promotional activities to support sales.”
In his speech, Farah summarised the long-lasting co-operation between Philip Morris and Hellenic Duty Free Shops as well as his special relationship with George Velentzas. He also gave his commitment that this relationship would continue to be even more effective in the years to come.
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