The sixth edition of Arab Luxury World, the Middle East’s leading luxury business conference, will return to the region on June 12 and June 13th at the JW Marriott Marquis Dubai, under the theme Digital Transformation Focusing on Data and Premium Retail.

The conference serves as a dynamic platform for regional and global professionals from the luxury industry to engage in meaningful discussions about the latest trends and core challenges facing businesses today.

The retail industry has been encouraged to remain agile in today’s challenging market. With a growing focus on digital engagement for consumers, the rise of boutique malls, and the challenge of over-retailing and e-commerce, it’s no secret that the regional luxury landscape has also faced incredible change. "The luxury industry, specifically premium retail, is undergoing a revolution. With the rapid introduction of new technologies, changing consumer behaviors, diversified omnichannel communication strategies, and disruptions at each level of human touchpoints, it is imperative to take cognizance of what the future of premium retail is becoming,” said Alexandre Hawari, CEO of Mediaquest.

The agenda will feature sessions such as ‘Cracking the Luxury Code’’, which will answer questions
about the unexplored opportunities that digital can unlock within luxury retail. ‘Road Map to Building
Borderless Brands’ will ask the expert panellists how regional businesses are engaging with consumers through digital media in order to go global and what innovations in products and services are helping brands connect with a broader audience.

‘The Future of Premium Retail’ will delve into ecommerce and the continuous change in consumer habits. ‘Addressing the Talent Gap’ will address
the lack of specific talent and skill sets to meet the demands of increasingly innovative companies
within the Mena region, and ‘Big Data’ will look into addressing every day, real-life concerns such as, “How do we find a balance between the privacy of personal data and the use of data for
customization/personalisation?”. “The Rise of Art and its Impact on Luxury” will discuss the strategic connection between art and luxury. 'Globalisation: Redefining Communication Models’ will cover how the new generation of customers are changing their dialogue and interaction with brands, while ‘Blockchain: Is it the Next Luxury Revolution?’ will explore blockchain’s potential for decentralising and creating transparency for luxury consumers.

To further drive collaboration and empowerment for professionals, day two of the conference will
give guests the ability to participate in interactive workshops that discuss and dive even deeper into the themes and challenges discussed during day one.

Some of the renowned names from the world of luxury participating in this year’s ALW include:
Valérie Messika, founder and creative director of Messika Paris; Cyrille Fabre, partner and head of
Consumer Products and Retail Middle East of Bain & Company Middle East; John Peeters,
director Business Development & co-owner of Holition; Xavier Anglada, managing director of
Accenture Digital Lead, Mena and Turkey; and Jonathan Siboni, founder and CEO of Luxurynsight, among others.

“The agenda set forth in this year's Arab Luxury World keeps these key themes in mind and provides
clarity on issues that are critical for the luxury sector in the region. These bold topics will help the sector weather today's challenging business landscape whilst creating forward-looking growth
opportunities. The choice seems harsh but is real - transform digitally or fade into oblivion. How you
ask? ALW will answer," said Hawari.

First launched in 2014, the Arab Luxury World conference has gone from strength to strength and has seen approximately thousands of industry professionals and 370 speakers share invaluable knowledge and insights on the growing luxury market. Now in its sixth year, Arab Luxury World has grown into a global networking platform that is generously supported by key movers in the industry, including Laha, Jamalouki and OMD as the Gold Sponsors; Marriott International Luxury Brand as the Silver Sponsor; The Luxury Hive as the Bronze Sponsor; Z7 Communications as the Luxury PR Partner and Haya and The New York Times as the Media Partners. - TradeArabia News Service