John Hadden

“One of the defining moments has been the region’s ability to keep moving forward through periods of disruption and change, consistently shown the ability to bounce back stronger, with businesses and governments aligned around a shared vision for the region.

Another major transformation has been the evolution of the consumer. Customers across the Gulf are more selective, more informed and more experience driven, and that has changed the way businesses think about brands, store concepts and service.

They want the best of both worlds: strong online channels and great physical retail destinations.”

What excites me most is the scale of opportunity across the region. Saudi Arabia is especially exciting, with a major focus on The Avenues – Riyadh, one of the region’s largest malls which opens in the first quarter of 2027. We will open around 60 stores, including a three-storey flagship Starbucks, and together with The Avenues – Khobar later in 2027, this will change the face of retail in the region.

Of course, we are a people business, and we will continue to focus on our teams – helping them deliver world class service to our customers is what will drive long-term success.”