UAE’s Sharaf Retail To Hire 1,500 Staff In 18 Months

UAE-based Sharaf Retail, which operates brands such as Sharaf DG, Forever 21, Cotton On, Adventure HQ and Hello Kitty Spa, plans to hire over 1,500 employees over the next 18 months.

The company, which is rapidly expanding across the Middle East, has launched a new career website, www.tareeki.com, to help in the hiring process, it said in a statement.

“Our customers want to talk to knowledgeable sales professionals – whether it’s in electronics, sports, automotive accessories or fashion. Hence we put a big emphasis on recruitment,” said Yasser Sharaf, MD of Sharaf Retail.

Robert St-Jacques, head of HR at Sharaf Retail, added: “We didn’t want a one size fits all career website. We have diverse businesses with different recruitment messages for each one… It’s all very targeted.”

Currently, the Sharaf group operates 16 international brands and five in-house brands. The company is planning to add new brands and open more stores in existing and new markets.

The retail sector is growing across the GCC, with regional sales expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 7.7 per cent between 2011 and 2016 to reach $270.3 billion, according to a report by Alpen Capital.

The sector is particularly vibrant in Dubai, with most existing malls including Dubai Mall, Mall of the Emirates, Deira City Centre and Burjuman expanding their retail offering.

A recent report by property consultancy CBRE also found that Dubai ranks fourth amongst the world’s hottest retail markets with 25 new retailers entering the market in 2012.

The emirate is also the second most important international retail destination globally, following London, stated the report.

Also read: Top 10 Retail Brands That Launched In Dubai In 2012