IADS Press Release: Chalhoub Group joins the IADS

Chalhoub Group, the partner and creator of luxury experiences in the Middle East, joins the International Association of Department Stores.

A major regional luxury player with a global reach thanks to its relationship with international luxury brands, Chalhoub Group officially joins IADS’ leading global department stores network. The membership will be formalized during the upcoming 64th Association General Assembly, to be held in Istanbul on November 8th, 2023. 

For over 65 years, Chalhoub Group has remained committed to building successful brands while shaping the Middle East luxury retail market. From creating exclusive brands and experiences for customers at physical retail environments and online, to partnering with and curating over 300 global brands, the Group has continued to offer customers the ultimate retail experience through its luxury offerings across the beauty and fashion segments. 

In its endeavour to excel as a hybrid retailer across the Middle East, Chalhoub Group is also characterized by its strategic business models designed to strengthen brand partnerships – from franchising to joint-ventures. Chalhoub Group has also developed its own retail brands, such as Tanagra for luxury lifestyle and art de vivre, FACES, the leading beauty omni-retailer, Level Shoes, a globally recognised retail concept and destination dedicated to the world of designer shoes & accessories, and Tryano, a concept department store for luxury, fashion, and beauty brands in the Middle East. With its robust e-commerce and omnichannel capabilities, Chalhoub Group also continues to strengthen its service efficiency and convenience to serve 5.1 million customers each year across more than 680 retail stores and 60 e-commerce websites. 

Customer-centricity represents an integral aspect of Chalhoub Group’s DNA, addressing the needs of over 2.5 million loyal members to date through its MUSE Loyalty Programme. MUSE enhances the customer experience through a fully controlled and personalised customer journey, ultimately enhancing speed, efficiency, and customer satisfaction, all with sustainability in mind. 

The Group’s in-depth knowledge and expertise of the Middle East market and consumer behaviours – demonstrated through its sector reports, including the recent Decoding the Beauty Consumer in the GCC, along with its extensive omnichannel capabilities, will fuel the Association members’ conversations as department stores from across the globe come together in efforts to fast-pace their innovative solutions for customers worldwide. 

Mr Holger Blecker, CEO of Breuninger (Germany) and President of the IADS, said: “It is my great pleasure to announce that the Chalhoub Group, for over six decades creator of luxury, beauty and fashion experiences in the Middle East, will be joining us in the International Association of Department Stores (IADS). As we combine our strengths and shared vision, our goal is to create a powerful network that will push the future of retail and enhance the global shopping experience”. 

Ms Kamshim Lau, Executive Director of Lifestyle International (Hong Kong SAR) and Vice-President of the IADS, said: “We are delighted to have Chalhoub Group as a new member of the IADS family. With their exceptional expertise in the luxury retail sector, Chalhoub Group will undoubtedly bring valuable insights and contribute to our collective mission of driving innovation and excellence in the global department store landscape”. 

Mr David Vercruysse, President Fashion, Beauty and Homeware at Chalhoub Group, said: “We are proud to be an official member of the IADS. This strategic partnership marks a significant milestone for the Group, as we come together with other leading retailers from across the globe who share our commitment to delivering exceptional experiences to our customers. We look forward to our fruitful partnership with IADS’ members as we share our insights and expertise in all aspects of this dynamic industry and contribute to the growth and innovation of the global retail landscape.” 

By joining the Association, Chalhoub will contribute to the fruitful exchanges taking place between leading department stores in the world within the framework offered by IADS, where members come together to bring strategic and concrete answers to questions ranging from logistics to e-commerce profitability, omnichannel excellence, private label profitability, relationships with international brands and the evolution of customer expectations. 

For over six decades, Chalhoub Group has been a partner and creator of luxury experiences in the Middle East. The Group, in its endeavour to excel as a hybrid retailer, has reinforced its distribution and marketing services with a portfolio of eight owned brands and over 300 international brands in the luxury, beauty, fashion, and art de vivre categories. More recently, the Group expanded its expertise into new categories of luxury watches, jewellery, and eyewear. 

Every step at Chalhoub Group is taken with the customer at heart. Be it by constantly reinventing itself or focusing on innovation to provide luxury experiences at over 750+ experiential retail stores, online and through mobile apps, each touch point leads to delighting the customer. 

Today, Chalhoub Group stands for 14,000 skilled and talented professionals across seven countries, whose cohesive efforts have resulted in the Group being ranked third in the Middle East and first in Saudi Arabia as A Great Place to Work®. 

To keep the innovation journey going, the Group has set up “The Greenhouse”, which is not just an innovation hub, but also an incubator space and accelerator for start-ups and small businesses in the region and internationally. This is just one of the several initiatives taken by the Group to reinvent itself, catalysed by forward thinking and future proofing. The Group has also been embedding sustainability at the core of its business strategy with a clear commitment towards people, partners and the planet, and by being a member of the United Nations Global Compact Community and signatory of the Women's Empowerment Principles. 

For more information : www.chalhoubgroup.com, @ChalhoubGroup 

Press Contact : Lea Maalouf, Head of Media Relations and Public Affairs, Lea.Maalouf@chalhoub.com, + 971 54 716 7770 

Read the full press release below:

Read the full press release, in French, below: