Luxury retailer Chalhoub Group plans to double its workforce in Saudi Arabia to meet increasing demand for high-end fashion.
The Dubai-based retailer, which sells brands such as Louis Vuitton, Michael Kors, Dior and Tumi in 14 countries, currently employs more than 12,500 people worldwide and 3,400 people in the kingdom.
“We will definitely see ourselves at 5,000 to 6,000 people within the next five years,” Patrick Chalhoub, CEO of Chalhoub Group, told Arab News.
Saudi Arabia contributes approximately 40 per cent of the company’s retail and beauty products, and 20 per cent of its fashion revenue.
Previously, the Chalhoub Group saw 20 per cent of Saudis visiting stores; today that figure is 90 per cent.
This growth “motivated [them] to continue to grow in the Middle East and especially in Saudi Arabia,” said Mr Chalhoub.
“Much more than 50% of our activity should be there.”
The group is also experiencing an influx of online sales and engagement via social media, a relatively new form of sales for the company.
In line with this growth, Chalhoub hopes to bring digital engineers and marketers on board to “capture, understand and engage with customer data on social media”.
Mr Chalhoub says this shift is thanks to the current trend of looking beyond conventional fashion leaders.
“More than ever, people engage through social media networks with a large circle of friends about what is happening today,” he said.
“The prevailing interest in this form of marketing and sales drives Chalhoub’s intention to be an integral part of this conversation.”
