Welcome back everyone, I hope you have all had a fantastic break catching up with friends and family, eating too much, drinking too much, and have now returned fully energised for the exciting year that lies ahead!
We have been back in the office for just a couple of days now but we are already hard at work on several upcoming projects and focused on the immediate task of getting the RLI magazine back on your desk.
The February issue is coming along well and we have lots of exciting features for you to look forward to in our first issue of the New Year. The features include a close look at Twice Fashion, China's earliest and most influential fashion accessories brand in the Chinese market, retailing a wide range of accessories. The February issue will also highlight the Ipekyol brand, which is run by the Ayaydin-Miroglio Group, which operates 160 stores in Turkey and six stores overseas across its brands Machka, Twist and Ipekyol. Also in the magazine there will be a feature on a leading luxury retailer in the Middle East, Paris Gallery. This is the eponymous flagship brand of Paris Gallery Group, with over 1 million sq ft of luxurious shopping space and 40 stores located in prime retail addresses spanning the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Bahrain. We are also looking at One and Only Resorts, whose remote island retreats offer some of the most unique experiences in the world's best destinations. With a special feature on shop-fitting and a voyager section focused on the best developments Russia has to offer as well, the first magazine of 2014 will be worth the wait.
Now less than five months away, the momentum surrounding RLI Connect 2014, the must-attend deal-making event of 2014 continues to grow and we have new retailers and developers signing up on a regular basis.
On that note, I am also delighted to reveal that Red Sea Mall have retained their Silver Sponsorship package for the second RLI Connect event. This now means that all the sponsorship packages have been taken, so get in touch now via jayne.rafter@rli.uk.com to snap up a Meeting Room package before they too are all gone.
The Global RLI Awards 2014 is also in the works. Scheduled to take place on the 5th June following the completion of RLI Connect earlier in the day, the awards will offer a unique networking opportunity, 17 award categories, a three course meal, an excellent evening's entertainment and of course the infamous after party! For those who have attended RLI Connect the awards will also allow previous discussions to continue in a relaxed environment and offer even more deal-making opportunities.
After all the celebrations of the last few weeks, 2014 will see RLI celebrate its 100th issue, and it just so happens to fall on our yearly Mapic issue in November, so be sure to mark that one out in the calendar as it promises to be the biggest issue we have ever done.
Till next time...
