Firstly, I would like to wish you all a very happy New Year from all the team at RLI. We hope you have all enjoyed the break and are ready to kick on in 2015.
As the calendar rolls into 2015, our focus increases on our two upcoming events that will bring the world of retail together in Dubai from the 1st - 3rd June. The first of these events is RLI Connect 2015, which marks the first time the event will not take place in London, as we look to expand the global nature of the event and position RLI Connect in one of the most recognisable shopping destinations in the world. RLI Connect 2015 will take place across two full days on the 1st and 2nd June at the Meydan Racecourse.
Taking place alongside RLI Connect 2015 on the 3rd June is the world-renowned Global RLI Awards, which is celebrating its 10th Anniversary year, and will be an event not to be missed. The Awards offers continued networking opportunities along with a 4-course meal, evening's entertainment and of course, the Awards ceremony itself, with 18 different categories available for entry, for which the nominations deadline is 31st January.
Before this however, we are keeping one eye firmly on the first issue of the year, which is due to hit desks in the last week of January. The February issue is set to include interviews with Nicole Farhi and Adore Cosmetics, along with a look at ITC Hotels and a voyager section highlighting Russia. In addition to this the issue will have a preview of the fast approaching MIPIM event and with the usual news sections and retail and leisure insights included; this issue will start the New Year off on a high note.
I will be working simultaneously on the upcoming issue along with managing my usual hectic schedule, which this month will see me out of the office travelling from Friday the 9th until the beginning of February.
The trip will first take me to Dubai, where I have meetings in place to finalise the location for the Global RLI Awards. From here I will then travel to Cairo to be a part of a UK Trade Delegation from the 12th - 16th, to gain a better understanding of the largest consumer market in the MENA region with a population of 90 million. Then it is back to Dubai for a week of meetings, followed by a two-day stay in Doha. Then it is back to Dubai one more time before a trip to Iran from the 27th - 29th to attend the 5th Retail Conference on January 28th and 29th which is organised by the Maad Retail Study Center. I will be speaking on the evolution of Retail: Mapping both regional and international Retail Trends to stay one step ahead of the competition. With a population of 80 million and with 300 shopping centres under construction, The Islamic Republic of Iran is set to be one of the fastest growing markets in the region over the next 3-5 years.
We will of course regularly keep you up-to-date with all the key announcements regarding RLI Connect and the 10th Global RLI Awards on this blog, announcements will also be made via our Twitter account which you can follow at https://twitter.com/RLIConnect
Wishing you all a fantastic 2015, see you in Dubai.
