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Fragrance market in ME has ‘unlimited’ potential

Ahmed Butti Ahmed, the executive chairman of Ports, Customs and Free Zone Corporation and director-general of Dubai Customs, on Sunday inaugurated the second Middle East Fragrance Summit, or MEFS 2012, which run until today the Ritz Carlton – DIFC in Dubai.

In the opening speech, Ahmed stressed the important position of the summit as it represents the global platform for industry manufacturers and retailers to discuss, innovate and strategise on how to tap the unlimited potential of the Middle East fragrance retail market.

“Dubai Customs’ participation will considerably contribute to supporting this summit at the local and global levels,” Fragrance Foundation Arabia chairman Shahzad Haider said.

In his welcome speech, Haider commended the vigourous efforts of government entities in organising the fragrance and retail industries in the UAE. He also stressed that the public and private sectors should cooperate to fight counterfeit products and enact a federal law to resist this issue.

Paris Gallery Group chief executive officer Mohammed Al Fahim started the first session in the summit and spoke about the evaluation of fragrance market in the UAE, while Clive Christian owner Victoria Christian started a session on the art of fragrance industry and brand creation. Roja Dove Fragrances’ Roja Dove discussed retail market development.

Eng Mohammed Badri, director-general of the Emirates Standardization and Metrology Authority, or Esma, spoke about the mechanisms of organising the fragrance market and cosmetics in the UAE. Badri stressed that Esma will create a specialised national committee during the second half of December 2012 to produce standard federal specifications to control and supervise the fragrance and cosmetics sector.

The final session was a panel discussion about the trends and preferences of consumers.

business@khaleejtimes.com