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The Fragrance Foundation Arabia to organize the first ever Middle East Fragrance Summit

Middle East fragrance market to touch US$10 billion by 2015

Event to be catalyst for innovative integration between regional and international players in Middle East fragrance industry

Region sees highest per capita consumption of perfumes with average annual purchase of US$380 per person
Dubai, July 17, 2011: The Fragrance Foundation Arabia (FFA), the Middle East wing of The Fragrance Foundation, the international industry body, announced today, the launch of the first ever Middle East Fragrance Summit (MEFS), to be held in Dubai on September 26 and 27, 2011, at The Address Hotel, Downtown Dubai. The announcement was made by Shahzad Haider, Chairman, FFA at a press conference in the presence of fragrance industry leaders from the region.

Organised under the theme, "Bridging Innovation," the summit, which aims to bring together the leading international and regional players of the fast growing fragrance industry under one roof, will initiate an innovative dialogue on a global platform, with a view from the Middle East. It will also provide regional industry players with tremendous opportunities to showcase the rich and authentic fragrance culture of the Middle East.

The Middle East fragrance market has high potential for growth, and is set to touch US$10 billion by 2015, backed by a young and largely fashion-conscious population with a growing trend towards consumer urbanization and higher spending propensity.

"Despite the recession, the market for perfumes in the Middle East was not impacted adversely" said Shahzad Haider, Chairman, FFA.

The per capita consumption of perfumes in the region is among the highest in the world, and this is estimated to be US$380 per person.

The Middle East Fragrance Summit has been organised at an opportune time when the global and regional fragrance industry is witnessing significant growth, with the global market set to almost double from US$17 billion in 2010, to touch US$33.5 billion by 2015. Industry experts also estimate that over the next five years the Middle East fragrance market, which is currently valued at US$3.5 billion, will prove to be one of the fastest growing segments of the industry worldwide.

Uniquely characterised by a mixture of both traditional Arabian perfumes and well known international brands, the Middle East Fragrance industry is at a significant point in its growth trajectory.

"Well known international brands have begun to recognise the untapped potential in the regional market, and are beginning to target Arab clientele. At the same time, the growing interest in traditional Arabian scents offers regional perfumers a huge opportunity to extend their reach beyond Middle Eastern shores to the more developed markets of the West. We believe the MEFS is crucial for the industry, and presents the ideal platform for a dialogue between the two seemingly emerging elements of tradition and modernity," added Haider.

"While fragrances have always been an integral part of life in the Arab World, there has never been such a depth of awareness about their importance in personal care programmes, as is seen today. We believe it is important to leverage this awareness to grow the market further in a streamlined manner and the MEFS is our first step in this direction," said Abdulla Ajmal, Deputy General Manager, Ajmal Perfumes.

The MEFS will enable international and regional industry players to meet and discuss mutual challenges and opportunities in the Middle East fragrance industry, and integrate the innovation aspect of the developed world with the expertise of the region. Focus will be on the tilt towards oriental notes and trends in international brands, and the corresponding shift towards global packaging and marketing among oriental brands, with a view to encourage knowledge sharing. Some of the leading industry names speaking at the event Abdulla Ajmal, Deputy General Manager, Ajmal Perfumes; Jean-Pierre Houri - Past-President, International Fragrance Association (IFRA), Roger Schmid, Founder, Nose About LLC, Sheherazade-Chamlou, V.P. Sales & Marketing Perfumery, SGD North America, USA and Grant Osborne, Editor in Chief, Basenotes, UK.

"IFRA promotes the safe enjoyment of fragrances with a view to protecting both the consumer and the environment," said Jean-Pierre Houri, Former President, IFRA. Given the fast-paced growth in the Middle East fragrance industry and the increasing fondness for traditional Arabian scents among international customers, the MEFS will be a significant platform to discuss the adoption of global standards across the industry and ensure greater integration between oriental and international brands."

Discussions on the rules and regulations that impede regional perfumers from extending their reach to western markets and understanding of oriental products in these markets will be of particular interest to summit delegates.

"The fragrance industry is one of the largest in the UAE, and a prime driver of the country's retail sector. It is only fitting that the first ever Middle East Fragrance Summit is being held in the UAE, which is the highest consuming market for fragrances and perfumes," said Laila Suhail, Chief Executive Officer, Dubai Events and Promotions Establishment (DEPE). "DEPE, as one of the agencies of the Department of Economic Development, is pleased to support the FFA's initiative in hosting this summit, as this is in line with our recent agreement with the Foundation to create initiatives to further boost the multi-million-dollar fragrance industry."

In addition to Dubai Events and Promotions Establishment (DEPE), the summit is supported by the IFRA, Neilsen, Parfam, Simply Abudhabi and Yahoo Maktoob.

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© Press Release 2011