Preliminary Agenda:
Leaders in Luxury Main Conference Day 1 | 21st October 2008
08:50
Chair’s Opening Address
DEFINING LUXURY IN THE MIDDLE EAST
09:00
KEYNOTE ADDRESS:
Positioning Your Brand In The Middle East Market
Luxury brands need to control their brand DNA and ensure that they communicate consistently about their codes and values. Local knowledge and understanding cannot be underestimated and it is essential to translate your brand to suit the value systems and mind sets of consumers in the Middle East.
- Matching brand values with those of your customers to touch their passion points
- Ensuring your brand message is aligned with international standards to ensure consistency
- Effectively localising your brand strategies to build brand equity
09:30
KEYNOTE PANEL:
Defining Luxury – What Does It Mean For Today’s Luxury Consumer In The Middle East?
Luxury is debatably an over-used term and this panel aims to set the scene by defining “luxury” to answer some of these key questions:
- What is luxury and on what parameters do we define luxury?
- What is the perception of luxury in the eyes of Middle East consumers?
- How do new definitions and new types of luxury impact running a luxury business in the Middle East?
10:15
Networking Coffee Break
THE BUSINESS OF LUXURY
10:55
PANEL:
Innovative Market Entry Strategies And Business Models Suited to the Middle East
The Middle East is very unique market and holds massive potential. As such, more traditional market entry strategies may or may not work. This session will look at:
- How to successfully launch and manage a luxury business in the Middle East region to maximise market share while control brand image
- Solutions to challenges that you could potentially face when launching a luxury business in the Middle East
Panellists:
Ananya Narayan, Senior Vice President, Global Strategy, Preferred Hotel Group
11:25
Reinforcing Your Luxury Brand Strategy Through Effective Distribution Management
Mont Blanc has a rich history in the Middle East and due to this they offer their products through a variety of distribution channels. During the presentation, Joe will detail how he ensures consistency and transparency across these channels to ensure optimal customer experience and service.
- Ensuring consistency of brand representation and customer experience across various channels
- Working effectively with your partners to support brand strategy and reinforce brand messages
- Combating the dangers of misinterpretation and dilution of your brand DNA and message
Joe Nahhas, Brand Director, Mont Blanc
CREATING THE LUXURY EXPERIENCE AND ENVIRONMENT
11:55
Location, Location, Location – Selection Of The Right Retail Site
With more brands entering into retail and new Luxury shopping malls opening everywhere, the challenge will be finding the right location. The Middle East is booming which gives rise to lucrative retail opportunities for both brands and developers. However, the equation is becoming complex as there is a multitude of options lined to new market trends and consumer habits.
- Weighing the benefits – hotels versus shopping malls versus stand alone boutiques versus mixed use developments
- Identifying the hot retail districts to target to ensure ROI
- Identifying the right brands and the right mix of brands for developers
12:25
Networking Lunch
13:55
Leveraging On the Online Channel To Enhance Brand Equity, Engage Your Customer and Drive Revenue
For luxury brands, the internet provides both risks and opportunities. The opportunity of reaching out to new customers and engaging them in new ways is attractive however, how do you mitigate the inherent risks? It is widely accepted you cannot ignore the web and this session will detail how you can use the online channel to drive home your brand message and revenue. Key issues to be discussed include:
- Effectively managing the reputation of your brand online
- Ensuring & extending the customer experience on line
- Assessing the opportunities and strategies for revenue growth
14:25
Identifying and Retaining Talent To Be Your Brand Ambassadors
For all brands, retail staff will often be your first ambassadors. It is absolutely essential that they provide superior quality of service your customers demand.
- Setting the bar high and selecting the right talent to be your brand ambassadors
- Astute sourcing strategies to find key talent
- Effective training strategies to ensure competency at the front end of luxury retailing
COMMUNICATING WITH THE LUXURY CONSUMER
14:55
PANEL:
Maintaining the Message And Quality of Your Brand As You Grow
As your brand grows it is important to ensure you keep true to your brand message.
- Effectively retaining the scarcity factor whilst increasing brand awareness
- Proven strategies to protect your brand image across parallel markets and sustain your brand message
15:25
Networking Break & BizLux-change
Fast and Furious, Bring Plenty Of Business Cards!
BizLux-change is an informal way to meet your fellow delegates. Structured around a series of informal 5 minute introductions, this is your opportunity to collect business cards, set up meetings or just get to know your peers who will shape the conference proceedings.
16:25
Developing A Unique Brand Voice That Communicates To The Middle Eastern Luxury Consumer
This session will draw on insights into the luxury customer to detail how to create a unique brand voice through the messages you convey and experiences you offer.
- Understanding the affluent consumer to create relevant luxury experiences while preserving brand values
- Ensuring you are maintaining your core brand message
Hugues de Pins, Vacheron Constantin
16:55
Innovative Integration Of Multiple Channels To Enhance How You Reach Out To The Luxury Consumer
Marketing to the luxury consumer goes beyond just advertising and events.
- Effectively reaching your consumer by designing and implementing the optimal marketing mix for your brand
- Integrating the right channels in the right ratios to ensure you maximise profits and market share.
- Examining key channels such as: events, advertising, database marketing and online.
17:25
Chair’s Summary And Close of Day 1
17:30
Gala Cocktail Reception & Dinner
Socialise with your peers in style by enjoying informal networking and cocktails with your peers. This is an excellent opportunity to continue the keen debate of the day in a relaxed environment. There’s no better time to get to know your industry peers. Don’t forget to bring your business cards!
Leaders in Luxury Main Conference Day 2 | 22nd October 2008
08:50
Chair’s Opening Address
REACHING TODAY’S LUXURY CONSUMER
09:00
Leveraging On Actionable Insights Into Ultra-Affluent Middle East Consumers
This ground-breaking session will delve into who is the luxury consumer in the Middle East.
- Who are they, how do they live, what do they like, how and where can they be reached?
- The latest on the changing demographics & psychographics of the Middle East region
- Connecting with the super-affluent to leverage on opportunities Middle Eastern demographics and culture provides for luxury brands
10:00
KEYNOTE PANEL:
Distinguishing Your Brand And Ensuring Clarity Through The Clutter
With so many brands vying for the attention of the luxury consumer, it is imperative you differentiate yourself clearly.
- Devising a communication strategy that matches your brand image
- Breaking through the noise and creating an identity in crowded marketplace
- Educating consumers on the brand history, values & heritage
10:30
Networking Coffee Break & iLuxE – Innovative Luxury ideas Exchange
Networking with a difference, you will have the choice of having informal discussions with your peers over coffee or choose to join the iLuxE roundtables.
Join this unique round table session where iLuxE moderators rotate every 20 minutes to meet with you and ensure you get a chance to discuss each topic in an informal, collaborative setting. Focused on significant areas that impact your business strategies and goals, the iLuxE session is a great opportunity for you and your team members to raise the burning questions and challenge some of the issues you face everyday.
- Trunkshows, home shopping & stylists – the cutting edge of retailing luxury in the Middle East
- Advertising – innovative ways to getting the most bang for your buck
- Cutting edge marketing & communications strategies to target the new affluent consumer
CREATING LUXURY EXPERIENCES
11:15
Creating Distinct And Compelling Brand Experiences That Resonate With Your Customer
Luxury more than just a product, it also creating an experience that truly creates emotional connections with your customer. In such a diverse market as the Middle East, this session will also detail how to develop experiences that speak to multiple customer segments including:
- Optimising your luxury experience for the local market
- Creating emotional connections and touching passion points
- Using experiences to build brand engagement
11:45
Ensuring Customer Loyalty From Affluent Consumers
The cost of acquiring a new customer is always exponentially more than retaining your key customers.
- Creating and maintaining the relationship between your brand and your customers is critical.
- Real strategies that work to ensure that your customer comes back for more and is a customer for life
12:15
Networking Lunch
13:45
PANEL:
Successful Retail In the Middle East – What Works & What’s Unique?
The unique mix of locals, expatriates and tourists demand equally unique retail store environments and operations:
- Effectively adapting store management practices to suit the Middle East
- Latest trends and what’s hot in in-store retail in the Middle East
- Leveraging on different channels to bring the luxury customer to your boutique door
- The latest in retail store designs
14:30
Delivering the Luxury Promise By Ensuring Quality of Service and Experience
Luxury promises not only quality of product but also service. This session details:
- Ensuring you are provide consistent and superior quality of service across all customer touchpoints, both on and offline
- Putting in place key metrics to measure customer satisfaction and ensure you meet your customers’ expectations
15:00
Networking Coffee Break
LUXURY PARTNERSHIPS
15:30
Assessing Mutually Beneficial Business Models For Effective Luxury Partnership
Strategic partnerships are only beneficial if they achieve the initial goals set out.
- Assessing what types of partnerships are available
- Considerations that need to come into play when deciding who to partner with
- Effectively structuring a partnership to ensure that there are tangible and measurable outcomes that are beneficial for all parties
16:00
CLOSING PANEL:
Forming Strategic Partnerships That Will Enhance Your Brand, Serve Your Customers Better And Generate Revenue
Partnering with another luxury brand that is not from your competitive set can provide great synergies. This panel will discuss how you can:
- How do you target the same, but wider audience?
- How do you best leverage on your partner’s brand cachet and reinforce your brand message?
- How can strategic partnerships ensure you leverage on co- branding opportunities?
17:00
Chair’s Summary Remarks and Close of Conference
Pre-Conference Masterclass
Luxury Brand Management Masterclass
20th October 2008
This Masterclass will focus on issues pertinent to effective luxury brand management. Preceding the conference, attending this Masterclass will provide a solid foundation for the 2 days ahead. This morning session will be built around a presentation of key concepts, supplemented by various case studies aimed at learning from successes and best practices, but also failures.
Concepts mixed with case studies relevant to the Middle East market will constitute the mainstream of the afternoon session
Drawing on Denis’ vast experience, he will use lecture, group activities and interactive discussions to cover the following:
08:30 Registration
09:00 General introduction
- How to define luxury today – Luxury, Fashion & Heritage - From highly exclusive luxury to affordable luxury - new luxury segments - new luxury consumers
A/ International luxury brand management foundations
1. Introduction to Luxury brands identity management
- Fundamentals on luxury brands identity
- Sources of luxury brands identity
- Luxury brands architecture
2. Leveraging luxury brands equity
- Managing exclusivity and accessibility factors
- Managing dream and aesthetic factors
- Innovating while remaining loyal to heritage
- Stretching/extending luxury brands without diluting their identity
- How to define luxury lifestyle strategies?
12:00 Lunch
13:00 B/ Luxury brands international distribution strategies
- Distribution business models : wholesale, retail and licensing
- Why is retail becoming so vital for luxury brands?
- New retail channels for luxury brands : from Directly operated stores to franchises and from free standing stores to department stores shop in shops , challenges and opportunities of travel retail and on-line distribution for luxury brands
- Agents, distributors, Joint-ventures, fully-owned subsidiaries : the middle-East case
C/ Marketing partnership and co-branding practices in the Luxury Industry
- Co-branding & partnership marketing formats in the Luxury Industry
- Opportunities & threat of co-branding in the luxury industry : best practices
- Illustration 1 : Luxury Fashion brands & Luxury hospitality brands
- Illustration 2 : The Luxury destination marketing concept
16:00 Close of Masterclass
ABOUT YOUR MASTERCLASS LEADER:
Denis has worked for more than 20 years in the Luxury Fashion Industry and occupied CEO/COO positions with companies such as Polo Ralph Lauren (Europe) , Pierre Balmain and Giorgio Armani (France). He was also for 6 years the President & CEO of Group Sac, the second largest shoes manufacturing group in France and developed both in-house and licensed shoes brands internationally.
In May 2004, he started his own consulting company, specialized in Luxury Brand Management and International Luxury Distribution, with a particular focus on emerging markets. He has collaborated with international companies on brand extensions & branding issues. He has advised new brands and designers from emerging markets on their international distribution and retail strategies.
Since September 2004, he is also the Executive Director of ESSEC MBA in International Luxury Brand Management as well as a professional faculty in various ESSEC Programs, including ESSEC general MBA, ESSEC Luxury brands MBA and IHMI (Hospitality MBA).
Post-conference Masterclass
Innovations in Luxury Property Development Masterclass
23rd October 2008
09:00 – 15:00
Luxury is more than merely the product – luxury is about the experience and living the luxury. This is evident in the not only the exponential growth in luxury hotels & shopping malls, but also in luxury residential properties. As with luxury goods, it is essential that you innovate how you market & develop these properties to ensure that you reach the increasingly savvy Middle East consumer. Whether you are a property developer or a luxury brand assessing the potential to branch out into the property sector this Masterclass will ensure you are up to date on the latest trends, developments and considerations.
- Current state of play in the Middle East – where are the hotspots for development and investment?
- Innovations in luxury developments and assessing the opportunities & challenges they present:
- Residential
- Commercial
- Mixed Developments
- Leisure and hospitality
- Leveraging on synergies between luxury retail & luxury properties – what are the strategies for property developers?
- Managing the luxury experience and expectation:
- Service
- Facilities management
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