David Macadam, Head of Retail – MENA

1. How long have you been in retail?
28 Years in retail / 6 months at JLL.

2. What changes have you experienced in this time?
- increase in number of great world class brands.
- increase in the number, size, type and variety of retail environments worldwide
- changing demographics - ageing of the populations in the west and Japan and growth of younger population demographics in other areas of the world such as India and Middle East & North Africa.
- increased purchasing power of different demographic groups.
- Globalization of retail brands - expansion from regional brands to world wide growth.  Example Bloomingdales, Louis Vuitton,  Giordano, Abercrombie & Fitch.

3. What is the most exciting thing about working in retail at the moment?
Managing change. With the advent of web based internet sales the future will see margins under pressure even for the world's best and most noted brands.

4. How do you think consumer demands/expectations are changing?
Competition is becoming very fierce among the retailers and also the developers.  Consumers are becoming more sophisticated and discerning.  The proper merchandising and delivery of the best retail environments are now demanded by the shoppers. 

5. What’s the most important issue facing retail over the next 10 years?
Increased competition from many sources including more retail environments, web based sales, international opportunities, point of sale purchasing from mobile phones and other means of purchase.