PROGRAM OUTLINEASOF 26AUGUST 2025

More Speakers are being added

THEME:

“Sustainability driven growth strategies forFootwear & LeatherIndustry in Middle East.”

Day 1:Tuesday, 23Sept 2025

10:30AM: OfficialOpening Ceremony

ChiefGuest and Inaugural Address

• Salim M A, Group Director, Lulu Group International (Invited)

Session 1-11:30am - 13:00

‘Reinventing successful retail business models for Footwear & Leather goods, while navigating the impact of Geopolitics, E-commerce boom, technology integration and dynamic consumer choices’

Keynote Address- Neeraj Teckchandani, CEO, Apparel Group (Invited)

Speakers-

• Prashant Diwakar, Head of Category – Sun & Sand Sports, GMG
• Abdul Qureshi, Brand Director, Al Jaroodi (Invited)
• Abhimanyu Bhatia, Head-Apparel & Footwear, Amazon (Invited)
• Nilesh Kirani, Director, King’s Traders (Invited)

Session 2- 14:30- 16:00-

‘Effective strategies for driving growth in the multibillion Dollar Footwear and Luxury Leather goods market in Middle East’

Speakers-

• Shamsa Muaid Fahad AlAhbabi, Managing Director and CEO, AlKhaznah 
• Tannery 
• Bader Al Alawi, Managing Director, CHIC 
• Morgan Papi, Chief Technology Officer, The Cobbler

Day 2: Wednesday, 24Sept

Session 3- 11:30am- 13:00 pm

‘Forecasting the next wave of Trends, Innovation, Smart Fabrics, DTC Models, and Conscious choices: Designers' toolkit for success.’

Speakers-

• Anwar Bougroug,Founder and Creative Director, Bougroug
• MayAhmed, BagDesigner, H&T bags
• Sally Sarieddine, Founder and Creative Designer, LaLaQueen
• Medha Raj, Footwear Designer, Landmark Group (Invited)

Session 4-14:30- 16:00

‘Sustainability begins at the source: Redefining smart manufacturing in the age of responsibility’

Speakers-

• Eng.Salma Abaoubida,Head - CSR& Sustainability, ApparelGroup (Invited)
• Roudha Alawadhi – Managing Director- AlJedeel Trading
• Oscar Santi, Chief Operating Officer, Veganologie

Day 3:Thursday, 25Sept 2025

Session 5-11:30am - 13:00

‘Whirlpool of Millennials, Gen Z & Alpha generation consumers: How todecode business opportunities in footwear and leather goods’

Speakers-

• Nick Nikolce Markoski, Head of Retail- Shoemart, Shoexpress & Pablosky, Landmark Group (Invited)
• Siddharth Patil, Senior Manager- Ecommerce, Under Armour (Invited)
• Ateeb Hussain, Operations Manager, Skechers (Invited)

 

***Draft program, subject to change***