Dubai’s retail infrastructure sets it apart. With destinations such as Dubai Mall attracting over 110 million visitors annually, physical retail remains a powerful economic driver.

But this ecosystem is tightly integrated with ecommerce. Showrooms, online ordering and rapid fulfilment are now part of a unified retail model — one that demands precision logistics behind the scenes.

DP World operates one of the world’s largest port facilities in Jebel Ali, handling more than 15 million containers annually — including hundreds of thousands dedicated to retail flows.

Simon highlighted the operational advantage of moving goods from ocean freight to air cargo within an hour. This port-to-air integration enables retailers to bring products from Bangladesh, Pakistan, Southeast Asia and China into Dubai before redistributing them rapidly across Europe, Africa and the wider GCC.

Speed, visibility and resilience are not optional. They are competitive requirements.

Retail logistics is no longer about isolated players operating independently. It is about coordinated ecosystems.

Simon emphasised the importance of structured industry collaboration — bringing together end-to-end supply chain providers, retailers and solution partners in one environment. Focused meetings, prepared discussions and targeted matchmaking accelerate meaningful engagement.

In a volatile global trade landscape, alignment between competitors, partners and customers ensures continuity of supply and customer satisfaction.

As global mall economies face decline in some regions, Dubai continues to grow. Its geographic positioning between Europe, Asia, Africa and the wider GCC reinforces its role as a distribution and redistribution hub.

For global retailers and ecommerce operators, Dubai represents more than a gateway. It is a strategic platform for scalable, resilient and integrated supply chains.