Fabrizio Luna

Global luxury is slowing. The GCC isn’t. 🔹 The market: While global luxury is facing a downturn, the GCC continues to grow strongly, powered by landmark retail developments and a wave of investment optimism. Abu Dhabi in particular is emerging as the next epicenter, with The Grove and cultural districts reshaping the luxury, lifestyle, and tourism landscape. 🔹 The customer: GCC clients are hyper-connected, global travelers, and increasingly influential. They move seamlessly from scroll to store, blending luxury with mass brands — and expect cultural relevance, exclusivity, and trust in every interaction. Here, loyalty belongs to brands that balance global desirability with true local relevance. 🔹 Gen Z effect: This generation isn’t just buying luxury, they are shaping it. From setting trends on social to demanding authenticity and cultural fluency, Gen Z is forcing brands to rethink communication, collections, and experiences. 🔹 The brand challenge: The era of effortless growth is over. Awareness is not enough. True brand health drives long terms growth and loyalty and will depend on desirability, distinct image strength, and above all - cultural fluency. Because in the GCC, long-term loyalty is earned locally, even for global brands. 👉 As global growth cools and GCC accelerates, are luxury brands ready to adapt fast enough - not just by opening stores, but by building cultural resonance where it matters most? Thank you Mo Shadman & Chalhoub Group Intelligence Team for this very insightful conference.

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DLG announces the appointment of Guillaume Houlier as International Client Director. With over 20 years of experience at the crossroads of digital communications, e-commerce, and storytelling, Guillaume brings a rare combination of creative vision and technical expertise. His arrival strengthens DLG’s ability to support luxury brands as they navigate the profound transformation of customer engagement in the age of AI. He joins from his role as Director of Narrative, where he redefined the museum experience through the integration of storytelling, scenography, and digital technologies – including AI-enhanced installations. Among his standout projects are the Olympic Museum’s acclaimed “Free to Run” immersive audio exhibition. Prior to that, Guillaume co-founded and led Details, a leading digital agency, for 16 years until its acquisition in 2020. Under his leadership, the agency partnered with iconic luxury brands such as Audemars Piguet, Vacheron Constantin, Hublot, Caran d’Ache, and Nespresso, establishing him as a trusted partner in the luxury and lifestyle ecosystems. His unique combination of luxury brand expertise and technical innovation – with degrees in mathematics and computer science – positions him perfectly to bridge DLG’s expanding AI capabilities with the sophisticated creative execution luxury brands demand. “What impressed me most wasn’t just the clients or the brands, but the quality of the work and level of execution. I thought I had a good handle on AI and data, but DLG is clearly ahead – from how AI is integrated into strategy, to the precision of insights. And the creative? Powerful, elegant, and exactly right for luxury. I’m thrilled to join such a talented and inspiring team," says Guillaume. His appointment follows the recent addition of Blaise Roulet, Non-Executive Board Member, underscoring DLG’s commitment to building world-class capabilities across AI, luxury strategy, and creative execution. “Guillaume’s vast experience across digital communication, technology, and creative – backed by a strong mathematical background – makes him the ideal sparring partner for luxury and lifestyle brands looking to harness the full potential of AI,” adds David Sadigh, Founder & CEO.

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Beyond the Product: Why the Future of Luxury is All About Experiences The rules of luxury are changing. Today's discerning consumers don't just want beautiful things – they crave moments that can't be bought twice. From private viewings at the Louis Vuitton atelier to parties in Dior's secret garden, brands get it: the product is just the start. The real value lies in experiences. The real value lies in the exclusive, transient, and deeply personal experiences wrapped around it. The Rise of "Experiential Luxury" Chanel's Métiers d'Art shows: these traveling performances (from Paris to Dakar) are not just fashion shows, they turn customers into insiders at exclusive, invitation-only events. Aman Resorts' Jet program: for $175,000, guests visit Aman hotels on a private Airbus jet, because the journey is just as important as the destination. Rolex's Yacht-Master Experience: buyers get more than just a watch; they get access to private regattas and sailing legends. Why This Shift? Scarcity wins: limited editions (such as Gucci's Epilogue collection) create a sense of urgency – “buy now or miss out forever.” Memories are more important than things: a $5,000 Picnic Bag from Hermès is more memorable than another handbag. Personalization equals Loyalty: Rimowa's engraved itineraries or NetJets' customized flight plans turn customers into brand ambassadors. The Takeaway Luxury is evolving beyond objects. The brands that are winning today understand that you're selling not a product, but a story that they'll tell for years to come.

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Pandora’s next chapter: a brand-led CEO - and the talent play behind it Pandora just set the tone for its next era: CEO Alexander Lacik will retire at the March 11, 2026 AGM, handing the reins to CMO Berta de Pablos-Barbier. It’s a long runway, an internal elevation, and a clear signal that brand is the growth engine - not a campaign, a mandate. That choice matters. It tells the market that Pandora’s next phase won’t be defined by a new playbook so much as by deeper execution of the one already working: brand as the operating system, not the veneer. Lacik’s tenure rewired the company - from product discipline and Phoenix’s “full jewellery” ambition to a sustainability stance that now differentiates at scale. De Pablos-Barbier steps in not as a “break from the past” but as the natural evolution of it: a brand builder who has already sharpened Pandora’s positioning and understands the cadence required to turn desire into demand, month after month. CMO-to-CEO moves are still rare in accessible luxury, but they make sense when the growth lever is experience orchestration across product, store, digital, and community. The brief ahead isn’t to market the brand; it’s to run the business through the brand - translating storytelling into store theatre, launch calendars into visit frequency, and values into trust that compounds. What makes this transition notable is the time it creates for system design. Eighteen months is enough to tune the leadership architecture, lock the product pipeline, and ensure the culture doesn’t flinch. It also gives room to make a visible bet on the next generation of talent - because inclusive leadership at the top only resonates when it’s echoed in who gets stretch assignments, who is visible in flagship moments, and how local teams are empowered to create community, not just complete transactions. Here's what to watch for next: ✅ The appointment of a CMO successor - and how the CEO/CFO/COO/CMO “growth spine” is wired for speed without trading off margin discipline. ✅ A step-change in store experience tied to hero collections - service, styling, and storytelling that lift AUR, attachment, and repeat visits. ✅ Proof that sustainability remains a growth engine, not a report - making recycled metals and emissions goals a consumer promise, not an appendix. ✅ Talent signals: cross-category hires, internal mobility, and incentives that reward community building as much as conversion. Pandora isn’t gambling on charisma; it’s doubling down on a system that’s already delivering. The market will still test execution: pricing power, traffic quality, and productivity will do the talking, but the strategic through-line is clear. This is succession as momentum management. If De Pablos-Barbier turns brand relevance into an operating rhythm that every team can feel and every store can stage, the next chapter won’t need a reintroduction. It will simply read as progress. Classy choice, for a classy brand.

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