AS a global conglomerate that has been active in Saudi Arabia since 1994, Landmark’s relationship with the Kingdom is a long and enduring one. Today, as Landmark Arabia has emerged as one of the leading employment providers in the nation’s private sector, its strategies continue to be closely aligned with the vision of the Saudi government.

Landmark Arabia’s presence in the Kingdom is considerable, with more than 850 stores, spanning over 11 million sqft of retail space across 45 towns and cities. Shukran, one of Saudi Arabia’s largest loyalty programs with over 10 million customers in its base, is also run by the Group.

Saudi government’s Vision 2030 stresses heavily on diversifying the economy through sustainable changes, and two core strategies to achieve this are (i) increased Saudization of the private sector and (ii) facilitating women’s empowerment. Providing opportunities for skills development and encouraging women to pursue their career goals rank high on the list of priorities for Landmark Arabia.

Landmark Arabia has been working towards facilitating this goal in multiple ways. Of its 10,300+ strong workforce in the Kingdom, over 6,800 are Saudi nationals, which testifies for the Group’s commitment to the government’s goals. 66% of this currently comprise Saudi women, and steps are being taken to constantly increase the numbers over the coming period.

In addition to providing employment opportunities, the Group has launched programs to support Saudi youth and women with skills development for professional growth. To this end, leading fashion brands Splash & Iconic have partnered with the American University of Cairo (AUC) to enroll Saudi women in its Retail Management Development Program. Additionally, exclusive Store Leadership Program are being held to accelerate the professional development of Saudi store managers across all Landmark stores in the Kingdom.

In a further bid to develop Saudi talent, and stay relevant to its employees and employers, Landmark Arabia has also facilitated an omni-channel or truly Phygital business model ensuring growth for both the economy and business. Landmark Arabia is transforming their business continuously to give loyal local customers a leading Omni-Channel experience – no matter whether they choose to shop in their stores or online. In 2017, the e-commerce business was launched in Saudi Arabia and today Saudi Arabia drives 40% of the Group’s overall online sales.

The digital drive is equally implemented internally within the company to cater to their young, tech-savvy, forward-thinking retail employees. The Landmark Group was the first company in the Middle East to adopt Workplace by Facebook as the official internal communications platform connecting 55,000 employees across 12 countries. Specially designed HR & Learning modules are also launched within the group to give the mobile-first generation easy access to learning and development.

Since its inception in 1994 in the Kingdom, the Group and its brands have created exceptional value for communities across the region, with presence in GCC, Lebanon, North Africa and India. Landmark Arabia’s retail offerings include more than 10 homegrown brands such as Centrepoint, Babyshop, SHOEMART, Lifestyle, Splash, Max, Home Centre, Home Box, Shoexpress, Iconic and hospitality brands like Fitness First - all of which are household names in Saudi Arabia.

Along with its own brands, Landmark Arabia also franchises international brands such as Koton, Reiss, Carpisa and Nandos among other global brands in the region. In addition, the Group owns three Oasis Malls in the Kingdom.

Keenly aware that its position as a leading private sector entity in the Kingdom comes with the responsibility of facilitating its long-term development, Landmark Arabia spares no effort to fulfill Saudi government’s vision. — SG