Renuka Jagtiani on Landmark Group’s billion-dollar bet

Dubai-based retail giant Landmark Group plans to invest $1 billion (Dh3.67 billion) in UAE, GCC, India and Southeast Asia to open 400 new stores over the next three years.

The group, which employs 53,000 people, revealed that the 400 new points of sale will create 15 to 20 percent additional employment opportunities, or 7,950 to 10,600 new jobs in the different units of the well-diversified group.

Here, Landmark Chairman Renuka Jagtiani discusses the retail conglomerate’s growth, expansion plans, e-commerce investments and sustainability initiatives.

Q. Landmark Group has grown exponentially over the past five decades. What key stages and turning points in the group’s journey have contributed to its success?

Over the past five decades, many factors have contributed to our success, including our entrepreneurial spirit, our commitment to empowering people and listening to our customers, and, ultimately, our ability to stay relevant within ourselves. adapting to changing market conditions, changing consumer habits, and macroeconomic conditions.

As the home of owned brands, we have experienced key turning points that have allowed us to remain relevant and serve generations of families who have grown up with our brands. Introducing new brands across categories, expanding our retail presence and developing e-commerce are some of the highlights of our journey.

Our journey began in 1990 when we started our footwear business with Shoemart in the UAE after moving from Bahrain. We expanded our presence to Saudi Arabia in 1994 and India in 2001. Over the years, we have developed a diverse portfolio of brands including Splash, Home Centre, Lifestyle, Max Fashion, Centrepoint, Home Box and VIVA.

A pioneer in regional e-commerce, we launched our omnichannel business in 2012. Our online business has seen consistent growth of over 20% annually across the GCC. As of 2024, we operate 12 independent e-commerce stores, contributing up to 20% of total sales. We have also established a strong presence in the GCC and Indian markets, offering both our own and third-party products.

Landmark launched its sustainability journey in 2014 with Splash, focusing on responsible product development. We are committed to becoming a circular, climate-positive organization that embraces sustainable products, operations and customer experiences. This includes innovations in product design, packaging, transportation, energy consumption and recycling.

Q. Tell us more about the group’s growth strategy and the opportunities you see in the markets you currently operate in.

We will invest $1 billion over the next three years to expand our commercial presence in the GCC, India and Southeast Asia. Landmark also plans to refresh its existing stores and further strengthen its online presence and operations to bring value and convenience to its customers.

To better serve our customers, Landmark will expand its presence in key markets. VIVA will launch in Saudi Arabia in 2025, while the UAE and Oman will see significant store growth, with almost 100 stores in the UAE and 50 new stores planned in Oman by 2028.

Finally, we are committed to growth in India. With 25 years of market experience and nearly 1,000 outlets in over 265 cities, the group plans to add 250 more stores over the next three years, including eight new Babyshop stores in key cities across six months here.

Q. How has the group adopted e-commerce and sustainability to remain competitive in an evolving retail landscape?

Since pioneering e-commerce in the GCC region in 2012, Landmark has continued to expand its omnichannel presence. Our online business has seen robust growth, exceeding 20 percent annually in the Gulf region. Today, our 12 independent e-commerce stores account for a significant portion of our total sales, up to 20 percent.

Likewise, we have a strong market presence in the GCC and India, offering both our own and third-party products on our websites. To further improve our omnichannel strategy and reach customers seamlessly, we have digitized our stores and supply chain. This includes features such as ‘Click n Collect’ and smart self-checkouts.

We have been at the forefront of technological advancement, as evidenced by the launch of the Mega Distribution Center at JAFZA in 2019. The state-of-the-art distribution center demonstrates our commitment to operational excellence. Our continued investments in AI-driven supply chain optimization, cutting-edge e-commerce platforms, and advanced point-of-sale systems enable us to stay ahead of the curve and deliver customer experiences exceptional.

Since 2014, we’ve been on a mission to make a positive impact through sustainable practices, starting with Splash. Our ambitious goal is to achieve a circular and climate-positive future by 2050 across our entire value chain. This involves sustainable product design, environmentally friendly packaging, efficient transportation, reduced energy consumption and effective recycling programs.

• Sustainable products: We are pioneers in sustainable sourcing and were the first and largest purchasers of Better Cotton in our markets. We are committed to using responsibly sourced materials and finished products.
• Sustainable operations: We have made considerable progress in energy efficiency. Solar energy now covers 14% of our energy needs in the UAE and we are continually optimizing energy management across our facilities.
• Sustainable customer journeys: We enable circular customer journeys through reusable and paper bags, e-receipts and a used clothing take-back program in the UAE.

Landmark has made significant progress in green finance and treasury, partnering with leading banks to convert our products into sustainable options. We launched the region’s first sustainability-linked bilateral loan with Standard Chartered Bank in 2022, followed by similar agreements with Saudi and Qatari banks.

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