MIDDLE EAST BORN BRANDS — OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES. FAB FASHION AND BEAUTY TECH #DUBAI.
The dynamic market trends in the Gulf Cooperation Council uniting 6 countries of the Middle East are driving a growing number of entrepreneurs to leap into creating GCC home grown brands. The region has grown at a rare pace over the past 30 years with many
imported successful brand concepts from abroad. We asked our panelist, all brand founders at different stages of maturity and with different profiles of clients the opportunities and challenges after launching and managing a brand born in the Middle East.
Fab Guest Speakers Feb 8th, the first in person meeting in Dubai (Design District):
Laurène JOIE, the founder of Gaudia Beauty, the first UAE-based scalp-care brand challenging industry standards with effective scalp treatments that marry traditional middle-eastern ingredients with evidence-based science.
Enrique Hormigo-Scarlett, founder of Montroi, a UAE born brand celebrating Nomadism with a collection of beautiful objects crafted by artisans and craftsmen from around the world in Marrakech, Jaipur, Oman, Ubrique, Bergamo and Grasse.
And Kevin Alderweireldt the co-founder of Bureau Beatrice, a creative technology company that helps brands connect the dots between people, culture, and emotion.
A Fab meeting and conversation hosted by Quentin Douce, cofounder of Shimmers, an independent incubator that turns brilliant ideas into reality and builds tomorrow’s success stories in Europe and the Middle East.
INTRODUCTION — BUILDING A BRAND IN THE GULF COOPERATION COUNCIL
Laurène Joie: I have a background in consulting with absolutely no knowledge in beauty. Luckily I have a few experts surrounding me, starting with my husband with a l’Oreal background. I built Gaudia based on my own concerns on my hair and scalp health specifically. Everything is designed, formulated and produced in the UAE with added french flair. The result? Gaudia is the first UAE-based scalp-care brand that marries traditional middle-eastern ingredients with evidence-based science. It is also a sustainable and meaningful alternative for people who, just like me, suffer from hair and scalp issues in this region.
Enrique Hormigo-Scarlett: I worked many years for luxury brands and came to Dubai without much perspective but saw it as an adventure for just a few months. And here I am…12 years later. I quickly felt compelled to start a brand here. Dubai has such an incredible energy that I decided to create Montroi, a UAE born brand celebrating Nomadism with a collection of beautiful objects crafted with pride, skill and care designed for the discerning travelers. Montroi supports artisans and craftsmen from around the world in Marrakech, Jaipur, Oman, Ubrique, Bergamo and Grasse. It really made sense to build a project like this one at the crossroad between the East and the West.
Kevin Alderweireldt: I have been an entrepreneur all my life. I have a very strong interest in immersive experiences and where else than in Dubai to experiment on this kind of thing? It is probably the only region of the world that is ready to try new things at scale. This is also where I met my co-founder Jon Maloy that convinced me to move to Dubai. We are now working for leading international luxury brands, building incredible immersive experiences in the region and for the world.
SOME ADVICE FROM FOUNDERS TO FOUNDERS
Enrique Hormigo-Scarlett: Make sure you have enough savings. Everybody tells you there are no taxes in the GCC countries. This is true, but the unpredictable costs that come with opening a company in the region is always much higher than anticipated. Make sure you have enough savings to sustain a minimum lifestyle in the country, there are no social support programs for entrepreneurs yet. You need to plan a budget for the license and offices that are required for anybody opening a company. Every single product you need to register, custom services you might require are always higher than what you plan for. Make sure you don’t fall into the misconception of working in a totally tax free environment.
Laurène JOIE: Take the time to assess your target audience and priority markets. The number of cultures, nationalities and backgrounds are numerous and so are the number of consumer concerns you can find. I began focusing on the UAE market and was looking to grow next in Saudi Arabia, the biggest market of the region. But surprisingly the women who show the most interest in my brand and products are in Kuwait and Qatar. I had to turn around to register the products and find ways to ship there as quickly as possible, distributors are also pressing me to launch in those countries as soon as possible.
Kevin Alderweireldt: Cash flow is everything. My company is about service, and service is about people. make sure you have enough cash flow before getting into anything. I have high profiles based in Dubai on my payroll, salaries here are higher than anywhere else in the world. In the GCC, you are never sure when your clients are going to pay invoices. Not only this but beware of the various admin you need to go through with a new company or the bank compliance services that can make your business very difficult to run. It took me more than 2 weeks to clear a transfer of 100 000 USD from Cartier (compliance had to check who was Cartier…) And 100 000 USD when you start a business is crucial.
Laurène Joie: Look at the unique PR and distribution channels that this region has to offer. At Gaudia Beauty we decided to build our awareness campaign through the local High Net Worth local community of Key Opinion Leaders. We built pop up shops in dedicated private villas where friends and family of local UAE or GCC women are invited. This is authentic influencer marketing and an incredible channel to present your brand and products. This kind of gathering is rare in other regions of the world, and so interesting to get new insights as well.
Enrique Hormigo-Scarlett: Get ready for a line of unexpected questions if you are looking to export to Europe or the USA. Montroi as it is built from the very start is meant to be an international brand with a message of inclusivity. I am now looking to open a store in Paris and in the near future in New York. I was very surprised: each and every investor has been asking me: but this is a brand from Dubai? It does not feel like it comes from the Middle East. Why did you start this brand in Dubai? Can you relocate to Europe and say it is European? Sadly Western countries have this 3rd world country syndrome when they imagine things coming from outside their home country. I invite all of them to come see what is happening here and soon in India. Things are shifting very fast.
Laurène Joie: I am very proud to have built a brand in the Middle East. Go and explore all the opportunities here. You can find everything you need to build a sustainable, high quality beauty brand in this region. From sourcing high quality ingredients to laboratories with high standards and professional suppliers. I was amazed at the number of people dedicated to do an amazing job and proud of the work they achieve here in the UAE. I am very happy to have built Gaudia Beauty in Dubai and be able to claim it was made in the UAE with pride.
Kevin Alderweireldt: Now we are being contacted by the other international offices of our global clients. All are pressing us to expand internationally thanks to what we have achieved here. It is just incredible how we’ve grown from a team of 6 just 1 year ago to a team of more than 30 today. I believe this region is the center of now.
A QUOTE OF OUR SPEAKERS
“I am so happy to see women come up to me, genuinely using the Gaudia Beauty products and thanking me for building a brand in the UAE, proud to see Middle East born brands with a potential to become international come to life”. Laurène Joie
“You know, we are now in Dubai and the Middle East at the right time. Opportunities are endless from here. Do not be scared. Things are changing fast for the best.” EnriqueHormigo-Scarlett
“Everybody in the region is talking about Saudi Arabia, it is definitely on our roadmap, but we are looking even further, this region is a springboard for the rest of the world. Our next offices are going to be in Shanghai or Singapore. The adventure is incredible”. Kevin Alderweireldt
MEET THE FOUNDERS hosts and speakers :
- Laurene Joie is the founder of Gaudia Beauty, the first UAE-based scalp-care brand challenging industry standards with effective scalp treatments that marry traditional middle-eastern ingredients with evidence-based science. She created Gaudia to offer a sustainable and meaningful alternative to people who, just like her, suffered from hair and scalp issues.
- Kevin Alderweireldt is an all-around entrepreneur with a penchant for immersive experiences. A true believer in immersive technologies and a pioneer in the field. He is the co-founder of Bureau Beatrice, a creative technology company that helps brands connect the dots between people, culture, and emotion. At Bureau Beatrice they believe in the power of innovation and know that innovations are better when they start with an idea. A space filled with amazement and enchantment.
- With more than 20 years in the luxury background, Enrique Hormigo-Scarlett is the founder of Montroi, a UAE born brand celebrating Nomadism with a collection of beautiful objects crafted with pride, skill and care for the discerning travelers. Montroi supports artisans and craftsmen from around the world in Marrakech, Jaipur, Oman, Ubrique, Bergamo and Grasse.
-Quentin Douce is a passionate leader with more than 15 years’ experience for major players in the luxury and cosmetic field. He developed and implemented successful global brand strategies for L’Oreal, LVMH, La Prairie before becoming a partner at Ykone to support the digital transformation of many brands in the Middle East, Africa and Asia.
Since 2021 co-founder of SHIMMERS, an independent brand incubator partnering with brands or creators to see brilliant ideas turn into reality and build tomorrow’s success stories. SHIMMERS operate from end to end: conceptualization, branding, production, marketing and sales strategy, operations.
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