Majid Al Futtaim (MAF) is a lifestyle conglomerate present in 16 countries in the Middle East and North Africa, with annual revenues of $9.6 billion. The case focuses on its data-led, customer-centred transformation that unlocked new sources of growth and mitigated the effects of the covid19 pandemic on business thanks to the group’s digital resilience.

The case discusses the globalization of fashion and the trajectory of Fashion Forward Dubai. Since its inception in 2013, FFWD had striven to offer an alternative to traditional fashion weeks by showcasing collections of local designers to fashion buyers, journalists and customers on the catwalk and on internet. Over 15,000 attendees came to the show and more than 100,000 followed it online.

In 2010, ACTIS embarked on an ambitious project to build a pan-Middle East and Africa (MEA) payments platform. It had purchased Mediterranean Smart Cards Company (MSCC), a bankcard issuer with operations across Africa, and had identified a follow-on target, Visa Jordan Card Services (VJCS) as part of its buy-and-build strategy, and another potential acquisition in South Africa.