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This week on MME

Story Highlights
This week MME hits the shops to test the strength of the Mideast retail sector
Dubai has a thriving retail scene, promotes shopping in annual 32-day festival
Retailers offer big discounts to get tills ringing during Dubai Shopping Festival
MME speaks with Mohammed Alshaya, CEO of regional retail giant Alshaya
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As shoppers converge on Dubai for the annual Dubai Shopping Festival, MME looks at retail across the region

(CNN) -- "In Focus" -- Retail in the Middle East

The Middle East retail sector continues to undergo rapid changes and is continually facing new challenges. With the region's retail industry marching forward like never before, the industry is becoming a major contributor to the GDP's of many countries. The region currently enjoys 5.5 million square metres of retail space, with another 4.5 million under development. As hearty shoppers bustle around the stores during this month's Dubai Shopping Festival, Marketplace Middle East looks at a sector that is constantly changing.

"Face Time" with Mohammed Alshaya

As Marketplace Middle East delves into the retail sector of the region, we talk to one of the leading names in international franchise, Mohammed Alshaya. Alshaya is CEO of the Retail Division of M.H.Alshaya Co. which trades from more than 750 stores across the Middle East, Turkey, Cyprus, Russia, Poland and Egypt and has franchises in global brand names such as The Body Shop and Starbucks. He joins us to discuss the growth of the retail sector in the region, the effects of inflation, and the development of the family owned business.