Building a fashion empire

ENAR

Wassim Daher would have never imagined when he opened a small multi-brand clothing retail outlet in Hamra in 1978 that over the next 27 years it would grow into a holding group, controlling more than 60 companies spanning the retail, leisure and food and beverage sectors, active in seven different countries on two continents, employing 1,800 people, and turning over more than $250 million a year. Among the franchises held by the azal GROUP are those for the globally ubiquitous retail brands Zara, Massimo Dutti and Mango, as well as the Virgin Megastore franchise in Kuwait, the UAE and Egypt. Expanding its reach Not content to sit on its laurels, today the azal GROUP has its sights squarely set on expansion, both locally and internationally. It intends to breach the billion dollar sales mark in four to five years by increasing outlet numbers from 67 to more than 270 over