There are various factors that made Dubai an attractive region for a growing fragrance house. “There is a large availability of good staff with a great work ethic,” says Chris Pickthall, CPL Aromas Group CEO. “Local knowledge is fundamental to operating in these markets and employing locals was very important to us. Personally, we like the fragrance tastes that our customers here have and our perfumers enjoy creating them. We are close to India and have good access and links to Europe and the Far East, which is important to our global company. Also, as a bonus, great restaurants, a fun environment and wonderful weather make it great place to live.”
The Dubai operation has expanded its team from many areas of the globe. Dubai, after all, is a highly multicultural society; only a very small percentage of the population is local/Dubai nationals. And so CPL Dubai employees hail from India, Pakistan, Philippines, France, Italy, Gibraltar, Morocco and the United Kingdom.
Cultural and Market Insights With the company serving the Middle East and some African countries, an understanding of the cultures is fundamental. For example, Middle Eastern consumers believe the darker the fragrances, the more expensive the ingredients. Some companies have colored their fi ne fragrances to refl ect this. Middle Eastern consumers are driven by a growing trend toward luxury and innovation. These consumers foster an intensifi ed importance in wearing fragrances in order to keep a good personal and groomed appearance, while also having higher spending tendencies, all of which lead the Middle East fragrance sector to welcome thousands of new launches every year.
