Cenomi Centers, owner and operator of shopping centres in Saudi Arabia, has unveiled the first Westfield mall in the Middle East.
The Nakheel Dammam Mall in Dammam City has been rebranded to Westfield Dammam, marking the first asset in Cenomi’s portfolio to carry the iconic Australian Westfield brand. The centre boasts over 58,000sqm of gross leasable area and 292 stores.
Cenomi believes the rebranding will significantly enhance the end-to-end customer experience and attract international brands to the shopping destination over the coming months.
Westfield Dammam is just the first in a series of transformations across Cenomi’s portfolio. The company plans to launch two additional Westfield-branded destinations – Westfield Jeddah and Westfield Riyadh – next year.
Cenomi said it has already seen an enthusiastic response from current and prospective tenants, with strong upward momentum on lease renewals.
The introduction of Westfield Dammam is part of the strategic franchising partnership signed between Cenomi and Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield (URW) in May.
Under the partnership, Cenomi has exclusive rights to the Westfield brand in the Kingdom, as well as access to URW’s global network, expertise and best-in-class operational capabilities.
“This milestone represents the beginning of an exciting new era for retail in Saudi Arabia, as we bring the very best international brands and experiences to our customers,” said Alison Rehill-Erguven, CEO of Cenomi Centers.
“Together with Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield, we will set new standards for shopping and leisure, in line with the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 ambitions.”
Anne-Sophie Sancerre, chief customer and retail officer of URW, added, “We look forward to creating next-generation destinations that resonate deeply with Saudi customers while expanding the platform of Westfield-branded centres for retailers and brands globally.”
The original Westfield Group was founded in Australia in 1960. The company split in 2014, with its Australian and New Zealand operations now run by Scentre Group, while the international business was merged with France’s Unibail-Rodamco in 2018.
