Dubai witnessed the celebration of retail excellence as the Middle East Council of Shopping Centers & Retailers (MECSR) distributed its annual industry awards during the Retail Congress MENA 2025. The ceremony highlighted exceptional leadership and innovation across the regional retail landscape, with one of the evening’s most distinguished accolades going to V Nandakumar, Director of Global Marketing and Communications at LuLu Group International, who was named Retail Professional of the Year.
The award recognizes Nandakumar’s quarter-century tenure with LuLu Group, during which he has been instrumental in transforming the organization into one of the Middle East’s most reputable and diversified retail conglomerates. His contributions have fundamentally shaped contemporary retail marketing, brand leadership, and communication strategies throughout the region.
The MECSR Retail Congress serves as a premier gathering for senior executives, retail corporations, mall developers, and solution providers to discuss sector evolution, emerging trends, and sustainable growth initiatives. This forum has cemented its status as a vital platform for acknowledging pioneering contributions to retail.
In his acceptance remarks, Nandakumar emphasized the collective nature of his achievement: ‘This honor holds special significance as it comes from industry peers whose work I deeply respect. It represents the cumulative effort of countless teams I’ve collaborated with over the years. Retail remains fundamentally about people, and this award rightly belongs to the entire LuLu family that continues to build consumer trust through purpose-driven growth.’
MECSR, as the regional arm of the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC), functions as a unifying body for retail stakeholders across the Middle East. The organization facilitates knowledge exchange, promotes international best practices, and drives research and advocacy within the sector.
Nandakumar’s professional portfolio includes oversight of global marketing and communications for LuLu’s extensive operations, encompassing hypermarkets, shopping malls, hospitality ventures, and allied businesses worldwide. His strategic leadership has significantly enhanced brand equity, orchestrated large-scale retail campaigns, and advanced omnichannel customer engagement frameworks.
His industry recognition extends beyond this latest achievement, having been previously featured among Forbes Middle East and Khaleej Times’ Top Marketing Leaders in the region. Nandakumar regularly shares his expertise as a speaker at prominent industry conferences and leadership forums.
The 2025 Congress also celebrated excellence across multiple categories including Retailer of the Year, Shopping Centre of the Year, Sustainability Initiative, Retail Innovation, and Customer Experience Excellence, demonstrating the vibrant diversity and dynamism of the Middle East’s retail ecosystem.