Retail Jeweller Middle East Forum 2025 maps new consumer, retail and diaspora-driven growth

The Forum took place on the sidelines of GemGold 2025, and together, they reinforced Dubai’s position as a global meeting point for knowledge, collaboration and structured growth in the jewellery trade

Dubai: The 7th edition of the Retail Jeweller Middle East Forum concluded in Dubai with strong participation and a focused day of conversations on shifting consumer behaviour, design-led retailing, technology adoption and the region’s evolving jewellery demand. The event, held on November 9, 2025 at the Millennium Airport Hotel, Dubai, was sponsored by Atmosphere – The Store Makers, Sky Gold and Diamonds, and Synergics Solutions.

The opening session, titled ‘What is driving jewellery demand in the Middle East?’, examined the forces shaping jewellery purchases across the region. Moderated by Ashish Sakhardande, Head, IJEX Dubai, the discussion featured Dinesh Kambrath, Co-founder, Vinsmera Jewels; Narayanan Vaideswaran, Head – Jewellery Division, Al Mana Jewellery; Anukul Gandhi, Vice President, National Jewellery; and Mohamed Sulphy, Director of Operations, Aksara Jewellers. Speakers analysed the role of socio-economic shifts, festive purchase momentum, home-service engagements and the continued influence of Indian consumers on Gulf jewellery markets.

Headline presentations through the day highlighted the priorities driving modern retail experiences. Nilesh Rathod, CEO & Co-Founder, Atmosphere, outlined how thoughtful store design, zoning and visual merchandising create elevated customer journeys. Vivek Das, Director, Synergics Solutions, spoke about the rising need for integrated technology frameworks to enable smarter, data-led retail operations. In a session led by the Sky Gold team — Darshan Chauhan, Akash Talesara and Mangesh Chauhan — insights were shared on India’s strengthening position as a global jewellery supplier and how manufacturing efficiencies are reshaping product availability across the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC).

A key afternoon panel, moderated by Soma Bhatta, Founder & Editor-in-Chief, The Retail Jeweller explored ‘How new market forces are recasting South Asian diasporic jewellery demand’. Speakers Linet Chittilappilly, Owner, Chittilappilly Jewellers; Satyen Choksi, Nimisha Jewellery; Mehul Lodhia, Nysa Creations; and Dato’ Guna, Founder & CEO, Bright Way Trading Global, discussed the rising preference for handcrafted designs, faster youth-driven trend cycles, evolving aesthetic expectations and the influence of exchange policies on buying decisions.

The concluding session, ‘What does it take to build a high-performance and scalable retail jewellery business today?’, brought together industry leaders including Tamjid Abdulla, Group Deputy CEO, Jawhara Jewellery; KP Abdul Salam, Vice Chairman, Malabar Gold and Diamonds; Nishith Shah, CEO, La Marquise Fine Jewellery; Kaushik Soni, Managing Director, Tejori Gems; and Mohit Mirchandani, Managing Partner, R&M Jewellers. The speakers highlighted the importance of transparency, certification, customer experience and the opportunities created by Dubai’s strong tourism mix and access to data-led retail insights.

The Forum took place on the sidelines of GemGold 2025, the second edition of the curated sourcing platform dedicated to 22KT and 18KT gold and studded jewellery for global South Asian diaspora markets. Creating a focused environment for meaningful buyer–seller engagement, design walkthroughs and order closures, and knowledge sharing, the Retail Jeweller ME Forum and GemGold reinforced Dubai’s position as a global meeting point for knowledge, collaboration and structured growth in the jewellery trade.

Retail Jeweller ME News