Travel retail veteran David Dayan has formed a new company in the Jebel Ali Free Zone in Dubai entitled Beauté Luxe Duty Free.

The entity specialises in the distribution of luxury perfumes and cosmetics brands and is dedicated to selective distribution on the African continent.

Beauté Luxe Duty Free covers the entire African travel retail market including airports, seaports, border shops, downtown duty free and diplomatic stores. Dayan, who is the CEO of the company, has more than 30 years’ experience of implementing travel retail brands such as Lacoste, Rituals and Nuxe. This is through duty free development consulting and immediate boarding consulting.

SIGNIFICANT APPOINTMENTS

Dayan said: “With the relationships built over the years with duty free operators in Africa and our area managers based in Africa, as well as our beauty advisors, we ensure that the brands we implement are of high quality in the points of sale, whether in training, animation or merchandising.”

Meanwhile, Beaute Luxe Duty Free has appointed Jerome Blanchard as Vice President of Sales to develop the luxury brand portfolio and Corrine Berger as Marketing Director. Blanchard served as Duty Free Americas Director of Buying and Merchandising, Accessories and Luxury Products between 2007 and 2015.

He was then appointed Sales Director, Latin America and Caribbean Domestic and Travel Retail at Gucci Time Pieces and Jewellery in New York.

Dayan commented: “Jerome Blanchard is a great professional in brand development in travel retail. We needed an expert in this field to carry out our project. Jerome’s experience and great management qualities meant he was the right man for us.

“That’s why I didn’t hesitate to contact him and ask him to come and take charge of this whole project.”

Berger had been with Lacoste since 2012 as International Marketing Director. She previously held the role of Head of Communications and Marketing, Aéroports de Paris group.