John Rimmer has worked in the duty free and travel retail industry since 2000, when he joined trade journal Duty-Free News International as a reporter. Within three years he had been appointed editor of sister publication Travel Retailer International, before becoming editor of DFNI a year later. In 2006 he relocated to Paris, where he joined retailer Aelia as Deputy Director of Business Development, helping the company to develop its presence at airports beyond France.

Four years later he returned to the UK to become Executive Director – Business Development at leading trade publisher The Moodie Report. In October 2012 John returned to Paris to join Tax Free World Association as Conference, Research and Corporate Affairs Director, tasked with strengthening the Association’s services to its members across the world.

In September 2017 John was appointed Managing Director of TFWA.

John has taken part in the moderation of several industry conferences, including the Global Travel Retail Summit, The Trinity Forum, TFWA Asia Pacific Conference and TFWA China’s Century Conference.

Ramesh Cidambi is the Chief Operating Officer of Dubai Duty Free (DDF) and is responsible for all aspects of the company’s operations, reporting to the Executive Vice Chairman and CEO.

His responsibilities include both the retail and leisure businesses operated by DDF.

Prior to his promotion to his current role, Ramesh held a variety of senior positions in the company with responsibility for areas such as information technology, logistics, retail development in both of Dubai’s airports covering over 40,000sq m of retail space, and the DDF Leisure business through the Jumeirah Creekside Hotel and The Irish Village Bar and Restaurant (in two locations).

Ramesh has been with DDF for over thirty years, during which time the company has grown to become one of the world’s largest airport retailers in a single location with sales of over US$2 billion in 2019.

He also maintains his links with the domestic retail market through the chairmanship of the Merchants Advisory Board and as a Board Member of Dubai’s Retail Business Group. He holds an MBA degree from Utah State University and a B.S. degree from Loyola College (Chennai, India).

Ramesh’s main interests outside work are sailing (with his wife Alpana) and the practice of Iyengar yoga.

PRESENTATION

Dermot Davitt is one of the most experienced editors and commentators working in the travel retail media.

He joined The Moodie Report in April 2006 as Deputy Publisher, becoming President (and Co-owner) of The Moodie Davitt Report from August 2015. The company is today part of UK-based publishing and events business Mark Allen Group.

Davitt plays a key management role across the company’s operations, from its flourishing Print Division to the industry’s leading business intelligence website, www.MoodieDavittReport.com,  The Moodie Davitt e-Zine and other titles.

Based in Galway, Ireland, Dermot is also a highly experienced conference moderator. He has chaired and moderated many of the travel retail industry’s leading events over the years, including The Trinity Forum, the Airport Food & Beverage Conference & Awards, the MEADFA Conference, the TFWA Asia Pacific Conference, the Nordic Travel Retail Seminar and many others.

Sherif Toulan serves as the Chief Executive Officer of IDF in Egypt. In this role he oversees the company operations including its diverse subsidiaries. Mr Toulan’s combined efforts have played an integral part in diversifying the operations of IDF and growing the business vertically and laterally thereby establishing IDF as a nationwide benchmark in the industry.

During his tenure, Mr Toulan succeeded in acquiring a number of airport retail concessions for IDF. In 2010 he founded Global Brands, a subsidiary of IDF the with a focus on the local market In 2013, he established Heinemann -Egypt, of which he is currently Chairman. Heineman Egypt is a joint venture between Global Brands, Global Trading and Technology and Gebr. Heinemann who are now operating its Duty Free Shops in Sharm El Sheikh Airport.

Mr Toulan joined IDF in 1997 as Business Development Coordinator responsible for Business Development and Strategy implementation and since then he has held a number of positions with increasing responsibility.

Part of the MEADFA Board since 2009, Mr Toulan served as Vice President (2019-21) before being elected President earlier this year. He also serves on a number of boards and associations. He is currently a Member of the Board of International Duty Free (IDF) and Global Trading and Technology, one of the subsidiaries of IDF with core focus in tobacco machinery and spare parts. In addition he is an active member of both the American and German chambers of commerce in Egypt.

Sherif Toulan holds a BA from the American University in Cairo and an Executive MBA from North Western University.