Saleh Bin Lahej Group hospitality division president Osama Salhin. Saleh Bin Lahej Group hospitality division president Osama Salhin.

According to Saleh Bin Lahej Group’s hospitality division president Osama Salhin, it is still important for F&B players to have a presence in major projects like Dubai Mall.

“People ask why we have to be in Dubai Mall — and I say, with the size of this mall, you cannot not be there.

“You have to have a presence in a mall like this, especially a location like this,” he said.

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“And I do not feel nervous about this; in fact, we just signed for two more outlets to open in the first quarter of 2010 in Mirdif City Centre. We’ve also signed for a mall in Oman and also a couple of outlets in Abu Dhabi.”

BinHendi agreed that mall projects were still key to the regional F&B industry.

“We’ve got another outlet coming up in Mirdif City Centre, set to open in 2010 — we have to be part of the game, part of these good malls when they open, just as we are part of Dubai Mall.

“So I think just as the malls pop up, we have to be in those malls,” he asserted. “No slowing down.”