Big name in Mddle East - Zero Vision - Bad Strategy - Supply Chain Manager Chalhoub Group Employee Review

Chalhoub Group’s primary assets are its store locations; beyond that, there is a significant lack of strategic vision in management. Leadership often sets overly ambitious targets to appease ownership and justify investments. Unfortunately, these targets are consistently missed, triggering a blame culture where various departments point fingers to protect themselves. The buying team blames merchandising for not allowing them to select the right products; merchandising criticizes finance for setting unrealistic targets or not allocating sufficient budgets. Retail points to supply chain issues for not having enough stock on key items, while supply chain retorts that retail isn’t moving the large quantities already present in stores. Meanwhile, e-commerce resorts to heavy discounting to boost sales, further eroding margins. As a result, senior management shifts blame to employees for not meeting expectations, without ever addressing their own shortcomings in strategy and guidance. The consequence is frequent restructuring—every six months, for several years now—where employees are viewed as expendable. Costs are reduced short-term, only for the cycle to repeat, with the same roles being filled and replaced within a year. Chalhoub Group fosters a HIGHLY TOXIC work environment where only a select group of "untouchables" (close associates of the owner or C-level executives) thrive. For everyone else, there is constant uncertainty and fear of termination. While the company may serve as a stepping stone for those new to Dubai, I strongly advise against considering it for long-term career growth.