TikTok has announced the launch of a  podcast series titled 'The Future of Retail' in the lead-up to Black Friday, a key shopping moment for many retailers across the region. The podcast, hosted by Aref Yehia, Head of Retail & E-Commerce Business Partnerships at TikTok MENA, will shed light on the evolution of the industry, and feature discussions with some of the retail industry’s heavy hitters. Full-length episodes will be available for both audio and video streaming through TikTok channels.

Although there have never been as many opportunities in the commerce space, there has also never been as much competition.  In order to navigate this landscape, TikTok is helping businesses understand shoppers' needs and the opportunities that will continue to solidify and shape the future of commerce, both for key retail moments like Black Friday and beyond.

Commenting on the launch, Aref Yehia, Head of Retail & E-Commerce at TikTok MENA, said:  "In the past two years, retail has had to evolve and redefine itself probably more than any other industry. While the general conversation might have been triggered by the pandemic, we find that there are far more interesting innovations and developments happening in this space, that might have been overshadowed by a virtual vs. physical world debate. In reality, there are many horizons to the future. Tomorrow, next year, 5, 10, and 20 years from now all present very different versions of the future. We are launching this podcast to explore what the future of retail holds from the different lenses of some of the region's most interesting and impactful industry leaders."

Launching ahead of one of the most anticipated shopping moments of the year, the podcast will feature C-level guests from companies including Chalhoub Group, Yoox Net-a-Porter, Apparel Group's 6thStreet.com, and Majid Al Futtaim.

TikTok is continuously looking for ways to support partners in navigating the current shift in the industry landscape, and the evolution of consumer needs.  Brands have found success resonating with the TikTok community not because they had the most expensive ad or biggest names attached to their campaign, but because of their ability to creatively engage and connect with users through a fully immersive, full-screen, and sound-on environment. Ahead of the Black Friday weekend, TikTok offers valuable opportunities for exposure and connection with consumers for businesses of all sizes.

The first episode can now be viewed here. New episodes will go live on a biweekly basis.