The appointments were announced at Technology Partner Day 2026 as part of AS Watson’s ongoing efforts to expand its global technology ecosystem and support innovation, cyber resilience, and growth across its international operations.

Under its Technology Partnership Programme, the company continues to invest in technology, data, and AI, with a focus on enterprise productivity, personalisation, cybersecurity, and digital commerce. The strategy aims to integrate AI across business functions—including customer engagement, operations, analytics, and employee productivity—rather than applying it to standalone use cases.

Launched in 2017, the Technology Partnership Programme has evolved from a solution delivery initiative into a broader collaboration model supporting AS Watson’s digital and O+O strategy across its markets. The company said the programme now positions technology partners as long-term collaborators aligned with its business priorities, with future efforts centred on AI-led automation, personalised O+O experiences, data and analytics, cyber resilience, scalable technology platforms, and productivity.

Dr. Malina Ngai, Group CEO of AS Watson, said, “AI is not a standalone technology layer. It is a core capability that runs across the organisation. Our priority is to use AI to remove friction, accelerate execution and help our people focus on creating value for customers. Our 31 global technology partners play a critical role in this journey. Together, we are combining data, technology and human judgement to build a more agile, scalable and future-ready organisation.”

Several technology partners also commented on the collaboration and its role in supporting AS Watson’s digital transformation.

Willy Wong, partner at Ernst & Young Advisory Services Limited, highlighted the long-standing partnership: “For many years, EY has been honoured to serve as AS Watson’s trusted technology consultant. The journey has evolved from building state-of-the-art mobile experiences and loyalty programmes that connected markets across Asia and streamlined internal operations to leveraging data, advanced analytics and AI to drive comprehensive business transformation today. It remains a privilege to witness this incredible growth firsthand and to have played a part in this shared success.”

Pedro Yip, Partner and Head of Consumer, Telco and Technology Practice (Asia Pacific) at Oliver Wyman, shared insights on the partnership’s impact: “It has been a privilege to collaborate with AS Watson over the years to push the boundaries of innovation. Oliver Wyman combines agentic AI with advanced analytics and retail expertise to unlock the full power of data together with AS Watson teams. We look forward to further advancing AS Watson’s O+O customer proposition to create connected, frictionless experiences for millions of shoppers worldwide.”

Kelvin Tse, Enterprise Sales Director of Microsoft Hong Kong, also commented on the collaboration, “Microsoft is honoured to partner closely with AS Watson in transforming the retail landscape. We are deeply committed to helping AS Watson co-invent new processes through the power of AI and the development of agentic platforms. By collaborating on these AI opportunities and leveraging innovative tools like GitHub Copilot, we look forward to empowering the next-generation retail experience together.”

Dora Lui, Senior Vice President of Customer Success Services at Oracle, said, “We are incredibly excited about this relationship with AS Watson, focusing not only on platform redesign but also on process optimisation. We look forward to delivering innovative solutions, incorporating AI and best practices to leverage the data within our cloud platform, ultimately enhancing the well-being of AS Watson’s workforce.”

Jorinde Timmerman, Vice President of large accounts at Slimstock, described the partnership as standing out for its strong foundation in collaboration and continuous challenge. 

“We don’t just engage – we actively stimulate each other to push boundaries and improve. By combining AS Watson’s scale and innovation mindset with Slimstock’s supply chain expertise, we jointly ensure that the right products are available at the right time and place. This partnership goes beyond technology; it’s about driving measurable impact together and continuously evolving to meet the future of retail.”

Serhat Soyuerel, co-founder and CRO of Insider One, emphasised that the partnership goes far beyond a traditional technology collaboration. 

“Over the years, we have built a true co-innovation model in which AS Watson’s vision, feedback, and evolving business needs help shape capabilities that benefit not only its brands in Europe but also all Insider One customers. Through a strong global governance framework, we have continuously adapted to support AS Watson’s scale while delivering excellence across every customer touchpoint.”

John Bradshaw, CTO of Akamai, noted the evolution of the partnership. “Since 2014, our collaboration has successfully evolved from a tactical product implementation into a highly strategic, forward-looking alliance. Over the years, we have steadily expanded our security footprint to match the incredible scale of AS Watson’s digital acceleration. Our recent agreement marks a shift from shorter-term cycles to a long-term strategic commitment, proving that our partnership has matured into a resilient foundation for the future.”

Tarun Madan, Account Director at Nagarro, reflected on the partnership’s shared commitment. “What distinguishes AS Watson is the exceptional level of trust and openness it extends to its partners, creating an environment where ideas can be shared freely, innovation can flourish, and long-term value can be created together. The Technology Partnership Programme is a powerful example of this collaborative approach, and we are excited to continue advancing the next generation of retail experiences through AI and agentic AI innovation.”

Darren Wilson, President of Retail and Payments at NCR Voyix, highlighted the long-standing partnership between the two companies. “AS Watson and NCR Voyix have built a strong partnership over many years, working closely together to support store operations and deliver customer experiences. We are excited to enter this next phase of our collaboration, bringing innovative technologies into stores that simplify operations, empower store teams, and create stronger connections between physical and digital retail.”

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Findings from Criteo’s Spark of Discovery 2026 report show that while brands continue to believe their discovery strategies are working, many are struggling to translate those efforts into meaningful business growth. 

Although 99% of Singapore brands said their current discovery strategies are effective, only 36% strongly agreed that these strategies contribute to brand growth.

The research, which surveyed consumers and brands across Singapore, India and Australia, found that Singapore shoppers are among the region’s most digitally confident. 

Just 32% said online shopping feels more like a chore than shopping in-store, compared to the APAC average of 37% and 55% in India. However, that confidence comes with higher expectations.

Efficiency has emerged as a top priority, with 43% of respondents identifying faster and less time-consuming experiences as the improvement they most want from e-commerce platforms.

While enjoyment still plays a role in online shopping, Singapore consumers approach discovery with purpose. About 63% said joy matters when they shop online, but they are nearly as likely to stick to a shopping list (62%) as they are to explore something new (60%). 

Compared to markets like Australia, where only 54% expressed openness to discovering new products, Singapore shoppers appear more receptive—provided the recommendations are relevant and useful.

The findings also point to a changing influence landscape. Only 28% of Singapore consumers said influencer content drives excitement around brands, below the APAC average of 34% and significantly behind India at 54%.

Instead, trust and credibility carry greater weight. More than half (54%) cited positive forum reviews as a key driver of excitement, while 51% pointed to easy access to customer support. 

Even impulse purchases appear to be grounded in product appeal rather than social pressure, with 59% of impulse shoppers naming attractive product design as their main trigger. By comparison, only 8% cited peer pressure as a purchasing factor.

The report also suggests that Singapore consumers are becoming more comfortable with the trade-offs associated with AI-powered commerce. 

Nearly six in 10 respondents (59%) recognised that sharing more data can result in more personalised recommendations, while 56% said they were comfortable with brands using their purchase history to tailor suggestions. 

However, willingness declines when more sensitive data is involved, with only 43% comfortable sharing their email contacts.

Timing, meanwhile, has become increasingly important. Around 44% said seeing the right ad at the right moment contributes to excitement during the shopping journey, highlighting an opportunity for brands to use AI to improve precision rather than simply increase volume.

Brands appear ready to respond. According to the report, 92% plan to use AI to enhance user experiences, while 91% intend to leverage the technology to remove guesswork from product discovery.

“Singapore is a strong indicator of where e-commerce in Asia-Pacific is heading. Consumers here are highly digitally literate—they know exactly what a great shopping experience looks like, and they have no patience for anything less. They want discovery to find them at the right moment, not interrupt them at the wrong one,” said Sukesh Singh, Managing Director for Southeast Asia at Criteo.

“For brands, that’s both the challenge and the opportunity. Generic, broad-reach campaigns don’t cut it anymore. What wins is algorithmic precision that actually respects the shopper’s intent—and AI is what makes that possible at scale. Get it right in Singapore, and you’ve cracked a template for the rest of the region.”

With 85% of Singapore consumers saying shopping festivals influence what they discover and buy, upcoming events such as 10.10, 11.11 and 12.12 remain important opportunities for brands. 

But the report suggests that success will depend less on blanket promotions and more on delivering timely, trustworthy and genuinely relevant recommendations.

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The collaboration marks a significant step in Sea’s ambition to embed artificial intelligence across its ecosystem spanning e-commerce, digital financial services, and gaming. It also signals OpenAI’s growing push to integrate its technology into everyday consumer experiences beyond standalone chat interfaces.

Under the new agreement, the Shopee app is now available in ChatGPT for users in Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Taiwan, Vietnam, and Brazil. 

According to Sea, this makes Shopee the first e-commerce platform of its kind to be accessible across Southeast Asia and Latin America through ChatGPT.

The integration allows users to discover products using natural language prompts. Consumers can ask ChatGPT for gift ideas, travel essentials, fashion inspiration, or help finding niche products, before seamlessly continuing their purchase journey on Shopee.

“Sea has always focused on using technology to improve the lives of consumers and small businesses across our markets,” said Forrest Li, Chairman and CEO of Sea.

“Our strategic partnership with OpenAI reflects a shared commitment to making AI more accessible and meaningful for the communities we serve. By combining OpenAI’s advanced AI capabilities with Sea’s vibrant ecosystem, we hope to deliver more intuitive AI-native experiences for consumers while enabling businesses of all sizes to use AI to grow and stay competitive in the digital economy,” he added.

Beyond consumer discovery, the partnership also targets small businesses operating on Shopee.

Sea plans to introduce ChatGPT for Business to its seller ecosystem, enabling merchants to use AI for tasks such as creating product listings and marketing content, improving customer service workflows, and automating day-to-day operations. 

Eligible sellers will receive trial access, alongside onboarding support, training programmes, and best-practice guides designed to accelerate adoption.

The announcement builds on an existing relationship between the two companies. Since 2025, Sea and OpenAI have worked together to broaden access to ChatGPT through marketing promotions and ShopeeVIP membership benefits.

OpenAI’s Chief Revenue Officer Denise Dresser said embedding AI into familiar platforms can help users unlock more practical value from the technology.

“Sea has built an extraordinary ecosystem across some of the world’s most dynamic digital markets,” she said.

“By bringing OpenAI’s technology into the products and services people already use, we can make AI more useful and accessible in their everyday lives. This partnership will help more consumers discover new AI-powered experiences, give small businesses practical tools to grow, and enable more people to put AI to work as an operating layer across the company and the broader builder ecosystem.”

The partnership also extends to developer communities. Earlier this year, Sea and OpenAI launched the first regional Codex Hackathon series in Asia Pacific. The initiative kicked off in Singapore in June, attracting more than 1,200 applications and 40 shortlisted teams. Additional hackathons are planned across Vietnam, Taiwan, Indonesia, and Malaysia.

The latest move underscores a broader shift in how AI is reshaping commerce. As consumers increasingly rely on conversational interfaces to discover products and businesses seek productivity gains through automation, companies are racing to integrate AI directly into the customer journey.

For Sea, the partnership represents another milestone in its evolution into an AI-native business. For OpenAI, it offers a pathway to bring its technology to millions of users across some of the world’s fastest-growing digital economies.

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Built on the company’s integrated O+O (Offline plus Online) capabilities, distribution network, and consumer insights from over 180 million loyalty members, the platform is intended to streamline how brands are developed and brought to market across AS Watson’s retail footprint. It supports both the creation of new propositions and the scaling of existing brands across multiple markets with greater consistency and speed.

The initiative formalises capabilities the Group has been building internally, combining data-led demand identification, integrated distribution, and execution across more than 17,000 O+O stores in Asia and Europe. Over the past two years, AS Watson has introduced more than 4,800 new brands and brand extensions across its network.

AS Watson brand lab departs from traditional incubator models by embedding brand development within the retail ecosystem itself. Rather than preparing brands for market entry externally, the platform operates within live markets, using real-time customer data, shopping behaviour and category dynamics to inform development and scaling decisions.

At its core, the AS Watson brand lab integrates insight, creation, distribution, demand activation and scaling into a single operating model. It leverages the Group’s loyalty base and O+O infrastructure to support faster brand selection and commercial execution.

Brands within the platform follow a structured growth pathway, moving from early-stage validation to regional expansion and category leadership. At each stage, they receive support across insight, distribution, marketing activation and investment, with resources allocated based on growth potential. This staged approach is designed to improve success rates while maintaining more disciplined capital allocation.

The platform will focus on high-growth segments, including Asian beauty categories (K-beauty, J-beauty, and C-beauty), ingredient-led skincare, health and wellness, and personal care, where consumer demand continues to evolve.

Dr Malina Ngai, Group CEO of AS Watson, said, “We don’t wait for brands to find the market – we build them where demand already exists and scale them through our ecosystem.”

Early examples cited by the Group show how brands are being scaled through the model across markets and categories. COSRX has expanded internationally through a combination of product innovation and AS Watson’s retail network. &honey has grown beyond Japan into multiple Asian markets. e.l.f. Cosmetics has extended its model into Europe, while essence has expanded across markets through retail partnerships and distribution support.

Across these cases, AS Watson said the platform has enabled more coordinated selection, distribution and execution, positioning brand lab as a more structured approach to scaling brands across its ecosystem.

The Group said AS Watson brand lab reflects a shift from opportunistic brand sourcing towards a more systemised model for building and scaling brands across markets. It added that it continues to engage with selected partners aligned with its focus categories, with more information available via its official platform.

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The collaboration seeks to address one of retail media’s longstanding challenges: the disconnect between media metrics and merchant priorities.

While retail media has increasingly adopted the language of digital advertising—focusing on impressions, reach, click-through rates, and return on ad spend (ROAS)—retailers have traditionally measured success differently, prioritising sell-through, product velocity, and margin performance.

As a result, sponsored products and organic listings have often been ranked separately, creating situations where products that perform well in ad auctions may not necessarily support broader commercial objectives.

Under the partnership, Zitcha and Pentaleap aim to bridge that divide through a unified ranking approach that evaluates sponsored and organic products within a single system.

The integration combines Pentaleap’s ranking technology with Zitcha’s merchant decisioning capabilities to ensure media investments are informed by factors such as product relevance, likelihood of conversion, and margin contribution.

At the centre of the collaboration is Margin Manager, Zitcha’s merchant intelligence layer, which feeds product-level margin insights into Pentaleap’s auction and ranking engine.

Pentaleap, in turn, governs how products are ranked and served by connecting multiple demand sources—including ad servers, demand-side platforms (DSPs), and major platforms such as Teads and Amazon Ads—to a unified decision-making framework.

The companies said the resulting model enables retailers to adopt a “best-of-breed” technology stack without overhauling their existing systems.

Designed to be ad-stack agnostic and privacy compliant, the solution operates within retailers’ own data environments and can integrate with existing search, personalisation, campaign management, and demand partner systems.

Rather than requiring retailers to replace current infrastructure, the combined offering is intended to improve existing capabilities incrementally.

“For too long, retail media networks have operated in isolation using digital advertising metrics that do not speak the language of the merchant,” said Troy Townsend, Co-Founder and CEO of Zitcha.

“Our partnership with Pentaleap introduces a shared language. By infusing margin-aware insights into the media workflow, we ensure retail and media grow together while producing evidence that retailers can trust.”

Andreas Reiffen, Co-Founder and CEO of Pentaleap, added that the ranking process remains one of the most critical moments in the shopper journey.

“The ranking decision is the moment of truth. If organic and sponsored products are ranked by separate systems, neither can be optimised,” he said.

“Pentaleap rewrites that decision so organic and sponsored products are judged against the same standard of relevance, media performance, and product margin. Partnering with Zitcha delivers a best-in-class stack that plugs into existing retail systems to improve them incrementally.”

As retail media networks mature and retailers seek stronger proof of commercial impact, the partnership reflects a growing industry shift towards balancing advertising performance with merchant outcomes.

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Once connected, creators’ affiliate information is automatically applied when they tag eligible Amazon products, removing the need to manually add links or affiliate IDs. The feature is designed to simplify the process of turning product recommendations into earnings.

Eligible creators will also be able to display their Amazon Storefront handle on their Pinterest profiles, providing users with another way to browse products and recommendations from creators they follow. Pinterest said support for additional storefront partners will be introduced in the future.

The rollout comes as Pinterest continues to strengthen its shopping capabilities. According to the company, more than half of Pinterest users visit the platform with shopping intent, while searches on the platform exceed 80 billion per month.

With the new feature, creators can link their Amazon Storefront once, automatically apply affiliate information when tagging Amazon products in Pins, and feature their storefront directly on their profile to showcase a broader range of recommended products.

Commenting on the launch, Lauren Glaubach, VP of Global Content Partnerships, said, “People come to Pinterest with purpose – they’re looking for ideas and often ready to act on them. This means Pinterest sits closer to decision-making than other platforms. That helps creators reach audiences at the moment inspiration turns into action.”

Pinterest also noted that users visit the platform to find or shop for products at more than twice the rate seen on other major social platforms, positioning the new integration as part of its broader efforts to strengthen the link between content discovery and commerce.

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In an exclusive interview with MARKETECH APAC, Cruz reflected on her defining leadership lessons, her key achievements within the company, and her vision for the next chapter of her career.

Strategy rooted in ground realities

Cruz began her journey with 2GO in 2019 as the Group Head for Marketing. In 2024, she took on the role of Business Unit Head for Retail. Reflecting on her tenure, Cruz underscored that true transformation is less about strategy and more about the people on the ground “making it happen every single day.”

“At 2GO, I learned how important it is to balance vision with execution, ensuring that what we plan at the leadership level actually translates into real impact in stores, in digital platforms, and in the overall customer experience,” she shared.

Cruz emphasised the critical value of listening, noting that the most effective decisions are born from understanding operational realities rather than just analysing data on paper.

“In the end, growth is driven not just by strategy, but by how well you understand your customers and empower your people. Transformation only works when customers can actually feel it, not just see it in a presentation,” added Cruz.

According to her, she considers evolving 2GO’s retail arm into a more integrated, customer-centric channel as one of her signature achievements. By bridging the gap between physical storefronts and digital innovation, the business saw a significant shift in consumer behavior.

“We strengthened our retail footprint while accelerating digital adoption, particularly through the 2GO mobile app and online platforms, which saw strong year-on-year growth in usage and bookings.”

Beyond digital metrics, Cruz was instrumental in humanising the brand. This included shaping the “refreshed look and feel of our ships, both externally and internally.” This philosophy was driven by a simple insight: customers don’t think in “channels”—they expect a singular, seamless journey.

“Our role was to make that happen across every touchpoint.” This led to the creation of the ‘Safe, Sulit, Saya’ (Safe, Value for Money, Joy) campaign, positioning 2GO as a relatable and accessible platform for the everyday Filipino.

This led Cruz’s observation in the local market, describing Filipino consumers as “more empowered and more discerning than ever.”

“They are value-conscious, but not at the expense of experience. They look for convenience, reliability, and increasingly, digital accessibility, but they still appreciate the human touch, especially in travel,” she explained.

For Cruz, the ultimate opportunity for modern businesses lies in the synergy between digital efficiency and personal connection.

“What stood out to me is how important trust and familiarity remain. Even as digital adoption grows, customers still want reassurance, whether through physical touchpoints, customer service, or brand consistency.”

She maintained that operational efficiency must never come at the cost of the “personal and human” element of service.

“Operational efficiency is important, but we were very intentional about not losing the human element. We focused on simplifying processes and improving systems, while also empowering frontliners to connect meaningfully with customers.”

Cruz stressed that the brand experience begins long before the transaction, “Customer experience doesn’t start at the point of transaction; it starts the moment a customer sees your brand.”

Next Chapter: Building with passion 

As she moves forward from 2GO, Cruz expressed a desire to return to building in sectors she is “deeply passionate about.”

“My time at 2GO has been incredibly meaningful. I’m grateful to have been part of both the Marketing and Retail transformations, and to have worked with teams that are deeply committed to serving customers.”

Looking ahead, Cruz confirmed her interest in exploring new opportunities within the travel, tourism, and destination development industries.

“I’m excited to bring what I’ve learned into my next chapter and continue building experiences that truly connect with people. At this stage in my career, I’m choosing roles where I can build with purpose, not just deliver results.”

A seasoned executive in the travel, tourism, and commercial space, Cruz previously held leadership roles at Klook and Cebu Pacific Air. 

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Developed, produced and launched exclusively for AS Watson Group, the L’Oréal Paris Infallible Setting Mist Cherry Edition is a limited-edition variant of the brand’s best-selling setting spray, created to tap into the fast-growing global demand for setting mist products.

The product builds on L’Oréal Paris’ existing formula, adding a cherry-inspired variant and pink packaging designed to appeal to Gen Z consumers.

The launch is backed by a complete O+O (offline plus online) strategy, which includes social media teaser campaigns, content created by influencers, in-store events, and seamless online-to-offline shopping experiences to boost sales across different channels.

The product is currently available in the UK, with rollout planned across 14 additional markets, including nine in Europe and five in Asia and the GCC region.

Following early traction in Europe, expansion markets will include Malaysia, Thailand, the Philippines and Singapore, supported by localised social campaigns, in-store activations and experiential events under the “Cherry Fix Summer Soirée” theme.

AS Watson and L’Oréal Paris said the collaboration reflects efforts to develop more integrated beauty ecosystems combining data, creative development and retail execution to support product innovation and distribution.

Malina Ngai, Group CEO of AS Watson Group, said, “This co-creation with L’Oréal Paris reflects how we are redefining the role of the retailer—from distributor to true innovation partner. By combining our deep consumer insights, omnichannel execution strength and L’Oréal Paris’ world-class R&D and brand power, we are creating products that are culturally relevant, commercially powerful and truly differentiated.”

“Co-creation at this level, with a trusted retail partner, represents a new frontier for L’Oréal Paris and the Consumer Products Division,” said Fabrice Megarbane, president of L’Oréal’s Consumer Products Division. “The Infallible Setting Mist Cherry Edition is proof that when category leadership meets retail excellence, the result is innovation that is culturally resonant and commercially compelling. We are truly honoured to make history with AS Watson. This is only just the beginning.” 

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For marketers, the market presents significant opportunities to engage increasingly omnichannel shoppers who move seamlessly between physical stores, social commerce platforms, online marketplaces, and brand-owned channels. 

At the same time, retailers are investing in technologies such as artificial intelligence, data analytics, cloud infrastructure, and automation to enhance customer experiences, optimise operations, and improve supply chain efficiency.

Within the backdrop of a constantly evolving retail and e-commerce landscape in the country, MARKETECH APAC and UpTech Media have joined forces to launch the second edition of the Retail & E-Commerce Innovation Marketing & Tech Summit: Philippines 2026 conference.

The event, happening on 10 September 2026 at Shangri-La The Fort, Manila, offers a sophisticated mix of high-level strategy and practical insights—from dynamic panels to high-impact keynotes. Moreover, the event will also deep dive into the innovative strategies and transformative technologies shaping the country’s rapidly evolving retail and e-commerce landscape.

The first lineup of speakers for the Retail & E-Commerce Innovation Marketing & Tech Summit: Philippines 2026 conference include:

• Hannah Pacaba, AVP, Marketing and Channels Revenue at Cocopan
• Beverly Maddul, Head of Performance Marketing and Customer Lifecycle Management at Concepcion Industrial Corporation
• Wendy Talan, Head of Digital and Private Sales at Diageo
• Katrina Lee-Chua, Assistant Vice President Strategy & Insights and Digital at McDonald’s Philippines
• Giann Vega, E-Commerce Head & Digital Data Transformation Lead at PepsiCo

The Retail & E-Commerce Innovation Marketing & Tech Summit: Philippines 2026 is the second iteration of said conference in the Philippines under the Retail & E-Commerce Marketing & Tech Summit series. The first one was held on 12 August 2025 at Shangri-La The Fort, Manila, and united industry leaders, marketing experts, and tech innovators in exploring the latest trends, strategies, and technologies driving the evolution of retail and e-commerce in the region.

For more information on the summit, visit the official event page HERE.

For speaking opportunities, contact Rachele Ciabal at [email protected].

For sponsorship opportunities, reach out to our sales team at [email protected].

For registration queries, contact Rizza Mae Escio at [email protected].

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The new agreement will see MAP oversee M&S’ operations in the Philippines, expanding an existing partnership that has already spanned more than 26 years across Indonesia and Vietnam. 

The move forms part of M&S’ broader ambition to grow through strategic franchise partnerships in established international markets.

Under the partnership, M&S Fashion, Home & Beauty, and Food offerings will return to Filipino shoppers later this year, with the first store set to open in Glorietta in Makati. 

Online channels are also expected to relaunch as part of the expansion.

According to M&S Managing Director of International Mark Lemming, the retailer sees strong consumer demand in the Philippine market and believes MAP’s local retail expertise will support its next phase of regional growth.

Meanwhile, MAP Fashion CEO Sameer Prasad described the partnership as an important milestone for the company’s Southeast Asian expansion, adding that Manila presents a strong opportunity for the M&S brand to reconnect with consumers across generations.

Previously operated by Rustan Marketing Specialists Inc., M&S announced earlier this year that it would close all its stores in the country on 2 May 2026. 

According to parent company SSI Group Inc., the decision came amid shifting consumer preferences and shopping habits, prompting the company to redirect its focus towards brands more aligned with evolving market trends.

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