Dunkin' Brands Group opens first regional office in Jumeirah Lakes Towers Free Zone

Dunkin' Brands will be operating its Middle East, Africa, South East Asia and Australia regional office from the Free Zone and is hoping to have moved into its new offices based in Jumeirah Business Centre 2 by the end of the year.

Malcolm Wall Morris, Chief Executive Officer, DMCC, commented: "DMCC welcomes Dunkin' Brands to Dubai as it joins over 4,800 organisations from all over the world currently based in the JLT Free Zone, the fastest growing mixed-use Free Zone in the Emirate.

We have seen phenomenal growth within the first six months of operation in 2012 with 975 companies joining the JLT Free Zone. Dunkin' Brands' presence here is testament to that growth pattern, and the relevance of Dubai's central location as business centres across the world shift from North to South and West to East."

John Varghese, Vice President, Middle East, South East Asia and Australia for Dunkin' Brands International, commented: "We have a long-term commitment to our operations and franchisees in the Middle East, Africa, South East Asia and Australia. The opening of our first regional office here in the UAE will enable us to focus on our international expansion plans and better support our existing international licensees. The JLT Free Zone is the ideal location from which to drive this strategy, and we look forward to moving into our new offices within the next 6 months."

Dunkin' Brands joins global names such as Vertu, The LVMH Group including Bvlgari and Tag Heuer, De Beers and Bioderma Laboratoire Dermatologique who have recently set up their regional corporate operations in Dubai's JLT Free Zone.

In 1979, Baskin-Robbins became one of the first international quick service restaurant (QSR) brands to enter the region. Today, Baskin-Robbins is one of the largest QSR brands in the Middle East with over 500 restaurants. Dunkin' Donuts has also achieved great success in the region, with more than 250 restaurants in the Middle East.

Since the start of 2012, DMCC has registered 975 companies, a 60% rise over the same period in 2011, bringing the JLT Free Zone's membership to over 4,800 companies. It also has 61 completed towers and over 50,000 people living and working in the Free Zone.