About an hour’s drive southwest of Dubai lies Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates (UAE). It is a city that can easily compete with Dubai’s breathtaking growth, being extremely dynamic and dramatically reconstructed.
At the same time, Abu Dhabi’s retail sector has entered one of the most transformative phases in its history. Led by strong master planning, a growing luxury customer base, and continuous investment, the city’s key malls are redefining their roles. During the ACROSS Study Tour, two assets at the forefront of this change were visited: The Galleria Al Maryah Island and Marina Mall Abu Dhabi.
Linda Hurst, General Manager of The Galleria, and Simon El Khoury, General Manager of Marina Mall, paint a picture of doing business in Abu Dhabi, the UAE’s dynamic, fast-developing capital.
The Galleria: The Retail Heart of Abu Dhabi’s Financial District
The Galleria Mall has a distinct advantage to many other malls: it sits at the center of Al Maryah Island, Abu Dhabi’s financial district. For Linda Hurst, this context drives everything.
“The whole island is owned by Mubadala and it all links into the mall. The Galleria is the central linchpin of the district,” she explains. When the mall’s luxury wing opened in 2013, “there was nothing else on the island – just 30% of what exists today.”
Today, Al Maryah is a dense ecosystem of office towers, hotels, and soon high-end residences. Over 12,000 office workers access the mall directly from four interconnected towers, and events such as Abu Dhabi Finance Week spill out into public areas that mesh seamlessly with the mall’s footprint.
A Dual Retail Identity
The Galleria was transformed into a full super-regional destination in 2019, and continued to grow ever since. By now it is spanning 161,600 sqm and hosting around 400 stores. It is intentionally structured into two sides:
- A High Street Zone with Zara, H&M, Decathlon, Home Centre, and family entertainment
- A Luxury Collection featuring every major house – from Louis Vuitton and Chanel to Dior, Cartier, and Tiffany
“We’re the only mall in Abu Dhabi that has the full luxury cluster,” Hurst notes. “About 30,000 square meters are dedicated purely to luxury.” And being the mall in the heart of the financial district, business is thriving that part of the mall.
A Strategy Built on Firsts
A defining focus for The Galleria is exclusivity. “Our strategy is to bring first-to-Abu-Dhabi brands, and whenever possible, first-to-UAE concepts,” she says. This includes new fine-dining arrivals such as Novikov, Handbok, and Mayfair from London.
Entertainment is equally ambitious, with first-in-market concepts from Mattel and National Geographic.
Culture, Dining, and Customer Flow
Food is becoming an even stronger pillar. “We’re at around 16–17% F&B and still increasing,” Hurst explains. The waterfront promenade – currently behind construction hoardings – will reopen with a major new fountain attraction developed by Mubadala. “It will be a destination for Abu Dhabi and even Dubai visitors,” she says.
There is no doubt that the new waterfront food mile will flourish. But tenants have to be patient. Construction work will last another two and a half years without any discount on existing rents given from the mall-operators.
Inside the mall, the Central Kitchens food court is also being redesigned and reimagined around Emirati cultural themes: ghaf trees, communal seating, and space for digital nomads.
Even circulation is being upgraded. Escalators are being relocated to capture the 30–40% of daily traffic moving through key concourses, while new grand steps lead to a pontoon designed for future boat access. “They never stop,” Hurst laughs. “But that’s Abu Dhabi – there’s always something happening.”
Marina Mall: Reinventing A Retail Landmark
While The Galleria embodies Abu Dhabi’s new financial-era expansion, Marina Mall represents the city’s retail legacy – and its reinvention. Opened in 2001, it was once the only mall in Abu Dhabi and for years attracted extraordinary footfall.
“This mall was the heart of the city,” says General Manager Simon El Khoury. “In 2011–12, we reached 35 million visitors in one year. There was no competition at that time.”
But after two decades, Marina Mall required a major transformation. El Khoury, who brings 35 years of regional retail experience (including Dubai Mall, Al-Futtaim, and Lebanon’s City Mall), was tasked with leading the renewal.
A Full Modernization Without Closing Doors
The refurbishment has been deep and complex – from façade upgrades and raised ceilings to full MEP modernization. “We are revamping the mall while keeping it fully operational, which is extremely challenging,” he explains. “We’ve been at it for three years already, and the change is enormous.”
And as in the Galleria no rent-discounts were given to the tenants during the ongoing construction. “Some were unhappy and left. Those who stayed are happy now,” El Khoury says.
But the renewal extends beyond the mall itself. It is part of a major developing plan. The whole surrounding land – owned by H.H. Sheikh Sultan bin Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan – is being transformed into a high-end hospitality and residential enclave. Recent additions include Rixos Hotel, Fairmont apartments, and dozens of luxury villas starting at AED 55 million.
Exclusivity for the Local Market
Despite being a mid-market regional mall, Marina Mall is building a niche strength: first-to-Abu-Dhabi brands.
“We now have 28 brands that do not exist anywhere else in Abu Dhabi except Marina Mall,” El Khoury says proudly. These include Sephora’s only Beauty Room in the capital, CB2, Byredo, Mango Man, and unique sports and fashion concepts.
What makes this strategy work is the mall’s strong domestic base: 70% local Emirati customers, with high spending power. “Our F&B mix also is very strong because locals use this mall as their everyday destination,” he explains.
A Game-Changing Theatre and Leisure Vision
Perhaps the most transformative element is the new cinema-theatre complex. “It is not a cinema,” El Khoury insists. “It is an opera theatre with 550 seats and the only licensed cinema in the UAE.”
With an investment of AED 69 million, the nine-themed-theatre project features:
- A VIP members-only club
- A licensed lobby
- Premium design and acoustics
- A cultural programming capability
The first phase will open in December 2025, just right before Christmas. Although not being a catholic region, Christmas is celebrated all over the Emirates. Not as a religious festivity, but as a family event to be celebrated and a good opportunity to buy gifts and make generous presents.
And plans do not end with the installation of the amazing cinema-theatre. This entertainment anchor will form part of a much larger 300,000 sqm expansion, including a new marina promenade, improved circulation, and enhanced F&B positioning.
A Retail Landscape Built on Constant Evolution
Although their positioning differs, both General Managers share a similar outlook on doing business in Abu Dhabi – one that can be summed up as: “placemaking never stops.”
- Retail is part of wider urban strategy.
“Everything on Al Maryah Island links to the mall,” says Hurst.
“Our surrounding district is transforming at the same time as we are,” adds El Khoury. - Experience is the key competitive edge.
From new theatres to new fountains and waterfronts, both malls invest heavily in placemaking. - Exclusivity drives footfall.
Both leaders highlight the importance of unique, first-to-market brands. - Modernization is continuous, not episodic.
Neither mall stands still. Refurbishments, re-merchandising, and upgrades are ongoing.
As Abu Dhabi continues its rise as a cultural, financial, and tourism hub, these two flagship assets demonstrate how retail in the capital now demands agility, innovation, and long-term strategic alignment. Whether through luxury clustering on Al Maryah Island or a bold reinvention on the Corniche Beach, both The Galleria and Marina Mall exemplify the next era of retail in the UAE capital.
Impressions from Day 2
