ABANA - Key Persons
Arif has 35 years experience in the textile industry. As Managing Director of a vertically-integrated knitwear company with factories in Mauritius and Madagascar, he supplied industry leading retailers such as Zara, H&M and Mango. Subsequently, he built a premium knitwear solution network connecting small and medium size factories in the region with sophisticated European brands including Zadig & Voltaire, Sandro, Agnes B and Strenesse. He has also created the leading cashmere retail brand in Mauritius which recently launched a unique made-to-order e-commerce concept. Arif has been active in the Mauritian Private Sector industry associations. He is the current President of the Mauritius Exporters Association (MEXA) and a past President of the Joint Economic Council, the apex body of the Mauritian Private Sector. Arif studied at Williams College and McGill University.
Dirk has been working in the industry for 33 years and began his career as an agent for large German buyers including Otto Versand, Karstadt and Kaufhof. He then moved to manufacturing as the Marketing Director for a vertically-integrated Mauritian jersey manufacturer where he built significant accounts with fashion-forward retailers such as Topshop, Urban Outfitters, Joie and Armani. More recently he was the Sourcing Director for the Mr Price Group which is the largest African retailer with responsibility for their global supply chain with an emphasis on improving compliance, sustainability and lead-times.