Frasers Group may be most closely linked with its UK retail businesses but the company also operates beyond Britain and its latest development is a 10-year strategic retail partnership with GMG for the Gulf region and Egypt.

It said it has an “ambitious expansion plan” that’s set to increase Frasers Group’s footprint there. The key focus will be Sports Direct, its giant sports chain.

GMG is a global retailer, distributor and manufacturer of international and home-grown brands across sport, lifestyle, health & beauty and more with a particularly strong presence in the Gulf, North Africa and Southeast Asia.

In those markets it’s a key distributor and operator of Nike stores as well as its home-grown multibrand sports retailer Sun & Sand Sports, among others. 

So it clearly has the clout Frasers wants in those regions and the UK firm said the plan is to build up its retail presence in the next five years with 50 stores as the target.

Frasers CEO Michael Murray said: “GMG is an unrivalled retailer in the region, operating and distributing an incredible portfolio of global brands in markets where we see real growth potential, particularly in sports and lifestyle. By leveraging GMG’s scale, deep retail expertise and market knowledge, our partnership will support the growth of our Sports Direct brand in the Gulf and in Egypt.”

And Mohammad A Baker, deputy chairman and CEO of GMG, that the collaboration “represents not just a key milestone but a strategic expansion that underscores our commitment to redefine the sports arena across all markets in which we operate. By introducing Sports Direct, a flagship brand in the industry, we are further positioning ourselves as a dominant force within the retail sports industry”.