Why we do like Mundays

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Martin Moodie
Martin Moodie is the Founder & Chairman of The Moodie Report.

Gerry Munday has seen a few Furla Candy bags(above) in her time but the one she came to grips with on Saturday night was surely the icing on the cake.

The popular fashion and accessories specialist (and Furla Global Travel Retail Director) was celebrating a birthday of some significance on the night that she arrived in Dubai for the annual Middle East Duty Free Association (MEDFA) conference.

But while she was expecting a quiet celebratory dinner with close friends, Gerry got rather more than she bargained for when she arrived at the excellent Dubai Duty Free-run Jumeirah Creekside hotel after a delayed flight out of London.

That delay nearly scuppered the plans of the key conspirators, Rowena Holland of Essential Communications and Mandy Sime of The Moodie Report, who had arranged a surprise party attended by plenty of industry friends. But a 24-hour delay out of the UK meant there were plenty of guests on hand but no birthday belle when the nominated time arrived.

Fortunately thanks to the considerable local influence of Emirates Vice President Retail Services John J. Sime (husband of Mandy), Gerry was whisked through immigration, security and Dubai traffic in record time for her surprise welcome.

There to greet her, besides many of her closest industry friends, was one of the best birthday cakes you could ever hope for – a Furla bag that could have passed for the real thing baked in her own kitchen (allegedly) earlier that day by Mandy Sime. It was a nice moment and the show of affection was proof enough that unlike Bob Geldof, travel retail really does like Mundays.

[Gerry with Rowena Holland, Mandy Sime and an authentic Furla Candy bag]

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  • Great write up as usual Martin, thank you.

    It was indeed a great and wonderful surprise party, not often am I lost for words, ( no comment please).

    I’ll never be able to thank Row and Mandy enough for such a generous gesture and to John for whizzing around Dubai trying to organise things.

    Fantastic cake, Mandy you certainly surpassed herself in the baking arena! Be careful, you don’t start getting orders fir more cakes,

    Sincere thanks to all my friends in the industry for their good wishes and presents and for making it such a special occasion, it was so much appreciated.

    Best regards
    Gerry