ONCE UPON A TIME, IN ITALY

This is where our story beings. 

The journey began in Turin, Italy with For Events SRL, an individual proprietorship founded by Alessandro Gaffuri.

The company developed loyalty programs, designed and executed live events and conceptualised and managed GRU Radio, the Turin 93.3 FM radio station.

The most prominent artists managed by For Events SRL include, but are not limited to: George Benson, Al Jarreau, Anastasia, Simple Minds, Joe Zawinul, Toots Thielemans, Pino Daniele, Fiorella Mannoia, Maurizio Crozza, Ficarra & Picone, Sabina Guzzanti, Giorgio Panariello, to name a few.

Affiliations signed with ICSC and CNCC.

FOCUS SHIFTS TO THE CONSULTING SECTOR

C.E.L.S opens first office in the Middle East in Dubai, U.A.E.

Customer Engagement Loyalty Solutions DMCC (C.E.L.S) opens in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, in October 2013.

C.E.L.S was designed to serve the shopping centre industry in the GCC Region by guiding them on how to engage with their customers while identifying loyalty dynamics, mechanics and launching loyalty programs to ensure retention and return rates.

Affiliation signed with MECSC+R.

FESTIVE LIGHTING & DECOR DEBUT

New affiliation signed with MECSC

AFKAR LIGHTING Equipment Trading Co. LLC launched in Dubai in early 2014.

AFKAR has gradually developed to become the most profitable business unit within the Group, playing a major role in the overall growth on a Group level.

CELS EVENTS IS BORN

CELS Events LLC was launched in Dubai mid-2015

The objective of this business unit was to provide the same services we had in Italy, but for the Middle Eastern market, mall activations, live shows and performances.

UPWARDS & ONWARDS

Growth, growth, growth!

The business units in Italy and the United Arab Emirates continued to grow and enhance their offering, which led to a higher conversion rate and earning a reputation in serving the top clients in both the Middle East and Europe, bringing new ideas and talents to the Group.

HELLO QATAR

And hello Mega Events!

In mid-June, during the “Gulf Rift”, the Founder & CEO, Alessandro Gaffuri, decided to open an independent business unit in Doha called CELS Events LLC. The Group developed its reach operating directly from Doha.

TECHNOLOGY & CONSUMER INSIGHTS

This was the year we decided to go all out and acquire a tech company

Customer Engagement Loyalty Solutions DMCC acquired 50% of VIAFONE Technologies, an IT agency with the capacity to support with enhanced customer relationship management, omni-channel martech data-led insight, digital engagement and loyalty mechanics required by CELS’ clients. We have developed a proprietary lead generation tool called ‘CELS Platform’.

CELS LIGHTS & DECOR IS CREATED

And we ended 2019 with a live bang!

A due diligence was carried out by the Group for the acquisition of three renowned brands in the lights & decoration sector (First Christmas GmbH, Retail Emotions GmbH, Germany and its Fujairah [UAE] branch), leading to the creation of one of the world’s most relevant groups in the industry: CELS Lights & Decor, the festive decoration holding company. In December, CELS Events produced and managed Qatar Live, the first live music festival in Doha, featuring artists like Katy Perry, Maroon 5 and Maluma to name a few.

EYES ON THE KINGDOM

Amidst the uncertainty of the COVID 19 Pandemic, CELS Group opens an office in Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

In early 2020, CELS Group developed an ambitious project for the Katara Cultural Village: Al Wasmi, an international garden festival that recreated gardens from all over the world, an experience adored by all visitors. During the same period, CELS Group acquired 50% of DPM (Design Project Management Services Ltd) with offices in Milan and Dubai, focused on interior design and interior architecture.

HOW TO SURVIVE A PANDEMIC

For a company that is all about bringing people together, the Pandemic was a hard hit

Two years into the pandemic forced management to take fundamental measures to ensure the Group’s longevity and efficiency with an internal audit that led to the restructuring and realignment of internal processes, vision and procedures.

In March 2021, Mr. Ahmed Dessouki joined forces by acquiring 10% shares of CELS Group Ltd. The newly formed board and stakeholders quickly undertook key decisions to ensure the success, sustainable growth and continuation of the legacy of the Group, recognising and commemorating a decade of vision and excellence started many years ago.