Scottish fashion retailer M&Co is to launch in the United Arab Emirates and is planning 30 stores in the region.

It will open four franchise stores in the UAE this year starting with a 5,000 sq ft store in the Dubai Mall in May.  A second store will open in the Dubai Marina Mall in June with a further two scheduled to open in Abu Dhabi in the autumn.

The retailer’s expansion in the region comes via a franchise with Liwa Trading Enterprises which is to open 30 stores.

M&Co international franchise manager Lee Braid said: “We see a real opportunity for our fashion brands serving the family market, including UAE nationals, the ex-pat community and the tourist population”.

The retailer, which recorded an annual turnover of over £200m this year, is also pursuing franchise opportunities in Serbia, the Ukraine and Russia.