HMV owners Hilco have announced ambitious plans to take HMV to the Middle East region.

HMV will open 15 new stores in Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman and the United Arab Emirates. As reported by Music Week, the move follows a deal struck by Hilco with Middle Eastern company Al Mana Lifestyle, which operates more than 300 retail outlets.

Al Mana is also seeking additional licensing partners to bring HMV shops to Egypt, Algeria, Tunisia and Morocco.

“Following the successful turnaround of HMV in the UK, Ireland and Canada, we are delighted to have agreed a licensing arrangement with Al Mana to partner with them to establish the HMV brand in the Middle East,” said Hilco Capital chief executive Paul McGowan. “Al Mana has a proven and immensely successful track record in retail in the Region and we look forward to working with them to establish and grow the HMV business.

“We continue to seek further opportunities to leverage the brand equity of the HMV brand worldwide and look forward to bringing HMV to other territories and sectors in the very near future.”