Bell spoke to Event about his reasons for relocating to Dubai, experience working on a Pink Floyd concert and desire to switch places with on the Event 100 Club 2015 list.
I got into the event industry because… I started tinkering with old theatre lights at the age of 13, and became the go-to person at school for anything performance related. One thing led to another.
I have worked here since… I’ve been in Dubai for 18 years, 10 of which have been as the co-founder of Action Impact.
I was attracted to this particular role because… When I relocated to The Middle East in 1998 it offered tremendous opportunities, both professional and personal. It still does today.
Not many people know that my sister is one of the leading actresses in Emmerdale.
The best event I’ve been involved was... There are too many to name but perhaps one that springs to mind was a Pink Floyd concert in the early 1990s, where I was a humble Vari-Lite technician. It was a mesmerising experience.
If I could do it all over again I would have spent longer working in the theatre before leaving for the commercial event industry.
The one thing I can’t stand is bad grammar and sloppy timekeeping.
Outside of work I spend my time trying not to work. It’s difficult and always has been.
If money were no object I would probably be a lighting designer or photographer.
If I could switch places with anyone else in the industry it would be Kevin Jackson. To look so good takes hard work and dedication. He paid me to say that…
If I ruled the event industry I would insist everyone spends some time understanding the basic principles of theatre stagecraft.
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