I got into the events industry because I wanted to bring creativity into the lighting side of corporate presentations. I used to be heavily involved in the rock and roll industry and the corporate sector looked so dull in comparison. I was always fascinated by the many facets of engagement and love mixing various disciplines and medias to achieve innovative results.
I have worked here since I founded Pumphouse in 1989, however I have been in the industry since 1980.
I was attracted to this particular role because once I had hit upon the idea of transporting my skills into the corporate sector I found it more and more rewarding. Pulling a team together to incorporate design and creativity to achieve real business solutions on a communications level is very exciting, it is different each time and a new set of challenges is what I thrive on.
Not many people know that I trained as a photographer, worked for Terence Donovan in the 70s and once went for a job as a tape operator at a sound studio and ended up being offered a role as lead vocalist in a rock band.
My worst experience at an event was providing an aging TV star as an after dinner speaker. After an extremely over the top introduction followed by rapturous applause, he was so drunk when he came to speak he couldn't even stand up and proceeded to speak completely unintelligibly from his chair for 30 minutes. Then there was the time I produced the launch of a new company which hinged on the playing of an extremely complicated audio and video piece that failed spectacularly. I had to ask the audience and the media to leave until we got it working.
If there's one thing I've learnt it's go for it. Truly, pull out all the stops and always add passion, it shines through.
The best event I've been involved in was probably the launch of Openreach where Pumphouse created the whole concept, design and media content. It was a massive success and the feedback was extremely positive. The business went on to break all expectations in its first year of trading and I felt very much a part of that.
If I could do it all over again I would take up Macrame. Seriously, I would have started earlier, but having said that my experience in the music industry was invaluable. Ok, maybe just Macrame then...
The one thing I can't stand is people not owning up to a problem they have caused.
Outside of work I spend my time sailing, playing cricket, playing guitar, piano, diving, flying, shooting, watching TV and going to the theatre.
If money were no object I would run a jazz/folk/blues club.
The one event I will never miss is I couldn't possibly say, there are so many.
The recession has meant that you have to be smarter about how to run a business. I view the recession as a time to re-evaluate how to improve our offering whilst keeping the team motivated and dynamic. Innovation has always been at the heart of what we do so this is a period of maintaining our forward focus without loosing track of changing client's requirements, in fact it is all about anticipating ahead of the client where possible.
The next 12 months will be interesting, but then I love a challenge and do believe that challenges offer a whole raft of new opportunities, nothing worse than the same old same.
If I could switch places with anyone else in the industry it would be someone who gets a good night's sleep.
If I ruled the event industry I would make it a rule that unreasonable clients worked for six months in our industry.