I got into the event industry because I wanted to push the boundaries of what was structurally and physically possible in live shows. I wanted to mix the world of performance and engineering to produce one-off moments, whilst also providing the end client the comfort and security you need when you push the boundaries.
I have worked here since I set up the company in 2005.
I was attracted to this particular role because nobody was doing what I was looking to do. I wanted to provide a full service show design studio from concept to design to build and most importantly performance. I was continually being told by people that things were not possible and could not be done. I set about to prove them wrong.
Not many people know that I am a closet Riverdance fan.
My worst experience at an event was being held at gunpoint by police in the Dubai desert at 5am. That was interesting.
If there’s one thing I’ve learnt it’s that on a live show you can not prepare for everything, you just have to be ready to react.
The best event I’ve been involved in was the opening ceremony for Meydan stadium that hosts the Dubai World Cup. I achieved a lifelong ambition to design the world's first helicopter performance structure. I had worked for years on the concept and finally found a client that was brave enough to give it a go.
We flew a 20-metre automated Falcon from a single point 100 feet below a heavy lift helicopter. It was the closing moment of the ceremony and watching it fly past was both glorious and terrifying in equal measure.
If I could do it all over again I would... not change a thing. I feel very lucky to do what I do. I have a fantastic team who all enjoy working together to try and push boundaries.
The one thing I can’t stand is clients saying "I want a show like Cirque Du Soleil but not Cirque Du Soleil".
Outside of work I spend my time with my wife and son drawing, painting and not listening to enough music.
The one thing I can’t do my job without is bananas - I cannot function without them.
If I could switch places with anyone else in the industry it would be Canadian concert promoter Michael Cohl. He is an inspiration to me and the industry as a whole, from the Rolling Stones to Fuerza Bruta. He has had helped shape the entertainment industry as we know it.
If I ruled the event industry I would make it illegal for clients to say they don’t know what their budget is. It is one of the biggest myths in the whole industry. You always know what the budget is or you would not be in business.
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