Middle East- Regional Round UP - Delta & PRG

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REGIONAL ROUND UP

PRG ACQUIRES UAE-BASED DELTA SOUND

Managing Director of Delta Sound Andy Jackson and PRG Middle East CEO, Peter McCann.

Production Resource Group (PRG) has confirmed the acquisition of the Middle East division of Delta Sound.

Founded in 2006, Delta Live is a specialist audio and communication company in the Gulf Region and will join forces with PRG’s operation in Dubai, forming a welcomed union between the two companies who have collaborated successfully for many years across a broad range of corporate, government and large-scale special events.

Like PRG, Delta Sound provides technical design and technology support to both local and international production houses who benefit from the high standard of service and delivery offered.

For PRG’s worldwide clients, this acquisition means that they will have access to additional expertise and technology when working with PRG in the Middle East and beyond. They can continue to be confident in the quality of product, experience, and professionalism whilst enjoying the addition of world-class event communications through the provision of fully scalable wired and wireless solutions.

“By acquiring Delta Sound, we have

bolstered our existing offering for our many customers who produce events and shows internationally”, said PRG’s McCann. “I’m also delighted that this acquisition integrates comprehensive event communications into our product offering thus ensuring that we can present a truly turnkey solution to our customers and partners.

He added: “With events such as Expo 2020 on the horizon these are certainly exciting opportunities for a company that can operate at scale and this acquisition demonstrates both a significant level of commitment to the region and a continued appetite for growth.”

Andy Jackson commented: “As Delta Sound, we have worked on some of the region’s largest and highest profile productions.

“We have established a loyal client base that has become more appreciative of the standard of audio production and event communications being delivered today by Delta. Having worked closely with PRG for several years across many of these events, our partnership has naturally evolved into a trading relationship and today we solidify this to the benefit of both our clients and teams.”

It will be business as usual and Delta Sound will retain its existing operational format and be officially titled ‘PRG deltasound” during the transition process.

Stephan Paridaen, PRG’s Global President and Chief Operating Officer, concluded: “PRG and Delta Sound are extremely well positioned to provide a multi-disciplined, integrated solution. Making the UAE Delta Sound team part of the global PRG family will be extremely valuable to our clients and this has been our top priority from the start.”

Paul Keating, Managing Director of Delta Sound UK commented: “Myself, Mark & Andy go back 40 years together and Andy has been involved with Delta since our humble beginnings back in 1988. He has done an amazing job in building and managing the business over the past 12 years.

“We have always had a very good working relationship with PRG both here in the UK and in the Middle East and this is a great fit for Delta UAE becoming part of the extended PRG family. We very much look forward to continuing this relationship together in the future” www.prg.com

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REGIONAL ROUND UP 09

RICHARD VAN NAIRN TAKES ON EXPANDED EMEA SALES ROLE

During his four years in the company, Martin Audio’s Richard Van Nairn has steadily broadened his remit, and with the recent restructure of Martin Audio’s sales force, it has opened the door further for Van Nairn to bring even more territories under his management.

The restructure, which has seen Bradley Watson promoted to the new role of International Sales Director, meant many of the countries under his management has moved to Van Nairn.

Already in charge of Cyprus, Bulgaria, Lithuania, Slovenia, Estonia and the PALOPS block, Van Nairn now has responsibility for a further swathe of territories across Central and Eastern Europe, as well as the Middle East (including Israel and Jordan). He also has responsibility for the whole of Africa (apart

from South Africa), including Egypt, Tunisia and Morocco.

“I feel privileged to be entrusted with so much responsibility at a time when Martin Audio’s sales are at a record high,” stated Richard Van Nairn. “The opportunity to expand the brand’s visibility in some of the lesser known parts of the world remains of paramount importance.”

Added International Sales Director, Bradley Watson: “During his time at the company Richard has been responsible for opening up a number of territories and radically improving our distributor network. He is more than capable of taking on this additional responsibility at a critical time in the company’s development.” www.martin-audio.com

Martin Audio’s Richard Van Nairn.

MUSIC & LIGHTS APPOINTS UAE DISTRIBUTOR

Music & Lights has appointed Loud & Clear Audio Visual Equipment Trading as its distributor of their brands across the United Arab Emirates. With over 50 years combined experience in the live entertainment, event and installation markets with a number of awardwinning venues to their credit, the directors of Loud & Clear bring specialist technical and design knowledge to the fore ensuring products are precisely matched to clients requirements.

“By working alongside Loud & Clear Audio Visual Equipment Trading, I am confident that PROLIGHTS, DAD, TRIBE, ProAudio and PROTRUSS will become increasingly visible brands throughout the United Arab Emirates” said Fabio Sorabella, Managing Director of Music & Lights.

The relationship between Music & Lights and directors Bengan Hovgard and Ben Rogers has blossomed over the last 5 years stemming from the initial design and specification of PROLIGHTS fixtures into flagship installations in high-profile venues throughout the United Arab Emirates.

Lighting Designer and co-director of Loud & Clear, Ben M Rogers said: “I’ve always been impressed with the quality of the products and the service from the whole team in Italy whether it be on the front line from a designer angle or from a supply and innovation perspective.”

Rogers has been actively specifying PROLIGHTS fixtures on projects throughout UAE for over 5 years and explained: “The smart industrial design, technical features and reliability of the PROLIGHTS’s range paired with superb product support and warranty deliver superb value for our clients on installations of all sizes.”

Music & Lights state-of-the-art facility.

With the product ranges already delivering award-winning results for major clubs, venues, government and commercial installations the future looks bright for Bengan, Ben and the team at Loud & Clear Audio Visual Equipment Trading www.musiclights.it www.loudtech.me

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REGIONAL ROUND UP

ELECTROSONIC GROUP NAMES ITS NEW EMEA MANAGING DIRECTOR

Reporting to CEO Jon Hancock, Donald Stuart joins as the company’s EMEA Managing Director.

Stuart has a long track record as a successful international chief executive. Most recently, he was CEO of TMARA Group, an innovation management consultancy with offices in Johannesburg and London.

“We’re delighted to welcome Donald to Electrosonic’s global leadership team,” said Hancock. “Donald brings a wealth of experience across the services industry to his new pivotal role for Electrosonic Group. The leadership skills and expertise across innovation and service transformation, which he has displayed throughout a distinguished career, made him the ideal choice to write the next chapter of Electrosonic EMEA.”

A native of South Africa with an

MBA from the University of Cape Town’s Graduate School of Business, Stuart has spent his career leading professional services and technology businesses most recently at the helm of TMARA Group. Prior to that, he held CEO positions at Brainstorm Mobile Solutions, a global mobile solutions provider; and The IQ Business Group, a Global management consulting firm and Dimensions Data.

“It’s very exciting to be joining a world leader in AV and experience and engagement solutions,” said Stuart. “Electrosonic is world class in designing and delivering engagement solutions where people live, work and play. As the world changes how people engage with everything around them, Electrosonic will be at the forefront of enabling that world. And that’s a very exciting space to be in.” www.electrosonic.com

Electrosonic Group’s Donald Stuart.

AUDIO-TECHNICA WELCOMES A NEW SALES DIRECTOR EMEA

Audio-Technica’s Sarah Yule.

Audio-Technica Europe has welcomed appointment of Sarah Yule to the position of Sales Director EMEA. Well-known in the pro-audio and consumer electronics industry, Yule joins the company from VC-backed music creation start-up ROLI, where she was Director of Sales between 2014-2019.

Starting out as an audio engineer in her teens, Yule obtained a degree in Sound Technology from Paul McCartney’s LIPA before moving into the commercial side of the industry. She has spent the last 15 years in both international and senior sales roles at the likes of TL Audio and InMusic and at ROLI was involved in bringing the brand’s groundbreaking products to market around the world; driving an impressive growth trajectory through both CE and MI retailers such as Apple, Guitar Centre and John Lewis.

With an executive MBA from Warwick Business School and credits from both Rutgers

Business School and Bocconi School of Management, Yule plans to bring her experience and passion for all things audio and technology to Audio-Technica’s EMEA consumer and professional business.

Yule commented: “I am delighted to be joining such a respected company dedicated to creating products that are both premium quality and best-in-class. Audio-Technica is a brand with a respect for the art of sound, great history and strong heritage and I am honoured to be part of the team that will ensure it has an exciting and fruitful future for many years to come.”

Robert Morgan-Males, CEO of Audio- Technica Europe said: “Sarah is joining Audio-Technica at a fascinating time, as we’re continuing to see the lines between professional and consumer products blurred; we believe that Sarah’s experience and achievements can help drive growth across the business.” www.audio-technica.com

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REGIONAL ROUND UP 11

QSC ANNOUNCES NEW DISTRIBUTION PARTNER IN THE MIDDLE EAST

QSC has confirmed GSL Professional will begin distributing QSC Systems and Live Sound portfolios in the Gulf Cooperation Council region, including Iraq, beginning 1 July 2019.

“As QSC continues to expand the Q-SYS Ecosystem and Live Sound portfolio and focus on specific vertical markets, we look forward to working with GSL Professional to provide new and existing customers the service and support needed in order to accelerate growth in the region,” said Ron Marchant, Senior Director Sales Management, QSC EMEASA. “We want to thank our existing distribution partners SGTC Professional (Systems) and PAXT Ltd (Live Sound) for helping establish QSC as a globally recognised leader in audio, video & control solutions for business partners and end users alike.”

“QSC has a very impressive line of solutions that are dedicated to enhancing the end user experience with sophisticated digital audio, video and control platforms for a diverse range of applications,” said Adrian Curtis, Managing Director, GSL Professional. “As QSC continues to become a force in the market, GSL is the ideal partner to provide the technical expertise and design consult to ensure customers understand the breadth of the QSC portfolio while helping them

deliver real business outcomes.” www.qsc.com

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REGIONAL ROUND UP

SHOWFORCE FLYS WITH BLINK IN KSA

Showforce continues to provide highly experienced and capable crew within the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and has become to ‘go-to’ solution for crewing support within the country. Most recently they have assisted UAE based production company Blink with the delivery of the amazing AlUla Balloon Festival in AlUla, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia from 1-9 February 2019.

The event was part of the Winter at Tantora Festival and saw 50 hot air balloons taking to the sky each morning, giving rides to festivalgoers and locals. Then in the evening when the balloons were tethered there was a beautiful ‘glow show’, utilising lighting to showcase them.

A team of 10 experienced Showforce crew chiefs and a crew manager were onsite from 26 January to 12 February. Tasked with facilitating the balloon rides; initially this involved marking out the site, creating five zones with 10 balloons in each. Two crew chiefs were allocated to each zone and worked with 20 local crew who unpacked the balloons, assisted with their set-up and tethered them prior to flight. In addition, using concrete blocks and rope, they made a 25sqm area around each balloon to allow for easy access.

The ride of 7km crossed AlUla’s stunning landscape and heritage sites like Qasr al Farid and Madin’Saleh, the second largest Nabatean city after Petra. www.showforce.com www.blinkexperience.com

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REGIONAL ROUND UP

BALLET UNDER THE STARS

The Covent Garden Dance Company and Four Seasons Resort Dubai at Jumeirah Beach hosted some of the world’s most supreme ballet dancers from the greatest ballet and dance companies, for an evening at the stunning open air beachside theatre, beneath the stars.

Ballet Under The Stars was headlined by The Royal Ballet’s British Principal dancer Lauren Cuthbertson, partnered by world-famous Xander Parish, who was the first British dancer to become a Principal with The Mariinsky Ballet in Saint Petersburg, Russia.

The couple were joined by a cast of renowned principal dancers from the world’s greatest companies that include Staatsballett Berlin, The Royal Ballet, Dutch National Ballet, Spanish National Ballet and many more.

The magical evening comprised of three halfchour performances, each section of performance containing four short works between the three gourmet dining courses curated by the culinary masters of Four Seasons Dubai. Guests arrived and

received a welcome drink at a pre-show reception, before being shown to their table in the garden theatre of the stunning Four Seasons beachfront grounds.

Following the show there was a post-show reception where the artists and production team were joined by the guests for drinks.

Being held in association with Spinneys Dubai, The Covent Garden Dance Company’s Ballet under the Stars is a unique and brilliant style of ballet and dance dinner theatre. This star-studded company performed a range of works, from the deeply classical to the gorgeously contemporary and much, much more.

World renowned dance floor manufacturer Harlequin Floors have provided the sprung dance floor for the event via their Dubai distributor IRL Flooring. Harlequin dance floors are the choice of dancers at the world’s leading venues, from the Royal Opera House, the Bolshoi Theatre, Paris

Opera Ballet to The Royal Opera House, Muscat. IRL are trusted partners of Harlequin

Floors, and can supply and install Harlequin performance flooring to schools, dance studios and venues anywhere in the UAE. www.harlequinfloors.com

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REGIONAL ROUND UP 15

SENNHEISER LAUNCHES IE 400 PRO AND IE 500 PRO IN-EAR MONITORS IN MIDDLE EAST

Following its unveiling at CABSAT earlier this month, Sennheiser has confirmed the availability of the IE 400 PRO and IE 500 PRO in the Middle East. The latest members of Sennheiser’s family of professional in-ear monitors offer natural, high-resolution sound, a secure and comfortable fit that comes close to custom-moulded in-ears and a break-proof, patent-pending cable connection.

“For the IE 400 PRO and IE 500 PRO, we have reinvented the single dynamic driver principle. Other in-ears in the same price range work on the balanced armature principle, which we find to be inferior to a wideband dynamic driver,” explained Jannik Schentek, product manager at Sennheiser. “Balanced armature earphones – a technology borrowed from hearing aids where small packages are crucial – require multiple drivers to reproduce the frequency range, and this may lead to cross-over effects and phase differences between the individual drivers. The IE 400 PRO and the IE 500 PRO, on the other hand, use a single high-performance dynamic driver that covers the entire frequency range with ease, resulting in a distortion-free, detailed and accurate sound reproduction.”

The single-driver technology, termed TrueResponse, ensures a completely natural, clear and spacious sound stage with a total harmonic

distortion (THD) as low as under 0.08% at 1 kHz and 94 dB. When the sound is so precise and detailed, the acoustical stress for the wearer is reduced, and they discover that they can set their monitors to a lower level. Even so, the sound still has punch – even in the loudest of surroundings. This enables musicians to critically monitor their sound and to fully concentrate on their performance.

With the driver measuring only 7mm in diameter, the IE 400 PRO and IE 500 PRO feature a comfortable ear mould, which is ergonomically shaped, has a low profile and is extremely lightweight.

The in-ears come with silicone ear adapters in various sizes and a pair of special ear tips made from memory foam, which expand to perfectly fit the ear canal. In addition, the earphones’ sound tunnel has two rest positions to attach the ear tips too, to accommodate the variances in length of human ear canals.

This results in a secure and comfortable fit that comes very close to custom-made ear moulds. Moreover, the perfect sealing provides powerful bass reproduction and a reduction in ambient sound by up to 26 dB, protecting the wearer against excessive stage sound.

Like every in-ear in this professional series, the IE 400 PRO and IE 500 PRO are fitted with a

break-proof inner cable duct (patent pending), that has the cable’s sturdy anti-kink sleeve sit directly on the ear mould, providing a longlasting solution for the rigours of stage use. For easy distinction, the right ear mould has a red ring at its cable connection.

Both new models have a detachable cable with a reinforced ear hook. While the IE 400 PRO comes with a black, straight cable, the IE 500 PROs are fitted with a clear, twisted-pair cable which provides optimised resistance to structureborne noise.

Commenting on the difference in sound between the two models, Jannik Schentek said: “The biggest difference is in the mids, really. Between 1 and 2.5 kHz, the IE 500 PRO has more presence and sounds much more direct, thus opening up a very wide and deep sound stage that allows artists to more easily localise themselves in the mix. Furthermore, it has a wider frequency response and a few extra dBs of sound pressure level – which can be crucial on loud stages.”

Both models are available in a clear and smoky black version. They come complete with a handy transport case, memory foam and silicone ear tips, a cleaning tool, and a 3.5 mm (1/8”) to 6.3 mm (1/4”) jack adaptor. www.sennheiser.com

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REGIONAL ROUND UP

GLOBAL INFUSION GROUP PARTNERS FOODIE BRANDS CATERING SERVICES

GIG, an award-winning caterer and a division of Global Infusion Group, expands into the United Arab Emirates following the completion of a joint venture agreement with Foodie Brands Catering Services, the Dubai-based food production and catering company.

The two catering experts have combined their respective skills and expertise to launch GIG Catering Services, which will provide high-end food, beverage and hospitality services to the UAE market.

A key focus of GIG Catering Services will be to provide dedicated catering and hospitality solutions to EXPO 2020, the world expo that will see more than 190 countries participate and

Tony Laurenson and Kareem Abughazaleh.

welcome millions of visitors to Dubai from 20 October 2020 until 10 April 2021.

Tony Laurenson, founder and Chief Executive Officer of Global Infusion Group, commented on the new venture: “Following our successful appointment as the exclusive caterer for UK Pavilion at EXPO 2020 growing demand from clients, it made perfect business sense for GIG to partner with Foodie Brands and open an operation in the UAE. We recognised the same passion and drive to deliver premium event catering, food production and service in Foodie Brands that we pride ourselves on. GIG Catering Services will combine our skills with those of Foodie Brands in order to deliver world-class

culinary expertise in the region.” It is EXPO 2020’s vision to develop local and regional economic impact and spur social development. The creation of GIG Catering Services LLC will only add to the UAE’s long-term strategy and drive to develop local and regional interests in co-operation with high-level local partners.

Laurenson continued: “GIG Catering Services LLC will be led by a dynamic team of catering professionals with years of food, event and hospitality experience. It will utilise an established HACCP-certified (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point) production kitchen in Al Quoz, Dubai, and will be supported by excellent logistics management, first-class approach to operations and professional standards at all times.

“By combining the expertise of GIG and Foodie Brands, GIG Catering Services LLC is well placed to provide organisers, clients, agencies and organisations with memorable experiences, coupled with a perfect blend of innovation, creativity and excellent service.”

Kareem Abughazaleh, CEO of Foodie Brands added: “Being in a position to partner with a company of Global Infusion Group’s global stature is an exciting step for everyone within Foodie Brands and something that the team is incredibly proud of. We’re confident that we will be able to provide world class support and added value to all future projects in the region. www.globalinfusiongroup.com www.foodiebrands.com

THE HARLEQUIN ARENA GROUP ADOPTS THE TITLE OF ARENA MIDDLE EAST & ASIA

The Harlequin Arena Group, Asia Tents Arena & Arena Hong Kong has rebranded to the title of Arena Middle East & Asia.

A spokesperson for Harlequin Arena Group commented on the merger: “Each of our regional offices will continue to design and deliver temporary event environments with the same passion and to the same exemplary standard that you’re used to. However, we’re proud to be a member of

the world-renowned Arena Group and of our global capabilities, and we feel that this should be represented more clearly in our name and branding.

More information on the Arena Middle East & Asia regional offices and the Arena Group globally can be found on our brandnew website along with details of what we’ve been up to recently throughout the region.” www.arenamea.com

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REGIONAL ROUND UP 17

Felix Erdmann and Jens Giessler.

N&M APPOINTS NEW MANAGEMENT TO OVERSEE THE RAPID GROWTH OF THE UAE MARKET

Neumann&Müller Event Technology welcomes Felix Erdmann as its new General Manager and Jens Giessler as its senior partner of the group to preside over the UAE division.

Erdmann and Giessler will take full responsibility as the general managers following Rick Wade’s decision to move on to new challenges outside of N&M’s core business.

Commenting on Wade’s leaving, was Managing Director of the group, Alex Ostermaier. “We are very grateful for Rick’s contributions to building and leading the UAE venture for over eight years,” he commented. “He has been a key player in the company’s achievements in this region. On behalf of the entire team, I wish him well and success for the future. We took Rick’s decision as an opportunity to refine responsibilities in the management”.

In 2018, this office has become the core of two business units - events rental and system

integration. The new management structure enables the company to effectively enhance the quality of customer service in order to provide the best possible solutions with regards to market demands. The presence of the two executives here in the region allows the local operation to have the continuing ability to connect with senior management easily and collaborate creatively with international branches, which leads to faster decision making while providing greater client experience.

The transformation of the local workforce is part of the company’s strategy to streamline the workflow process and align the UAE operations to the group’s systems and international processes, aiming to effectively manage the rapid development of the business and the challenges of future projects—outstanding productions and major events such as the EXPO 2020 Dubai.

Felix Erdmann came on board six years ago as a project manager. He quickly gained the trust of the senior management and last year became the head of the new business unit, “System Integration”, after delivering successful projects such as the very prestigious expo pavilions— Astana Sphere “Nur Alem”, Energy Best Practice, Shell, Austrian and the multi-award-winning German pavilion—at the Expo 2017 Astana, in Kazakhstan.

Jens Giessler, on the other hand, is a senior partner and a board member of the N&M group of companies. He has been with N&M for over twenty years looking after the accounts of the important clients as well as driving the sales force. His experience will sustain the business to achieve the company’s vision for efficient and optimum customer service and long-term success in the Middle East region. www.neumannmueller.com

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