4 minute read
PETER GREEN, GME EVENTS
PETER GREEN, FOUNDER, GME EVENTS
KNOWN FOR WORKING WITH SOME OF THE BIGGEST NAMES IN COMEDY, PETER GREEN LAUNCHES A NEW COMPANY TO KEEP SMILES ON THE FACES OF DUBAI AUDIENCES.
Launching a new events company isn’t easy at the best of times, but it doesn’t get much tougher than during a global pandemic and in the same year that your first child is born. However, that is exactly what Peter Green, Founder of GME Events, has done. “The timing has been interesting to say the least,” he laughed, adding that thanks to his recent new arrival, the best time to get hold of him is now in the middle of the night. “I’m usually really responsive around 3am!”
After spending eight years at Done Events, working on productions such as RedFestDXB, Emirates Airline Dubai Jazz Festival and DXBLaughs, as well as winning ‘Entertainment Manager of the Year’ at the TPMEA Awards 2020, Green recently took the bold decision to start his own business. “The year we’ve all had in the industry has been unprecedented and it has brought a lot of changes, so it was a good time for me to make a change, move on and seek new opportunities,” he told TPMEA.
Over the years, DXBLaughs saw the likes of Jimmy Carr [TPMEA #26], Michael McIntyre, Kevin Bridges, John Bishop, Eddie Izzard, Dara Ó Briain and many more entertain packed-out crowds at Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC), and it’s primarily this experience that Green intends to draw upon in order to make this new venture a success. “Comedy has always been my bread and butter,” he explained. “I’ve built up a great contacts list with a number of top comedians and their agents, many of whom I now consider to be friends.
The inaugural GME Events project saw Jack Whitehall play the DWTC as part of Dubai Shopping Festival. “Dubai Tourism have been incredibly helpful, providing excellent support to help push the show to as many people as possible,” Green reflected. “Jack is an act that I had been keen to work with for some time and since his Netflix shows have done so well
GME Events Founder, Peter Green.
GME Events Founder, Peter Green.
internationally, including the MENA region, his reach is far wider than many other British acts.”
With a total of 5,000 socially distanced fans in attendance across three shows, the Jack Whitehall shows were the biggest production of their kind since the onset of the pandemic.
While social distancing restrictions remain in place as the COVID-19 vaccine is being rolled out in the UAE, Green believes that shows of this type are the perfect solution until events can return to normal. “Regulations are constantly being updated and adapting in response to the progress of the pandemic – these things are out of our control,” he commented. “However, given that most comedy is naturally seated anyway, that makes it much easier to manage people than, for example, rock ’n’ roll shows where there is a general admission fan pit. What is more, the public are much more willing to be a part of it because they feel safe and secure.”
As an independent start-up, GME doesn’t have the same financial clout as some of the UAE’s larger, more established organisations. However, according to Green, this means that he’s able to have constructive conversations with these larger organisations in a non-competitive way. “Even if you don’t end up working together, the conversations are incredibly helpful because they allow you to share your plans and gain a better understanding of the direction that the overall market is heading in,” he shared.
“For example, if I tell a promoter looking to bring a British music act to Dubai that we’ve got a 3,000-capacity British comedian coming to DWTC on a certain night, obviously that promoter would look to host their show on a different night, or vice versa, so as not to cannibalise the audience. It’s all about collaboration.”
Looking ahead, Green is hopeful that GME can be used as a platform by some of the skilled events professionals who have been affected by the pandemic. “There are so many extremely talented and creative people here who have been made redundant or have had to take some form of unpaid leave,” he commented. “The general idea is to let these guys know that I’ve invested in the company, gone through all the paperwork and put in the groundwork to get the company set up. So, if anyone is able to pick up work, but they are not in a position to invest in starting their own company, GME can be used a platform for them to deliver their services to their clients.”
While some may question the wisdom of launching a new events company in the middle of the pandemic, the GME Founder concluded by explaining his motives. “Perhaps the pandemic sped up the process, but I’d always had the idea of starting my own company in the back of my mind,” Green commented.
“It might take us a while to reach the level that we’re ultimately aiming to achieve, but I’m pleased with the progress so far. If you don’t take a chance and grab the opportunity when it arises, you’ll never know if you can make it work.” Photos: GME Events www.gme-events.com
