BYRNE EQUIPMENT RENTAL

EMILY STRACEY OF BYRNE EQUIPMENT RENTAL UAE, AND PRAVEEN KUMAR OF BYRNE EQUIPMENT RENTAL KSA, DISCUSS THEIR RESPECTIVE ROLES AT THIS MAINSTAY OF THE REGION’S EVENTS INDUSTRY.

Founded in the UAE in the early 1990s, Byrne Equipment Rental has since grown to become one of the largest plant and equipment rental companies in the Middle East, with 20 operational bases, covering the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Oman and Bahrain, as well as a fleet of over 14,000 items and a dedicated team of over 1,500 people.

Here, TPMEA catches up with Emily Stracey of Byrne’s UAE branch, as well as Praveen Kumar of the company’s Saudi Arabia operation, who share some insights from their respective divisions. five years now. I joined the company as a Sales Executive in 2017 and, after two years in the role, I was promoted. I now oversee the Events division for the UAE, where I plan and manage the forecast for the year ahead while supporting operations. I’ve worked on some of the biggest events in the UAE including Dubai Rugby Sevens, Papal visit, Special Olympics, Dubai Air Show, and UFC, not to mention hundreds of concerts over the years.

I’ve built some great relationships during my time here, on behalf of Byrne but also where clients have become my friends, and this has been an invaluable benefit of the job and my role in this region. Praveen Kumar: I have been part of the Byrne family for over 12 years. I joined as Branch Manager of the Riyadh operation and have since worked my way up to be the Assistant General Manager for the Events division in KSA. I develop, manage, and execute the operations, with an excellent experienced team here in the Kingdom.

How were you affected by COVID-19? ES: We were fortunate during the pandemic as Byrne services other industries such as Construction and Oil and Gas, which enabled us to restructure and adapt to the climate around us. As a result, no redundancies were made and, pre-2021 season, we restructured back to meet

Byrne Equipment Rental’s Praveen Kumar and Emily Stracey.

“While the UAE was already on the map as a top event destination, there is no doubt Expo 2020 has firmly positioned it as a top event destination on a global scale.”

Emily Stracey, Byrne Equipment Rental.

the upcoming demands. During the pandemic, we were heavily involved in the COVID-19 relief efforts and supported the construction of field hospitals in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, which was extremely rewarding for all of us involved. We also deployed equipment and manpower to Africa to install hospitals.

The events sector in the UAE has adapted to the challenges posed by COVID-19 and is steadily moving towards recovery while keeping the latest safety regulations at the heart of all planned future events, and we are no different. Q4 of 2021 was a fantastic period for us, which led us to expand the events team, our fleet and our singlesource solution offering, and we are now ready for an even bigger 2022.

PK: The events division in KSA was hit hard by the pandemic due to the industry coming to a complete standstill. However, to weather the storm, we pivoted our skills and capabilities to provide temporary hospitals, camps to maintain social distancing norms and COVID-19 testing centres. Our operational teams worked tirelessly through the challenges it was presented with and we have come out stronger, ready for the year ahead and beyond.

What are the main challenges you face? ES: The events industry is full of its own unique challenges. At Byrne, we always strive to deliver to the highest standards, and this can be challenging when late sign offs and last-minute changes present themselves. However, luckily we are accustomed to this after 30 years in the industry in the UAE and we always rise to the challenge; delivering and installing a full turnkey site setup with cabins, toilets, and power with one day’s notice has become second nature!

The pandemic has also presented some ongoing challenges in the industry; changing restrictions and the uncertainty or threat of another similar situation is at the back of people’s minds – we saw first-hand how it almost wiped out an entire industry. However, we proved in that situation that we can adapt, and I believe we have come out stronger than ever.

PK: The events industry in KSA is in its nascent stage, so we have developed a strategy that involves placing multiple alternate solutions at both sides of the spectrum to combat any challenges. We have an experienced team in place who are heavily involved with both the event organisers and suppliers, from the planning stage right through the entire operations cycle, and this level of detailed involvement helps us to avoid or resolve issues more quickly.

What have you got planned for the year ahead? ES: We have had a great start to the year and as we come to the end of the current events season and move into summer, we remain hopeful that the COVID-19 restrictions ease even further and we come back in the new season with a bang.

This year looks likely to be bigger than ever.

PK: The events industry in Saudi Arabia is still evolving and is poised for significant growth since the adoption of Vision 2030. Entertainment venues increased from 154 in 2017 to 277 in 2020, which is a remarkable increase and provides huge opportunities for hosting future events. We have had a strong start to 2022, where we were involved in the Dakar Rally, Formula E, Formula One and Winter Wonder Land. Looking forward, we hope to be part of all major events across KSA this year, with our single-source solution offering. There are a lot of projects in the pipeline, and we are very excited for the year ahead.

What trends are shaping the industry in both the UAE and KSA? ES: While the UAE was already on the map as a top event destination, there is no doubt Expo 2020 has firmly positioned it as a top event destination on a global scale. The eyes of the world have been on the UAE, and we have proved we have the infrastructure, manpower and capability to do anything that is thrown at us. I’m excited to see how we capitalise on the opportunities that come from the success of Expo 2020 now its doors have closed.

PK: The events industry in KSA is demonstrably on the rise and is shaping up to be an important part of the national transformation plan in the Kingdom; the country is dedicated to making available as many resources as necessary to achieve this. There is huge potential, and the changing social climate makes it easier to achieve these goals and attract more international visitors. On the infrastructure side, since most events are held in and around hotels, hotel chains have been expanding rapidly, and we can see further developments and plans to create tourist-friendly zones or districts. In the next couple of years, events will continue to flourish and will contribute significantly to the growth ambitions of KSA, not just economically but also socially, with a strong focus on protecting its rich culture, showcasing the beauty of its geography, and attracting world-class events. The current trends of seasons across various regions in different periods of the year uniquely positions Saudi Arabia to be active all through the year and this bodes well for us as the only events rental specialists with a multidepot presence in the Kingdom and over 30 years’ experience servicing the events industry in the wider GCC region. Photos: Byrne Equipment Rental www.byrnerental.com