WELCOME... TO TPMEA

Life begins at 40

Welcome to the 40th issue of TPMEA. In the almost eight years that have passed since Issue #1, the title has gone from a quarterly supplement bound inside the pages of TPi to a fully fledged bimonthly publication with a loyal readership of its own, and an important element of TPi’s ever-expanding global reach.

This is the 20th issue that I have personally presided over, and in that time, I have witnessed some outstanding events created by some truly world-class talents. However, none have left quite such a lasting impression on me as our cover story for this issue, MDLBEAST SOUNDSTORM.

After spending a week in Riyadh roaming the vast festival grounds and trying to speak to as many of the key personalities behind the event as possible, what became clear was that, if you look past the record-breaking stages and over-the-top production values, SOUNDSTORM is a vehicle for change in this rapidly developing country. As MDLBEAST’s Executive Director of Events, Michael ‘Curly’ Jobson, told me: “It’s not really about SOUNDSTORM 2022… This is about the creation of an industry across the board, and we’re at the sharp end of it.” Read our in-depth report on page 30

El sewhere in this issue, it might now be the elder statesman of the regional events industry, but the UAE is continually proving that it can produce events at the highest level. For the country’s 51st National Day, People created a spectacular ceremony, utilising the skills of mainly local suppliers ( page 46).

I al so spoke to audio supremo Andy Jackson, who has brought Clair Global into the Middle East (page 6), as well as Simon Ransom, who has embarked on an exciting new challenge at Groupe F ( page 60).

I wr ite this fresh from attending one of the biggest tradeshows on the industry calendar – ISE, in Barcelona – and with another of the industry’s biggest events, the TPi Awards, just around the corner. Tickets are almost sold out, and I know there are quite a few from the Middle East making the trip over to London, so, it’s shaping up to be another great night. See you at the bar!

Enjoy the issue.

Peter Iantorno Editorial Director