SAUDI ARABIA
Soundstorm , Riyadh
Jeddah ’ s Onyx Arena
in 2021 , it was created with the aim of accelerating the growth of the KSA music industry .
One of the key partners working closely with MDLBEAST on its many events is Special Projects , which has been providing site management for large-scale events across the Gulf region since 2006 . In 2022 , it set down roots in KSA with the opening of an office in Riyadh .
Among the many vast and spectacular KSA events Special Projects has worked on are Soundstorm and Balad Beast festivals , the after-race concerts for the Saudi GP Formula 1 and Formula E . It was also heavily involved in the construction management of Jeddah ’ s Onyx Arena , with a MDLBEASTpromoted show by American rap star Don Toliver on 2 August being among the first staged there .
Originally set up in Scotland , Wilson says that around 80 % of his business ’ s revenue is now generated in KSA across overlay & site management , site design and construction management jobs .
“ In Scotland the margins are too tight . In the Middle East , we have greater freedom to produce jobs that look great , that are correctly costed , and allow us to show off our skills set ,” says Special Projects CEO and founder John Wilson .
When it comes to the ease of working in KSA , he says the industry has evolved rapidly since 2019 , and in the last 18 months it has become easier for foreign-owned companies to set up there , and work within the tax and regulatory systems .
“ The challenge is that it is new for everybody , and that includes the Saudi Arabians who are administering the processes . We ’ re still finding it difficult for people to get up to speed in terms of what they can allow us to do , what they should be allowing us to do and having the systems in place for us to do what we need to do .”
Filling the skills gap Special Projects is playing a part in helping to educate the next generation of event professionals in KSA having delivered two site management courses – one as part of a wider study programme for the GEA and the other as part of the MDLBeast Career Path Programme .
“ We have more than 100 site staff at Soundstorm , we ’ re a small core team and so use a lot of freelancers ,” says Wilson . “ With the courses we ’ re building knowledge among local young people who want to get into site management .”
Another organisation playing a part
in filling the knowledge gap is Informa Connect . On the back of the success of its Middle East Event Show exhibition and conference in Dubai , where more than 5,000 event professions gather each June , Informa Connect launched the Saudi Event Show ( SES ) in 2019 .
SES was last held in Riyadh from 11-12 September , and sold out months in advance . It was attended by around 4,500 industry professionals from 30 countries .
“ For live events suppliers the Middle East and KSA is an amazing opportunity ,” says portfolio director Amar Daginawala . “ It ’ s a booming market and we have seen a lot of European and US-based companies want to know more about working here .”
He says that since its launch , SES has grown from a 3,000sqm exhibition to 5,000sqm , and demand is so strong that he confidently expects to be able to expand it to around 10,000 sqm by 2027 .
SES ’ s lead content manager Ayman Akaily says the conference sessions are designed to play an important role in knowledge sharing , and he has been impressed by the rate at which the KSA events industry is building domestic expertise : “ The catch-up process is very fast in KSA . Because of the level of investment put in to bringing the best accessaa . co . uk 45