SAUDI ARABIA
Nancy Skipper
and artist liaison services for many of MDLBEAST ’ s biggest events , and is currently working with Done + Dusted .
“ It has been a real experience to see it right from the beginning , as the live events industry emerged in KSA ,” says Ginger Owl co-founder Nancy Skipper . “ Our first KSA event was Jeddah World Fest in June 2019 , and we have just finished the Esports World Cup in Riyadh ’ s Boulevard City . In five years , the growth and the change in our working experience over there has been amazing .”
Skipper says much of its work is around managing logistics – overseeing crew and artist transport , visas and accommodation : “ For Sandsorm it involved bringing in 1,800 crew , and around 1,000 artists needed visas . When it comes to transport , it is all by car in KSA because there ’ s no public transport infrastructure , so the logistics around these events can be hugely complex .”
That lack of public transport means travel time need careful consideration . “ Saudi Arabia is a huge country ; it ’ s a 10-hour drive from Riyadh to Jeddah , and there can be traffic congestions in the cities - any journey in Riyadh is going to take you at least 45 minutes ,” says Skipper .
While KSA has hosted some of the world ’ s biggest international acts including Metallica , Beyoncé and Mariah Carey , Skipper has seen a move toward more niche cultural events : “ We ’ ve met with some companies recently who ’ ve said that they are looking to make the entertainment offering in KSA more culturally balanced by bringing through the regional talent .”
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“ THE GROWTH AND THE CHANGE IN OUR WORKING EXPERIENCE OVER THERE HAS BEEN AMAZING .”
With an astronomical amount of money being spent on flamboyant and complex event productions in the KSA , making sure they are covered by insurance is a key focus for all involved .
A well-established broker with a history of creating bespoke insurance products for the live entertainment industry , backed by major Lloyd ’ s of London underwriters , Tysers has had representation in the Middle East for nearly 20 years and a base in Riyadh for the past 13 years , from which it reinsures many major KSA insurance companies . Tysers Live uses this local expertise to help clients moving or working out there ; from suppliers to promoters .
The company ’ s KSA base is a gateway for local insurance companies to have access to the London and international
markets for products ranging from property , liability and cancelation cover to professional indemnity .
“ In emerging territories such as the KSA it is very useful for operators to be able to draw on our expertise so that when they are pulling together a large event or a festival they have appropriate cover ,” says Tysers Live MD Tim Thornhill .
He says numerous factors are considered when assessing risk , including the huge cost and complexity of productions in KSA , the fact many of the venues are newly purpose built , that alcohol is not served , and there is far less chance of inclement weather somewhere like Riyadh than in locations such as the UK coastline .
“ The disadvantages in KSA are that you must pull in subcontractors from all over the world , and for many they are working in a new place that they are not used to . We can help to assess those risks based on our knowledge ,” says Thornhill .
“ The advantages of KSA being such a new market is that with significant investment they are able to start from scratch and purpose build amazing things that are very well made , whether that ’ s a venue or festival site . In KSA , remarkable things are happening .” accessaa . co . uk 49