Actavo
C
Celebrates a
decade in UK
Events
Emily Kenward joined Actavo (then
EventServ) when the Dublin-based
company brought its event infrastructure
supply business to the UK in 2010. She
spoke to Access about her past decade,
and the new one, including what’s in store
at The Event Production Show (25-26
February)
o-founder Paul Griffin headed
up the expansion into the UK
ten years ago, supplying a broad
range of event infrastructure from
fencing and scaffolding to staging and
seating. Then, strong relationships
with MCD and Live Nation in Dublin led
to the Wakefield based start-up being
awarded contracts for Leeds Festival and
providing the main infrastructure to T
In The Park, which were key contacts in
establishing the companies credentials.
Kenward recalls: “It was exciting
to be involved in those big festivals
and the many other music shows that
have followed, although our focus was
immediately forward towards to the
impending London 2012 Olympics. That
was the first time I felt the benefits
of being part of a larger, ambitious
company. We had the resources to
invest further in a new ‘Box Seat’ system
and had the processes in place to be
compliant with the stringent new CDM
health and safety regime around the
Games.
“Supporting the Arena Group, we
installed three-tiered grandstand
seating systems into ExCeL for the
weightlifting arena, and we supported
ESG supplying crowd barriers for the
park and ride facilities. It was a very
special moment for the UK event sector.
It was also significant in that it raised
the bar on both health and safety, along
with the finish of event infrastructure,
in-line with improving the customer
experience.
“As the company evolved along with
the best of the industry, those early years
were a phenomenal learning curve for
me. I’m grateful for the opportunity
given by the company, particularly Paul
(Griffin), who always pushed me forward.
I’m aware that across the last decade
I’m one of an increasing number of
women carving out a successful career
in events and since being promoted to
UK operations manager in 2019 I am
determined to nurture a diverse team of
people at Actavo.
“This team has been together for five
years and is the best I’ve worked with,
there is a friendly, caring atmosphere,
everyone clearly likes their colleagues.
People have each other’s backs when
things go outside of our control, as they
do in the event industry. We all go above
and beyond to deliver results for the
clients.
“Building on the success of London
2012 we established a second UK office
in Scotland in 2012, which supported
our delivery of a £1.2m contract directly
to the 2014 Glasgow Commonwealth
Games organisers. That put us at the top
tier of suppliers in the sporting world as
well as the music world.
“That period of time was a particular
highlight for me. Having made a success
of delivering the Commonwealth Games
infrastructure we were immediately
contracted to supply the 2015 Pan
American and Para Pan American
Games in Toronto, which we flew out to
Canada to manage.
37