When a 16-year-old’s passion for performing arts snowballs into an award from the Queen, you know the story’s going to be good!

In the final episode of Season 2 of EventNewsDXB, Zoe Jackson MBE talks to us about how she took her teenage passion and turned it into a performing arts company and charity that inspired thousands of young people and led to numerous prestigious awards.

In 2020 she left the UK for Dubai and has since gone on to form of the region’s most respected entertainment production companies, Entertain X. She shares the lessons she's learned along the way, why saying no to procurement races protects creativity, how Expo’s legacy reshaped her business and why Saudi’s cultural boom is redefining what’s possible for live experiences.

Zoe also opens up about her event journey and how to manage through growth, evolving from hands-on creative to systems-builder, managing cash flow in slow-pay markets and finding balance when passion risks becoming burnout. 

If you're in the business of entertainment in the Middle East, this episode is for you.

Production Credits:

Presented by: Ian Carless
Studio Engineer & Editor: Roy D'Monte
Executive Producers: Ian Carless & Joe Morrison
Produced by: EventNewsDXB & W4 Podcast Studio

Support us!

It takes time and effort to put the EventNewsDXB podcast together and we hope it's worth something to you. If it is, please consider sponsoring the podcast to enable us to keep them coming. Contact us for details.

How many times have we sat in a bar and magically come up the next 'big idea', only for it to avaporate along with the last drop of vino in your glass! 

In this week's EventNewsDXB, we sit down with Adam Parry, Co-Founder of Event Industry News and Event Tech Live about ignoring all the 'nay-sayers' and turning that 'big idea' into not just one, but two profitable businesses. 

Adam unpacks some of the key moments along his journey - why awards became more than trophies but a true community hub and how a daytime conference unlocked sponsorships that ultimatelty made his P/L work! 

We also explore what innovation really means in events, why tech is only as good as the problems it solves. And he shares the thinking behind Speaker Stacks, a new tool built to bridge content and contacts without spamming audiences.

Plus, having made the move from the UK to Dubai, Adam shares his perspective on how two very different markets operate and talks candidly about the culture shift, from the UK’s mature but sometimes rigid industry to the Middle East’s speed, ambition, and appetite for scale.

If you're looking for an engaging conversation with one of the event industry's most influential voices, hit that play button! 

EventNewsDXB is supported by -45dB and Warehouse Four. 

Production Credits:

Presented by: Ian Carless
Studio Engineer & Editor: Roy D'Monte
Executive Producers: Ian Carless & Joe Morrison
Produced by: EventNewsDXB & W4 Podcast Studio

Support us!

It takes time and effort to put the EventNewsDXB podcast together and we hope it's worth something to you. If it is, please consider sponsoring the podcast to enable us to keep them coming. Contact us for details.

When Tammy Urwin swapped dreams of the auctioneer’s gavel for a Lapland winter as Santa’s assistant, little did she realise it would be great training for her future career in the event industry!

In this weeks episode of EventNewsDXB, Urban Events director Tammy Urwin, joins me to unpack how she wound up doing “experiential” before it had a name and how she designs her events for emotion and memory over format. We also talk zero-waste festivals, like Corona Sunsets, which saw 30,000 people attend over three days, with nothing going to landfill and why sustainability has to be in the brief throughout, not a line at the end. 

She also talks candidly about saying no to procurement driven briefs and keeping her event agency intentionally small. And we dig into AI’s real utility  - speed, not strategy; plus why hiring for attitude wins and how she's building a pipeline of female talent in a male-dominated industry. 

If you care about creating moments that outlast the event, this conversation is a good place to start. 

EventNewsDXB is supported by Warehouse Four and -45dB

Production Credits:

Presented by: Ian Carless
Studio Engineer & Editor: Roy D'Monte
Executive Producers: Ian Carless & Joe Morrison
Produced by: EventNewsDXB & W4 Podcast Studio

Support us!

It takes time and effort to put the EventNewsDXB podcast together and we hope it's worth something to you. If it is, please consider sponsoring the podcast to enable us to keep them coming. Contact us for details.

When Adam Griffiths packed a bag and followed his brother to Dubai he didn’t plan on founding an event agency. However, fatherhood and a hard look at what “trust” means in this market, pushed him to launch Enigma, built on a simple promise: do what you say you’ll do.

In this week’s episode of EventNewsDXB, Adam draws a clear line between live events and experiential and why the win isn’t footfall, it’s connection. He shares how his team designs for engagement and dwell, not just more screens and why success lives in the conversation that happens after. We also dig into a standout case from Jeddah’s Red Sea Film Festival with Netflix - a multi-zone fan experience adapted thoughtfully for local culture.

Adam also talks candidly about building fast without losing the plot: hiring for attitude, keeping the team intentionally lean, qualifying briefs and saying no to race-to-the-bottom procurement. 

It’s an honest, practical playbook for event pros in the region: how to protect creativity on tight budgets, use data with purpose and build the kind of trust you can look for in a client.

EventNewsDXB is supported by Warehouse Four and -45dB

Production Credits:

Presented by: Ian Carless
Studio Engineer & Editor: Roy D'Monte
Executive Producers: Ian Carless & Joe Morrison
Produced by: EventNewsDXB & W4 Podcast Studio

Support us!

It takes time and effort to put the EventNewsDXB podcast together and we hope it's worth something to you. If it is, please consider sponsoring the podcast to enable us to keep them coming. Contact us for details.

When Ben McDonald returned to Dubai to join Purple Glow, he wasn’t chasing shiny objects or the flashiest tech. He was chasing meaning.

In this episode of EventNewsDXB, Ben shares why success in event technology isn’t about who has the biggest screens, it’s about creating moments that truly connect. For him, the metrics are simple: engagement, dwell, conversation.

He also talks about designing self-guided brand journeys, using data to give clients real value beyond event day, and how to foster a creative culture that empowers young talent. Ben’s honesty about what works and what doesn’t in the world of event tech, makes this conversation a must-listen for anyone serious about elevating experiences in the Middle East.

EventNewsDXB is supported by Warehouse Four and -45dB

Production Credits:

Presented by: Ian Carless
Studio Engineer & Editor: Roy D'Monte
Executive Producers: Ian Carless & Joe Morrison
Produced by: EventNewsDXB & W4 Podcast Studio

Support us!

It takes time and effort to put the EventNewsDXB podcast together and we hope it's worth something to you. If it is, please consider sponsoring the podcast to enable us to keep them coming. Contact us for details.

What happens when you set out to “just see who comes through the door” and end up building one of Asia’s most influential event companies?

In this episode of EventNewsDXB, I talk with Jasper Donat, co-founder and CEO of Branded, about his 30-year journey from Star TV in Hong Kong to creating the All That Matters conference and festival in Singapore. Jasper reflects on the wild early days of Asian events, the evolution of his company’s flagship platforms across music, sport, gaming, and marketing, and why live, face-to-face connections still matter more than ever in an AI-driven world.

We dive into the lessons of COVID, how Branded found creative ways to keep audiences engaged when everything went virtual (yes, even Cookie Monster got a keynote slot), and why Singapore and the Middle East are fast becoming global hubs for live experiences.

EventNewsDXb is proudly supported by Warehouse Four and -45dB

Production Credits:

Presented by: Ian Carless
Studio Engineer & Editor: Roy D'Monte
Executive Producers: Ian Carless & Joe Morrison
Produced by: EventNewsDXB & W4 Podcast Studio

Support us!

It takes time and effort to put the EventNewsDXB podcast together and we hope it's worth something to you. If it is, please consider sponsoring the podcast to enable us to keep them coming. Contact us for details.

James Mistry: Pulling Back The Curtain On Event Safety. 

This week on EventNewsDXB, we sit down with James Mistry, founder of JAM Event Services, for an unfiltered conversation about the realities of event safety and staffing in the Middle East. 

From the chaotic beginnings of Dubai’s early event scene to Expo 2020’s game-changing legacy, James shares candid insights into why event safety is now seen as essential. Plus he offers his take on how the culture around mental health is finally evolving in a field long defined by burnout and unsustainable hours.

James doesn’t hold back when it comes to the industry’s challenges, explaining why he believes too many companies still think quantity trumps quality. He also shines a light on Saudi Arabia’s explosive growth, where a young, ambitious population and a rapidly expanding events calendar are creating opportunities unlike anywhere else in the world.

🎧 Listen now to hear James’s take on what the industry gets right, what it gets wrong, and why the future of events in the Middle East has never looked more promising.

EventNewsDXB is supported by Warehouse Four and -45dB

Production Credits:

Presented by: Ian Carless
Studio Engineer & Editor: Roy D'Monte
Executive Producers: Ian Carless & Joe Morrison
Produced by: EventNewsDXB & W4 Podcast Studio

Support us!

It takes time and effort to put the EventNewsDXB podcast together and we hope it's worth something to you. If it is, please consider sponsoring the podcast to enable us to keep them coming. Contact us for details.

When Vicki Galloway-Place swapped her UK classroom for the high-stakes world of events, she stepped into a career that would push her creativity, leadership and resilience to the limit. In this episode of EventNewsDXB, Vicki shares her journey from drama teacher to theatre director to events producer and the hard-earned lessons learned along the way.

Vicki talks candidly about the industry’s “say-yes-and-make-it-happen” culture, the balancing act between creative vision, production realities, and client demands, and the burnout it can cause. She also opens up about navigating gender bias in events, mentoring the next generation of women leaders and why setting boundaries matters for both career and family, especially as a single mum.

It’s an honest, inspiring conversation about finding your voice, standing your ground and changing the conversation in an industry that doesn’t always make space for you.

EventNewsDXB is supported by -45dB 

Production Credits:

Presented by: Ian Carless
Studio Engineer & Editor: Roy D'Monte
Executive Producers: Ian Carless & Joe Morrison
Produced by: EventNewsDXB & W4 Podcast Studio

Support us!

It takes time and effort to put the EventNewsDXB podcast together and we hope it's worth something to you. If it is, please consider sponsoring the podcast to enable us to keep them coming. Contact us for details.

Jon Noonan: Transforming Event Spaces - One Decibel At A Time!

From student nightclub promotions to supplying global iconic events like Wimbledon, Royal Ascot, and Formula One, John Noonan has seen many sides of the event industry. As founder of Thorns Group, he takes us behind the scenes of event logistics - where 400 staff, 15 site managers and 150 lorry movements make the difference between chaos and success.

John also introduces his latest innovation: -45db - modular, sound-reduced structures that solve one of the industry’s toughest challenges, delivering up to 45 decibels of noise reduction for exhibition and event spaces.

Plus, his bold prediction: why Dubai is set to become the global center of events and why this should matter to every industry professional.

Production Credits:

Presented by: Ian Carless
Studio Engineer & Editor: Roy D'Monte
Executive Producers: Ian Carless & Joe Morrison
Produced by: EventNewsDXB & W4 Podcast Studio

Support us!

It takes time and effort to put the EventNewsDXB podcast together and we hope it's worth something to you. If it is, please consider sponsoring the podcast to enable us to keep them coming. Contact us for details.

David Balfour: Redefining Brand Experiences 

In this episode of EventNewsDXB, we sit down with David Balfour, co-founder of LightBlue and one of the pioneers of experiential marketing in the Middle East. David shares his desire to help redefine brand engagement in Dubai - shifting the focus from traditional activations to emotionally driven experiences that resonate long after the event is over.

From big and bold stunts to more intimate and curated brand moments, David explains why emotion is the new metric and why bravery, strategy and cultural insight matter more than ever.

We also explore the future of live experiences in an AI-driven world, why authenticity will become a brand’s greatest asset and what it takes to build strong, trust-based client relationships in a fast-moving market.

If you want to create events that inspire, engage, and truly connect, this episode is packed with ideas and insights you can’t afford to miss.

EventNewsDXB is powered by -45dB - Sound Reduction Specialists.

Production Credits:

Presented by: Ian Carless
Studio Engineer & Editor: Roy D'Monte
Executive Producers: Ian Carless & Joe Morrison
Produced by: EventNewsDXB & W4 Podcast Studio

Support us!

It takes time and effort to put the EventNewsDXB podcast together and we hope it's worth something to you. If it is, please consider sponsoring the podcast to enable us to keep them coming. Contact us for details.