Page 168 - Protec PR Book Volume 2

“These things are the Rolls Royce of hazers. The machines use CO2 or Nitrogen as an atomizer for the haze fluid which not only gives a super fine haze that hangs for a very long time but also makes them super quiet as there are no air or fluid pumps,” Russ added.
Ed Ross, Protec’s audio head of department was equally excited with his department taking stock of the new Syva Colinear audio system from LAcoustics. He says, “It is a great system to use for medium sized corporate events. It is a slick and corporate- friendly ground stack system (which can also be flown), that looks much better than your average speakers on sticks. It is also rather slim, so good for sightlines especially when it comes to corporate events and exhibitions where elegance and discretion are important. The system is optimized for ultra-wide horizontal coverage with extended throw capability. We’ve barely had it delivered and tested and it’s already out the door on events which actually doesn’t surprise me.”
However, like CEO Stephen Lakin has always maintained throughout the company’s 18 year history, his biggest asset, he insists, are his people. When asked about what makes Protec so special, Lakin replied, “We are not just the typical audio visual equipment rental company. Anyone can throw some gear into a box, but it takes real creative vision and skill sets to transform that box into an environment that people want to inhabit. At the end of the day, gear is gear, it’s the people behind the gear that make a show worth remembering.”
The Protec team, led by a team of individual experts who have an average experience of over 14 years in the UAE alone, is divided into the various disciplines required for its productions. “This streamlines our work efficiency, allowing us to achieve greater success,” justifies Lakin. With this at the core of his plans, he has recently strengthened his already experienced and skilled team with some notable industry professionals, some of whom in fact (no surprise here), have worked for him in the past. “Richard Bellia, our new managing director used to work for me in South Africa and Brunei and his vast experience and knowledge has already begun to reflect on our management systems. He has great skill sets that he has sharpened over the years I have known him. His years of experience in many different technical roles such as production designer, audio engineer, lighting designer, production manager, event producer, graphic designer, and technical director will be extremely useful in his new role with us. We’ve recently also taken on ten very experienced professionals to reinforce our project management team as well as our video, robotics, and design departments. With these new additions, we have grown to a 147 strong team and with all of our equipment and services coming from under one roof, our capability of raising the bar and creating truly extraordinary event experiences with the highest international standards of quality is guaranteed,” Lakin adds.
In addition to Bellia, Protec has also further strengthened its senior management team by taking on Craig Wilson, Stefan Cebula, Matt Cashmore, along with Martin Read and Ed Jarman. For several years Martin, who has a strong background in technical production, held the position of managing director of Blank Canvas Events in the UK before moving to Dubai in 2012. He is Protec’s new operations director with over 25 years of experience in the events industry covering North America, Europe, UK, and the UAE. Jarman, Protec’s new business development director and head of broadcast brings another 26 years of global work experience to Protec, having worked in Capital Radio, Creative Technology, and freelancing as a studio engineer, production manager, video engineer, and multi-camera director, having toured extensively with most of the world’s biggest artistes. The company has also gained official accreditation for ISO 14001-2015, ISO 9001-2015, BS OHSAS-18001-2007, and as such, its commitment includes an overarching understanding of sustainability. The company now intends to maximize the positive environmental, social, and economic legacies of its activities and to minimize any negative impacts. To achieve this, it will give sustainability considerations equal importance to logistical, creative, and financial aspects of its planning and business practices.
It has been a busy year so far for a company that never seems to stop with its growth. When Lakin was asked what the rest of the year was looking like and if he had any new tricks up his sleeve, he just smiled, “This is why we love doing what we do. There’s always something new to look forward to but let’s wait for tomorrow to arrive in its own time and I’m sure we’ll have more to share.”
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