Doing Business in Major Events

Security and Resilience (S&R) Briefing – Tuesday 28th February 2012

2012-02-29T14:22:00.000Z

The first Security and Resilience Briefing (SRB) was held at our offices in Waterloo on 28th February 2012.

The briefing was chaired by Chris Phillips, MEI’s Security and Resilience Associate and was attended by twelve delegates representing various SME’s in the S&R sector and the Metropolitan Police. Sadly, Steve Revell, from Rapiscan was unable to join us as a speaker but Paul Donlevey, from the National Counter Terrorism Security Office gave us a fascinating insight into Project Argus Major Events.

The briefing began with a period of introductions. Everyone around the table was given the opportunity to promote themselves and their business. This was followed by an introduction to MEI given by Piers Lawson, the Client Relationship Director, which included a brief on the Major Event Network and the reasons behind the launch of the S&RBriefings. He expounded the value of the MEI website and guided the attendees towards the Forecast of Events and the Suppliers Directory. Piers also explained that the real purpose behind these briefings was to pass on procurement and bid opportunities associated with primarily Glasgow 2014 and the major events in Brazil in 2014 and 2016 but also major events taking place in UK, Russia and Qatar over the next 10 years. He explained that there were no security related opportunities connected to the major events in Brazil in the pipeline at this time but that they would start to come to light later in the year.

Paul Donlevey then spoke about his work at NaCTSO and in particular his leadership and application of the ARGUS programme with particular reference to Major Events. With the enhancement of some video film he demonstrated the responsibilities and activities of NaCTSO in relation to major events with specific application in the lead-up to London 2012. This was a revealing presentation and made us all consider the massive security challenge that an event such as the Olympics presents to the police.

The afternoon came to a close after a brief discussion leading on from Paul’s presentation and some other issues presented by both Chris Phillips and Dennis Mills, CEO of MEI. Piers Lawson then brought the briefing to a close with a reminder of the next meeting being held in Olympia at CT Expo (see www.counterterrorexpo.com) on Wednesday 25^th April.

MEI is a media partner of CT Expo. This relationship gives us the opportunity to offer discounted conference access and stand purchase. Should you wish to make use of this discount please use the discount code CTX20 on your application form (see website). Individual delegate access is FREE and you should apply on-line at www.counterterroexpo.com/meireg. However, please indicate that you were made aware of CT Expo by MEI in the appropriate box.

MEI In Scotland

2012-02-23T12:36:00.002Z

With so many exciting major events due to take place in Scotland throughout this decade, MEI has been busy behind the scenes growing its network of vital Scottish contacts.

Dialogue has been opened up with Scottish Enterprise, Scottish Development International, BusinessClub Scotland and the Edinburgh and Glasgow Chambers of Commerce to discuss the optimum way forward for our existing and new members.

One of the most important recent developments has been the launch of the Glasgow Business Portal, listing upcoming contracts for the 2014 Commonwealth Games. As well as current opportunities, you can also see what contracts have now closed and already been awarded. Check the portal link now to see if any there are any contracts you should be bidding for! Opportunities are updated on a regular basis so it is worth coming back to. www.glasgow.gov.uk/businessportal

In addition to Glasgow 2014, the following Scotland-based events present further business opportunities:

2014 Ryder Cup, 26 to 28 September, Gleneagles

Homecoming Scotland, all year, countrywide

2015 World Artistic Gymnastic Championships, Glasgow Hydro Arena

World Orienteering Championships, August, Inverness

Hot off the Press: The British Olympic Association has just announced its support for Glasgow’s bid to host the 2018 Youth Olympic Games, further boosting Glasgow’s reputation as a serious contender on the international sporting stage.

New Focus Group within our Major Events Network – Security and Resilience

2012-02-23T12:13:00.000Z

As part of our plan to further the benefits of our membership network and provide a broader offer to the wider MEI community, we have launched a Security and Resilience (S&R) Group which will meet bi-monthly. The group will be chaired by Chris Phillips, formerly the Head of the National Counter Terrorism Security Office (NaCTSO) who calls upon over 30 years of experience as a police officer, including event commander for major sporting events and concerts at Twickenham Stadium and Wimbledon.

The first of these bi-monthly meetings will take place in our offices in Waterloo on Tuesday 28^th February from 4 to 6.30pm and we would very much like to see you here. The aim of this group is to provide an opportunity for individuals and businesses, working in the S&R sector, to meet with the aim of building contacts, gaining industry knowledge and creating business opportunity. We will be inviting experienced ‘players’ from the sector to speak at these briefings and hope to hold outside meetings at CT Expo in April and the Police Command and Control Centre later in the year.

Please contact mporto@majoreventsint.com or telephone +44 (0) 7432 725635 to attend.

The Year Ahead

2012-01-25T10:23:00.001Z

Security and Resilience Lead: Following the appointment of Chris Philips as head of Security and Resilience (cphillips@majoreventsint.com and +44 (0) 7734 820971) he has chaired one workshop and we are planning further workshops and briefings throughout 2012. The first of these will take place on Tuesday 28th February in our offices in Waterloo should you wish to attend. The second will take place at the CT Expo, Olympia at the end of April (see www.counterterrorexpo.com). Thereafter these will be hosted at our Waterloo offices on a bi-monthly basis. Invitations will be sent out in February and MEN members will gain free access. We are looking for speaker sponsors for these events which will habitually take place from 4pm and will end with the regulatory networking session and drinks. Member’s guests and or senior management colleagues are most welcome.

Scotland: Given the major events taking place in Scotland, MEI plans to launch our Major Events Network (MEN) in Glasgow in March 2012 (date and venue tbc). Meetings are taking place between MEI, Scottish Development International (SDI), Scottish Enterprise and the Chambers of Commerce in Edinburgh and Glasgow in early February and a launch date will be announced thereafter. Jane Roy, MEI representative in Scotland (jroy@majoreventsint.com and +44 (0) 7966 447737) is our POC for this event and for the bi-monthly briefings that will follow the launch. Invitations will be sent out in February. MEN members will gain free access and are most welcome to bring guests.

London: Meanwhile in London, our bi-monthly briefings will start again on Wednesday 7th March in the Holiday Inn, Regent’s Park. The focus of this briefing is Qatar as well as providing updates for planning purposes on the key 2012 Major Events related conferences. We hope to see strong support from our members and a large group of guests and prospective members. I will be approaching our members to discuss speaker slots and sponsorship options. In addition to these country and sector focused briefings we will be hosting regular Brazil briefings in our Waterloo offices. A forecast of events announcing all MEI hosted briefings and meetings will be published and distributed in February.

Brazil: Brazil remains very active for MEI and if you are not seeing our monthly Brazil Journal please let me know where you can keep up to date and also hear about MEI activities.

Glasgow Business Portal Launch

2011-12-16T10:51:00.001Z

Following the success of the Commonwealth Games portal, the launch of the Glasgow Business Portal, organised by Glasgow Chamber of Commerce and BusinessClub Scotland, took place at Celtic Park, Glasgow, on 15^th December, with 950 days to go before the start of the 2014 Commonwealth Games. Gordon Mathieson, Leader of Glasgow City Council, emphasised Glasgow’s business strengths and highlighted recent commercial and cultural investment in the city. He stressed the importance of the business portal in bringing contractors and suppliers together and pointed to the £260m worth of contracts that had already been awarded. Companies need only register once on the business portal and relevant opportunities will automatically be emailed to interested suppliers. Cllr Mathieson said that SMEs in particular were encouraged to use the portal in line with employment creation policies to create lasting economic benefits to the city from 2014. David Grevemberg, CEO Glasgow 2014, said that specialist briefings and supplier workshops would be held during 2012 for those interested in getting involved in the Commonwealth Games procurement process. According to Mr Grevemberg, most contracts for equipment and surface supplies for the 2014 games would be awarded towards the middle of 2012. As one of the lead contractors for the National Indoor Sports Arena and Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome, Sir Robert McAlpine’s Sub Contract Buyer, Angus Stockwell, highlighted the benefits of having companies they were previously unaware of contacting them with a view to tendering for projects. Companies will not be able to win contracts unless they are registered on the portal:

http://www.glasgow.gov.uk/BusinessPortal/. The deadlines indicated on the portal for each contract are for expressions of interest. Companies will be contacted directly by the contractors.

Relevant links:

http://www.glasgow2014.com/

http://www.thehydro.com/

http://www.glasgow2014.com/the_games/athletes_village_and_venues/venues/nisa__sir_chris_hoy_velodrome.aspx

How important is Innovation for Venue Design?

2011-12-15T11:46:00.000Z

Throughout November Major Events International www.majoreventsinternational.com focused on venue technology, with this in mind on the 7^th December MEI’s Major Events Network gathered at the Holiday Inn Regent’s park to explore the importance of innovation when designing new venues for major events. The briefing was attended by a variety of businesses all with a keen interest in architecture for major events and which factors effect innovation.

Tom Jones, Principal at Populous began proceedings by offering some insight into the future direction of the design of sports and entertainment venues. He started with an overview of some of the venues that Populous has worked on, such as the Emirates Stadium, the London Olympic stadium and Soccer City and then moved onto 5 aspects that are driving innovation. This included new territories, new technologies, new typologies, and a new approach to temporary and new forms of brand activation. He discussed the work that Populous is developing around the world and the different challenges of building venues in different countries. Furthermore, he outlined the need for innovation with the changing nature of venues and the move towards the integration of sports, entertainment and culture into flexible, multi-purpose spaces.

Roy McGowan, Director of Steer Davis Gleave, discussed how crowd flow can propagate and support innovation for venue design. When designing a new venue, attention needs to be paid to the management of crowds entering and exiting the venue efficiently and safely. Roy explained that studies have shown that there is a need to keep crowds moving as they egress through a stadium or station and that long delays can cause crowds to become agitated and to start behaving randomly which is when they can make unsafe decisions. With this in mind Steer Davies Gleave works with architects to develop the safest and most efficient routes to move thousands of people out of a major event arena and then onwards away from the venue. Roy demonstrated a range of dynamic crowd flow modelling that Steer Davies Gleave has undertaken to help enable an innovative design approach across the design team including their work for Wembley Stadium in London, Soccer City in Johannesburg, and the Maracana Stadium in Rio.

Finally Jon Coxeter-Smith of Sagacity took a slightly different stance, looking at what innovation means and what are some of the causes. He argued that innovation without purpose was pointless and that innovation in our context might be better thought of as ‘improvement’ or ‘development’ and a necessary response – like sink or swim - to the challenges faced by our industry and society in general. Foremost amongst these challenges are those implied by the Olympic motto Faster Higher Stronger whether in pursuit of the holy grail for the ‘best games ever’ or in creating venues which will facilitate the setting of new world records. The Better Faster Cheaper and More for Less imperatives of the modern business and economic landscapes too are having an impact and challenging organizers, designers and delivery teams to constantly find better ways. User groups and spectators face, and enjoy, the numerous siren calls from other rival attractions and so the venues we create must be, and must stay, competitive in their offer in order to stay relevant and be truly sustainable. The environmental agenda continues to represent the some of the most important issues that we face and in this context the drive for improved solutions too is vital. Jon concluded by showing us several examples of good responses to the various agendas, illustrating how those acting across a number of the agendas were most effective, and leaving us with the message that our sector was not only responding positively to the challenges but raising the bar for the wider design and construction industries.

The briefing was met with much enthusiasm around the room and aroused discussions around security and transport implications for venues at major events. There was also an update from MEI talking about the recent trip to Brazil as well as up and coming events in 2012, which are listed below.

8^th Feb –Members meeting – Waterloo Office
22^nd February – Delivering Market Penetration in Major Events: Scotland and Brazil – Scotland
7^th March – Major Events Network Briefing: Japan – Holiday Inn Regent’s Park
11^th April – Members meeting – Waterloo Office
9^th May – Major Events Network Briefing: Russia – TBC

For information on speaking and sponsorship opportunities please contact Piers plawson@majoreventisnt.com.

MEI back in Brazil

2011-12-08T13:47:00.001Z

Introduction

Dennis Mills (CEO, MEI) and Piers Lawson (Client Relationship Director, MEI) travelled to Brazil in mid-November in order to attend Expo Estadio in Sao Paulo (22-24 Nov) and then Soccerex in Rio de Janeiro (28-30 Nov). Whilst they were there they were accompanied and supported by Antonio Castro Neves (MEI Country Director) and Eduardo Picino (MEI Country Lead). MEI had taken a stand at both events. This stand was shared with Rapiscan Systems and AMS Accoustics at Expo Estadio whilst at Soccerex MEI took an independent stand.

Expo Estadio

Expo Estadio was attended by over 120 stand-holders and seemed to attract a steady flow of visitors throughout the three days. The MEI stand was well positioned and we hosted a fairly constant trickle of primarily Brazilian, Portuguese speaking visitors from mainly the private sector. Our commercial partnership with Real Alliance, the event organisers, meant that we were able to offer an affordable price for stand sharing and we hope that both Rapiscan Systems and AMS Accoustics found this a worthwhile alternative to taking their own stand. We will be negotiating a similar deal for 2012. A large number of international companies exhibited, most of whom who had already secured Brazilian partners or had agency and distributor partnerships in place. There were, however, several businesses showing considerable interest in the MEI market penetration services and so we felt at the end of the three days that our attendance had been worthwhile.

Soccerex

Soccerex took place in the Sofitel at the southernmost end of the Copacabana Beach. The exhibition hall was filled with a prestigious collection of both international and Brazilian businesses. All 12 of the FIFA World Cup host cities were represented along with FIFA themselves, a number of media groups, hospitality companies as well as a collection of suppliers to the arena and stadium markets. UKTI had a well-positioned, though somewhat cramped stand diagonally opposite the MEI stand. We were therefore in close proximity to a number of our members who were exhibiting under the UKTI banner. The visitor attendance figures were up on last year. The quality of visitors to the MEI stand was good and the contacts made seem, at this early stage, to be serious and focused. Again, a great many of the international companies exhibiting had existing partnerships in place but there were still valuable opportunities for MEI’s market penetration services.

Impressions and Opportunities

MEI came away with the even stronger impression, and one that we have been transmitting for some time now, that in order to be in a viable position to win bids, foreign businesses need to have Portuguese speaking representatives in place in Brazil and also to have formed a working relationship or partnership with a Brazilian business. We also believe that our market penetration services are available to any foreign company trying to develop a new market in Brazil, not just UK based businesses.

Conclusion

Expo Estadio and Soccerex are both very exciting and well-attended events. MEI will be negotiating a commercial partnership with both the organisers of these two events for 2012 and we will be promoting the opportunities of attendance to our members in the New Year.

Smart Exporter – Export Europe

2011-12-01T10:46:00.000Z

This event, organised by Scottish Development International and UK Trade & Investment, held on 30^th November at Murrayfield Stadium in Edinburgh, offered support to Scottish businesses interested in exporting to Europe via specialist country clinics and intensive one-to-one sessions. Speakers during the plenary session ncluded John Rendall, CEO HSBC Scotland, Anne MacColl, CEO of SDI and Yuri Andreev, Regional Manager, Scottish Development International, based in Moscow. Ms MacColl highlighted that every £1 invested in exports brings £7 back to the Scottish economy, whilst Mr Andreev explored the main sectors of interest for exporters to Russia, such as energy, digital ICT and media, banking and finance, food and drink, retail, tourism, life sciences, ADM and textiles.

Major Events Specialists in Brazil

2011-11-29T15:13:00.002Z

Dennis Mills CEO of Major Events International and Piers Lawson, newly appointed Client Relationship Director are in Brazil throughout November attending the Soccerex Global Convention and Expo Estadio where MEI have are exhibiting, courtesy of Eyemotion. Expo Estadio, a tradeshow and conference for the design, construction, furnishing and management of stadiums and sports venues will run from the 22^nd – 24^th November in Sao Paulo and MEI will be joined by Major Events Network Members, AMS Acoustics and Rapsican Systems who receive bespoke services from MEI. The team will then move to Rio de Janeiro for Soccerex, the world’s largest football and business event which runs from the 26^th – 30^th November.

In addition to these two exhibitions, MEI will be travelling around Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro where Dennis Mills will speak at Brasil o Pais do Esporte. He will speak on the panel “Infrastructure and New Equipments, valuing sport practices”, before returning to the UK on the 1^st December.

MEI and Populous to host a briefing on Innovation for Venue Design

2011-11-29T15:10:00.003Z

Throughout November 2011, MEI is looking at venue technology in the context of venue design at major events. With this in mind MEI and Populous will hold a briefing on Innovation for Venue Design. This is a great opportunity to hear from some sector experts about their experience and lessons learnt about innovation for venue design.

The event will take place at 2pm on the 7th December at the Holiday Inn Regent's Park. Speakers will include, Tom Jones of Populous, Roy McGowan, Director of Steer Davies Gleave and Jon Coxeter Smith of Sagacity

There are still places so if you would like to attend please contact abrice@majoreventsint.com to secure a place at this briefing. It is free for Members of the Major Events Network and £50 for non members.

Major Events Network has first members meeting.

2011-11-29T14:34:00.001Z

On the 16^th November 2011, the Major Events Network which has replaced EVTG and DEG, held their first members meeting in Waterloo. The idea of these bi monthly members meetings is to provide members with an opportunity to offer MEI feedback and discuss opportunities in the major events market. It was attended by Simon Ancliffe from Movement Strategies and Ashton Doherty from Systech-Solicitors. The meeting was chaired by MEI’s newly appointed Client Relationship Director, Piers Lawson.

The meeting kicked off with looking at the event calendar for 2012, which is attached, the next briefing on Innovation for Venue Design on the 7^th December in London. Furthermore Jane Roy, MEI’s Country Director for Scotland will working on bi monthly events in Scotland which will be announced in early 2012. Moreover the Major Events Network will be launched in Brazil in the New Year which will witness the network expand into Brazil and open new windows of opportunities for existing members in the UK. What’s more MEI is hoping to arrange a site visit to the Lambeth Police Command and Control Centre which will be announced in 2012. In addition to our briefings, MEI is always keen to organise missions for those companies looking to visit a new market, this will be discussed at each meeting and arranged once there is enough interest.

As some of you may be aware MEI have media and industry partners where MEI gets free passes to attend these events, sometimes there is a chance that MEI can pass these passes to its members, click Media Partnerships for more information about MEI’s partnerships and how you can make the most of them. Furthermore MEI is exhibiting at Soccerex and Expo Estadio in Brazil this month and are hoping to repeat this next year and getting more members to share the stand with them, AMS Acoustics and Rapiscan Systems are sharing a stand with MEI at Expo Estadio in Sao Paulo. If you are interested in taking up this fantastic opportunity for November 2012 please contact Piers plawson@majoreventsint.com. Lastly MEI is a commercial partner with the Counter Terror Expo in April 2012, so if you would be interested in us representing you please get in touch.

Again as a member each month you will receive London 2012 procurement opportunities by email as and when we receive them, the feedback was that they are not always of interest or relevance to you but that they are good to received, in response to the MEI will now brief what the opportunities are so you don’t have to open each one and work out their relevance. In addition to these we are now collating Brazil opportunities which are highlighted in the Brazil Journal each month. Furthermore MEI is collating procurement opportunities around Scotland for Glasgow 2014 and the Ryder Cup for those who prefer to do business closer to home.

The selected discussion topic for this meeting was about the benefits of attending SportAccord which is an Exhibition for Olympic and non Olympic Sports Federations to meet and do business. The discussion was around the relevance of MEI attending in order to support members. It was discussed that generally MEI’s members like them to be at as many conferences and exhibitions as possible to keep abreast of new opportunities and whether they attend will depend on their strategies and relevance of the event.

Finally Piers announced how MEI is always looking to expand MEI’s team experts and looking for Sector Heads to take the lead on Briefings and assist other clients MEI has just welcomed Chris Phillips as the Head of Security and Resilience, there has been talk of Jeff Burke of ES Global to head up the Temporary Overlay sector, we would be delighted to hear if you would be interested in heading up a sector.

Major Events Network gets excited about Life Beyond 2012

2011-11-29T13:27:00.001Z

Following the success of the Life Beyond 2012 briefing in September, on the 3rd November 2011 MEI re ran this event focusing particularly on Brazil. This briefing was sponsored by Nabas Legal International Lawyers and delegates were a mixture of London 2012 sponsors and members of the Major Events Network which has taken over what was EVTG and DEG. All delegates had an interest in where the opportunities life after London 2012.

Sponsored by NABAS Legal - leading international experts in Brazilian, Portuguese and South American law.

Delegates were lucky enough to hear from Vitoria Nabas, Founder and MD of Nabas Legal International Lawyers opened the presentations with some hard hitting facts about the legal implications of setting up a business in Brazil. Vitoria, explained how processes move slowly in Brazil with a lot of Bureaucracy and ever changing tax policies makes it difficult to feel as though you are progressing. However her message was clear “doing business in Brazil is tough but doing business in any other country including the UK is tough” and it is important that you know the reality and implications from the outset in order to succeed. For more information on Nabal Legal International Lawyers please visit www.nabaslegal.com.

Eduard Picino Key Account Director at Major Events International looked at future events beyond London 2012 in the UK, Russia and Brazil. Seeing as there is a lot of interest and endless opportunities in Brazil due to it being one of the BRIC countries and the 5th largest country in the world, Eduardo gave some staggering facts on the extent of the opportunities in Brazil particularly around infrastructure regardless of Major Events let alone those that have come about as a result of the World Cup 2014 and Rio 2016. UK companies have an advantage as Brazilian buyers are looking for the UKs lessons learnt from 2012 as well as the expertise that UK companies can offer in Brazil. For more information on the scale of the opportunities on Brazil please contact Eduardo epicino@majoreventsint.com.

Andrew Bacchus Head of Construction & Global Sports Projects at UKTI introduced the British Business Club to the delegates, which is a free online tool that British and International companied who can register to receive information on business opportunities around London 2012 and beyond across all markets and countries. To register for this one stop shop, please visit https://www.ukti.gov.uk/britishbusinessclub/register.html.

Finally Dennis Mills CEO of MEI and Piers Lawson Client Relationship Director of MEI introduced the new Major Events Network and discussed the benefits of joining with regard to preparing your business for life beyond 2012, whether your interest is in Brazil, Russia or event Europe, the Major Events Network will provide businesses with high market profile briefings and networking opportunities. For more information on this network please contact Pier plawson@majoreventsint.com and for information on some of the extra more bespoke services that MEI can offer to support your company beyond 2012 please contact Dennis dmills@majoreventsint.com.

It has been decided that as a result of the interest around this concept of a briefing MEI will continue to run this on a regular basis. What came out of the briefing was that with Brazil in focus there are many opportunities to take advantage of and that you should not let the legal implications hold you back, however know that there are experts that MEI can put you in touch with who can support your journey to export. Finally there are also many UK based Major Events such as the Commonwealth Games beyond 2012 which businesses can certainly make the most of.

Realising a Culture of Environmental Sustainability: Festivals, Events and Tourism

2011-11-25T10:44:00.002Z

On 24^th November, the Edinburgh Centre for Carbon Innovation hosted a conference promoting the importance of sustainability for festivals and events. Speakers included Ben Twist of Creative Carbon Scotland, Dr Calvin Jones, an economist from Cardiff Business School and Emma Synnott, from the Commission for a Sustainable London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games and Andrew Coulton of the Edinburgh International Book Festival, who presented some very imaginative and innovative measures his team has employed to encourage a low carbon approach to running a major international festival.

New Start Scotland

2011-11-20T10:42:00.002Z

On 18^th and 19^th November, New Start Scotland held an exhibition, seminar and workshop event at the Glasgow SECC, with advice and information from some of Scotland’s best known business experts to help budding entrepreneurs start and run their own businesses. John Swinney MSP, Cabinet Secretary for Finance, Employment and Sustainable Growth, spoke about the importance of new, small and growing businesses to the Scottish economy and the government’s long-term ambitions for Scotland. Glasgow Chamber of Commerce hosted a Breakfast Network Meeting followed by a presentation by Nathan Kosky of AEG International on the commercial opportunities offered by the forthcoming Scottish Hydro Arena, a magnificent new entertainment and sports venue due to open on the Clyde waterfront in Spring 2013.

Construction Scotland and BRE Scotland joint Annual Conference

2011-11-03T09:56:00.002Z

130 delegates attended the above event in Glasgow on 1^st November to discuss the complex challenges associated with lowering the carbon impact within the construction industry. Speakers included Fergus Ewing MSP, Minister for Energy, Enterprise and Tourism in Scotland, who confirmed the Government’s commitment to reducing the country’s CO2 output by 42% by 2020, Gordon Mathieson, Leader of Glasgow City Council, who described the role that the 2014 Commonwealth Games would have in driving change and Dr Peter Bonfield, CEO of BRE, who explained that lessons learned during the procurement phase of London 2012 could lead to world class innovation in terms of products, materials, technologies and processes.

Briefing on Temporary Overlay - A Great Success

2011-10-10T15:31:00.001+01:00

On the 5th October 2011 MEI and ES Global hosted a briefing on temporary venues and facilities during major events.

Attendees consisted of MEI’s Global Business Network members who were interested in learning about the opportunities around temporary overlay, as well as contacts and experts in the industry who were invited by ES Global. This event complimented MEI’s editorial focus looking at temporary overlay during September 2011 ( visit www.majoreventsinternational.com for information).

Dennis Mills, CEO of Major Events International welcomed the delegates, most of whom were new to MEI’s briefings and explained how MEI are looking to collaborate with members more in order to offer them a platform to showcase their expertise in reference to major events. Dennis also explained MEI’s growing activity in Brazil with particular focus on Expo Estadio and Soccerex, two exhibitions in Brazil in November which MEI can offer discounted stands ( for more information please contact Piers plawson@majoreventsint.com).

Andy Mytom (Partner) from David Morley Architects talked about the design of temporary structures at major events with particular focus on their project to design the 2012 Olympic venue for the Water Polo. Andy discussed the considerations that have to be taken e.g. fulfilling the need to sit spectators and athletes while giving those equal but individual experiences so the athlete enjoys playing water polo in the venue and the spectator is comfortable and can view the pool from where ever they are sat. Furthermore he explained the challenges of getting thousands of individuals into the venue from all over the Olympic Park, therefore demonstrating that it is not just the venue that needs to be constructed but the entrance and surrounding area needs to be considered and adjusted accordingly.

David Crump (CEO) of Creative Technologies progressed this briefing looking at temporary features in the form of audio visual and how his company delivers this for major events. Similarly to Andy’s statement about giving the spectators the experience AV is key in providing sound of commentators both in the venue and remotely as well as getting the right acoustics in the venue. Challenges faced by AV companies such as Creative Technologies can be in matching the audio with choosing the correct speaker systems for the venue, particularly for safety and security reasons. The same can be said from a visual point of view in providing viewers with close up of the athletes with wireless cameras.

Furthermore Kevin Brownhill (Customer &Sponsorship Manager London 2012 & Sochi 2014) from Aggreko discussed the challenges faced in providing temporary services at major events. Aggreko provide power generation and temperature control products among others to major events. Kevin explained how the event will shape their execution of services for example Glastonbury Festival has different aims and objectives to the Olympics, therefore service providers need to be sympathetic to these peculiarities. This is fundamental due to the nature of it being temporary and in a short window, the products need to be delivered on time and fully functioning throughout the event, there is little room for failure in providing temporary functions for major events.

The briefing was concluded by Jeff Burke, Business Development Manager of ES Global who not only collaborated with MEI on this event but sponsored the drinks reception. Jeff looked at the history of temporary overlay and how temporary structures help overcome the issue of sustainability and legacy. He explained how the venue is the stage for the event. This could explain the fact that London has used more temporary structures than the last few Olympic Games, thus realising the economic and environmental benefits of using temporary venues. As usual the discussions were met with great enthusiasm and shared experiences throughout the attendees.

This briefing demonstrated that the move to using more temporary solutions provides endless business opportunities to service providers and also how MEI can act as the interface to support businesses on their way to supplying major events. For more information on our services and to advertise at or sponsor an event or one of our monthly publications please contact Piers at plawson@majoreventsint.com.

MEI Expands in the East

2011-10-01T10:55:00.007+01:00

Major Events International recently secured the services of two leading executives in Japan and Australia.

MEI Australia and New Zealand opens for business

MEI Japan also opens

MEI Korea and MEI China already operational since 2009

This new expansion has allowed the long awaited ?MEI Australia? to become a fully legal business enterprise covering both Australia and New Zealand under one umbrella.

Japan is also a key market for countless large scale events and media activities, not forgetting the technological developments that occur there too.

Both of these new Regional Offices are run by experienced, successful executives that both work and live in their Countries full time, returning to the UK when necessary to arrange business contracts and forge relationships that last.

Heading up MEI Australia is Rob McQuade who will leverage his strong background in senior management and experience in operational delivery of services in Major Events & Venues. Rob is well connected with Sports Federations and organisations and has a well established network grown over many years in senior management roles with sporting bodies and venues alike, as well as his role as Managing Director of Turnkey Management Group (TMG) which has provided commercial, strategic and management advice to sporting, entertainment and other organisations for their event and venue related business activities.

MEI Japan is helmed by Geoff Parr who has lived there for the last 12 years and has developed an extensive network of business contacts. Geoff?s role is to advise and support MEI clients in both inbound and outbound projects. He is a Chartered Accountant and has spent most of his career advising Western companies on business developments and transactions in the Far East, and particularly Japan. Prior to setting up his own business Geoff spent 25 years working for PricewaterhouseCoopers and Credit Suisse in London, Hong Kong and Tokyo.

MEI looks forward to growing these new offices and welcoming enquiries from companies looking to expand into Japan or Australia and New Zealand and awaits your call.

MEI back in Brazil

2011-09-30T15:35:00.006+01:00

Throughout September, Dennis Mills CEO of Major Events International was based in Rio de Janeiro with MEI’s country director, Antonio Castro Neves to finalise the Major Events Global Network offer and start communicating it with buyers and stakeholders throughout Brazil.

Dennis and Antonio started this campaign in Rio on the 16th September where they have been introducing the Major Events Global Network and MEI services to drum up support from the city and state governments of Rio de Janeiro. They’ve also met with the Security Manager at FIFA 2014, where plans for them to visit London were also discussed. Furthermore Dennis met with many existing contacts such as FAGGA, Real Alliance and the International Chambers of Commerce to keep relations and engagement strong.
Dennis and Antonio moved their efforts to Sao Paulo where Dennis spoke at an event on the 27th September “Zona Leste: O Futuro de Sao Paulo Passa por Aqui” where he talked about how London 2012 has transformed East London, including the private sector engagement and its impact on this regional regeneration. Dennis and Antonio will also meet with Dr Walter Feldman, the Mayor of Sao Paulo and Cabinet Officials to develop Sao Paulo’s project to become an international hub for major events.

MEI will be returning to Brazil in November to exhibit at Expo Estadio 2011 which is focused on infrastructure and equipment for stadiums and sports facilities and Soccerex Global Convention 2011 which is the leading Soccer and Business event. MEI are offering discounted exhibition stands at both of these events so if you are interested in being visible at these high profile exhibitions please contact Amy abrice@majoreventsint.com.

Life beyond 2012 - Endless major event opportunities identified

2011-09-10T15:41:00.002+01:00

On the 8th September 2011 Major Events International hosted a briefing on life beyond London 2012 for MEI business group members and official London 2012 sponsors .

Guests were lucky enough to hear from Dr. Walter Feldman, Special Secretary for Major Events in Sao Paulo, about his plan to transform Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro into an international, natural hub for major events; creating numerous business opportunities for buyers and suppliers in the Major Event industry.

Dr. Feldman pointed out Sao Paulo’s economic and commercial strength as the world’s sixth largest city and its potential to hold an even bigger amount of major events, demonstrating why now is the time for businesses to get mobilised and ready for the end of 2012.

During the briefing, individuals involved with the delivery of London 2012 were also briefed about the future calendar for international major events. Rachel Hughes, Key Account Director of MEI, gave a presentation on new business opportunities related to the upcoming sporting events in England and Scotland, as well as opportunities in emerging markets, such as Brazil and Russia. The scale of the opportunities particularly in Brazil took some of the attendees by surprise and certainly offered food for thought on life after 2012.

Particularly focusing on Brazil, Mrs. Hughes highlighted the weak major events sector and tourism as areas to look into for opportunities.

he presentations were followed by a compelling Q and A session, where attendees asked about finding local partners in Brazil and debated over permanent versus temporary infrastructure.

The event received so much positive feedback that MEI have decided to re run the event on the 26th October at the Holiday Inn at Regent’s Park. For more information on attending please contact abrice@majoreventsint.com.

Castle visit unveils major opportunities

2011-07-18T16:01:00.005+01:00

On the 19th July 2011 MEI’s Business Network Group’s from the UK, Brazil and Scotland were hosted at Edinburgh Castle, home to the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo, by key stakeholders in leading iconic events in Scotland.

Establishing itself as the leader in demonstrating benefits from hosting events, the rewards are visible in the selection for the 2014 Commonwealth Games and Ryder Cup. Furthermore home to an annual programme of 12 significant bespoke festivals including the Edinburgh Fringe, the largest festival in the world. Kath Mainland, Chief Executive of the Festival Fringe Society hosted a Q&A for the attendees revealing how Scotland is now generating £240m per annum through events.

The reason for meeting at Edinburgh Castle was to offer members and colleagues a debut tour of the VIP Stands which are installed for the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo. Brigadier David Alfrey, CEO of the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo welcomed the delegation, explaining his vision for developing this event which began in 1949 to mitigate the post war difficulties experienced locally. Today this event in August sells out well in advance to an international audience with TV coverage of over 100 million viewers. Given the recent £16 million investment in infrastructure, David and Major Projects Development Manager, Tom Chambers, are currently looking at ideas how best to develop this Tattoo to the next level in terms of the visitor experience, revenue generation and international profile. This ignited a lively and informative discussion amongst the group where ideas and solutions were shared. Dr Walter Feldman Special Secretary for Major Events in Sao Paulo was also present to learn best practice from Scotland. Dr Feldman is closely engaged in supporting MEI launch the new Major Events Business Group in Brazil.

Following the discussions and a networking lunch, Tom Chambers Major Projects Development Manager for the Tattoo showed delegates around the VIP stands, they were amazed at the complexity of the temporary structure which is erected on a World Heritage site. Other than transforming this unique event, the new structure led to some extraordinary discoveries including construction from 1540 and other sites of importance. Attendees were astonished at the quality of the engineering solution, project management and the fact it is a temporary feature.

During the open forum chaired by Tom Chambers, he explained the compiled operations involved in delivering the event and where he thought industry plays a role as partners with them. Among the delegation was Jillian Moffat from Scottish Enterprise, Mark Stuart of Event Scotland, Greg Ward of Edinburgh City Council, as well as Cathy Grieve representing the Belgium Sports Technology Club providing attendees with a wider and international perspective on the opportunities around the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo.

Steve Revell Commercial Director of Rapiscan Systems along with Cliff Simpson, Director of ESTC have been given the opportunity to offer their capabilities and experience to refine plans for August 2011 with a view to learning lessons for future years. One of the key actions laid on MEI is to engage with Tom Chambers looking at the possibility of MEI Members attending the Tattoo in August as official observers helping complete a lessons learned document for the CEO. MEI will discuss how this will work but members who are interested in getting involved should register their interest by contacting abrice@majoreventsint.com.

EVTG Members Enjoy Olympic Park Visit

2011-07-07T15:51:00.019+01:00

On 6 July 2011, EVTG Members met in Stratford, London at the Lighthouse Pub to visit the London 2012 Olympic Park and review its progress. It was well attended by a variety of companies from the UK, all with an interest in how their business can benefit from the games along with the rejuvenation of East London.

Rachel Hughes, Key Account Director for MEI welcomed delegates and discussed the journey of the 2012 Games from winning the bid to the colossal operation that has taken place to get the park where it is today. Furthermore Steve Revell, commercial director of Rapiscan Systems explained the strategies and processes that Rapiscan adopted in order to deliver their security systems for the 2012 games. He also explained how MEI has supported and assisted with his company’s journey from winning the bid to delivering the project.

The tour of the site was very informative and gave the attendees an insight into the work that has gone into the construction, from the clean up operation, creating a habitable environment for London’s wildlife, to the construction of Stratford International which will get Olympic goers from Kings Cross to Stratford in six minutes, demonstrating the endless business opportunities for an event of this scale. Furthermore the magnitude of the stadia, arenas, accommodation and shopping centre, really exhibit how even beyond 2012 East London will continue to benefit, while the business opportunities will continue, for instance turning the athletes apartments into property for the public. Delegates found the tour extremely interesting and it certainly triggered ideas about how their business can harness event related opportunities.

Major Events in Russia Briefing

2011-06-10T16:11:00.012+01:00

On the 8th June 2011, MEI’s business network group, EVTG met at Pushkin House in London to discuss and discover the opportunities surrounding Major Events in Russia such as the 2013 University Games, 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics and 2018 FIFA World Cup. The event was sponsored by Excelion Partners International and was media partner with Soccerex.

The event was well attended by a variety of companies from the UK and overseas all with a common interest in finding out how their business can maximise from these major events. Russia is the biggest country in the world and is one of the most active nations in the major events market offering tender opportunities worth billions of dollars. Therefore this briefing aimed to provide delegates with a solid base of Russian business culture in order for them to do business and trade successfully in Russia.

David Cant, Managing Director of Albion (Overseas) LTD UK www.albionoverseas.com, opened proceedings sharing his 20+ years of experience working in Russia, offering delegates some practicalities of doing business in Russia. David expressed the various misconceptions displayed by particularly UK businesses when considering Russia as a place to trade. However David challenged these with a clear message of doing research about the culture preparing yourself for bureaucratic delays and complicated customs, nevertheless he proclaimed that Russia is for everyone especially smaller businesses. David concluded that by understanding Russian culture and to some extent the language as well as managing costs by using well known agents to assist establishment in Russia enabling your business to succeed. Albion (Overseas) Ltd will host an interactive conference about doing business in Russia on the 24th November 2011 offering a more in depth approach. David’s briefing and presence at the event illustrated how organisations such as MEI can reduce the heavy lifting faced by a business in the early stages of targeting a new market by offering these one stop shop sessions where individuals can meet face to face with the correct experts.

MEI’s Key Account Executive for Russia Natalya Tueva gave an overview of the opportunities surrounding the up and coming Major Events 2013 University Games, 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics and 2018 FIFA World Cup. Natalya elaborated on David’s comments about Russia being the largest country in the world and therefore encompassing 1200 airports and 44 million telephone lines demonstrating a colossal infrastructure creating endless business opportunities. The common business opportunities across the 3 events are in transport for underground services, metro lines and aero express. Natalya also pointed out that it is not only the host cities creating these opportunities but also 15 other cities across Russia. Furthermore beyond the 2018 FIFA World Cup there will also be a Festival of Supporters generating additional business opportunities for companies all over the world. Natalya’s briefing outlined the expertise across the MEI team in highlighting the opportunities around the world born out of Major Events.

The briefing then shifted focus to Sochi 2014 in particular, with a presentation by Evgeny Otnelchenko, Advisory Consulting Partner for PwC Russia – www.pwc.ru/en a Partner and the Official Professional Services Provider to Sochi 2014. Evgeny explained that compared to Vancouver, where the majority of the infrastructure was already in place, Sochi is seeing infrastructure construction in preparation for the Games on a much larger scale - which is a bonus for companies wishing to provide their services and products in support of these preparations. Evgeny recommended the international investment forum in Sochi www.forumkuban.com to be kept up to date with the business opportunities in the Russian regions and around Sochi 2014, and announced that the period 2011-2013 will see contracting of tier 2 partners and tier 3 official suppliers of the Sochi Games. Also he invited the business community to participate in the Sochi 2014 licensing program sochi2014.com/en/team/licensing/, which is currently ongoing. Once again, Evgeny offered delegates an insight into the organising of such an event while sharing advice and tips for getting the most out of the business opportunities.

Yevgeny Merkel, Partner at Excelion Partners International www.excelionpartners.com sponsors of this event, brought the focus back to the culture and etiquette for doing business in Russia. He discussed a couple of large well known brands who have been successful in Russia and explained the reason for their success was their understanding and appreciation of the Russian culture, very much supporting David Cant’s points raised earlier in the session. He demonstrated how the Russians are very driven by first impressions and are impressed if you know some of the language and follow the dress etiquette. If a business was looking to employ Russian staff, he explained how it is a very employee friendly environment and they will be drawn to the environment in which the work as opposed to the remuneration. Moreover when looking for business partners in Russia, it is important that you get in front of the key decision makers otherwise your meetings could be a waste of time. Once again demonstrating the importance of understanding the Russian culture in order for your business to succeed.

The briefing was met with much enthusiasm around the room and stimulated much debate around the opportunities in Russia. This was followed by a chance for the delegates to mingle with the speakers over a glass of wine and have more in depth one to ones and really find out where their business could fit into the Russian market.

MEI well received at Russia event

2011-05-19T16:06:00.003+01:00

Major Events International presented at the London Chamber of Commerce and Industry seminar on Raising Your Game in Russia: Sporting Opportunities and Beyond on 16 May 2011 at Pushkin House, London.

The seminar was chaired by Alex Bertolotti, Partner of PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) LLP; and the speakers included Damion Potter, Head of the Commercial Team for the British Embassy in Moscow; Daniel Thorniley, President of DT-Global Business Consulting, Natalya Tueva, Key Account Executive, Major Events International, Jeremy Fish, Country Manager for Nordics of Aggreko; Irene Bejenke Walsh, Managing Director of MessageLab and Michael Thompson, Partner of Steptoe & Johnson who also sponsored the event.

Major Evens International’s Natalya Tueva gave a presentation on Opportunities in Connection with Major Sporting Events in Russia. The presentation by Tueva was received as one of the most detailed presentations, which outlined direct and indirect prospects for UK businesses in connection with 2013 World University Games in Kazan, Sochi 2014 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, 2018 FIFA World Cup and the Russian Grand Prix between 2014 and 2020 in Sochi.

The delegates were also given a deep background on Russian market and how to start a business there.

MEI is hosting its own event on Russia on the 8 June 2011 in London with regard to opportunities for UK companies surrounding Major Events in Russia, including the 2013 Universiade in Kazan, 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi and 2018 World Cup. The event will provide members and guests key information, data and opportunities on the Russian marketplace from both government and private sector organisations from within Russia and UK.

MEI reveals opportunities for businesses at major events in Scotland

2011-04-08T16:21:00.007+01:00

MEI hosted a briefing on Major and Iconic events in Scotland on 4th April 2011 at Millbank Tower, London. The event was sponsored by Rapiscan Systems.

A variety of businesses from the UK and overseas attended with the intention of finding out what opportunities were available from events in the region.

The briefing touched upon two events being held in Scotland in particular-The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo and the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games.

Delegates were welcomed by Sir Craig Reedie, Executive Board Member of the International Olympic Committee who touched on his vast experience of organising major events and how the need to keep up with changing technologies brings about new opportunities for businesses at every event. Alex Balfour, Head of New Media for London 2012 explained that due to the increasing use of the internet across age groups since London won the bid in 2005, the organisers have brought about new initiatives involving the use of social media to distribute messages about the games. How these initiatives will be continued after the games in 2012 was also discussed.

Tom Chambers, Major Projects Development Manager of the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo explained how even though the event occurs year on year at the same venue, there is a huge requirement for temporary overlay as the venue is also home to Edinburgh Castle and seating and staging needs to be removed and installed every year. Challenges around crowd management for the single entrance and exit along with the high security procedures were also explained. Chambers then announced an opportunity for businesses involved in Technology and Security to help improve the movement of the crowds from the ticket office to security checks more efficiently to minimise complexity and risk. This aroused great interest among the audience and revealed how EVTG meetings can open doors to members.

The briefing was closed by David Grevemberg, Chief Operating Officer of the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games. Grevemberg explained the objectives of the games in terms of the athlete experience and enhancing Glasgow’s profile during the sporting event and thereafter.
It was noted that the games are encouraging healthy living within Glasgow to ensure the sustainability and legacy of the games long after they occur. Grevemberg detailed the Commonwealth Games approach to integrated security commenting that organisers can take the knowledge and experience from London and other host cities to implement law enforcement, traffic management and terrorism awareness - highlighting many opportunities for security businesses alone.

Find MEI at SportAccord 2011

2011-03-07T12:21:00.002Z

If you are attending SportAccord in London during 4–8 April 2011, you’ll be interested to know that MEI is running parallel events that you can register to attend.

On Monday 4 April at 14:30, Sir Craig Reedie, executive board member of the International Olympic Committee, will open an afternoon of presentations and discussions looking at major and iconic events in Scotland.

Another high profile presenter will be David Grevemberg, COO Commonwealth Games Glasgow 2014, who will provide an overview of the plans for the Games.

On Wednesday 6 April at 16:30, MEI is hosting a networking session in its capacity as chair of the Brazilian Chamber of Commerce Major Sports Event Committee.

On Thursday 7 April, MEI is running a breakfast briefing which will look in detail at the opportunity landscape in Brazil.

If any of the above events is of interest, please contact: abrice@majoreventsint.com.

MEI seeks out new opportunities

2011-02-24T12:03:00.002Z

Wei Li, MEI’s Business Development Manager for Asia attended the annual Event Production Show on 2 February 2011 in London.

The Event Production Show is a meeting place for companies involved in selling and sourcing products and services for major events. The event is seen as one of the leading forums for specialists and buyers from the events marketplace in the UK.

With the London Olympic Games approaching in just over 12 months, there will be many more hospitality events taking place in and around London and MEI will be looking to this market for business opportunities for our clients seeking partnering and supplying for large events.

MEI welcomes new Brazil director

2011-02-21T12:15:00.011Z

MEI’s expansion in Brazil has taken another leap forward with the appointment of new country director Antonio Castro Neves.

The appointment follows MEI’s CEO, Dennis Mills and key account director Rachel Hughes’ visit to Brazil in early February 2011.

Antonio will be operating from Brazil, ensuring full support is offered to our clients in both Brazil and in the UK.

Brazil has become a target country of interest to many sectors and MEI can help turn initial interest in a country into doing business successfully.

Antonio will be able to keep MEI fully engaged with opportunities around Brazil, allowing us to make introductions to key stakeholders and providing expert advice along the way for all our clients.

MEI now has a website dedicate to Brazil, written in Portuguese, please visit http://meibrazil.com.

Members Briefed on Security and Technology at Lords Cricket Ground

2011-02-10T12:08:00.004Z

MEI clients and EVTG members gathered at Lords Cricket Ground for a briefing on Security and Technology on 9th February 2011 in London.

Technology and Security are two integral aspects of hosting events at large stadiums Guests and Members also got exclusive access to restricted areas
A great insight into the history of this iconic venue

Roland Hemming of RH Consulting gave a talk on the extent of the work involved when hosting an event at a stadium. The issues were explained within the context of his audio systems installation business, specifically the audio he is installing at Lords.

The briefing moved on to focus on crowd management, which is one of the biggest challenges when hosting a major event. Richard Strudwick of G4S explained how the key to good crowd management is planning and learning from previous crowd disasters. The consequences of bad crowd management can be fatal and as little as one person can cause devastation through the amplification effect.

Chris Phillips of NaCTSO (National Counter Terrorism Security Office) gave a presentation challenging the idea of evacuating crowds in a security emergency, as this could potentially exacerbate the situation. Phillips suggested the threat could be outside the venue, and therefore it is safer to stay put, or if an explosion has already occurred in one area it is highly unlikely that it will occur again in the same place. It was discussed that stadia are not necessarily the biggest target for terrorism as they are fixed dates and gate security hinders such activity. However shopping centres and airports are prime targets as there are a lot of people in one place at any time.

John Hamilton of Honeywell talked about the models of security which enable strong security practices at venues. Hamilton highlighted how important it is that crowds are checked when entering a venue in order to protect them. This can only be achieved if the organiser is aware of and can identify the potential risks to put such preventative measures in place.

Delegates were then invited to network and enjoy a drinks reception which was sponsored by Honeywell.

Also present was the IT Manager, Estates Manager and Head of Security from Marylebone Cricket Club. This gave our members a chance to connect with such individuals which often takes much longer when using official channels.

This event demonstrated how EVTG can assist both its members and MEI clients in meeting key contacts in the events and venue sector. We will be holding more events of this style in 2011 and we will keep you informed. The next EVTG event is on the 4th April and the focus will be on Iconic and Major events in Scotland with the key note speaker confirmed as David Grevemberg, the COO of Glasgow 2014.

For more information on our events please contact Amy at: abrice@majoreventsint.com.

Major Sporting Event Committee successfully launched

2011-02-01T12:00:00.001Z

The Major Sporting Events Committee was launched on 26 January 2011 in London.The new group was formed by The Brazilian Chamber of Commerce in partnership with Major Events International (MEI).

The aim is provide clear communication about the commercial opportunities presented by hosting iconic events such as FIFA World Cup series and Olympics, and a framework of support to help members of the Chamber establish a stronger business presence in Brazil and greater collaboration in UK.

The launch was a great success, bolstered by the presence and support of some of the industries most well respected and high profile speakers.

In attendance was Paul Deighton, CEO of London 2012, who stated that he was "delighted to support this initiative, especially as it involves a country that has won both the World Cup and the Olympic Games".

Further support was given by John Armitt, CEO of the Olympic Delivery Authority, who assured delegates that the Olympic organisations from London 2012 will be happy to share with Brazil the knowledge and lessons learnt about the games being held in the UK in 2012.

The wealth of support show towards the Committee was welcomed by Roberto Jaguaribe, Brazilian Ambassador in London, who offered his appreciation, commenting: “We are extremely grateful by the way all British Olympic authorities have been cooperating with us.”

Dennis Mills, CEO of Major Events International (MEI) and chairman of the Major Sporting Event Committee introduced the key objectives of the new group, highlighting the development of a business and knowledge sharing framework that will generate a greater collaboration between organisations from the two countries.

Mills went on to explain the potential for businesses investing in Brazil, detailing that: "...the size of the market and the scale of opportunity cannot be ignored. The Committee will help UK and Brazilian businesses to get to know this market.”

The new Committee is formed of nine key organisations that are members of the Brazilian Chamber of Commerce and have strong connections in both countries. They are:

Major Events International (Chair); Berwin Leighton Paisner LLP; Brazilian National Development Bank (BNDES); Bradesco Securities; Embratur; KPMG; Noerr LLP and TAM Airline.

The Committee are to hold at least five themed events per year organised by the members. They will focus on sharing experiences and opportunities relating to Major Sporting Events in Brazil and the UK.

MEI heading for Russia

2011-01-24T11:58:00.004Z

Since December 2010, Major Events International has been getting increasingly involved with the major events taking place in Russia, such as the 2013 University Games, the 2014 Winter Olympic Games and now the 2018 FIFA World Cup.

MEI's Rachel Hughes was also invited to attend a Networking Reception of the Russo-British Chamber of Commerce (RBCC) in London on 17 January 2011.

During the event Hughes met with the executive director of RBCC to discuss a future collaboration between MEI and the Russian Chamber. More Russian related activities will be announced soon, including the MEI/EVTG event on the 8 June 2011.

MEI continues expansion in Brazil

2011-01-24T11:42:00.004Z

MEI has been busy with Brazilian contacts and contract over January 2011. Here is a snapshot of what we've been up to.

Dennis Mills, CEO of Major Events International attended a UKTI Brazil Event on 17 January 2011 in London. Mills met British businesses interested in the Major Events market in Brazil.

During the event UK Trade and Investment explained its new approach to the FIFA 2014 World Cup and Rio 2016 Olympic Games in Brazil and its new report that will inform UK businesses about the opportunities available.

Mills was also invited to talk about the new initiative of the Brazilian Chamber of Commerce which is launching a Major Sporting Events Committee on 26 January in London to deal with the same issues.

Rachel Hughes, MEI’s Key Account Director gave a presentation on the opportunities offered by the 2014 FIFA World Cup and Rio 2016 Olympic Games in Brazil at the European Executive Council meeting in London on 14 January 2011.

The European Executive Council is a private initiative that gathers European CEOs and senior management from large international firms to discuss their challenges and successes.

The focus of the meeting was BRIC markets and how to tackle them. Different experts talked about China, Russia and India. The presentation on Brazil by MEI’s Hughes was the only one focusing on major events as catalysts to foster development in BRIC countries.

MEI’s Asian Business Development Manager visits China

2011-01-10T11:37:00.011Z

Wei Li, Asian Business Development Manager for Major Events International visited China from December through to January 2011.

Wei Li met with one of MEI’s Chinese clients, Avant, in Shenzhen and visited their factory and 2011 University Games Venue. This was a great opportunity for MEI to understand how their clients operate in order to offer a high level of service.

MEI is also building a strategic relationship with China Entertainment and Technology Association (CETA). This will further expand MEI’s ever growing international relationships, particularly in the BRIC countries.

Wie Li then visited Haiyang, the host city for the 2012 Asian Beach Games which was announced by the Olympic Council of Asia in Doha.

Wei concluded her visit with a meeting at a medium sized city’s Sports Bureau Director who is looking for a Consultant Company to advise them on how to run events and make them profitable. Could this be another job for MEI? We certainly hope so!

New Brazil Group launched

2011-01-04T11:28:00.005Z

The Brazilian Chamber of Commerce, in partnership with Major Events International (MEI), is delighted to announce the formation of a new committee focusing on Major Sporting Events to be launched on 26th January 2011.

The aim is provide clear communication about the commercial opportunities presented by hosting iconic events such as FIFA World Cup series and Olympics, and a framework of support to help members of the Chamber establish a stronger business presence in Brazil and greater collaboration in UK.

The calendar of events in 2011 will include hosted visits by relevant Brazilian government officials and stakeholders involved in planning and delivering the sporting events in Brazil, expert briefings from commercial companies with experience in this market and access to organisations which can assist with establishing a new business in Brazil.

The Major Sporting Events Committee will be led by MEI due to its market penetration expertise and will be supported by a Steering Group consisting of the following companies:

Berwin Leighton Paisner LLP – International Law firm experienced in London 2012.

Brazilian National Development Bank (BNDES) – currently financing all FIFA 2014 World Cup stadiums.

Bradesco - Private Brazilian Bank and official sponsor of Rio 2016.

Embratur – Brazilian Tourism Office

KPMG – international consulting firm experienced in Major Events, including London 2012 and World Cup 2014.

Noerr – International Law firm with Major Events experience, including Rio 2016.

Rede Record – Broadcaster rights holder of London 2012 and Rio 2016.

TAM Airline – Brazilian airline sponsor of the Brazilian Football Team.

As the Committee develops, there will be a particular focus on individual sectors which will include: sponsorship, infrastructure and procurement, renewable technologies, security, the 3rd Sector and legacy.

At the inaugural meeting of the Steering Group, chairman of the Chamber, Jaime Gornsztejn stated: "I see the launch of this new initiative as an important development in the services offered by the Chamber. There is a unique window of opportunity for UK and Brazil to strengthen commercial ties and share our mutual experience of Major Events, and I am grateful that MEI has agreed to offer their expertise to lead this new exciting committee."

CEO MEI, Dennis Mills stated: "Working within the Chamber framework in developing this new committee can only help in supporting members and attendees improve business winning opportunities. It will also enhance access to key staff involved in major events and therefore communication and transfer of knowledge. We look forward to make the group an enduring success starting in January 2011."

MEI Host the Sochi 2014 Games Delegation in London

2010-12-08T11:20:00.003Z

EVTG (The Events and Venue Technology Group), co founded by MEI and IPT Design was honoured with opportunity to Host the visiting delegation from the Sochi 2014 Games.

Rachel Hughes, Key Account Director of MEI opened proceedings with an overview of activities and developments around EVTG over passed months while introducing the initiative to host the Russian visit, “Russia has some iconic events coming up as well as being one of the BRIC countries so it seems only right to meet some of the organisers and listen to their experiences”.

Dennis Mills, CEO of MEI welcomed the delegation which included Andrey Terekhin, (Director and Project Manager of Technology, Broadcasting, Medicine and Accreditation) along with Oleg Kolesnikov (Head of broadcasting) from the Sochi 2014 and Ildar Nizamutdinov, (Deputy Director, Executive Committee), and Farid Abdulganiev, (Deputy Director, Executive Committee, mayor of the Athlete's Village) from Universiade 2013. EVTG members got a chance to introduce themselves and explain their interest in attending this exclusive event.

EVTG members heard that Sochi was elected as the city to host the Winter Olympics on July 4th 2007, illustrating the long life cycle of major events.

This will be the first time that the Russian Federation will host the Winter Olympics since the Soviet Union hosted the 1980 Summer Games in Moscow. The Sochi Olympic Park will be built from scratch next to the Black Sea coast in the Imeretin Valley, highlighting the amount of procurement opportunities arising from major events.

The Sochi delegation then explained the proposed plans for the Olympic park post the games in 2014, thus demonstrating how businesses and service providers can maximise these prospects long after the games are over.

Members were then informed about Universiade which is an International multi-sport event, organized for university athletes by the International University Sports Federation (FISU), the second in importance only to the Olympic Games. The 2013 Summer Universiade will take place in Kazan, Russia. Athletes from all over the world take part in these games and about 60% of them later become Olympic participants.

This briefing signified how Russia is growing as a major event market and while bringing to light even more business opportunities for companies around the world.

This was followed by the EVTG members and Russian delegates interacting and debating in groups and in one to one sessions on specific topics such as broadcasting, security, IT capability and brand recognition, which was a great opportunity to voice their opinions and ask intimate questions to such high profile and influential individuals, thus illustrating the benefit of being a member of EVTG.

MEI attended Global Sports Industry Congress 2010

2010-11-05T11:04:00.002Z

MEI Key Account Director Rachel Hughes represented MEI during the event and had a chance to engage with international speakers and attendees including Janine Pires from the Brazilian Olympic Public Authority and Dmitry Chernyshenko, CEO of the Sochi 2014 Olympics and Paralympic Games.

Global Sports Industry Congress 2010 was held in London on 1st November.
It is a world leading event in the Sports and Events industry.
Top players from the worlds of Event Suppliers, Sports and Stadiums attend.

The hottest topic of the event was the current trend of emerging nation’s involvement in the delivery of Major Sporting Events. Speakers and panellists agreed that being awarded the honour of hosting a global sporting event should be an incentive for change in those emerging markets such as Brazil, Russia, India and South Africa rather than a reward for their economic growth.

Over the next few weeks MEI shall be attending numerous events and conferences including Soccerex in Brazil and Technology World in London.

If you would like to find out more about up and coming events, please visit our Calendar Page on the MEI website. Alternatively, if you would like MEI to represent your company at any events we attend, please email us.

MEI Returns to Brazil

2010-09-08T10:50:00.004+01:00

MEI's Key Account Director Rachel Hughes is visiting Brazil next week to attend the Sport Events Expo in Rio de Janeiro

MEI Has strong connections with Brazil

Brazil is the next up and coming nation to do business in up and coming Events in Brazil include the Olympics and World Cup The exhibition and Conference will gather for the first time in Brazil, both Organising Committees of the FIFA 2014 World Cup and Rio 2016 Olympic Games. For more information, please see: http://www.riosportsevents.com.br/.

During this time in Brazil, Rachel will also meet with Brazilian companies interested in entering the overseas major events market and will have meetings with government officials in charge of the modernisation plans of Rio?s tourism infrastructure.

MEI launches new Business Network in Dorset region of UK

2010-08-20T10:45:00.002+01:00

We are pleased to announce the formation of a unique business winning group in the Dorset region which has the support of key agencies in helping drive new opportunities for our local businesses. Its core purpose is to introduce companies to both international opportunities and to stimulate overseas companies to work in partnership with you.

The Dorset Export Group is launching...

Dorset County Council has provided seed funding to launch this fresh initiative. The Dorset Export Group (DEG) is a professional membership group that brings together our most ambitious business people into one community. Support will be provided to take companies overseas, to include pre-mission preparations and post-mission follow up to help maximise the investment in these activities. By promoting companies and skills from the Region, in-bound visits will be coordinated and even for companies who may not wish to export, this will generate additional opportunities for local growth. Part of this strategy will also focus on how we can all benefit from the opportunities presented by hosting part of the 2012 Olympics in our region.

The Group will have its official launch on 5th October 2010. Attendees should ideally be key decision makers within their organisations and the launch event is free of charge. There will be a briefing about the aims and objectives of the Group and how you can quickly get involved in increasing your market share and wider benefits as well as the chance to network with people with similar ambitions as yours.

MEI speaks at conferences in Australia and New Zealand

2010-07-26T10:27:00.004+01:00

Dennis Mills, CEO MEI, has just returned from speaking at two conferences in Australia and New Zealand as well as visiting new clients in both countries.

In Australia the Sports Research Group ran a highly successful two day conference attended by 150 delegates in Sydney. There were a range of speakers from the USA, Canada and New Zealand who spoke on issues relating to the use of Social Media and the impact on generating revenues for Sporting bodies and Clubs. The results which have been achieved have been considerable and MEI will take this learning into future events run for the Events and Venue Technology Group (EVTG) jointly run by MEI and IPT Design.

The visit also included the opportunity to watch an Australian Football League match which is an interesting mix of what Europeans may consider to be a mix of rugby, basket ball and athletics! This gave us the chance to see a fantastic match, won by the Sydney Swans and visit a Stadium which has very regular use as it doubles up as a cricket ground also. The atmosphere was certainly on a par with the Premier league match in UK.

Following a highly successful workshop for our new client MySpace, we look forward to promoting their capability internationally as signature providers of bespoke Corporate and other organising or government level events where temporary overlay and turnkey solutions are required. Meetings were also held with Thales, Rapiscan Systems, Bosch and Control Risks.

MEI is now advancing plans to open a subsidiary in Australia given it is such an active market and provides in-bound and out-bound opportunities for our customers.

Following the first conference Dennis then went to Auckland to speak at the Sport is Fantastic Conference again organised by the Sports Research Group. His focus this time was on winning bids, mobilisation of organising committees and applying lessons learned from the past. During the conference there were some excellent presentation by members of the Rugby World Cup 2011 organising committee. The key driver for 2011 is the sale of tickets which to date has proven to be highly successful but there is no let up in the pressure to keep the momentum going given the considerable distance people will need to travel for the tournament. Some visits during free time to regrettably just the North Island reveals it will be a truly fantastic visitor experience for those attending the tournament. For Rugby fans the combination of fantastic Rugby in an amazingly rich cultural and tourism destination will make it an unforgettable experience. We are hoping to host a visit by some of those involved in delivering business solutions for the tournament before Christmas which may include members of the organising committee too should this be agreed.

Thanks to the efforts of Populous who are the world recognised experts in delivering design solutions for Stadium, Dennis had the opportunity to visit the site of the new stand at Eden Park in Auckland. This is a massively impressive design which will complement the existing classic architecture with a highly innovative and visually impressive new structure. The sample of photographs here show some of the key aspects of this project which is well advanced and will be delivered in plenty of time to allow test events to be held. Populous are involved in other stadium for 2011

Rugby World Cup and Bindi Perkins and Daryl Maguire gave a very interesting presentation during the conference about their capability and key projects which was well received. MEI is now also investigating the feasibility of a regional office in New Zealand.