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INTERVIEW
“This is the first time I can remember being given long lead times on confirmation of projects, with some jobs being confirmed and down payments being taken nine months to a year in advance, which is almost unheard of in the Middle East. It’s a very positive sign that there is confidence in the market, which helps us forecast better.” Sameer Rahman, Flair Event Services
demand,” Rahman said. “Lead times have gone through the roof and that means new gear has turned into a very long-term investment, which many won’t see any return on for at least a year.” Equipment shortages aside, the outlook for Flair remains extremely positive. “We’ve been fortunate to recover from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic within a fairly short time period, and we have picked up where we left off at the end of 2019 with our plans for growth,” Rahman stated, noting that the company has now outgrown its current facility and will soon
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move into a much larger space to accommodate its increased resources. “We’re also seeing different behaviour in clients, which is very helpful,” he noted. “This is the first time I can remember being given long lead times on confirmation of projects, with some jobs being confirmed and down payments being taken nine months to a year in advance, which is almost unheard of in the Middle East. It’s a very positive sign that there is confidence in the market, which helps us forecast better.” Rahman concluded by speculating on the events season
to come, which he believes will be even busier than the Expo 2020-fuelled season last year. “There are quite a few market indicators that are leading to that conclusion,” he commented. “Our colleagues elsewhere in the industry are seeing a similar trend, so it’s not exclusive to Flair. We do a lot of cross-hires with other AV companies and we’re seeing everyone get the same surges in demand. It’s extremely good news for this part of the world.” Photos: Flair Event Services www.flair.ae
