THE EVENT HORIZON WHO DOES THE JOB: BRIAN COLE, OPERATIONS DIRECTOR, EXCEL LONDON
TAKING THE STAGE WHO DOES THE JOB: KEITH BROOME, OPERATIONS MANAGER, 3 MILLS STUDIOS 3 Mills Studios, situated on an island site in east London, is used for film, TV, music video and advertisement production. The studios house 11 different stages, screening, production and rehearsal rooms and a prison exterior and cell set, across eight hectares. The studios were also home to the Olympic organising committee for 18 months as preparations and rehearsals for the opening and closing ceremonies took shape. Round-the-clock filming and production work means that the FM function, led by Keith Broome, is particularly demanding, and subject to an ever-changing schedule.
What the job entails: Broome and his team are responsible for all aspects of facilities management, from cleaning, security and venue management to electrical, mechanical and reactive maintenance works on site. “It’s unlike FM in commercial
or industry,” says Broome, “where you tend not to be so customer-facing. In those environments there’s a lot of time where you can organise maintenance out of hours, so essentially your tenants don’t get to see you. “Here, it’s totally different. My team have to work in front of the production’s own personnel, as well as the stars of the shows themselves, to get things done.” The team must constantly be on top of their customer service game, adapting to new circumstances and people. Take the time the team’s pre-Christmas drinks reception was interrupted by a call from Lady Gaga’s management to book a studio for the next day, or an early morning in which Kevin Bacon led a conga line of people for a mobile phone company advertisement. The FM function serves as a match winner for the studios when it comes to winning new clients. In a competitive industry, great customer service can make the all the difference to 3 Mills securing bookings. For Broome, ensuring that ad hoc enquiries and requests are met, no matter how small or bizarre, is just part of another day at the office.
ExCeL London is host to a vast array of events and conferences throughout the year. The 100,000 square metre space is a colossal area to manage, with thousands of visitors on site. ExCeL London’s operations director, Brian Cole, has been with the organisation since 1999, just before its opening, after 17 years with Olympia. Over the years he’s been promoted through the ranks, having joined initially to cover a health and safety brief.
What the job entails: For event venues, visitors range from the organisers (who rent out the space), the exhibitors (who pay the organisers for space), and the event’s visitors. Fitting in the provision of cleaning, catering, security, car park management and engineering maintenance around these various groups can be a challenge. Preventative maintenance is planned around
the events schedule. After each show, any minor issues are dealt with before the next organiser arrives. “You never get to the point where you think everything’s just ticking over nicely,” says Cole, “there’s always a new challenge.” Traffic management is an understandably significant part of the operation. “We have systems where we can get delivery vehicles in and out as quickly as possible,” says Cole. “We plan every event with the organisers to make sure of a smooth traffic flow. If they don’t want to open the doors until 8am because of the cost of security, we’ll work with them to manage the contractors who arrive early to avoid traffic. We’ll do everything we can to keep the event on schedule.” ExCeL’s location on London’s Royal Dock has helped it win events such as Oceanology International and the Boat Show, where vessels are docked so that people can get on them as part of the show experience. All aspects of the FM operation, except catering services in the conference areas and exhibition halls, are run by the in-house team. Adapting arenas and auditorium spaces for differing client needs is part of this fastpaced job. Moveable walls in the conference space and retractable seating must be prepared in time for each event. “We’ve certainly got a oneteam mentality and we work closely together on a daily basis,” says Cole. “We all know that co-ordination is the key. For example, if the riggers need to get in to a hall, then the cleaning manager will know that the area needs to be cleared quickly. This ethos extends to how we work with our clients. Our goal is to make every event a success; we take every event to heart.” GUIDE TO CAREERS IN FM 2015 | 11
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