Byrne Insider Interview - Shukoor

BYRNE INTERVIEW ABDUL SHUKOOR SIDDIQUI hire desk administrator - events KSA

1. HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN WITH BYRNE AND TELL US ABOUT YOUR ROLE? I have been with Byrne for over five years now and I work in the Events division for KSA and Bahrain. My role is to monitor the processes and systems of Hire Desk-Events for the whole of KSA and ensure all activities are carried out in a timely manner. I take pride in offering our customers the highest of standards of service while always focusing on the goal of delivering complete customer satisfaction.

2. WHAT ARE THE CHALLENGES OF THE RENTAL INDUSTRY IN KSA? AND HOW TO OVERCOME THEM? The biggest challenge of the rental industry in the events space is ensuring on time delivery as it is dependent on many different factors including the coordination between different suppliers and departments. To ensure on-time delivery is executed each time, to the client’s exact specifications and requirements, organization and communication are key. For me personally, I overcome these challenges by bridging the communication gap. I accommodate and adapt to each individual’s communication preferences and whether it be communicating through a phone call or via Whatsapp, my priority is to

communicate effectively and get the job done. Feedback is also important to overcome any communication challenges as it enables us to monitor the effectiveness of our communication and develop strategies to improve upon it if need be. It is good to be aware of what is working, what is not and what we should continue doing.

The logistics side of things in this industry can be challenging, for instance we can sometimes face unforeseen delays or issues with getting kit from A to B. To be prepared for this, planning and organizing is crucial as well as efficient coordination with event organizers and sub-contractors.

Preparation is key as it ensures we can adapt quickly as a team in case of any shortfalls or delays.

3. WHAT HAS BEEN THE CAREER HIGHLIGHT OF YOUR TIME AT BYRNE SO FAR? The highlight for me so far has to be our season in 2019 as this was a tremendous year for us from the events perspective and gave us momentum for the years to come. There was a huge influx of inquiries and events happening in the Kingdom and we were involved in some of the most exciting Mega events to date.

We also witnessed many sports, cultural and entertainment events throughout the year. During this time, I was required to simultaneously manage the hire desk process for the whole of BISAL Events division, ensuring that Byrne continued to be the leading supplier in equipment rental for the events industry across the Kingdom.

4. WHAT ARE YOUR PREDICTIONS FOR THE RENTAL MARKET OVER THE NEXT 5 YEARS? The events market in KSA is looking very bright and will be growing through 2022 and beyond and we predict that this will have a positive knock-on effect in the equipment rental market. We anticipate increasing demand for our single source solutions and are preparing accordingly by expanding our fleet and our team, with a focus on employee training, learning and development. As part of Saudi’s Vision 2030, Travel Tourism and Entertainment is priority in the country’s economic diversification initiative and the government has exciting plans to transform the Kingdom into a major global travel destination, with over 100 million visitors expected annually by the year 2030.

We expect and look forward to an influx of events driven by the fact that The General Entertainment Authority has pledged to invest up to $64 billion by 2028 to develop the Kingdom’s domestic entertainment sector. In 2020, the Saudi government issued various permits for entertainment events, live shows and restaurants, as well as licenses for operating entertainment facilities. This suggests great promise for the industry in the Kingdom and Byrne will be there every step of the way as we continue to grow, adapt and tailor our operations in line with demand in the market.