It’s an absolute pleasure to connect with you. Your journey is beautiful and GO! readers will love to know more about your wonderful experience in the events & media industry. How you began your story, what made you choose this line of work, what is your biggest key secret to success in life and much more.
So lets begin with how you came to Dubai and what was the experience? How has Dubai worked for you?
“To be honest it was always in the back of my mind to move over to Dubai as my mum has been based here since 2015 so having that support played a massive factor in my decision. I left my job in South Africa having been a road / tour manager for a band and came here with 2 suitcases. I had a couch to sleep on and food on the table, that’s it. I think like most people, we all face initial struggle of finding our feet in Dubai and moving away from home.”
“The experience was daunting… I had no connections, no interviews or anything so it was spending all day on LinkedIn, going out to meet people and speaking to anyone I could find. Long story short, a friend of a friend put me in touch with Dan Bolton’s agency, I had an interview on the Sunday (back in the old weekend days which I struggled to get used to being a massive live sport fan) and was in the office on Tuesday 9am. I am still with the agency today so one could say that it was a very good decision.”
“Dubai has definitely been a massive and important step in both my personal and professional life. Having worked on some of the world’s largest events, to meeting some incredible people. There is a real hub of creativity in the region and being part of the business behind the incredible creatives is something that gets me out of bed each and every day.”
Which has been your most close to heart project so far and why?
“There have been some incredible projects I have personally worked on, from performer casts of 80 people, to really bespoke shows, however there is one that will forever standout to me. I was given 4 days in total to arrange dancers for the Alicia Key’s Infinite Night Show at Al Wasl Dome during Expo 2020. Being a massive fan of Alicia’s music since she came onto the scene definitely made it worth it.”
What were the challenges you experienced in your journey (your work and enlighten us with what your company does ) & valuable advice you would like to share with the audience who would like to enter this stream of work?
“I work in the entertainment industry, so we are problem solvers on a daily basis. Essentially we are that creative link between a client and the talent we work with to ensure that the client is getting value for their events and the talent are enjoying the events as well as getting paid / something out of that project. We work with a vast array of personalities so that always poses a challenge when you have a very corporate client and a very creative talent, we need to align them to both speak the same language.”
“For anyone looking to enter the industry, you need to eat breathe and live events. It is not a 9-6 job and you need to fully understand that before deciding to join the madness. For me, I enjoy the fact that there is an output to our job. From when we receive a brief, to what show / costume / put all together in perfect action.”
What is your present line of engagement and please share some highlights about it with GO!
“I have recently been appointed as the General Manager at Dan Bolton Events DMCC. We are an Entertainment Agency that specialize in Creative Show Production, Casting Services, Talent Management and Storytelling. I have been at the company since I came to Dubai so to say we have been through a lot is an understatement! Working with creative people is inspiring and challenging at the same time, when you have very corporate clients and very creative talent, the main challenge is to get everyone on the same page. The main thing I enjoy out my line of work is that there is an output to what we do. From when I brief comes into the inbox as a PDF, to seeing a show come to life with a big cast, costumes and content, it’s a real journey and something that will always keep me on my toes.”
How was it like being awarded younger achiever of the year! How would you define this wonderful experience?
“I am not one for the limelight, it’s probably why I enjoy being behind the scenes at events and not on a stage. It was an award that made me, my family & the agency very proud to receive as it was one that I have been aware of since I started working in the UAE. For those who don’t know the award, it is awarded to anyone who is under 30 years old that works in the entertainment and events industry that must be doing something right with their work haha! I was showered with champagne at the after party and we all had a great night!”
Do share with us your top 3 signature unique talent set skill that personify you and to facilitate our younger generation willing to make a mark in a challenging multicultural city of Dubai.
- Listening – when you have so many nationalities, you need to be patient and listen to people because we all communicate differently.
- Patience – enjoy the ride and don’t force things.
- Confidence – ask questions, give your opinion, and be strong in what you believe.
Please follow for more on Ryan profile and his company Dan Bolton Creative Management IG profiles
