Given its specialism in the international security, risk and Health and Safety recruitment arenas, it made perfect sense for Momentum Security to attend this year’s Intersec Middle East Exhibition in Dubai from 13-15 January. Even more so when you consider the successes the company enjoyed in the Gulf States and right across the Middle East during 2007.
The decision taken by Momentum to attend as an exhibitor was swayed still further by the growing importance and standing of this prestigious trade show in the international security event calendar. Now into its tenth anniversary, Intersec has shown year-on-year growth (27% over 2006 alone) and an increasingly extensive conference programme.
In conversation with info4security, Tom Craven – Momentum’s managing director – explained: “Our ongoing success in this exciting, fast-moving market is wholly due to the fact that we can deliver what businesses in the region want. In short, the best security, risk and Health and Safety personnel to work in the world’s fastest-growing region. The sheer scale of economic development, construction and business growth, particularly in the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia, is simply staggering. It certainly presents unique challenges for anyone concerned with risk management. We firmly believe that Momentum has an ability to tap into the ‘talent market’ across the world and bring the very best individuals to this exciting business environment.”
Momentum’s Stand at the show – Stand 1909C – sat neatly within the UK Security Pavilion, and the company was delighted to be part of the UK Trade and Investment and British Security Industry Association (BSIA)-supported delegation (itself ably managed by the Association’s Peter Nicholls and Chris Pinder). “The strength of the British contingent at the exhibition was highly impressive,” added Momentum’s commercial director Graham Bassett, “and demonstrated the true international capability of our security industry.”
Exhibiting at Intersec Middle East allowed Momentum to meet with many established clients as well as several potential new ones, both on and off the exhibition site. The company was honoured to be able to attend the launch event for a major new company in Abu Dhabi, network with senior Emirati business people, defence and security chiefs and international business thought leaders. Bassett added: “The level of interest in the services we can offer in the region has strengthened our resolve to put time and effort into developing our business there, and to opening a regional office at some point in the near future.”
Intersec 2008: what happened and when?
The day before the show opened saw Tom, Graham and Ruxana ‘Roxy’ Ali (Momentum’s marketing manager) arrive at Dubai Airport first thing in the morning before heading straight to the hugely impressive International Convention and Exhibition Centre. “There was an atmosphere of excitement and expectation in the air,” Roxy told info4security. “Everyone from the UK was in an upbeat and positive mood.”
Having finished setting up their stand, the Momentum contingent travelled to the area of the new Dubai City where extensive building and development work (including The World and The Palm) is ongoing. That work is carried out on a 24/7 basis, and apparently makes for an impressive vista.
Later that evening, Tom, Graham and Roxy met up with clients at the Madinat Jumeirah, a five star hotel complex that sits more or less opposite the famous Burj Al Arab and is styled on old Arabia. The Madinat incorporates no less than 41 bars and restaurants and 74 boutiques spread across several acres, its interconnecting waterways served by water taxis.
The exhibition was off to a flying start the next morning when the show officially opened in the presence of Brigadier Rashid Thani Al Matrooshi, the director general and manager of the Dubai Civil Defence. It was a productive day for Momentum, too, the company’s members of staff meeting with many new and existing clients and candidates.
The opening Sunday also brought news that a certain George W Bush was to make a brief visit to Dubai the very next day as part of the US President’s Middle East Peace Tour. Alas, this visit had an adverse effect on Intersec. Most of the major roads had to be closed, while many parts of Dubai became ‘no go’ areas on the say so of American officials and security staff. At the last minute, the authorities in Dubai declared a public holiday. How ironic that security measures conspired to threaten Momentum’s activity at the show!
Sunday night played host to the Exhibitors’ Party. Obviously, this afforded excellent networking opportunities (many of which resulted in conversion to new business). An additional bonus for Graham Bassett was that he managed to meet up with a colleague he’d not seen in 12 years having introduced him to one of Saudi Arabia’s major players ‘back in the day’. The individual concerned is now a senior director of a large Dubai-based international security consultancy.
On ‘The President’s Monday’…
Having had the imminent arrival of George W Bush confirmed late on during the previous day, the Momentum team set off early from their hotel only to be halted halfway to the conference centre thanks to the planned road closures. Abandoning their taxi and ignoring the stifling humidity, Tom, Graham and Roxy set off on foot along what was an empty four-lane carriageway to the International Convention and Exhibition Centre. No mean feat, as the Centre was some two miles away as the crow flies!
Good fortune was with the trio, though, and they made it to the front doors just before the heavens decided to open!
Not surprisingly, many of the exhibitors didn’t make it to the show that day. Lots of unmanned stands were paralleled by visitors being noticeably thin on the ground. However, the Momentum team turned this to their advantage. “We were able to have conversations with certain people that we might not otherwise have had,” suggested Roxy Ali, “which in turn led to additional meetings and several new business opportunities.”
Later that evening, Craven, Bassett and Ali hosted Momentum’s first Beer and Banter event in Dubai at The Barasti Bar within The Meridien Hotel on Jumeirah Beach. Suffice to say a good night was had by all!
The last day of the exhibition was one of great expectation, and the Momentum employees were not disappointed. Torrential rain – the worst in over a decade according to local weather forecasters – and flooding again saw the closure of a great many roads. However, it was still a hectic day for Intersec, with pretty much non-stop meetings at the Momentum stand. It was by far the busiest and most productive day of the show.
The conference programme turned out to be a huge success and, aside from the British speakers they’d met with the previous evening, Tom and Roxy also conducted interviews with the chief executive (Rob Strange) and president (Ray Hurst) of the Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (IoSH). Discussions took place in relation to the increasing importance and influence of IoSH in the Middle East region, accreditation and how client expectations are met thanks to the appointment of suitably-skilled Health and Safety-savvy candidates.
Did the exhibition end on a high?
“Intersec was a fantastic show for us,” stated Graham Bassett. “So much so that we will definitely be returning next year. That return may well be planned and orchestrated from a new office based in Dubai. Watch this space!”
Aside from Momentum’s own successes, post-exhibition news disseminated by the show’s organisers reported that multi-million Dirham deals had been signed – underpinned by the launch of Intersec Asia, which takes place on 1-3 December in Bangkok.
“On a closing note,” said Bassett, “we’d like to thank all the people we met, and those who made our trip the success it was. Without them, Intersec may not have been so productive or anywhere near as much fun.”