Episodes
Candid 30-minute conversations with the people shaping the global events industry. New episodes released weekly.
Managing Director, Middle East Identity
In our debut episode, Michael sits down with Dr. Ray Tinston to explore the evolving role of events in economic development, destination positioning and strategic stakeholder engagement. Drawing on decades of international experience, Ray shares insights into the future of major events across the Middle East and the opportunities shaping the industry's next chapter.
Co-Founder, Event Lab
Entrepreneur, innovator and industry disruptor Nadim Jamal discusses the changing landscape of experiential events, audience engagement and event technology. From launching successful ventures to creating memorable live experiences, Nadim shares lessons from building businesses at the forefront of the industry.
Founder & CEO, Grinnall Management & Associates
With more than 35 years of experience across the global events sector, Paul Grinnall reflects on the evolution of the industry, the challenges facing organisers today and the leadership principles that have guided his remarkable career. A fascinating conversation packed with practical wisdom and hard-earned perspective.
Regional Director, ICCA
The business events industry plays a critical role in knowledge exchange, trade and economic growth. Anju Gomes joins the show to discuss the global meetings landscape, destination competitiveness and how associations continue to drive innovation, collaboration and international engagement.
Co-Founder and Director, OGMA Safety
Safety is one of the most critical yet often overlooked components of successful events. Declan Meenan shares his expertise on risk management, crowd safety, operational planning and the frameworks that enable organisers to deliver secure, resilient and world-class experiences.
Head of Events and Partnership, Five Iron
Golf is no longer confined to the fairway. Stephen Wilson joins the show to discuss how sport, hospitality and experiential events are converging to create new opportunities for brands, communities and corporate engagement. From premium venue experiences to strategic partnerships, he shares insights into building destinations that bring people together through the game.
Co-Founder, Mistika
Culture has become one of the most powerful drivers of audience connection. Jimi Elgohary explores the role of storytelling, programming and cultural curation in creating meaningful live experiences, sharing how organisers can balance authenticity, creativity and commercial objectives while designing events that resonate far beyond the stage.
Founder, Event Tech Live
Event technology has transformed the way organisers plan, deliver and measure success. Adam Parry discusses the evolution of event tech, the trends shaping the future of the industry and the opportunities available to organisers looking to improve attendee experience, drive measurable outcomes and embrace innovation with confidence.
Endurance Events Pioneer and Founder of Clear Path
In this episode of The Backdrop, Michael sits down with Andy Fordham, one of the industry's most experienced sports event operations leaders, to explore what it really takes to deliver large-scale cycling, running and city-wide sporting events. Drawing on more than 35 years of international experience and over 400 events, Andy discusses the operational, logistical and governance challenges of transforming entire cities into world-class sporting venues, the lasting benefits these events can bring to communities and economies, and why successful delivery depends as much on strategic planning and stakeholder alignment as it does on flawless execution.
Chief Development Officer, THA by Armonia
Michael sits down with Shams Moloo, Chief Development Officer at THA by ARMONIA, to explore the leadership principles behind organisational transformation, strategic growth and high-performing teams. Drawing on experience across both the public and private sectors, Shams discusses how successful organisations balance long-term vision with operational excellence, why effective strategy depends on disciplined execution, and how leaders can navigate complexity while keeping a clear focus on people, performance and outcomes. From transformation and portfolio management to the evolving role of leadership across live experiences, destinations, retail, culture and global events, it's a conversation full of practical insight for executives, project leaders and professionals building resilient, future-focused organisations.
Founder and CEO, Rayqube
Technology continues to redefine what is possible in the events industry. Sankalp Sharma shares his perspective on immersive experiences, innovation and the human side of technology, discussing how emerging tools can enhance engagement, strengthen brand storytelling and create memorable moments that leave a lasting impact on audiences.
Managing Director and Founder, ESMOS
Episode 12 of The Backdrop features Mark Benaicha, Founder and Managing Director of ESMOS Recruitment. With more than 25 years across events, entertainment and recruitment, Mark brings a rare perspective from both sides of the industry. We discuss the realities of finding and retaining great people, how the events talent landscape has evolved, what employers and candidates often get wrong, and why, despite all the changes in recruitment, it remains fundamentally a people business.
Founder and CEO, AKUGGI
Episode 13 welcomes AJ Amer, Founder and CEO of AKUGGI, an events industry leader turned AI pioneer with more than 18 years of experience delivering major live events, ceremonies and large-scale experiences around the world. From FAN EXPO HQ across North America to Expo 2020 Dubai, Expo City Dubai and senior leadership roles with Richard Attias & Associates, AJ has worked at the heart of some of the industry's most ambitious projects. Now, he's bringing that experience into AI, exploring how technology can help event professionals work smarter, move faster and make better decisions, while keeping human expertise at the centre of great events.
Founder & CEO of World Wide Wonders; Managing Partner, Scenaxis Group
Michael sits down with Christophe Draye, recognised as one of the Middle East events industry's Top 100 Most Influential People, whose 22+ year career has spanned the commercial, creative and delivery sides of global entertainment. He has helped shape the international growth of companies including GL Events, PRG, Filmmaster, Cirque du Soleil's 45 Degrees and FiveCurrents, while contributing to major productions such as the Asian Games, SEA Games, Expo 2020 Dubai and Franco Dragone's final masterpiece, Terhal. Today, as Founder and CEO of World Wide Wonders and Managing Partner of Scenaxis Group, he works at the intersection of entertainment, investment and strategy, advising owners, investors and buyers on entertainment assets, intellectual property and acquisitions. It's a conversation about the decisions and defining moments behind a remarkable international career, and where business, investment and extraordinary live experiences come together.
Founder and Principal, Long-Stile
Episode 15 welcomes Simon Mellor, an international events business leader with a career spanning nearly 30 years across the Middle East, Europe, Asia and the Americas. He joined dmg events as Vice President and concluded his tenure as President Middle East, leading a 28-event portfolio across 10 countries, before serving as Regional CEO of Messe Frankfurt Middle East and guiding the business through COVID into record performance. Today, as Founder and Principal of Long-Stile, Simon advises international organisers on GCC market entry, partnerships and growth. He joins Michael for a wide-ranging conversation on leadership, building successful event businesses and lessons from nearly three decades in the industry.
Co-Founder and CEO, GRS Research & Strategy
Episode 16 features Enrico Gallorini, one of the events industry's leading thinkers on understanding people and the experiences that connect them. For more than 20 years he has worked at the intersection of data, psychology, customer experience and live events, helping organisations understand not only what audiences do but why they do it. As Co-Founder and CEO of GRS Research & Strategy, he has advised Fortune 500 companies, governments and cultural institutions on audience behaviour, event intelligence and the real value of live experiences; he also serves on the board of Explori, is a TEDx speaker and is the author of In-Person: A Journey Through the Unstoppable Evolution of Events. Few people combine the science, psychology and commercial intelligence behind live experiences quite like Enrico.
Managing Director EMEA, Encore
In Episode 17 of The Backdrop, Michael MacLennan sits down with Sean Philby, Regional Managing Director, UAE at Encore, to explore what the events industry can learn from more than 20 years spanning hospitality, customer experience, commercial strategy and international growth. Sean's career has taken him from senior leadership roles with Malmaison, Hotel du Vin and Radisson Hotel Group to Inspired Education Group, before joining Encore in 2022; in January 2026 he relocated to Dubai to lead Encore's UAE business while continuing to head its Global Sales Organisation across EMEA. The conversation covers his journey into live events, the business and evolution of technical production, how hospitality principles can shape better event experiences, changing client expectations, and where he believes the industry is heading next.
CEO, Platinumlist
Michael sits down with Cosmin Ivan, CEO of Platinumlist, to discuss how technology is transforming the live events industry and changing the way audiences discover, access and experience entertainment. Under Cosmin's leadership, Platinumlist has expanded across seven GCC markets and 25 countries beyond the GCC, built a network of over 3,500 partners and surpassed 4 million mobile app downloads. The conversation explores the company's growth, innovations in secure mobile ticketing, dynamic QR codes and fan-to-fan resale, and the rising role of AI and personalisation in shaping customer experiences, alongside Cosmin's perspective on changing audience expectations, the balance between technology and human interaction, and where the live events industry is heading next.