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CHIT CHAT
With Umaid Shakeel of Revelation Inc.
1. How difficult was it managing the Cannes Lions’ event in Lahore?
It was not difficult at all, but since we’re based in Karachi, it allows for more personal interaction when we hold events in Karachi itself. Sometimes participants want to know more details and they’re able to come and meet us beforehand. For the Lahore event, everything was done through email and telephone calls and – as happens in Karachi – we received requests from participants who wanted to meet us face to face, but that wasn’t possible, and that was the only problem we faced.
2. How long did it take to plan and coordinate the whole event?
Since we had done all the grassroots preparations for the Karachi event, which took around three months, the Lahore event was organized within only a month.
3. As an Event Manager, what is the key to making any given event a complete success?
An event can be a success only if you want it to be. You need to work hard and know all details inside out; if someone asks who the keynote speaker is, you should be able to explain the speaker’s entire profile. Some mediocre managers feel putting an event together is simply a matter of bringing people to the venue; it’s not. It’s about making the participants realize that they are gaining something from attending, and of course, it’s crucial to manage time well.
4. In your opinion was the Cannes Lions event in Lahore a success? Why and how?
The Lahore event was extremely successful, surpassing our expectations. We hold such events regularly in Karachi, and once a company participates, the attendees are very eager to come again to future events because they know it will be a valuable learning experience. This was the first time we took Cannes to Lahore, and our reputation had preceded us primarily through word-of mouth. The Lahore crowd is very enthusiastic about trying new things; we had aimed for around two hundred attendees but the response was so incredible that we actually had more participants than anticipated.
5. What made you decide to use Al-Hamra as the venue?
Primarily because of Al Hamra’s strong cultural identity with the creative arts. They had the kind of auditorium and seating arrangement we wanted, and everyone knows and associates the venue with quality.
6. Was Telenor an easy and supportive sponsor to work with?
Extremely so. Telenor has always shown an interest in supporting creative ventures; they regularly sponsor cultural, theatrical and artistic endeavors; earlier they sponsored our “Creative Fiesta” which had been a mega-event, and this time round they showed wholehearted support for Cannes. Telenor was, and always has been, very cooperative and to know that corporate organization is so enthusiastic in promoting creativity is always encouraging.
7. What advice do you have for young event managers entering the field?
The best advice I can give is that while there are spells where you feel like nothing is okay, if you manage to survive those spells, then the world can be yours. Managing events is extremely advantageous for career growth; the opportunities are limitless and each new event seems like an exciting adventure. It never gets boring. The people you work with are equally exciting since they thrive on adventure, which is why they do what they do. I have been fortunate to work with such a person; the CEO of Revelation Inc., Mr. Aneek Saleh Mohammed, who makes everything seem like a brand new discovery. His enthusiasm cultivated mine, and enthusiasm is what makes the job so much fun.
