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b'Paul Berger is a true Middle East insider, having been based in Dubai, UAE for nearly three decades and done it all from advertising, motorsports, helping to build the Dubai Autodrome to now running EMEA for the Arena Group, one of the leading temporary event structures groups in the world for sports, music, exhibitions to cultural events. \\xa0\\xa0\\n\\xa0\\nKey Highlights\\nPaul\\u2019s early days in Advertising in the UK and his route to Dubai. BBDO took him to Dubai.\\xa0\\nFrom Advertising to Karting \\u2013 setting up his first business (Leisure Karting) in Dubai \\u2013 great stories (races in Oman, Bahrain, Abu Dhabi)\\nDubai Autodrome & Business Park -\\xa0 how it all started and where it is now (www.dubaiautodrome.ae)\\nClive Bowen of Apex Circuit Design, designed the track (www.apexcircuitdesign.com)\\nWhat worked and didn\\u2019t work and what is happening on the track now\\n\\nNext Entrepreneurial venture \\u2013 Sports Marketing Global \\u2013 focused on motorsports & brands from the Middle East\\xa0 (partnered with Chris Akers \\u2013 who was managing F1 Driver, Robert Kubica at the time)\\nWorking with McLaren (Ekrem Sami), first deal with Emirates in motorsports (and how amazing visuals did the trick)\\nAbu Dhabi NDA & F1 story -\\xa0 how the deal came about and contract was signed\\xa0\\nHarlequin Marquees \\u2013 brother in law business \\u2013 new challenge \\u2013 bringing it together with Arena Group, UK (a company with 260 year history \\u2013 started in 1761)\\nArena\\u2019s first acquisition outside the UK, big growth since then through acquisition and Public Listing in the UK\\nPaul\\u2019s role as CEO across EMEA \\u2013 expansion across the region \\u2013 350 staff across Asia/Middle East, offices in Malaysia, Korea, Hong Kong, etc\\nArena America, Europe/UK, Middle East/Asia key regions\\u2013 his region became the biggest and most profitable division (pre-Covid 2019) \\u2013 hugely successful year (Anthony Joshua fight in Saudi)\\xa0\\nThe Arena Business \\u2013 temporary Event Architecture \\u2013 from tents to modular buildings, interiors, hospitality, etc\\xa0\\nAnd then Covid happened and how that effected the Business and how Arena reacted to it \\u2013 pivot business away from events, where could the equipment be used (temporary hospitals, etc)\\nSaudi family was keen to invest, raised money to make it through Covid \\u2013 prior to that he was in the process of taking the company private again with US PE group (management buy-out)\\nLooking into the future, when is the event business coming back \\u2013 his views on 2021 (transitional year) and 2022-23 \\u2013 two year process to come back to 2019 numbers\\nSports in the Middle East \\u2013 big growth over the last few decades and where is the growth in the future \\u2013 Dubai was the initial driver, Abu Dhabi the last decade, last few years Saudi Arabia\\xa0\\nMostly driven by large scale events, from Boxing, F1, UFC, WWE, Tennis, Golf, etc \\u2013 some top Venues now like Coca-Cola Arena (20k seater) in Dubai\\nHow to operate in the region \\u2013 need to have a presence on the ground in the key markets, have local experts and strategic partners\\n\\xa0\\nAbout Paul Berger\\nPaul Berger has been working in the Middle East and Asia since 1993. He started his career in Dubai with the OMNICOM Group, as a lead Account Director on Emirates Airline, Pepsi Cola and General Motors. In 1997, Paul moved into the sports event management sector, by launching the first leisure motor sport tracks in the region. Indoor Karting, Outdoor Karting, the Dubai Autodrome FIA Circuit and local motor racing championships.\\nIn 2009, he became CEO of Harlequin and subsequently sold the company to the Arena Group. In 2010, he became CEO of the Middle East and Asia Division for the Arena Group, launching the company in Singapore and Malaysia. Paul has subsequently expanded the division to Abu Dhabi, Saudi Arabia, Hong Kong, Korea and now Japan. Paul is also the President of the International Live Events Association in the Middle East.\\n\\xa0\\nFollow us\\xa0on our social sites for the latest updatesInstagram:\\xa0https://www.instagram.com/sportsentrepreneurs/Facebook:\\xa0https://www.facebook.com/marcusluerpodcastLinkedIn:\\xa0htt'