At Flash Entertainment, we are renowned for pioneering the Middle East’s entertainment landscape, having changed the face of music, sports, and cultural events since 2008 with the delivery of some of the biggest events the region has ever seen.
From developing the first and largest entertainment festival in conjunction with a Formula One race: the Yasalam After-Race Concert series, to developing the region’s leading tennis experience: the Mubadala World Tennis Championship, to supporting Expo 2020 Dubai deliver 6 months of entertainment programming, Flash Entertainment have led the way in creating lasting event concepts that have pushed the boundaries of what the region, and world, have expected.
This week our CEO, John Lickrish, was in conversation at the Saudi Entertainment & Amusement Expo in Riyadh as he discussed expanding the region’s entertainment legacy and promoting local talent. During the event, he revealed details on Flash Entertainment’s regional expansion plans, which include opening an office in KSA later in the year and expanding our office presence in Dubai.
“In 14 years, we have delivered hundreds of events, over thousands of event days, entertaining millions of fans from the region and around the world. We are extremely proud of our efforts in transforming the entertainment landscape in Abu Dhabi, however it is lesser known that we have already delivered hundreds of events outside of the Emirate including events in Dubai, Qatar, Lebanon and here in Saudi Arabia” explained John Lickrish, CEO of Flash Entertainment.
“We have worked with international rights holders to deliver a wealth of events across the region – from the first ever WWE Live! event in the Kingdom, through to a Disney in Concert: Frozen event in Lebanon, we have vast experience outside of the UAE” Lickrish added.
Probably most well-known for our AAA music events featuring the likes of Beyonce, The Rolling Stones, Eminem and many more, Flash Entertainment have also continually supported the region’s up-and-coming artists by providing them platforms and performance opportunities at their landmark events.
“For years we have worked on supporting local and regional artists through our events. In 2020, we took our commitment to a whole new level with the development of Regional Artist Spotlight. Together with some of the region’s leading entertainment platforms, we are able to showcase the abundance of talent the region has to offer by featuring an artist each month and providing them with promotional and performance opportunities that they might not otherwise have. We take our role in the regional talent ecosystem very seriously and will continue to support it in any way we can”.
Flash Entertainment offer both businesses and consumers alike a variety of entertainment offerings and solutions that are best-in-class.
“At Flash Entertainment we put emphasis on owning our own events and growing our own IPs which can be seen in the development and evolution of the Yasalam After-Race Concerts and Mubadala World Tennis Championships into events that are delivered to the highest international standards. However, we also place a lot of focus on the creation, management, and delivery of event concepts on behalf of our clients” Lickrish commented.
Such events that Flash Entertainment have managed on behalf of clients, government entities and international rights holders include four editions of the FIFA Club World CupTM, alongside the Abu Dhabi Sports Council and FIFA, and working with DCT Abu Dhabi and UFC to host three outstanding Fight Island series within the space of seven months on Yas Island in Abu Dhabi.
“Most recently we have worked alongside the team at Expo 2020 Dubai for 6 months to deliver thousands of live entertainment shows and acts across several venues for their 24 million visitors” explained Lickrish. “We’ve been recognised as best in class in Abu Dhabi for a long time. Now, we want to build that same reputation in the wider region. We’re very diverse, we can do pretty much everything, from cultural shows to big ceremonies to sports. There is a clear opportunity to help develop the market in Saudi Arabia with an audience increasingly interested in attending sport and entertainment events.”
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