Challenge Accepted!

September 2019

These things happen – it’s just the way it goes – we’re used to it. But this one was well and truly a bit of a squeeze: “We have a sudden requirement for a full-fledged custom-designed / custom-built exhibition stand at the Global HSE Conference opening in five days! …😱😳 Can you guys pull it off?”

Well, our policy with Clients is always: “if you need it, then we’d best get it done, right!”

The race was on. Our client – Bahrain Steel ­– being a major sponsor for the event, it had to be done, it had to be good, and it definitely had to be ready on time for the Grand Opening!!!! With barely any time and Minister of Oil H.E. Shaikh Mohammad bin Khalifa Al Khalifa inaugurating the show, there was zero margin for error.

Let’s be honest: it was somewhat of a stress: concept/design/graphics/clock ticking/tech specs/contractor/building/clock ticking/fitting/kettle/coffee machine/flowers/don’t forget the sugar, sweetener, coffee-creamer/five days/DONE!!! Pfew… Donuts for all! 🍩 It’s on me 🥰.

#ThaliaDDB #BahrainSteel #GlobalHSEConference #ExhibitionDesign

Cruising & Cooking

July 2019

Bahrain. End July... Humidity: 89%. Temperature: the island’s third hottest on record since 1902…

Perfect timing for a little cruise…🚢🏖👙 So off we go – Louise, Summer, Khaled, François – five days and nights onboard the Alfred Oldendorff, a 94,000 ton, 235m long transloader headed into international waters in the Arabian Gulf. The task: to document – for Bahrain Steel – the transloading in open seas of nearly 100,000 tons of iron-ore from an even larger ship arriving from Brazil.

This is our second such trip. We’d done a similar one eight months earlier. But it was WINTER then!!!! And needless to say, this is not a top-ten summer holiday destination choice!

OK, so sure, it was baking hot and horrendously humid (you can say that again!!! 🥵), tough and exhausting. Sure, we had to be ready on hand anytime a notable maneuver would take place, whether at 2am, 4am or in the midday blazing heat. But hey, both the Bahrain Steel team and the Alfred Oldendorff crew were absolutely amazing, and the experience definitely unforgettable! And the skill, precision and scale of the endeavour – carried out for Bahrain Steel over 80 times a year by the Oldendorff transloaders – absolutely mind blowing! Hats off to both companies!! And thanks (I guess 😊) – to Bahrain Steel, Foulath and Oldendorff – for the memorable assignment and exemplary care, planning and organization!

#ThaliaDDB #BahrainSteel #Foulath #Oldendorff

Best-Sellers

December 2018

“François, we’d like to have best-selling authors Scott Halford and Jeremy Gutsche as keynote speakers on our management conference this year. Please sort it out.”

“Err… Well, yes, sure, boss! Will do, Sir!”

And oh boy, what a great choice that was: well done once again, Al Muhaidib Group: this year’s Executive Management Conference was just out of this world!!! Not only did we get both Scott and Jeremy (both amazing!) but we were delighted to also arrange for tandem Anne Yeoman (voted Europe’s “Best Problem Solving Workshop Provider, 2016) and Dr. Wayne Lotherington (associate professor, author of multiple books), Colonel Gerry Woods (seasoned military officer, leadership coach and Fellow of the Chartered Management Institute) and Frenchman Nicolas Latour (founder and CEO of DDB’s Digital University) to contribute their knowledge, experience, research, insights and expertise.

The two-day event, held this year at Bahrain’s Art Rotana in Amwaj was simply epic! Other brilliant speakers included Mohammed Abunayyan (Chairman Abunayyan Holding) and Nandu Kishore (former Global CEO Nestlé Nutrition) who were both tremendous. Hisham was the MC, and Summer the photographer/videographer. We subsequently produced a post-conference book to remind all the attendees of the valuable learnings from the speakers and the Group’s top management. But no time to waste: must get cracking on next year’s conference right away, guys!

PS: it was only days after the conference that Panda Hypermarkets (part of the Al Muhaidib Group) asked us to arrange for Wayne, Anne and Gerry to come back and speak at their own conference in Dubai. We of course gladly obliged!

• Above (from top left): Scott Halford, Nicolas Latour, Jeremy Gutsche, Wayne Lotherington. Anne Yeoman, Gerry Woods

#ThaliaDDB #AllSorts #DDBDigitalUniversity