Client
- Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs & Port Security
Event
- UAE 52nd National Day
Location
- Abu Dhabi, UAE
The Event
Managing the Full Technical Operation, Not Just the Build
This one put me on the operations side of the table. ICP’s 52nd National Day event needed a full outdoor venue built from the ground up — stage, truss, sound, seating, a tented majlis area, and a tunnel entrance built around the number 52 — and I was responsible for the technical crew and the logistics that got it all there on time.
That meant running the whole chain: coordinating the technical crew on-site, managing the suppliers bringing in staging, truss, and furniture, and adjusting the plan in real time when things changed — including a last-minute request to add a horizontal UAE flag along the side of the truss, which we sourced and installed without slowing down the build.
What I Managed
The Parts I Was Personally Responsible For
01 — CREW & LOGISTICS
Running the technical crew, end to end
I managed the technical crew on-site along with the suppliers — staging, truss, seating, and signage — making sure every piece landed on schedule and worked together as one build, not separate deliveries.
Adapting the build without losing the timeline
When a horizontal UAE flag was added to the side of the truss late in the process, I handled the change on-site — sourcing it, fitting it into the existing rig, and keeping the rest of the schedule on track.
An overnight build, measured to the centimeter
The entrance tunnel arrived and was installed the night before the event. The "52" activation had to be positioned so it revealed itself perfectly as guests walked out of the tunnel — that meant precise measurement and placement, done under a tight overnight deadline.
Built Overnight, Timed to the Walkout
The hardest part of this build wasn’t the size of it — it was the timing. The “52” sculpture had to line up exactly with the tunnel exit, so the first thing every guest saw stepping out was the number, centered and unmissable. Getting that alignment right, on a structure built the night before doors opened, was the real test of this job.
The Full Footprint
Running this taught me that managing a live event isn't about any single build — it's about holding the whole chain together, crew, suppliers, and last-minute changes, so that everything still lands exactly where it needs to be when the doors open