At the end of 2024, the company formerly known as Groupe Novelty-Magnum-Dushow officially rebranded as Groupe Novelty, with international offices taking the Novelty name and the region they individually serve. Ahead of the rebrand, the French AV leader’s Technical Director, Nicolas Savigny, told TPi in its Nov/Dec issue that the change aimed to create a cohesive identity of the multifaceted organisation while also supporting its international expansion. A significant part of the group’s international expansion comes from its increased presence in the Middle East, following the purchase of Dubai- and Dammam-based company IRIS in 2019.
Established by Serge Huber in 2014, IRIS had built a name for itself providing solutions for the technical aspect of events from corporate conferences to concerts and fashion shows. Still at the helm, Huber now holds the title of General Manager for the Middle East for Groupe Novelty, overseeing the group’s bases in Dammam, Doha, and Dubai. “Since the purchase of Groupe Novelty, we went from a team of 20 employees to 55 full-time members of staff,” began Huber, outlining the growth he had experienced since becoming part of the wider umbrella company.
The Middle East presence complements Groupe Novelty’s global footprint, which includes its core brands – Novelty, Magnum, and Dushow – as well as several others within the 15-strong group of companies.
While Groupe Novelty caters to a wide range of events, it has gained a reputation for delivering high-end fashion shows and brand activations, putting on events for the likes of Cartier, Dior, and Yves Saint Laurent. “Like Novelty in France, we have tried to replicate the same model in the Middle East, working with a lot of luxury fashion brands,” explained Huber.
Part of the Middle East office’s success in this regard is its ability to call upon specialist crew and equipment locally and from Europe to ensure a seamless delivery of events and replicate what clients have come to expect in Europe.
“I would argue that when it comes to our work with luxury brands, we do not have many competitors,” Huber stated, proudly listing off some of the events his team had been involved in over the past few years.
Huber was also keen to mention some of his team’s other accomplishments including its work on the French Pavilion at Expo 2020 as well as its involvement in COP28. “We’ve also been involved in the Red Sea Film Festival for several years,” the General Manager added.
While Huber oversees the Dubai and the Riyadh office, another key member from Groupe Novelty’s arm in the Middle East is Louis de La Guillonnière, General Manager of Novelty Doha. Having been in operation for the past two-and-a-half years, de La Guillonnière gave his impression of the events market in Qatar. “The entertainment industry in this region offers very interesting possibilities, particularly in the winter season. We met a lot of reliable and friendly partners. While the competition is intense, the opportunities and projects are very exciting, and we are well equipped to answer our customer needs.”
In Doha, Groupe Novelty has a 600 sq m warehouse and five permanent employees along with a local network of freelancers. “We stock audio, video, lighting, truss, and power distribution from well-known manufacturers such as L-Acoustics, Yamaha, Elation, Robe, Martin, INFiLED, and Panasonic,” he stated.
He went on to explain how the recent FIFA World Cup had affected the group’s work in the region. “The World Cup fostered the notoriety of the region as an interesting tourist destination and enhanced the professionalism of events management,” he stated. “It increased Qataris’ confidence into their ability to host major events – a confidence that is further boosted by our technical support capabilities.”
de La Guillonnière continued to explain how the Doha branch often collaborates with the Dammam and Dubai offices, in terms of equipment rotation, business and client management. “Our goal is to serve our clients with the same level of commitment and passion throughout the region,” he enthused. “For instance, we delivered a high-level conference in Bahrain last November thanks to the human and logistical support of the Dammam office, which made it much easier than if we would have had to manage everything from Doha. We also think all together about our investments into equipment to deliver in quantity when required.” With a growing presence in the region along with a more streamlined international brand, it will be interesting to see how Groupe Novelty will continue to make waves in the Middle East.
Aside from commercial success, to close, Huber explained how the expansion is also benefitting the development of local talent in the region. “Last summer, we send a team of 20 people to work on the Olympics in Paris,” he explained. “This was the first time we had sent over this many people, but due to the success we are now sending over a team for festival season in 2025. It’s great to give our team the chance to train and learn on large-scale events in the quieter summer months.”
Photos: Groupe Novelty
