It’s no secret that TAIT has ambitious plans for the Middle East, and if any proof was needed about how serious the company is about the region, industry veteran Soren West’s appointment as MENA Chief Executive at the end of 2024 and subsequent relocation to Riyadh is surely it. With more than 25 years of experience in global concert touring, live performance television, corporate and sporting events, award shows, ceremonies, and brand activations, West has a long history with TAIT as a client, vendor and close collaborator, and the opportunity to bring his knowledge to the Middle East with a company he has long admired was one he simply couldn’t turn down.
“I’ve always been attracted to TAIT’s place in the market, and I’ve always been inspired by the leadership of [CEO] Adam Davis,” he told TPiMEA. “The opportunity to participate in the Middle East – particularly in Saudi Arabia – was an offer I couldn’t refuse. What’s happening in Saudi is unmatched anywhere in the world.”
While West is just a few months into his new post, TAIT has been making progress in the Middle East for a significant period. In 2022, TAIT acquired Thinkwell, which had been in the region for over a decade, leading the master planning, design and production of some of the Middle East’s most impressive developments including key contributions to Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi and SeaWorld Yas Island Abu Dhabi among many others. TAIT also had acquired productionglue in 2016 and the company’s producing capabilities have been key in forging TAIT’s strong and long-lasting partnership with MDLBEAST, whose Soundstorm and Balad Beast festivals are two of the many landmark annual events to come out of the collaboration. More recently, TAIT’s partnerships and projects in the region include brand and fan attractions for Riyadh Season, like the WWE Experience, and expanded live events and experiences with MDLBEAST.
According to West, operating as a unified TAIT brand in the Middle East and globally brings with it a raft of benefits. “We can truly leverage our global footprint and the broad range of capabilities within the group to a wide range of sectors, from concert touring and live events to immersive experiences, location-based entertainment, cruise ships, theatres, operas houses, and stadiums to name just a few,” he explained. “We also have a growing suite of hardware and software solutions available in the region, which excites me because we can now go after all the most ambitious projects.
“Our focus is on identifying the areas where we can bring the most value,” he noted. “Saudi Arabia has become an incredibly competitive market over the past few years and in such an environment, we wouldn’t serve ourselves or the market well by going after anything and everything. We serve ourselves and the market better by identifying the projects where we can bring the most value.”
TAIT’s technology offering is an increasingly important part of the package. “We leverage technology in a bespoke way to suit each individual project, and it is those projects where we can apply our propriety technology, alongside our experience, creative vision, timeline and budgetary control, where we can bring the most value,” West commented. “Focusing on the top end of the market, on the most ambitious and complex projects, is where we can thrive, and that could end up living in any sector – the market will dictate.”
Even more exciting than the array of mega projects in the region, West’s biggest passion lies in education of the next generation. “I had a terrible time in school, so I’m self-educated and had to forge my way, find mentors and learn through real-life experiences. That’s why I’m always delighted to be able to share knowledge and show young creative people what is possible in our line of work,” he revealed, citing The Academy of Life Technology (ALT) as an organisation leading the way in education from its bases in the UK’s Production Park, USA’s Rock Lititz and now TAIT’s Riyadh office.
Having recently appeared as a guest lecturer at the Saudi Academy of Entertainment, West hopes to strengthen that relationship and play a personal role in education within KSA. “The notion of participating in the education of a Saudi workforce that is ultimately going to be responsible for fulfilling and upholding Vision 2030 is a real point of excitement for me personally and for TAIT,” he commented. “We want to help establish this thriving entertainment ecosystem in the Kingdom and part of that is integrating and educating. These things don’t happen overnight. I tell my team that we often overestimate what we can accomplish in a year, and we generally underestimate what we can accomplish in a decade. That’s something to keep in mind in terms of our presence in this ecosystem.”
Looking to the future, the MENA Chief Executive has his sights set on expansion. “Our aim is to grow, to continue to bring the full breadth of our capabilities to the Middle East and beyond,” he stated. “Eventually we can expect to bring our rapid prototyping, fabrication and manufacturing capabilities as well as the ability to deliver automation, all from here in Saudi Arabia.”
West left TPiMEA with some wise words derived from TAIT’s taglines. “Here at TAIT, we like to say that we are technology-enabled storytellers, and we create moments that move people. Lines like that are very tidy and well put together, but they are not just throwaway taglines – we take them very seriously,” he asserted. “The best and most meaningful use of technology is when it’s invisible; when technology is at its best, it helps us create those special moments that move people. When I see the visceral reaction and emotional human response of an audience to what we created, that’s what gives me the most joy and that’s what makes it such an honour to be in this business.”
Photos: TAIT
