Sharpening the focus

For much of the Middle East’s live events sector, visibility tends to come from headline-grabbing concerts and large-scale outdoor productions. Despite its scale, Encore Middle East often operates outside that spotlight. Production is a major revenue stream and a differentiator, especially for larger conferences, gala builds, government programmes and special events. In addition, the company has built a significant portion of its regional business around long-term venue partnerships that place it deep inside the UAE’s hospitality and conference ecosystem, alongside a production operation that continues to deliver events across the market.

Speaking from the company’s local base in Dubai, regional operations director Michael Shendy describes a Middle East operation that has evolved steadily since the Eclipse brand was absorbed into the global Encore group in 2019. While that acquisition coincided with one of the most disruptive periods the industry has ever faced, the outcome locally has been a clearer structure, closer alignment with global systems and a more defined positioning within the hospitality sector, while still retaining Encore’s broader production capabilities. According to Shendy, this integration has strengthened its ability to support complex productions with shared global resources and expanded design expertise.

“While production remains essential for the UAE market, Encore is, at its core, a venue services business where clients increasingly expect full-service solutions,” he explains. “That’s especially true in North America, where the model is deeply embedded across hotels and convention centres, but it’s also where we’ve found our strongest footing here in the UAE. The hospitality sector lends itself well to that approach, and being integrated directly into venues allows us to support a far wider range of events, from small meetings through to large-scale conferences, in a way that standalone production companies often can’t.”

Today, Encore Middle East provides in-house AV and event production services across a portfolio of five-star hotels and conference venues, in addition to standalone production projects where required. These teams deliver full production support including scenic and staging, creative services, lighting services and large-scale rigging or LED integration. The company maintains long-term technical partnerships with venues including Atlantis Dubai, Madinat Jumeirah Group of Hotels, JW Marriott Marquis Dubai and Conrad Etihad Towers Abu Dhabi, embedding teams, equipment and workflows directly within those environments.

The venue-based model differs from traditional project-led production in its day-to-day rhythm. Rather than mobilising solely for individual shows, the team supports everything from small meetings through to large conferences and gala events, while maintaining the flexibility to scale up for more complex productions. This hybrid model enables the team to step seamlessly into production mode when events require elevated design, creative consultation or multi-vendor coordination

“It’s a specialist service,” says regional sales manager Daniel Powell. “You’re not just delivering AV. You’re operating inside a hospitality environment, which means understanding the service culture, hotel operations and client expectations just as much as the technology.”

That specialism has proven resilient. While some competitors have shifted focus towards touring or large-scale one-off productions, Encore has continued to invest heavily in its venue operations and production services. According to the company, the UAE’s steady pipeline of new hotel openings, coupled with the growth of international conferences and incentive travel, continues to support its balanced approach. The rise in medium to large-format conferences and multi-day programmes has also increased demand for integrated production support.

The Middle East office employs around 160 staff across venues, warehouse and production operations such as lighting, designers and video specialists, supplemented by freelancers during peak periods. Managing multiple venues across Dubai and Abu Dhabi gives the team early visibility of booking patterns and upcoming demand. “That visibility is a big part of the value,” Powell notes. “Because we’re embedded in the venues, we see the full picture of what’s coming in and not just individual jobs.” This, he adds, allows the team to plan resources, investment and staffing with a longer-term view than is typically possible in project-led production environments.

While Encore is promoted by many venue partners as the in-house production provider, end clients remain free to appoint other suppliers where required. The presence of onsite infrastructure, local crews and established workflows, however, allows Encore to support a significant volume of events within those venues, giving the team a strong capture rate across many properties. Venues today expect more than audiovisual support; they want creative, strategic partners who share their hospitality mindset and who can deliver exceptional results.

In Abu Dhabi, the company has also introduced Encore Event Services, designed to meet demand from government and semi-government clients seeking a more centralised point of contact. The service extends beyond core AV, coordinating with trusted partners to support wider event production requirements where appropriate. “We identified a gap,” says Shendy. “Some clients wanted a single interface, and this allows us to stay engaged while still focusing on what we do best.”

The UAE operation reflects a broader theme across Encore’s international footprint – adapting a global framework to local market realities. While Encore’s international operations vary by region – from venue-heavy markets in the US to production-focused teams in parts of Asia Pacific – the UAE business has settled into a hybrid. “Regular refresh cycles tied to venue needs ensure consistency and reliability,” Shendy notes. “Most events don’t require touring-level specifications, but they do need systems that work every day”.

“Only a small percentage of our work is full touring rider-driven production,” Powell adds. “Most clients want a solution that fits the venue, looks professional and delivers reliably.”