What Electra is offering is nothing short of making its clients’ dreams a reality. “We are a company that will take what is in your mind and bring it to life,” says Roger Hart, COO of Electra. “We have the capability to execute what you want, produce it, and control the process from A to Z. We are the premier events supplier in the region. Whatever you need we’ll make it happen.”
Electra is based in the Middle East. From its head office in Dubai, the company covers the GCC region with state-of-the-art factories in the UAE and Saudi Arabia and is extending its operations into Africa and India. Within the GCC, Electra is behind most of the region’s premier events.
“We work primarily with luxury brands, sports events and governmental organisations,” says Hart.
The company was born in 1992 when it was founded as a small events business providing electrical services for exhibition stands, but over 32 years the company has grown into a well-oiled machine. It is a journey Hart can appreciate, having worked as an independent entrepreneur and subcontractor for many years before working with Electra on a freelance basis and eventually being brought on board as its technical director. From there, he worked his way up to become Chief Operations Officer of the firm.
He has seen Electra work alongside luxury brands represented by the top international agencies, but he has also overseen the business’s expansion into new markets. The firm has recently branched out into fit-out work, a natural evolution from its core business.
“Venturing into fit-out work represents a natural evolution for Electra, seamlessly extending its core mission of crafting premium branded environments for events,” Hart explains. “This expansion not only diversifies Electra’s operations but also enables the continued provision of its technical expertise to clients throughout the year.”
A Total Events Solution
Being part of E3 World, an international group with a presence in Asia, USA and Europe, Electra has offices across Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Riyadh, and Doha, allowing the company to provide almost all production capabilities in-house. It offers a complete events turnkey solution.
“We can build the venue that you want and give you an amazing fit-out with all the bells and whistles to a very high standard,” Hart says.
In 2018 Electra brought this diversified skill set into the World Expo sector, launching a new division of the business which Hart oversaw as Technical Director.
“We did a substantial amount of work at the Expo 2020 in Dubai for which we delivered more than 50 projects and worked on 16 pavilions, including the USA Pavilion; one of our flagship builds that was completed in record time immediately before the Covid pandemic,” Hart tells us. “That was a 4,500 square metre marquee and customised modular building. We built it in eight months from start to finish so that it was able to stand up to Dubai wind codes for permanent installations.”
This proved to be a breakthrough construction that showcased Electra’s entry into a niche market, thanks to its ability to create unique buildings that underscored its distinct expertise and innovation.
“In the last five years we have gone from strength to strength in terms of quality, client journey and our understanding of customers’ needs,” Hart says. “We became an obvious partner for many in the region. We can take what is in their mind, put it onto paper, then physically build it and bring it to life.”
Preserving Talent
Of course, as a company specialising in large-scale current events, it is no surprise to discover that Electra was hit hard by the Covid pandemic.
“We were about to go into our busiest month for that year, and in no time at all it went to absolute zero apart from the work we had on the USA pavilion,” Hart says. “Our turnover stopped completely, we had a staff quota of almost 500 people, and we didn’t know what was going to happen next.”
The company responded by diversifying further, building temporary hospitals using the skills and resources in its large tent & marquee division to fit out the emergency facilities in record time. Focusing on production for the upcoming Expo 2020 was also a strategy that particularly paid off during that time as it kept the factory busy throughout the crisis.
“We utilised our resources and staff to keep the business alive, keep all of our staff in work and help the community,” Hart recalls. “That was a big turning point. It was a huge challenge, but it brought the company together and allowed people to bond.”
Hard credits Electra’s ability to keep the talent that it had and look after them for the firm’s success since.
“We have increased our turnover by almost 60% in the last five years, and customer satisfaction is at a record high of 93%, and our objective is to keep improving!” Hart says. “We have the capacity and the capability to receive designs on a Friday and have the event live ten days later. Our team are not just skilful, but incredibly passionate. From the CEO to myself to the account managers, project managers, designers, and carpenters, everyone has an incredible passion that drives quality and growth for the business. It is just phenomenal.”
This passion is the predominant quality Hart looks for in new recruits to the business.
“Once we know you have the right mindset to work in our family, because I do believe our organisation is a family, we start vetting for technical skills,” Hart says.
Hart also ensures that existing staff always have potential pathways for development ahead of them.
Hart tells us, “I had an electrician come to me yesterday and say he’d like to be a project manager, and my answer was ‘Okay, let’s look at the job description and see how we can train you up to fit that position’. Everyone needs a career path and that’s how we retain a lot of our staff. Our division manager was a subcontractor 15 years ago. He is now head of the division controlling production. We look after staff well enough for them to be in a strong position to leave, but provide them with the kind of environment that they want to stay in.”
The Next Big Thing
Electra, like its staff, also has a clear path ahead. Hart is passionate about leading the industry in terms of sustainability, tracking the company’s waste production, and achieving ISO 14001 and 45001 certifications. Simultaneously, Electra is broadening its geographic presence, not only by expanding within the region but also by leveraging its network to support clients with overseas deliveries. This includes projects in Germany, Amsterdam, China, and the USA through its sister companies, as well as a significant engagement at the Osaka Expo 2025. This latter endeavour builds upon the legacy of its acclaimed work at the 2020 Expo, affirming Electra’s status as a market leader in the GCC while showcasing its unique ability to meet complex challenges across the globe.
“We have grown by 60% in the last four years, and we think we will do the same again over the next three, especially with our fast growth in Saudi Arabia,” Hart says. “We are looking to increase turnover, and profitability, and bring in new staff where necessary while promoting the people we have.”
