Bahrain’s burgeoning happenings scene continues to provide unique and creative experiences. This month, Kristian Harrison sat down with esteemed events director, Dr. Nadeem Choudhary, to discuss his plans for the Kingdom and his Big Brain concept.
Dr. Choudhary has spent a lifetime carefully curating occasions for people of all ages to enjoy. After all, he was just 16 years old when he was performing as a clown and juggler in Dubai and saw a gap in the market to pursue. What was a hobby soon became a profession, which then grew into a fully-fledged career in event management.
After finding great success in Dubai, Dr. Choudhary has set his sights firmly on Bahrain. “It's a hub, something like Ibiza,” he believes. “I feel more comfortable doing events here than anywhere else in the Gulf. I find there is a lot of genuine support from the government and a lot of people here elevate events to a different level and know how to enjoy themselves.
“That is ultimately what events management is all about: whatever the event is, as long as people are entertained then that’s all that matters.”
Entertainment is the crux of Dr. Choudhary’s Big Brain concept, which aims to promote local and international artists and push the envelope to offer different experiences.
“As you see by the name itself, it's a big brain and this involves crazy ideas which are totally out of the box,” he explains. “As an example, in 2015 I organised a successful Guinness World Record attempt in Dubai, which involved setting the world record for longest DJ relay – in which each subsequent DJ takes over the decks while maintaining the beat – with 151 participants. I am planning something similar in Bahrain and to set more records while doing something different from other event management companies here.”
Dr. Choudhary believes that event managers need to develop more creative experiences going forward to deal with the shifting expectations of the population. “Put simply, we have to come up with creative things and lean towards educating people rather than just putting on big parties,” he believes. “Simple concepts like sports events, quizzes and other games can be hugely successful if done right. I also believe in education so I am looking at ways to have respected educators deliver lectures and talks at some events.
“Ultimately, however, I think one of the biggest problems I see in the industry, and this is especially true of Bahrain, is when there are five or more big events, such as concerts, organised on the same day. In this situation, everyone loses. Even if my event is more popular than others, I don't support competitors losing because ultimately the market becomes less healthy if they underperform and the average quality of performers dips. We need everyone to have a connected network and co-ordinate. This way, not only do we all make money, but the people of Bahrain benefit too.
“Ultimately, my advice is to follow Big Brain and trust Big Brain. We are here to give you some big surprises in the very near future!”
