Paul Sergeant rejoins AEG Ogden
Australian venue management veteran Paul Sergeant has rejoined AEG Ogden, following the winding up of his Paul Sergeant Events (PSE) company.
“I have re-joined AEG Ogden for a third time and taken on a role as director, special projects, ahead of a number of rising opportunities across the Australasian region,” Sergeant – who founded PSE, a niche events promoter and consultancy, in 2017 after stepping down as CEO of Melbourne’s Etihad (now Marvel) Stadium – tells IQ of the move.
“Given my extensive experience at Wembley Stadium, Wembley Arena, Principality Stadium and Marvel Stadium, as well as my previous roles with AEG Ogden at Suncorp Stadium and Qudos Bank Arena, and more than 5,000 major events that have taken place under my management, I am effectively coming home to my specialised area of venue management.”
“I am effectively coming home to my specialised area of venue management”
Sergeant’s return to AEG Ogden comes amid a string of hires and internal promotions for the Brisbane-based company, including Ross Steele as manager of the Christchurch Convention Centre (Te Pae) in New Zealand and Michael Littlewood as director of operations at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane.
PSE was wound up in March, as a result of Sergeant being unable to raise funding to cover ongoing business costs, according to the Melbourne Age.
AEG Ogden, AEG’s Asia-Pacific venues operation, manages Brisbane Entertainment Centre (14,500-cap.), Te Pae Convention Centre and Dubai’s new Coca-Cola Arena (17,000-cap.), among others.
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Industry experts create drone advisory service
It has been announced that the Institute for Drone Technology (IfDT), Paul Sergeant Events (PSE) and Secure Events and Assets (SEAA) are coming together to work on a collaborative drone advisory service. It aims to provide owners and operators of venues with support to better understand and use drone technology to ensure the safety of people and property.
As capability increases and price diminishes, drones are becoming an attractive idea for many venue operators and owners. However, operating a drone comes with a multitude of legal and safety matters that need to be considered. Whilst drones may have grown in popularity, the lack of access to informed advice poses a problem.
By bringing to the table a host of difference experiences and expertise, the service aims to provide a solution. Melbourne-based PSE has be involved in the management and promotion of over 10,000 events, including the Sydney Irish Festival. Paul Sergeant, managing director of PSE, says: “The practical and commercial use of drones can have huge benefits for a business but currently many owners and operators don’t know where to turn for reliable, independent advice.
“Ignorance is no excuse in a court of law and this is just as essential as every other aspect of the industry.”
“There is a host of legalities in relation to airspace to consider and who has what authority and responsibility for what.”
As well as advice on the successful use of drones at events, the drone advisory service will also provide information on counter-drone technology. Besides their practical uses, drones can pose a significant threat to public safety and operators need policies in place to combat this.
Dr Joel Spencer of the IfDT highlights the help the service can give concerned operators: “We will be able to provide the most up to date advice about what kind of options are available to organisations that want to get a better sense of the threats that are in their airspace and in turn what action they need to take.”
This idea of responsibility over public safety is part of the core ethos of the service. Jim Fidler, managing director of SEAA, says: “Ignorance is no excuse in a court of law and this is just as essential as every other aspect of the industry.
“Visitors to events quite rightly expect their safety and security is in good hands so it is imperative the industry stays ahead of any potential threat including those posed by drones.”
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