The Event Production Company celebrates - 17 years on and still going strong

The Event Production Company, one of the pioneers in the South African live events industry, celebrates its 17^th birthday in April 2010.

“What an amazing adventure this has been – and continues to be!” enthuses vivacious Karen Ashwin, Founder and MD; business woman extraordinaire; and the astute driving force behind this South African success story.

As part of the consortium that produced the largest single live broadcast event from South Africa to 4.5-billion viewers (in 209 countries) globally from the CTICC in Cape Town on 4 December 2009, Ashwin and her team are justifiably proud of their illustrious track record - which includes some of the biggest; most significant; ambitious; and high-profile events in the field of live events and broadcasting produced on the African continent in the past two decades.

This event saw The Event Production Company team producing all the non-broadcast events which included setting up all the Offices; Accreditation Centre; Medical and Backstage areas; the Broadcast Compound; Media Centre; Mixed Zone and Translation Facilities; running the Board Meeting and Organising Committee Meetings; the World Press Briefing Conference; and Artist Management.

An enjoyable cherry on top of this prestigious assisgnment was the artist management - chaperoning guest star, Charlize Theron, and her entourage around Cape Town for a week! In addition, The Event Production Company team were tasked with producing insert video material, as well as co-ordinating the technical aspects of the broadcast.

Ashwin’s solid, impressive resume of corporate work includes producing conferences; congresses; exhibitions; product launches; fashion shows; concerts; gala banquets; and award ceremonies for numerous organisations in the South African public and private sector – as well as for significant international bodies like UNCTAD and UNESCO.

From getting her company off to a running start by conceptualising and co-ordinating the corporate hospitality villages at the F1 Grand Prix at Kyalami in 1993, Ashwin’s company’s track record goes on to read like a summary of landmark events in the South African world of both corporate and consumer entertainment during the past 17 years The list is extensive and includes corporate hospitality at the Rugby World Cup (1995) and The Three Tenors (1999); the immense, glittering opening ceremony for the World Summit on Sustainable Development (2002); all the sponsors’ dinners across the country for ICC Cricket World Cup (2003); Former President Nelson Mandela’s 85^th Birthday Celebration (2005); Oprah Winfrey Live Your Best Life Conference (2006); and the opening ceremony for the 26^th Africa Cup of Nations in Ghana (2008), to mention but a few.

On a lighter note, some of the company's more spectacular achievements include mentions in the Guinness Book of Records - one for producing a sit-down three-course dinner for 7000 and an event where the achievement in the name of corporate branding was washing and styling some 4 000 heads of hair in seven hours!

Before heading for the World Expo in Shanghai to oversee an Event Production Company project earlier this month, Karen spent time in Accra, Ghana as lead facilitator of the country’s first-ever Event Expo at the Accra International Conference Centre. She accepted the invitation from RICS Consult, the Ghanaian company that put the three-day programme together comprising presentations; lectures; and workshops on event planning; management; and sales. “A wonderful experience and a chance to do something which is very close to my heart,” says Ashwin. “I believe that sharing and passing on knowledge and expertise is one of the most important legacies an individual can contribute to an industry or business community, be it locally or internationally.”

Fearlessness with boundless reserves of energy and enthusiasm aside - what is her secret to enduring success? Ashwin jokes that she shares a birthday with someone no less illustrious than the incomparable Madonna: “So perhaps it’s a Leo thing like being competitive; loving the limelight; and always pushing the limits!” she jokes.

“On a serious note though, starting out in 1993 before the industry was even established as such, meant that we learnt fast, on the run,” says Ashwin. “And while the industry has become more formalised and organised over the years, it has also boomed dramatically, making it excessively competitive for all the players involved. To retain an edge means constantly having to reinvent oneself (not unlike Madonna!); honing your skills; unearthing new opportunities; and striving to deliver an exceptional service - while also finding news of always differentiating yourself and adding unexpected value to the client.”