Bahrain’s Ministry of Transportation and Telecommunications has renewed its long-standing partnership with leading aerospace event organiser Farnborough International to organise the 2022 and 2024 editions of the Bahrain International Airshow.
The two-event contract was signed in London by H.E. Engineer Kamal bin Ahmed Mohammed, Minister of Transportation and Telecommunications and Deputy Chairman of the Supreme Organizing Committee for Bahrain International Airshow, and Gareth Rogers, Chief Executive Officer of Farnborough International.
Taking place on 9-11 November 2022, the Bahrain International Airshow (BIAS) will celebrate more than 10 years of bringing together the best and brightest of the aerospace industry in an intimate platform to do business. An established event in the aerospace and defence calendar, the 2022 edition of BIAS will see industry-leading professionals and organisations gather at the Gateway to the Gulf for unrivalled business and networking opportunities.
Commenting on the long-standing partnership, H.E. Engineer Kamal bin Ahmed Mohammed, said: “Following the resounding success of the last Airshow we held in 2018 and the cancellation of our 2020 event due to the Covid-19 pandemic, we are thrilled to be bringing to the world the next instalment of the Bahrain International Airshow, which is held under the patronage of His Majesty the King and is organised with the Royal Bahraini Airforce, in association with Farnborough International.
“After undertaking a programme of significant investment, the 2022 Airshow will include enhanced features across the three-day event, creating more opportunities for business, networking, growth and knowledge sharing, all taking place in a Covid-safe environment to allow our exhibitors, visitors, partners and sponsors to attend the show with confidence and explore opportunities to revive the aviation industry’s growth and sustainability.”
Gareth Rogers, Chief Executive Officer of Farnborough International, added: “At Farnborough International we are proud to partner with global pioneers across the sector and we are excited to be continuing our excellent relationship with Bahrain’s Ministry of Transportation and Telecommunications to bring the Bahrain International Airshow to the global aerospace and defence industry.
“While the last two years have been an unimaginably challenging time, we now have the opportunity to connect the global aerospace industry and spearhead innovations as a collective to shape a lucrative future.”
Building upon the success of the 2018 instalment, which saw more than 54,000 trade visitors, 11 of the top 15 global aerospace companies attending and over $5 billion worth of aerospace orders and commitments confirmed, BIAS 2022 will provide viable networking opportunities and facilitate the development of relationships between the leading players within the industry.
Priding itself on organising and delivering the world’s most pioneering and respected aerospace and aviation events which connect the global aerospace and defence communities, Farnborough International will support the Bahraini Ministry in strengthening the position of BIAS as a principal platform in the Middle East.
Farnborough International, the innovative and pioneering organisation famous for delivering world-class airshows and events, has announced a first for its multi-facetted Exhibition & Conference Centre. In a collaboration with Stage Fifty, creators and operators of production-ready spaces, two state-of-the-art sound stages for film and TV productions have been built.
The studio facility, which includes two 22,000 sqft sound stages, cements Farnborough’s role as a leading location for the film industry. The site has already provided location space for major Hollywood blockbusters, including Jurassic World, Mission Impossible and Hobbs & Shaw. Ahead of attracting the multi-million-pound investment from Stage Fifty, Farnborough International has invested heavily into the site’s infrastructure to support the demand from production companies. The site has converted 10,000 sqft chalets into permanent production offices and upgraded the power network to ensure ample power supply for heavy-weight productions.
It has been reported that in 2020 an inward investment spend from major international productions reached £2.84 billion in the UK, recording a £1.19bn spend in the final quarter, the second highest spend ever over a three-month period. These figures will only grow with the addition of Farnborough Studios, helping provide a stronger supply of studios in the country.
The new studios at Farnborough International further enhances the UK’s position within the global film industry, while supporting the government’s strategy to boost international development and distribution opportunities for film, TV, animation, documentary and video games.
Consistently connecting the world through its pioneering spirit, Farnborough International continues to push boundaries with its future-focused vision, providing new and valuable opportunities to drive innovation within the global aerospace, defence, MICE and film industries.
The studios will equip the creative industries with a versatile space suitable for a diverse range of filming opportunities, including TV, film, music videos, rehearsal space, set build and photo shoots. Inclusive of workshops, production office facilities, crew and unit base parking and 1500 KVA power per stage, the easily accessible stages offer flexibility to bring ideas to life.
Gareth Rogers, CEO at Farnborough International, said: “At Farnborough International, we strive to provide innovation to each area of our business, industries and local community. Our thinking outside the box mentality and this exciting collaboration with Stage Fifty will enable us to attract investment from the global film industry and support the wider UK economy.
“The creation of these sound stages will support around 800 jobs in a diverse range of industries and services and generate new opportunities to help boost our local community.”
James Enright, CEO of Stage Fifty, added: “We’re delighted to be collaborating with the team at Farnborough International to bring much-needed studio space to the UK. Stage Fifty builds and operates professional film environments, and our sound stages are designed and engineered to the highest industry specification.”
Adrian Wootton OBE, CEO of the British Film Commission, commented: “The creation of new studios and stage space announced by Farnborough International and Stage Fifty is excellent news for South East England’s screen industries and will undoubtedly help in continuing to attract major international production, investment and employment, to the region.
“The UK’s film and TV industry is experiencing an exceptional growth period – film and TV production spend in the first three months of 2021 was 11% higher than the same period in 2020. Indeed, the demand for content has never been greater, which in turn is driving the need for greater skills development and additional studio space, services and facilities. This is an incredibly exciting moment, and one we at the British Film Commission are focused on maximising, to ensure UK studio and stage space capacity continues to expand, whilst driving new revenues across the nations and regions and creating highly skilled jobs with long-term career prospects.”
The stages and newly developed production offices will also be fully utilised during the renowned Farnborough International Airshow in July 2022, implementing new ways for the world’s leading aerospace brands to be showcased.
Gareth Rogers continued: “These functional spaces will provide an additional asset to our venue, especially during the Airshow, demonstrating our cutting-edge approach to aerospace and airshows, supporting the global aerospace industry.”
The stages are adjacent to Europe’s leading business airport, close to the M3 motorway and within 35 minutes from central London by train.
It is with great regret that we announce the Farnborough International Airshow 2020, due to take place in July, is cancelled.
After very careful consideration, the unprecedented impact of the global Coronavirus pandemic has forced this decision in the interests of the health and safety of our exhibitors, visitors, contractors and staff.
This decision was reached taking into consideration several major factors surrounding the outbreak of COVID-19, all of which we have concluded, make it impossible for us to create and host the Airshow this July.
We understand this news will be an incredible disappointment to all across the international aerospace industry, not to mention our important exhibitors, suppliers and visitors. We at Farnborough International share your disappointment that we are unable to present the Airshow as planned, but rest assured, we are determined to continue to work together and will ensure the Farnborough International Airshow returns in 2022 better than ever.
Yours sincerely,
The Farnborough International Board of Directors
Major changes are announced to the senior leadership team of Farnborough International with the appointment of Joe Muir to the role of Sales Director and Ben Gleeson to the role of Director of Operations.
The move to strengthen the senior leadership team comes nine months ahead of the July 2020 Farnborough International Airshow which has proven to be the fastest-selling show to date. More than 90 per cent of exhibition hall space has been sold and work is underway to extend the Space and Innovation Zones.
Joe Muir has been part of Farnborough International’s Sales Team for more than six years. As the Head of Sales here at Farnborough International he has had a leading role in managing relationships with prime aerospace and defence clients for both the Farnborough and Bahrain International Airshows and he will continue this client care in his new role.
Joe has an understanding of the industry and the Airshow that is very deep and speaking about his appointment he said: “I set great store in building long-term relationships with clients; taking time to understand their objectives, and working to ensure exhibiting at our events delivers on their expectations. This role will enable me to get even closer to our clients and work with them to ensure we’re creating the right platform for their success. I can’t wait to get started.”
Ben Gleeson joined Farnborough International in 2017 as the Head of Airshow Operations and was responsible for the operational delivery of the 2018 Farnborough and Bahrain International Airshows. A qualified engineer, Ben has specialist knowledge of event infrastructure having delivered some of the most prominent exhibitions around the world; he was fundamental in delivering a step change in customer experience at the 2018 Farnborough Airshow.
Speaking about his promotion to Director of Operations, Ben says: “This is a very exciting opportunity, I look forward to evolving our programme of aerospace events as well as continually improving the customer experience through exceptional operational delivery.”
Gareth Rogers, CEO of Farnborough International says: “I am delighted that we have been able to appoint two people from within the organisation to these roles; it shows the strength of talent we at Farnborough International here and makes great use of their knowledge and experience.
“We are a growing, ambitious company with much to deliver and it is vital the right people are in place to lead us as we build on our network and insight to create and deliver new, industry-leading events. These are very exciting times and we’re looking forward what will be the most globally-attended Farnborough International Airshow ever.”
Farnborough International’s new Exhibition & Conference Centre is open for business. The £30 million venue rivals any Central London events location and is the only facility of its type in Hampshire and the surrounding counties.
At the heart of the new venue is a vast space: a 12,500sqm exhibition hall which is large enough to accommodate three football pitches, 46 basketball courts, or 16 Olympic swimming pools. Surrounding the exhibition hall are ten conference and events areas, bringing the total amount of flexible space to 20,000sqm.
The opening of the new Exhibition and Conference Centre is an important milestone for Farnborough, boosting the borough’s status as a major business hub. Designed to attract companies of all size looking for versatile space to host events, the venue will deliver wider benefits to the local economy with increased demand for hotel rooms, taxis, restaurants and in shops.
Gareth Rogers, Chief Executive of Farnborough International Ltd (FIL) says: “The new Conference and Exhibition Centre is a hugely impressive venue and I am delighted to announce that it is open for business.”
“Farnborough International’s reputation for delivering major events is growing nationally and internationally, which is great news for our home town; we carry its name with pride and, with the opening of this Centre, are set to increase our direct and indirect contribution to the local economy.”
Councillor Ken Muschamp, Rushmoor Borough Council’s Cabinet member for Business, Safety and Regulation, said: “Farnborough has a proud heritage of innovation and a thriving future ahead as a location for doing business. This new venue is a major asset for the area and really puts Farnborough on the map, as well as benefiting our residents who will be able to enjoy top-tier events on their doorstep. It is modern, purpose-built and run by a truly local firm who are world class at delivering events.”
The new Exhibition and Conference Centre joins a portfolio of existing venues on the site and already has a number of events confirmed including Screwfix Live, Merchandise World and Kidz to Adultz South. It will be an important element of this July’s Airshow; providing a high-quality experience for the thousands of delegates that visit.
Farnborough’s aviation heritage is reflected in the building’s design. Developed by architects Terence O’Rourke, the look and feel of the new venue draws heavily on this pioneering spirit, taking inspiration from the innovation carried out across the airfield in the legendary wind tunnels.
Farnborough International, the organiser of the Farnborough International Airshow and operation of the Farnborough International Exhibition and Conference Centre, has appointed former Southampton FC CEO, Gareth Rogers, as its new chief executive. He takes control of the company at an important period in Farnborough’s continued growth and diversification, with a new 20,000 sqm exhibition and conference facility opening early in 2018.
Gareth has an impressive track record of success at Southampton FC where he joined as Chief Financial Officer in 2011 and was then promoted to Chief Executive Officer in 2014, During his tenure, he was instrumental in developing and sustaining the clubs commercial growth and on-field success.
Gareth said: “I am delighted to be joining the company at this exciting time. The Farnborough brand, its pioneering spirit and the company’s ambition, is something that resonates strongly with me. I am looking forward to leading such an exciting business, putting on high-profile events and experiences and working with the great Farnborough International team.”
Paul Everitt, Chief Executive of ADS Group said: “I am delighted Gareth is joining Farnborough International. His leadership and experience will help us realise the full potential of the business, ensuring the airshow remains a global showcase for the aerospace, defence and space industries, the new venue delivers an outstanding experience for its clients, and we maximise the full value of our brand.”
