Knowledge. Network. Responsibility.

DAY ONE - presented by IBIT

Day One focusses on various aspects on crowd management and event safety planing. Our english program features

13:00

Prof. Chris Kemp (Mind over Matter Consultancy)
Tim Heuer (Barclays Arena)

The merits of a unified approach to risk mitigation
Working across Europe for the past three years on a risk mitigation project for AEG Europe has been one of the most worthwhile challenges of my career. Being given an outcome and then creating a pathway to achieve it has meant tackling complex and wicked problems that have opened key windows onto the generic and idiosyncratic difficulties which venues, festivals, arenas, and production/promotion companies face every day when interfacing with contractors, subcontractors, and the public. The starting point was the creation of a document spine and through several other pertinent stages, a structural framework emerged which although not a mirror image provided enough flexibility to encompass the workings of cross-cultural industry practice. The key elements that have been explored centre around a unified approach to safety, security and service whilst enabling the idiosyncratic elements of some festival, events, venues, and companies to be melded together in the mix when tackling safety, security, and service challenges. The process hinged on a mixed top down and bottom-up strategic approach and has revolutionised the way in which senior management have grappled with this and enabled it to filter across the strategic, operational and tactical aspects of the organisation. Working with partners in Hamburg and Berlin was an incredible experience and it shows how flexibility, dialogue and partnership can create a lasting framework. This session will explore the key tension points in a  comprehensive music industry strategy and how we faced into differences by creating a partnership respecting culture, idiosyncrasies, legal aspects, physical and psychosocial inferences, and an understanding of omissions, totally without prejudice. All parties learned a great deal and also gained an understanding of why one size does not fit all and that we can all go some way to meeting in the middle by accepting other ways of working, respecting other teams and their way of operating and taking on board good practice to ensure that events are delivered as safely as possible.

14:10

Brandon Slootweg (Dynamic Crowd Measurement)

How technology will support the evolution of crowd management from life safety to customer experience management

15:30

ìse Murphy-Morris MSc

Success in Zone Ex
The summer of the biggest sporting events and world tours that have entertained and enchanted us have drawn to a close, but the events industry continues. Just because an event does not take place in a stadium or is live streamed around the world, it still has impact. This is especially so as we begin to recognise the effects of the pandemic on humanity, with economic challenges, societal unrest and stress influencing crowd behaviour. Younger generations are generally more anxious in crowded environments and all of us are increasingly aware of the threat of deviant behaviour. The nature, purpose and expectation of events is evolving rapidly, increasing demand for new approaches on us as organisers and safety professionals. As we know, delivering a great experience and keeping people safe extends well beyond the perimeter of the venue, yet this can bring challenges when working with partners, and limitations on budget constraints in a sector that is becoming increasingly expensive. How can the principles of Zone Ex planning improve the safety and experience of your audience before, during and after an event when our collective environment and crowds have changed?

* Discussion: Ensuring stakeholder buy-in to show stop tactics: The balancing out of safety, security and service in a developing hostile environment.

Chris Kemp
Professor Chris Kemp is a former rock promotor, venue manager and university Pro Vice Chancellor and founder, CEO and owner of Mind over Matter Consultancy. Chris Kemp has expertise in the management of crowded space and the development of risk analysis processes for venues globally. His work includes the Pope’s visit to Romania, the European Football Championships, the Olympic and Commonwealth Games and Formula 1 racing events. He has provided crowded space consultancy for eight major London railway stations and supported the British Olympic coaches for the Rio and Tokyo Games. Chris Kemp has written a series of books on managing crowds. MOM conduct safety audits, counter terrorism contingency planning, plan testing and tabletop delivery for clients including AEG, Wembley, the FA, UK Sport, the United Nations, the Scottish Police College, Roskilde Festival.