UAE Business Awards 2023 55 Mar23168 Blu Blood has become an event management goliath across the Middle East and Africa, forging an impressive empire in the region. On the back of their well-deserved success in the programme, we spoke to CEO, Shaaista Khan Osman and MD, Osman Osman to find out more about their ethos, achievements, and the future of Blu Blood. Where do you even begin with a company like Blu Blood? Sometimes a company’s success and reputation in an industry is hard to capture in a single article. After all, Blu Blood has cultivated an incredible presence in the Middle East and beyond, reinvigorating an industry that struggled immensely during the COVID-19 pandemic. Yet, with over 36 years of combined experience within the industry and all supplementary industries, there’s also an element of Blu Blood that seems inevitable – as much as anything can be inevitable in business – through the efforts of the company’s two robust pillars, Osman Osman and Shaaista Khan Osman. To Osman and Shaaista, Blu Blood specialises in live events, though it has expanded its offerings organically since its establishment, adapting to the needs of the industry where appropriate. Beyond specialising in live events, Blu Blood offers an ever-growing variety of services including project management, artist and tour management, social media and digital marketing, publicity and communication, and crisis management. Today, Blu Blood has become synonymous for bringing the best world-class entertainment to southern Africa and Middle East stages, and further, is one of the largest producers of Bollywood music productions. “In 2020, Blu Blood played a pivotal role in opening up the live entertainment industry in Dubai during the pandemic by hosting the first high profile live Bollywood indoor event,” they add. “Our passion is driven by the artists we bring and the happiness they bring to our events. We’re motivated by the experiences we create and the joy it brings to others.” A company is more than just its founders though, and Shaaista is quick to admit that it is a passionate team that drives Blu Blood ever forwards. “The company is made up of several driven industry experts with many years of experience and whose tenacity, handson approach, and creative synergies have been a crucial steppingstone in creating many successful unique properties. We are passionate about our industry and each other’s successes and all work well together. Our love for people and the business of happiness is what ties us together.” “We are a company that prides itself on its strong company culture, which is built on a foundation of creativity, diversity, collaboration and innovation,” they continue. “When attracting new staff, we look for individuals who share our core values and are passionate about the work that we do. We look for individuals who are team players, who are willing to collaborate and share their ideas with others. Furthermore, we look for individuals who are committed to continuous learning and development, as we believe that ongoing learning is essential to success in our industry.” The future of Blu Blood is, as you might expect, one of continued expansion, with a plethora of exciting projects on the horizon to further reinforce the company’s dominating position in the market. Here, Shaaista and Osman explain those plans in more detail. “Blu Blood has many exciting plans and projects for 2023. This year in the UAE region alone, we have already hosted a number of South African and UAE-based comedians as well as our highlight event featuring Atif Aslam and the Firdaus Orchestra – a world first to have the two performing alongside each other. There are a number of eastern and western music acts planned, as well as world-acclaimed comedians that we have planned for the event calendar this year, as well as looking to expand our presence into the other Middle East regions which has a lot of untapped potential, and we are eager to explore the different opportunities available. As an expanding business, we are eager to explore new avenues in our business. “The events industry is evolving with NFTs, the metaverse, and AI technologies being integrated, and we are eager to embrace and incorporate these new developments, despite it being early for full integration. We are excited about the future and our commitment to innovation and excellence will help our business continue to grow and expand.” Company: Blu Blood Email: [email protected] Web Address: www.blublood.com Blu Blood Winners of: Best Luxury Entertainment Production Firm 2023 - MEA, Entertainment Director of the Year 2023 (MEA): Osman Osman & Most Innovative Event Management Brand CEO 2023 (MEA): Shaaista Khan Osman
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