60 seconds with… technical sales manager Nigel Letheren
Eclipse’s technical sales manager Nigel fell in love with event production after working in theatre as a teenager. He gained a BA in Lighting Design in 2012 and has worked in the events industry ever since. Today, you’re most likely to find him chatting to clients on his mobile phone as he dashes between the three venues he looks after in London’s square mile.
What does a typical day look like for you?
A typical day involves popping into the office to catch up on things. While I wait for the system to load up I’ll stick the kettle on to make a coffee, then get ready for a site visit or send out requested quotes. I look after three venues in London’s square mile – Stationers Hall, Gibson Hall and the HAC (Honorable Artillery Company) – and most days I’ll visit one, if not all three. I walk between venues because it means I can stay on the phone and catch up with clients. It’s also the quickest way to travel between them. On average I’ll rack up 14,000 steps walking between the venues, and it can stretch to 20,000 on an event day. The most steps I’ve hit in one day is 35,000.
What do you love about working in technical event production?
I love the journey of an event, from the first email or call with a client, to devolving the idea, and then seeing the event right through to the end. The best part of my job is the variety. While I’ve built up a great relationship with the teams at the three venues I work with, they are all very different venues and I never really know what will happen on any given day, or where I’ll end up.
What’s the most challenging part of your job?
Managing my time. Working with three venues a 20-minute walk apart means I have to be ready for anything and may have to change my schedule at the last minute. Many times I have had to abandon my plan and run between venues with specific kit requested by a client, or that might be crucial for an event. Sometimes if there is more than one event at the same time, I’ll have to weigh-up which job I go to and which ones I leave with the assigned rig tech.
What one item do you rely on most to do your job?
My gallery of images from previous events. It’s a great tool to help clients see the possibilities of their events and enables them to see what items listed on a quote might look like. It’s also a great morale booster when things might not be going to plan.
What do you do when you’re not working?
I like cooking and playing the flugelhorn. I’ve played it since I was 11. I used to play in a brass band, but haven’t got the time to commit to that now. Every year I play it for a remembrance service at a village in Devon and Eclipse guarantees me the time off each year.
More recently I’ve learnt how to play rugby and now play in a team for the Kings Cross Steelers.
