There is no avoiding the reality that the current geopolitical climate and conflict in the Middle East have led to the postponement of much of the region’s events calendar. With this enforced downtime, companies are increasingly looking to diversify their offerings. One such company is ES:ME, which is using this period to expand the wider application of its Rope Access services. Keen to raise awareness of this offering within the industry, the company’s CEO, Alexander Wuerfel, explained to TPiMEA how these capabilities could aid production and venue organisers for future events.
You’d be hard-pressed to find anyone in live events who doesn’t have the deepest respect for riggers; the people responsible for creating the structural backbone of the world’s greatest events. However, according to Wuerfel – an experienced rigger in his own right – there is a misconception about the distinction between rigging and high-ropes qualifications. “They are two completely different trades,” stated the CEO, who explained that many working within his team are both qualified riggers as well as qualified in high ropes.
Since 2007, ES:ME has offered rigging, staging, lighting, audio and AV integration, but the company’s Rope Access Division extends this expertise into areas that are otherwise unreachable. With IRATA-certified specialists and ISO-accredited systems, ES:ME can provide reliable solutions for working at height in confined or complex spaces.
IRATA (Industrial Rope Access Trade Association) is a global authority on work-at-height training and certification. Those qualified must pass three levels of certification, the last of which requires workers to have more than 4,500 hours of working at height. At ES:ME, all rope access operations are overseen by IRATA Level 3 supervisors to ensure safety, compliance, and operational excellence.
“This enables us to do work on shows such as the Burj Khalifa for both firework displays and lighting installations,” commented Wuerfel. “Similar to two years ago, we worked on a huge project called Dialogue for the Noor Riyadh Festival [see TPiMEA issue #46], where we installed hundreds of moving lights on two skyscrapers; this is only possible with our team with rope access accreditation.”
Adam Mason leads the company’s rope team. With almost two decades of experience in his field, he has worked on stadium rigging, inspection support, and live entertainment across the GCC and Europe. In total, there are at least 10 full-time members of staff within the ES:ME team who are both qualified riggers and have high-ropes certifications, as well as a large database of freelancers to call upon.
ES:ME’s joint AV knowledge, in tandem with its rope access capability, means the company can offer a unique service in the market. “We have a thorough understanding of the technical side as well as proficiency at working at height,” enthused Wuerfel.
Alongside delivering complex installations on sites such as skyscrapers, ES:ME also provides a service working with venues – predominantly stadiums – to best prepare for the elevated productions that often accompany large sporting events. From opening and closing ceremonies to halftime shows, the demands on these venues from a rigging standpoint have never been greater. However, according to the team at ES:ME, rope access provides a smarter, safer and more efficient solution for venues and event environments where downtime is not an option. Unlike scaffolding or heavy machinery, rope access provides maximum reach with minimal footprint.
As stadiums become increasingly multipurpose, Wuerfel believes that investing in the evaluation of a venue’s infrastructure has never been more important. “There are a lot of stadium refurbishments going on in the MENA region at the moment,” stated the CEO, highlighting Morocco’s preparation for the 2030 World Cup.
Wuerfel is keen to speak to any venue operators who would like to hear from the ES:ME team on how to better prepare for modern productions. In the past five years, the company has worked on several high-profile shows in this capacity, including the FIFA World Cup Opening Ceremony in 2022, as well as stadium branding, screen installations, and structural inspections for the event itself the year after. The team also worked on the FIFA Arab Cup Opening Ceremony in both 2021 and 2025 in Qatar. For the latter event, approximately 400 hanging points were installed using rope access technicians for this TPiMEA Award-winning production. ES:ME also provided a dedicated Rope Rescue Team on standby for all other stakeholders and suppliers throughout the event.
The CEO also explained that, in addition to providing a solution for events, the high rope offering also helps venue longevity, from painting and leak detection to high-level maintenance with minimal disruption.
Even before events are welcomed back into venues across the region, the team at ES:ME is ready to assist with space maintenance or consult on future events and how they might support their execution.
Photos: ES:ME
