METCO Global: Setting the Groundwork for the Evolution of Networking

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METCO Global: Setting the Groundwork for the Evolution of Networking
Ray Akhtar, Chief Executive Officer, METCO Global

Ray Akhtar, CEO, and Founder of METCO Global relays the importance of bespoke events which fortify business relationships.

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A Staff Reporter

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Published: Thu 4 May 2017, 9:44 AM

Last updated: Thu 4 May 2017, 11:57 AM

With a passion to revolutionise the events and networking industry, dynamic Ray Akhtar founded his game changing marketing and events company METCO, to fulfill the growing demands of the rapidly developing international and regional markets. Akhtar plays a multifaceted role as a CEO, managing day to day activities along with leading the company's product development and strategic vision globally. With Egyptian and Pakistani roots, the CEO was raised in Wales, United Kingdom, where the transformative firm was born in his family garage. The founder recounts his journey with the date, March 11, 2013, clearly planted in his memory, "With a limited start-up budget, in our first 12 weeks we traded from my garage which was converted into an office. In the span of six months, the business grew out of control with an insatiable need for our service. We had a headcount of 12 on our payroll and we moved into a new creative office in Cardiff Bay, which is the main business hub in Wales. Today, we are 50-plus employees, operating globally with two international offices in the U.K and Dubai, and we are strategically planning our development, marked by the prospect of a third international office in Q3 2017, which will be in the Big Apple, New York," says the CEO.
A seasoned professional with over a decade of experience in organizing and executing C-Level events globally, Ray Akhtar observed a distinctive shift in the paradigm of the MENA region. The trend for International companies to place dedicated management into their Middle Eastern operations was increasing, whilst in direct contrast, the support in terms of networking and industry education was standing still for CXOs. Based on this industry analysis, there was an imperative need for a reliable, marketing and events company that could meet the demand for education, networking and ultimately a better platform to do business. Thus, METCO Global was born to offer a niche and unique service targeting and penetrating key decision makers. "Our aim is to deliver events and bespoke marketing tools to businesses, who are looking to gain market share in the Middle East. We do this through our end user driven format and content synching peer on peer executives. The knowledge and experience in our company allows businesses to save time and money through our unique set-up. It is our aim to dramatically shorten sales cycle and provide all the tools to achieve a measurable ROI, and subsequently gain market share with enterprise businesses across the Middle East." Akhtar comments.
Exclusive Networking
A comprehensive marketing consultancy, METCO Global recognises the requirement of varying businesses and cater towards them. "We are effectively an A-Z marketing consultancy that understands every business needs. We digest pain-points of sales and marketing teams and can turn this into positive tangibles, where you can measure a tangible ROI. METCO Global is viewed as an extended sales and marketing team amongst all our clients, that's because we are driven and passionate about providing results and making an overall impact with large scale benefits. Under the METCO banner, there are five units of operation which include CXO Roundtables, Private Executive Dinners, Exhibitions & Summit Execution, Marketing Consultancy & Management, and Event Management. Our main service line provides companies with the opportunity to deepen relationships with CXO executives in the Middle East. This is through CXO Roundtables and Small - Large Business Summits. These intimate, single-sponsored sessions put you in front of buyers and decision makers targeted specifically to meet your audience and brand objectives. Our in-depth industry knowledge and independent research provide the perfect backdrop to help you increase your brand awareness and thought leadership position. Whether you are launching a new product or service, raising your company profile, or looking to network with senior-level executives, our expert team will develop the program that will be well-executed and provide the ideal vehicle to successfully convey your message." he adds.
Key to Success
METCO promises exclusivity through their crème de la crème services. "METCO's BESPOKE sessions are invitation-only events provide clients with invaluable face time in front of audiences which range from 15-20 CXOs to in the hundreds. We work with end-user technologists and business decision makers responsible for influencing, evaluating, and purchasing technology solutions and products. Our goal is to create exceptional, valuable experiences that are ideal for building dynamic, and profitable, business relationships. I've been in the industry for over a decade and between the team we have over 30 years' experience in executing events in the Middle East.
The event industry is a saturated market, there are hundreds of events which take place each year in the region and for METCO Global, we didn't just want to be another agency offering the same generic services. The market needed the next generation of events and networking, and we had the vision to bring this, and to a whole new level. We have very close relationships with enterprise end-users which allows us to do what few companies can 'Globally' and that is drive education on a peer on peer level, where it's needed."
The Global company is headquartered in the UK, which overlooks the European market with their service office in Dubai, that undertakes responsibility of Middle East, Africa, Turkey, and Egypt. "Our relationships with our clients are global and the METCO Global staff work in the live projects, our competitive edge lies in specialisation and exclusivity. We live by the philosophy of under promising and over delivering. We are driven by exceeding expectations and will stop at nothing until we achieve this. Amongst the leadership team we believe that results define leadership. But out of all this, the main pillars that gives us the competitive edge it is the relations we hold with end users, one and two the speed to which we can turn activities around. For the handful of companies globally that can do what we do, it would take them eight weeks to do what we can in two. METCO Global is renowned for delivering projects on notice and work alongside the needs of our clients." The future is exciting for METCO Global as they gear for 2020, "We believe 2020 will be a magical year for METCO Global. If I look at the past 24 months of trading, we grew by 200percent year 2 and we have just closed our first multi-million-pound year at over 300percent growth. We don't anticipate anything slowing down and we will continue to grow. By 2020 I anticipate the company having more than 100 executives on our payroll with more international offices and service lines. We are excited for 2020 and what it will bring, not just to METCO Global but to other local businesses and local entrepreneurs." he concludes.


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