This year marks 12 years since WL’s Senior Account Manager and Creative Producer Richard Stirzaker joined the company. He recalls: “My first experience of WL was after I graduated from Rose Bruford Lighting Design course and joined for three months casual work in the events department. This was just supposed to be over the Christmas period but, at the end of three months, they offered me a full time position in the team. Not only was the role interesting but the company was really friendly and everyone made me feel extremely welcome”.
Richard joined the team full time as a Project Manager, which saw him oversee event logistics and work closely with clients to ensure the brief was delivered on time and on budget. Over the years, his role has developed and grown with the business. In his current role as, WL’s Senior Account Manager and Creative Producer He explains: “With my role now, it’s much more focused on working with clients at the initial planning stages to try and bring their specific briefs to life. It’s a very visual job that requires me to be imaginative and it’s something I love doing”.
So having worked at the company for over a decade, what are Richard’s highlights? He explains: “One of the most exciting events I worked on was the Evening Standard Progress 1000 Awards in the unopened Canary Wharf Cross Rail station in 2016. The event design was to create an organic lighting effect across the reception space for 1000 guests in the new ticket hall. As a result, we hung 1200 LED spheres on the ceiling of the space and mapped them to create a beautiful reception environment. Other memorable events including the re-opening on Hinzte Hall at the Natural History Museum along with the London Eye’s 10th birthday in which we created a party beneath the wheel itself!”.
Having now worked at WL for over a decade, Richard is looking forward to what the future holds. He explains: “The company has grown exponentially since I started which is obviously really exciting as it means we’re working on more ambitious, innovative projects than ever before. I look forward to continuing working closely with old and new clients to deliver their creative vision and create more unforgettable events”.