March 2017

106 APAC / March 2017 , Simon Auston of Reddawn Australia talks to APAC Insider about the firmand its ongoing strategy for success. Secure Surroundings Reddawn is a niche provider of security services in markets where its clients value customer service and guest experience. This includes theme parks, places of public interest, festivals and events. Simon elaborates about the business and its ongoing strategy. “Our business is really simple,” he states. “We take time to understand what our clients need, find the best people for each environment, train them to operate within that environment, to deliver great guest experiences and to respond to threats if they occur. Then we look after them so they stick around. If we have the best people we have happy customers. We also look out for ways to help our clients grow. “Their growth will supplement ours. “With regards to the approach we take to develop the company successfully, I will just say that good people are hard to find and even harder to keep, surround yourself with the right people and things will come together. Every business has its challenges you just have to trust your chosen path and stick to it, business is a marathon not a sprint to the finish. “Technology permeates everything we do now. We like to think we are early adopters and our tech provides tools that take a lot of the guesswork out of what we do. From complex tools to model how crowds behave, through to audit and compliance tools and then simple technology like mobile phones – it has changed the way we operate.” The industry in the Asia-Pacific region has a heavy compliance burden and is, at times, consumed by red-tape. “Outside of that, variations in the AU$ tend to create some cycles in the event market which we have had to adapt to by finding new markets,” comments Simon. “The compliance burden has increased, which has added significantly to our overhead and reduced the pool of labour we have had available. We’ve responded by implementing technology to assist and enhancing our training to attract better candidates. “In the APAC region the threat of terror is one that can’t be overlooked. It is an unfortunate element of society that has led us to develop our team to respond to a range of threats that, five years ago, we were laughed at by clients when we included them in our risk assessments. As a business, it has created opportunity, however we’d much prefer a world where these threats didn’t exist.” Simon tells us what makes him tick and keeps him motivated to ensure his continuing success as CEO. “I really enjoy it and we work with some great people that always find ways to inspire me. It’s easy to stay motivated when the people you surround yourself with share a similar philosophy. “You have to be honest with yourself and accept the challenges head on to ensure the stability of the company.” With future aspirations for increased growth, Simon tells us where he hopes to be with Reddawn in the next five years. “Reddawn Australia has invested into a range of companies ranging from RTOs to Music Festivals, Restaurants and Sponsors Activations which I’m sure will keep me busy. “We want Reddawn to continue to grow and be a market leader in training, education and providing personnel where guest experience is as important as being able to maintain a safe, secure environment and respond to any threats presented.” K Company: Reddawn Australia Pty Ltd Name: Simon Auston Email: [email protected] Web Address: www.reddawn.com.au Address: PO Box 6084 Malabar NSW 2036 Telephone: 1800 REDDAWN 1701AP32