Meet our people: Simon Kong
With nearly three decades of experience in the events industry, Simon brings a wealth of knowledge and technical expertise to his role as Senior AV Project Manager at Te Pae Christchurch. He joined the team almost three years ago and has since played a pivotal role in delivering seamless audiovisual experiences across a wide range of events hosted at the venue.
Before stepping into his position at Te Pae, Simon worked as a bicycle mechanic – a role that may seem worlds apart from event production but one that reflects his eye for detail and hands-on, problem-solving approach. His longstanding passion for live events, however, goes much further back. Over the course of his career, Simon has been involved in every aspect of event delivery, from production and logistics to audiovisual design and execution. He also holds a degree in Event Management from Ara Institute of Canterbury, further grounding his practical experience.
What inspired you to be an AV professional?
My dad was into electronics, and part of his job involved working with film projectors and public address systems, so I grew up around tech and was rewiring the stereo when I was just a kid. My older brother was a tech before me, so while it felt like I just sort of “fell into it,” I’ve always had an affinity with systems and technology.
My technical career has been very diverse, but I started in corporate AV in the early 2000s in Queenstown. While my background is in music festivals and live shows, there is also something to be said for a working environment that includes carpets and air conditioning.
What do you like the most about your job?
The events and technical industry took a big hit during COVID. A lot of people left the industry. I came to work at Te Pae to support an industry that has essentially built me into who I am today. It is a privilege to contribute my part to rebuilding capacity and capability within our industry.
Now more than ever, it is important that we attract young people to work in events. Te Pae provides a great platform for people to launch their careers and gain significant exposure to the events industry. Helping to drive the AV side of the business at Te Pae and creating the growth that facilitates those opportunities for the next generation has been my key motivation.
How is working at Te Pae different from other organisations?
Ultimately, it has been a very valuable exposure to and education in professional best practice. The fact that we operate under ISO standards, alongside high standards in health and safety and sustainability, can be incredibly challenging at times. However, the work has shown me the value of meeting these standards.
Engaging with and embracing the complexities of corporate management has professionally levelled me up. As a result, working at Te Pae has made me more prepared and confident as a business professional. At every level, Te Pae has shown me what striving to be world-class involves. It is certainly demanding, but the venue provides the opportunity to engage with high standards and see the outcomes of putting in the work.
What is the project you are most proud of at Te Pae?
Opening a new building and setting up new management systems with a junior team, while being fully booked and under operational pressure, is a real challenge. Finding a way through this period, embedding systems and processes, learning how the building works, how the business systems operate, and pulling the team together to configure everything so we could focus on delivering events has taken a considerable amount of energy
Venues like Te Pae, purpose-built for events, provide an incredible platform for exceptional event experiences. There is so much potential in the building, and that potential extends beyond the walls to the city, the region and the wider events industry.
Helping people connect their own personal aspirations to the opportunities available in the work is what I am most proud of.
What inspires you?
At many levels, I am the classic event professional - I’ve seen it all, or I’m waiting to see the next amazing thing when it arrives.
Technology has been the main inspiration and motivator for most of my life. These days it’s perhaps more esoteric things. A well-appointed green space in a city, efficient public transport, riding my bike on an overgrown trail, jumping into cold water, watching the light change at sunrise, having moments to see the world in a different light.
Any hobbies or interests?
Music and DJing have been a “hobby” for most of my life. They’ve allowed me to be involved in many aspects of cultural life and have driven much of my technical career.
These days, I’ve swapped DJing for riding bikes, racing cyclocross and working on reducing my carbon footprint. Finding ways to meet the challenges of living with climate change means a lot to me. It’s complex, but the most significant challenge ahead of us.
