Entec Sound & Light is delighted to announce that over the last month, Jo Beirne and Lee Stennett have joined the company in full-time positions at its Northolt, west London premises. Reporting directly to MD Noreen O’Riordan, Beirne takes on the newly created role of Business Development Co-ordinator while Stennett comes onboard as Senior Lighting Technician.
Earning her ‘industry stripes’ through jobs with Virgin Records and Bamn Management, as well as working for Production North on Westlife’s début tour, Edinburgh-born Beirne later became one of the ‘pioneer’ staff at XL Video following its launch in the UK in 2000, and remained with the company until shortly after its acquisition by PRG.
“That was my big break,” she said, “and working as a project manager for XL over the next 15+ years was a truly amazing experience as I literally watched concert video grow up, first-hand. As well as building some very solid, lasting relationships with colleagues and clients that I treasure, it was a valuable education that continues to serve me well.
“I had been missing the camaraderie that you get with a close-knit team of people, so when Noreen offered me this new position, completely out of the blue, I instinctively knew it would be a good move.”
Hailing from the Isle of Man, Stennett has been involved in entertainment production since his school days and took a B.Sc (Hons) course in Sound, Light & Live Event Technology at the University of Derby before working as a lighting engineer aboard prestigious Cunard cruise ships including the Queen Elizabeth. “It was a good environment in which to learn how to handle real-world technical situations,” said Stennett, who went on to lend his developing skills as a programmer to a number of theatres and install projects.
“I returned to the Isle of Man a few years ago and realised that the local market for what I do is quite stagnant compared to elsewhere in the UK, so I moved to London with the intention of developing as a freelancer. I had only been there a couple of months when a mutual acquaintance introduced me to Noreen, who presented me with this wonderful opportunity.” continued Stennett.
A month after joining Entec, Beirne and Stennett are settling into their respective roles and enjoying the new set of challenges. “Some of the friendliest people in the industry are right here at Entec and throughout my career I’ve always been aware of the company’s excellent reputation, so I’m in a very good place right now,” commented Beirne.
“There’s a positive, family vibe about Entec that you don’t find too often in a business that is becoming increasingly corporatised,” said Stennett. “Working on recent jobs such as the Jay Chou’s production at SSE Arena Wembley made me appreciate the sheer scale of what Entec can achieve. It’s fantastic to be part of a team that is not only in touch with market trends but also maintains a genuine heart and soul.”