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ndependent technology consultancy Visual Acuity is expanding once again, this time appointing Damian Andrews to the position of Lead Consultant, Project Development. Andrews brings a fresh perspective to the consultancy with a wealth of experience working in various project roles ranging from client user, owner,operator and integrator.
This key role has both internal and customer-facing dimensions, as Blair Parkin, Managing Director, Visual Acuity, explains:
“The technological scope of our work continues to develop, as does our geographical reach – we are currently working on projects as far afield as Asia, the Middle East, the US and Europe.
“Damian will lead and champion our customers' interests and provide advice and support to architects, building engineers, vendors and other service providers on each project.”
In addition to project-management expertise, Andrews also brings specialist skills in stage lighting and production to the party – significantly broadening Visual Acuity's range of technological competencies as the diversity of the company's customer base continues to grow.
Andrews' industry experience dates back to the mid-1990s when, while studying for a Diploma in Audio Visual Design, he worked in the technical department of the UK's Middlesbrough Theatre. He subsequently studied Electrical Engineering for Theatre, before embarking on a large-scale musical as production electrician and working as Company Stage Manager for the Carl Rosa Opera Company. Several years travelling the world as a technical manager in the cruise-ship industry culminated in the appointment as Senior Production Manager on the Queen Mary 2 overseeing the operation of multiple and varied entertainment spaces.
“The QM2 featured the world's first Planetarium at Sea, and it was while working there that I developed a passion for planetarium design, technology and content,” Andrews explains. “After returning to dry land to work as an event technician and convention-centre operations manager in New Zealand, I was delighted to be approached by Sky-Skan, Inc., to work on a planetarium installation for them there.”
Andrews subsequently worked on other planetarium projects for Sky-Skan all over the world, including the California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco – which is where he first came to the attention of Visual Acuity. He now joins Visual Acuity from Staging Connections, an event services company in Melbourne, Australia, where he was Operations Manager. Prior to that, he was Technical Director and Chief Lighting Technician at the Gaiety Theatre, Dublin, Ireland.
Andrews has returned to the UK where he will be based at Visual Acuity's Brighton HQ. “This appointment gives me the perfect opportunity to use the skills I have gained from working in varied industries around the globe, to compliment what is already a well-respected and experienced team,” he concludes. “I am absolutely delighted to be joining Visual Acuity.”