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Each person has been hand-picked. Yes, we are all human, but I find myself working with a remarkable group of people.
DUNCAN RILEY FOUNDER OF DWR DISTRIBUTION
DWR is a fairly young company. What made you take the leap from just working in the entertainment industry to starting up your own company? I didn’t want to have regrets when I was older. My view was that if the venture didn’t work out, well, at least I tried. The relationship with people is very important to me. By starting my own company I could make the decisions on how my friends and customers were treated.
‘It’s all about the people’ seems to be a motto for DWR, how does this contribute to the company? On many days the office is like a train station. People stopping by to view equipment or just to have a cup of coffee. Our staff are all very approachable and we’ve built up relationships with our clients. They all know that we’re here to help in the case of an emergency.
There is a real sense of friends and family surrounding DWR. What advantages and disadvantages does this bring to the company? The advantages outweigh the disadvantages. Everyone is straight, honest and open with each other. We also often see each other socially too.
This year will mark the company’s 5th anniversary, what have been the significant milestones over that time? The most important thing and what I’m proud of is our team. Each person has been hand-picked. Yes,
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we are all human, but I find myself working with a remarkable group of people. From inception, we have had the opportunity of representing fantastic brands, which makes us that much more credible.
Despite the company’s infancy, it represents a number of major brands including Robe, Vari-Lite, Avolites, MA Lighting, LSC, Prolyte, Le Maitre, and MDG. More recently you have been appointed to distribute Philips Strand and Selecon. What do you think makes DWR stand out in the South African market? A lot of overseas suppliers obviously want a distributor that they can have a relationship with. If the relationship works at both ends, and the distributor has a good relationship with their clients, it’s so much easier and all parties benefit; the supplier, the distributor and the client. It’s that simple.
What is the most memorable DWR project to date? DWR’s involvement with Gearhouse South Africa supplying equipment to the Closing Ceremony of the 2010 World Cup.
Where do you see DWR in 10 years time? I don’t want to be bigger. Hopefully we’ll have the same team and we’ll have streamlined all aspects of the business to give everyone more time at home.
For those who may not have experienced the South African market first hand, how would you
sum it up? On a par with Europe but on a smaller scale and with twice as much passion. We’re an infant market with big dreams.
How would you compare South Africa today to 20 years ago? Incomparable. Since 1992 you can’t really compare it, the country has changed for the better and the next 20 years will only get better.
Tell us something surprising about yourself? In my spare time, which is not much, I enjoy partaking in National Enduro Events in South Africa on my KTM off road motorcycle.
If you could choose one book, one film, and one song to describe yourself and who you are what would they be and why? I haven’t read a book in a long time. I lie in the bath reading trade, bike and car magazines. Jerry Maquire is the movie that comes to mind. Five years ago when I left my previous employment, Mark Gaylard (MGG Productions) phoned me and said, ‘show me the money’. We watched the movie again and it was appropriate for that time of my life, when I was starting off with nothing. It still makes me smile. My favourite song is by Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, The Ship Song. Listen to it and you will understand.
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