Clive Bowen, "Racing Resorts"
Manage episode 295229302 series 2834982
Clive Bowen is a man truly shaped by his early career experiences; from his days at Rolls Royce to his years working with a large Saudi group before entering into the world of motor racing and him emerging as a world leader in building Racing Resorts around the world:
Key Highlights
- Studying mechanical engineering and landing first job at Rolls Royce (Aerospace)
- Moving on to Wright Machinery (PPM). Amazing experience serving clients in Middle East – commencement of project management responsibility
- Middle East stories from late 80s. A territory which changed dramatically each year for 20 years.
- Great Lessons and stories from running Haldir Ltd., a division of a Saudi group for nine years. Commencement of the ‘always under promise and over deliver’ mantra
- 1997, meeting Paul Berger in Dubai and various other motorsports luminaries. Entry into the motorsport industry, initially as a hobby, then as a profession
- Pitching Dubai Autodrome for four years with Paul Berger. Cutting a deal with Union Properties, working with HOK Sports (now Populous). First design for a track and masterplan for a venue
- West Surrey Racing days - six years in Touring cars with MG – even becoming ‘team principal’ of the Junior MG BTCC team that launched the career of Colin Turkington
- Dubai Autodrome stories; how it evolved as a major property development
- Next Apex project in Iceland and how 2008/09 financial crisis killed it
- Development of first "Race Resort", Hampton Downs Motorsports Park, New Zealand
- Various Karting design and construction projects in Middle East
- Herman Tilke, mutual respect - positioning Apex purposely below his F1 tracks
- Difference in company philosophy: Tilke ‘race circuit focus’ vs ‘venue with a race circuit inside’ focus for Apex
- Pragmatic approach to developing leads in the industry: 1 in 100 chance a lead turns into a construction project; Apex has had over 2000 inquiries, 200 project codes, turned into 20 construction projects. Typical five years lead time from enquiry to venue
- Difference between a race drivers point of view vs a designer's on what constitutes a great track
- What makes an ultimate race track?
- Race Resort Projects in China
- Insights into the new Miami F1 track
- Potential new Race Resort in South East Asia
About Clive Bowen
I established Apex Circuit Design Ltd in 1997 and developed it to become a world-leader in the field of motor race circuit design, engineering and master planning. My team and I design cost-effective, relevant, multi revenue, multi-use motorsport based entertainment destinations.
In 2009 we were appointed the FIA Institute Facilities Advisory Partner on a multi-year contract to support projects which are grant funded by the FIA Motor Sport Development Fund. Our service is to provide commercially and environmentally sustainable master plan designs for race destinations anywhere in the World.
We pride ourselves on creating exciting, interesting and commercially viable race track designs and currently have projects on 5 continents.
Our master planning services are accepted as among the World's finest. We are considered the de facto choice for commercial developers even in today's harsh economic climate.
We aim to meet the future needs of environmentally sustainable developments whilst also supporting and nurturing motorsport from the grass roots to the highest levels
Specialties: Race Circuit Design (Road course, street circuit, temporary circuit), Motor Sport Destination design, Entertainment Destination design, Master Planning services, Motor Sport event management, Motor Sport operational management, Motor Sport sustainability consultancy, Motor Sport environmental consultancy.
Please review our website at www.apexcircuitdesign.com for further information.
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