GELS 2026 | The people behind event logistics | Farah Minwalla

What does it really take to deliver a world-class event?

In this presentation from the Global Event Logistics Summit 2026 in Bangkok, Farah Minwalla, City Management at Expo City Dubai, shares the people side of logistics through stories from her career with Cirque du Soleil, YouTube FanFest, Expo 2020 Dubai and Expo City Dubai.

Rather than focusing on freight, venues or technology alone, she explains why the biggest challenges are often human. From solving a midnight emergency during Japan's Golden Week to managing international touring productions, navigating the uncertainty of the pandemic and coordinating large-scale events across multiple stakeholders, every experience reinforces one message: people make logistics work.

Farah also shares five practical lessons that every logistics and event professional can apply. She explains why strong administration forms the foundation of operations, why calm leadership matters during a crisis, why flexibility is essential when plans change, why relationships are the true infrastructure behind successful events, and why clear communication keeps complex operations moving.