David Zolkwer
Encyclopedia
David Zolkwer was born in June 1964 in Manchester, England. He is one of the world's leading producers and directors of public events and ceremonies and a Board Director of leading international design and communications company Jack Morton Worldwide
.
Zolkwer serves as both a Creative Director and Project Director/Executive Producer on major corporate and entertainment projects across the world.
Zolkwer has played a leading role in many key events around the world over the past decade, including: serving as both Project and Creative Director for the Hong Kong Handover and Farewell Ceremonies, and the acclaimed 'Money' and 'Self Portrait' Zones at the Millennium Dome
.
In 2002 he was Project Director for the ceremonies of the Manchester 2002 Commonwealth Games
and personally directed the innovative Opening Ceremony.
In 2004 he was Project Director and one of the lead Creative Directors for the highly acclaimed Ceremonies of the Athens 2004 Olympic Games. He was the only non-Greek member of the core Creative Team.
In 2006 he served as Associate Director supporting the local Jack Morton team producing the ceremonies of the Melbourne 2006 Commonwealth Games. In the same year he also directed 'Falklands 25' a commemorative event broadcast simultaneously from Horse Guards Parade, London and the Falkland Islands to mark the 25th Anniversary of the end of the Falklands conflict.
Over 2007/08 Zolkwer served as Creative Consultant and led the Jack Morton team providing technical, production and operations consultancy to the Beijing Organizing Committee
for the 2008 Olympic Games and Artistic Director Zhang Yimou
who he also supported during the extended creative bid process for the Beijing Ceremonies (as did US movie director Steven Spielberg).
In 2008 he was Project & Creative Director for the Team GB and Paralympic GB team Homecoming - staged in Trafalgar Square, London to celebrate the achievements of the British teams in Beijing.
In the recent corporate world in 2006 Zolkwer led the team responsible the creation of an event for 10,000 IBM employees in Bangalore - which was also broadcast by satellite to a further five Indian cities. He also spearheaded the launch of telecommunications giant Zain in the middle-east in 2007 (simultaneous, satellite-linked events in Sudan, Bahrain, Kuwait and Jordan) and in Africa in 2008 (simultaneous, satellite linked events in Burkina Faso, Chad, D.R.C, Gabon, Kenya, Madagascar, Malawi, Niger, Nigeria, Republic of Congo, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia).
In 2009 he conceived and directed the launch of the Delhi 2010 Queen's Baton Relay from Buckingham Palace and was Artistic Director for the Ceremonies of the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup
in South Africa
.
Zolkwer was the Artistic Director of the highly acclaimed Opening Ceremony of the 2010 FIFA World Cup again in South Africa, described by the Guardian Newspaper as "An unusually limber, oddly unstilted and bafflingly entertaining introduction to South Africa 2010". A month later he also directed the spectacular Ceremony that closed the tournament - an event that featured a surprise guest appearance by Nelson Mandela.
Also in July 2010 Zolkwer was the Artistic Director of 'Remembering Fromelles' a ceremony held exactly 94 years after the disastrous First World War battle of Fromelles in Northern France in which thousands of Australian and British troops lost their lives. During the ceremony the last of 250 British and Australian World War I troops recovered from mass graves was reburied with full military honours. The event was attended by Prince Charles, The Duke of Kent and Her Excellency, the Governor-General of Australia, Ms Quentin Bryce AC
Zolkwer is the ongoing Project & Creative Director for London's annual New Year's Eve Celebrations - a lighting, projection and firework spectacular focused around the London Eye and the River Thames attended by a live audience numbering in excess of 350,000.
Zolkwer was the Creative Director for the Celebration Sites in London's Hyde Park and Trafalgar Square created for The Royal Wedding, The Marriage of H.R.H. Prince William of Wales with Miss Catherine Middleton. The event welcomed the largest crowd ever assembled in Hyde Park.
In 2007 David Zolkwer's work and standing in the industry was recognised with the award of an honorary doctorate from London’s Middlesex University
"in recognition of his outstanding contribution to his profession and his community".
Jack Morton Worldwide
Jack Morton Worldwide is a global experiential marketing agency within the Interpublic Group of Companies. The CEO is Josh McCall, and the company’s capabilities include strategy and planning, creative and design, production, fabrication and measurement....
.
Zolkwer serves as both a Creative Director and Project Director/Executive Producer on major corporate and entertainment projects across the world.
Zolkwer has played a leading role in many key events around the world over the past decade, including: serving as both Project and Creative Director for the Hong Kong Handover and Farewell Ceremonies, and the acclaimed 'Money' and 'Self Portrait' Zones at the Millennium Dome
Millennium Dome
The Millennium Dome, colloquially referred to simply as The Dome or even The O2 Arena, is the original name of a large dome-shaped building, originally used to house the Millennium Experience, a major exhibition celebrating the beginning of the third millennium...
.
In 2002 he was Project Director for the ceremonies of the Manchester 2002 Commonwealth Games
2002 Commonwealth Games
The 2002 Commonwealth Games were held in Manchester, England from 25 July to 4 August 2002. The XVII Commonwealth Games was the largest multi-sport event ever to be held in the UK, eclipsing London's 1948 Summer Olympics in numbers of teams and athletes participating.After the 1996 Manchester...
and personally directed the innovative Opening Ceremony.
In 2004 he was Project Director and one of the lead Creative Directors for the highly acclaimed Ceremonies of the Athens 2004 Olympic Games. He was the only non-Greek member of the core Creative Team.
In 2006 he served as Associate Director supporting the local Jack Morton team producing the ceremonies of the Melbourne 2006 Commonwealth Games. In the same year he also directed 'Falklands 25' a commemorative event broadcast simultaneously from Horse Guards Parade, London and the Falkland Islands to mark the 25th Anniversary of the end of the Falklands conflict.
Over 2007/08 Zolkwer served as Creative Consultant and led the Jack Morton team providing technical, production and operations consultancy to the Beijing Organizing Committee
Beijing Organizing Committee
The The Beijing Organizing Committee for the Games of the XXIX Olympiad, or BOCOG, also known as the Beijing Organizing Committee, is an informal name for the Beijing Organizing Committee for the Games of the XXIX Olympiad. It was also the organizing committee for the Games of the XIII Paralympiad...
for the 2008 Olympic Games and Artistic Director Zhang Yimou
Zhang Yimou
Zhang Yimou is a Chinese film director, producer, writer and actor, and former cinematographer. He is counted amongst the Fifth Generation of Chinese filmmakers, having made his directorial debut in 1987 with Red Sorghum....
who he also supported during the extended creative bid process for the Beijing Ceremonies (as did US movie director Steven Spielberg).
In 2008 he was Project & Creative Director for the Team GB and Paralympic GB team Homecoming - staged in Trafalgar Square, London to celebrate the achievements of the British teams in Beijing.
In the recent corporate world in 2006 Zolkwer led the team responsible the creation of an event for 10,000 IBM employees in Bangalore - which was also broadcast by satellite to a further five Indian cities. He also spearheaded the launch of telecommunications giant Zain in the middle-east in 2007 (simultaneous, satellite-linked events in Sudan, Bahrain, Kuwait and Jordan) and in Africa in 2008 (simultaneous, satellite linked events in Burkina Faso, Chad, D.R.C, Gabon, Kenya, Madagascar, Malawi, Niger, Nigeria, Republic of Congo, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia).
In 2009 he conceived and directed the launch of the Delhi 2010 Queen's Baton Relay from Buckingham Palace and was Artistic Director for the Ceremonies of the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup
2009 FIFA Confederations Cup
The 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup was the eighth Confederations Cup, and was held in South Africa from 14 June to 28 June 2009 as a prelude to the 2010 FIFA World Cup. The draw was held on 22 November 2008 at the Sandton Convention Centre in Johannesburg. The opening match was played at Ellis Park...
in South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
.
Zolkwer was the Artistic Director of the highly acclaimed Opening Ceremony of the 2010 FIFA World Cup again in South Africa, described by the Guardian Newspaper as "An unusually limber, oddly unstilted and bafflingly entertaining introduction to South Africa 2010". A month later he also directed the spectacular Ceremony that closed the tournament - an event that featured a surprise guest appearance by Nelson Mandela.
Also in July 2010 Zolkwer was the Artistic Director of 'Remembering Fromelles' a ceremony held exactly 94 years after the disastrous First World War battle of Fromelles in Northern France in which thousands of Australian and British troops lost their lives. During the ceremony the last of 250 British and Australian World War I troops recovered from mass graves was reburied with full military honours. The event was attended by Prince Charles, The Duke of Kent and Her Excellency, the Governor-General of Australia, Ms Quentin Bryce AC
Zolkwer is the ongoing Project & Creative Director for London's annual New Year's Eve Celebrations - a lighting, projection and firework spectacular focused around the London Eye and the River Thames attended by a live audience numbering in excess of 350,000.
Zolkwer was the Creative Director for the Celebration Sites in London's Hyde Park and Trafalgar Square created for The Royal Wedding, The Marriage of H.R.H. Prince William of Wales with Miss Catherine Middleton. The event welcomed the largest crowd ever assembled in Hyde Park.
In 2007 David Zolkwer's work and standing in the industry was recognised with the award of an honorary doctorate from London’s Middlesex University
Middlesex University
Middlesex University is a university in north London, England. It is located in the historic county boundaries of Middlesex from which it takes its name. It is one of the post-1992 universities and is a member of Million+ working group...
"in recognition of his outstanding contribution to his profession and his community".