"It was 1994 and Clay Paky was exhibiting at SIB in Rimini, Italy, at that time one of the most representative fairs for our industry," said Pasquale Quadri, chairman of Clay Paky. "A young man turned up and suggested the company he worked for, Doka, should become Clay Paky distributor on the Russian market. He was Alexander Fokichev, the current General Manager of Doka."
Doka was already a well-established company in Russia at that time. Their target was almost exclusively the theatre market. Fokichev was impressed by the quality of our lights and the innovative nature of our products, especially the moving lights, like the Golden Scan. He therefore proposed a partnership to help Clay Paky develop on the Russian market. This allowed the Italian company to establish itself in very little time on the stages of major Russian theatres - famous throughout the world - such as the Bolshoi, Mariinsky, Alexandrinsky, Novosibirsk and many others. The lights were also quickly successful in the TV, corporate and live sectors in Russia.
The partnership between the two companies is still very firm and lively, and is reinforced by the strong friendship which ties its participants.
Alexander Fokichev, Doka's general manager, said: "For my part, Clay Paky is above all a fantastic group of people, besides being the leader in professional lighting from time immemorial. I have always been honoured to represent Clay Paky in Russia, and I am sure we will always find fresh enthusiasm and new incentives to work profitably together in the future."
(Jim Evans)
