We round up the latest movements from the ticketing ecosystem…
Einar Þór Gústafsson has left his role of vice-president of product and engineering at Tix Ticketing after one year. He has taken up a new position as product manager at Gangverk, a software company based in Reykjavik.
More specifically, Þór Gústafsson will be working on The Key, with a focus on healthcare and wellness.
Ole Hertel (pictured) has been appointed vice-president and managing director of Anschutz Entertainment Group Operations, the operating company of the Mercedes-Benz Arena. He was previously the general manager of the venue.
Hertel will assume overall operational responsibility alongside Uwe Frommhold, vice-president and chief operating officer of AEG, who was previously registered solely as managing director of Berlin’s largest arena.
Frommhold said: “Ole Hertel is one of the most proven and competent managers in the German event industry. He helped open the Mercedes-Benz Arena and played a decisive role in its continued success. Therefore, I am personally very pleased to be able to hand over responsibility to him now.”
Hertel has worked for AEG in Berlin since 2008 and was initially responsible for the events division at the Mercedes-Benz Arena before becoming general manager in 2020. Prior to joining AEG, he headed up event management at the Olympic Stadium in Berlin.
He added: “Both the recent past and the immediate future represent probably the greatest challenges that not only the Mercedes-Benz Arena, but the entire industry has had to and will have to face. I would like to express my gratitude for the trust placed in me by AEG, but above all I value it as recognition of all the employees of the Mercedes-Benz Arena.”
Hollywood Park has named Russell Gordon as its vice-president and general manager of YouTube Theater, a 6,000-seat performance venue. Hollywood Park is a 300-acre sports and entertainment destination in Inglewood, California that houses SoFi Stadium, and is being developed by Los Angeles Rams owner and chairman, Stanley Kroenke.
Gordon will be responsible for the evaluation and execution of events at YouTube Theater, and will report to Otto Benedict, the senior vice-president, campus and facility operations at SoFi Stadium and Hollywood Park.
Before joining SoFi Stadium and Hollywood Park, Gordon served as the vice-president, venue operations and special projects for Oak View Group.
Jason Gannon, managing director of SoFi Stadium and Hollywood Park, said: “Russell’s vast network of relationships and deep understanding of the live music industry make him a strong addition to our team.
“His leadership and expertise in opening and operating music and entertainment venues will be vital to the development of YouTube Theater’s growth in the marketplace. ”
Nadine Dorries has stepped down as Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport in the UK.
Dorries held the position between 2021 and 2022 but stepped down after Liz Truss became leader of the Conservative and subsequently Prime Minister of the UK.
Truss has appointed Michelle Donelan, Member of Parliament (MP) for Whitley as the new Culture Secretary.
London’s Southbank Centre has appointed Adem Holness as head of contemporary music.
Holness is currently the relationship manager (music) at Arts Council England and a programme consultant at the Dugdale Arts Centre in Enfield. He will take on his new role at Southbank Centre from mid-September.
Holness will lead the venue’s contemporary music team and will be responsible for curating and overseeing more than 150 music events.
Do you have news of an appointment that we should know about? Get in touch by emailing news.editor@theticketingbusiness.com and we’ll include it in our next Wednesday round-up…