We round up the latest movements from the ticketing sector and associated industries…
Seat Unique has announced a new chair, former Sky Bet chief executive Richard Flint (pictured left).
Flint has been part of Seat Unique’s board since November 2021 and will make the step up to chair with immediate effect. He said: “I have long been interested in the premium ticketing business, particularly as it moves online and becomes more accessible to individuals and families who are prepared to pay a little bit extra for truly memorable experiences.
“There is a huge opportunity here for Seat Unique to become the trusted partner to sports clubs and music venues, and the trusted source of premium tickets for interested customers.”
Prior to his role with Sky Bet, Flint held positions at the Financial Times and McKinsey & Sky. He is also an Oxford and Harvard University graduate in Engineering, Economics and Management and Public Policy.
Robin Sherry, CEO and founder of Seat Unique, added: “We are privileged to have Richard onboard as chairman. He brings wealth of experience and leadership and will support us as we enter an exciting period of growth.
“From a personal point of view, I am delighted to be working with Richard on a regular basis. His expertise and guidance will help in many ways, making the VIP experience even more accessible for fans who want to enjoy great events.”
Ticketing and live entertainment company TEG has promoted Tane Oakes from enterprise architect to chief technology officer, to lead its Sydney-based team.
Oakes has over nine years of experience at TEG and its ticketing business Ticketek, working with software partners such as Amazon Web Services and Databricks.
Group CEO of TEG Geoff Jones said: “Tane has been the lynchpin of TEG and Ticketek’s technology transformation in the past decade as we have expanded our presence into 30 countries around the world with more than 40 live entertainment brands underpinned by an unrivalled digital ticketing and data platform.
“Tane is a dynamic and talented leader, and we are thrilled that he is stepping up to this critical role as live entertainment and TEG prepare to come roaring back in 2022 and we continue our growth into new markets.”
Elsewhere, Manchester International Festival (MIF) has announced that Low Kee Hong will be joining in April 2022 to work alongside artistic director and CEO John McGrath and MIF’s curatorial team.
He will help to develop the artistic programme for The Factory, which is currently being built and will be the permanent year-round home for the MIF.
Kee Hong is currently the head of theatre, performing arts at West Kowloon Cultural District in Hong Kong. His previous roles include artistic director and general manager of Singapore Arts Festival and founding director and general manager of the Singapore Biennale.
He said: “I am truly honoured and excited to be given this amazing opportunity to work with Manchester International Festival and The Factory. It is an organisation I have always admired for its visionary and bold take on what tomorrow can look like.
“I look forward to working with a team of amazing humans who firmly believe in the extraordinary and transformative experience of the arts for our communities as we build towards futures we all want to be part of.”
Christopher Spano has joined Prolific 1, a distribution partner across the sports and entertainment industries, as executive vice-president of business and development.
Spano was previously vice-president of ticketing for Major League Soccer’s Orland City SC.
Mike Garvie, CEO of Prolific 1, said: “Prolific 1 is excited to welcome Chris to our team. With his extensive background in the ticketing industry, we look forward to leveraging his knowledge and expertise in further developing our business and partnerships across the live event space.”
Activity Stream, a provider of information and technology services, has announced Lucy Crowe as its sales director in the UK, after the company decided to target this market in 2022.
Crowe is the first member of the UK team and is based in London. She has over 15 years of experience in the ticketing and events industry, and has held roles with ATG, Seetickets and Thespie.
“I am very proud to be joining the innovative team at Activity Stream, a company with a mission, approach and values that inspire me,” said Crowe. “Developing new ways to help more people to enjoy the magic of live entertainment feels more important than ever right now.”
Martin Gammeltoft added: “We are excited to have Lucy join the team. With her strong industry background and network across the UK, I’m sure she’ll be able to help bring the value of Activity Stream to more theatres and performing arts organisations, helping them improve their marketing and communications.”
Milan Rokic has joined entertainment company AEG as its senior vice-president of AEG Presents Asia.
Prior to his new role, he was the CEO and founder of Sliding Doors Entertainment for almost seven years. The company specialised in promoting, producing and marketing live entertainment.
Aamir Javaid has been promoted to the head of ticketing at English Championship club Birmingham City FC. Javaid has previously held roles as disability co-ordinator and ticketing manager and has worked at the club for over eight years.
Do you have news of an appointment that we should know about? Get in touch by emailing [email protected] and we’ll include it in our next round-up.