AEG Ogden Confirms Thomas Ovesen For Dubai Arena

Australia-based AEG Ogden announced Thomas Ovesen as vice president of programming for the upcoming 17,000-seat Dubai Arena. He becomes CEO Guy Ngata’s first senior management hire. 

– Thomas Ovesen

Ovesen has worked in the Middle East for 17 years, as CEO of live events company 117 Live, overseeing the launch of the new Autism Rocks Arena – which hosted international drawcards such as Nicki Minaj, Gabriel Iglesias, Elton John , Bryan Adams, Guns N’ Roses, Justin Bieber andEd Sheeran – as well as Mirage Promotions, AEG Live and Done Events.

AEG Ogden CEO and Chairman Harvey Lister said Ovesen “comes well equipped to handle the challenge of delivering a world-class events calendar for Dubai and the Middle East region.

“His understanding of the region and the local live entertainment scene and its players will be vital to Guy and his management team as they plan an event schedule second to none anywhere, ahead of the Arena’s opening in 2019.”

Ovesen’s appointment comes into effect early 2018, and says the state-of-the-art indoor venue “will be a game changer for live entertainment here in the Middle East.” He adds, “I intend tapping into the AEG touring and venue network and most importantly, working with all the regional promoters as well as the top talents, their agents and managers of the global touring and music world.

AEG Ogden will operate Dubai Arena on behalf of Meraas, a Dubai-based holding company. AEG Ogden’s network in the Asia Pacific region includes arenas in Sydney, Brisbane, Perth and Newcastle and three in China, convention centres with entertainment theatre inclusions in Sydney, Brisbane, Cairns, Darwin, Kuala Lumpur and Oman, plus the 52,000-seat Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane.