ASM Global Adds To UK Programming Team, Opens Singapore Office

ASM Global has appointed two new hires to its programming department in the UK: Tom Saunders, who joins as Programming Manager, and Katie Morgan, who joins as Programming Assistant.

Saunders and Morgan will work alongside James Harrison, Programming Director, and Dave Hough, Programming Manager, as part of a new central programming team, responsible for live entertainment and sports content across ASM Global’s UK venues; AO Arena Manchester, Bonus Arena Hull, First Direct Arena Leeds, The SSE Arena, Wembley, Utilita Arena Newcastle, and the York Barbican, as well as supporting Aberdeen’s P&J Live.

Commenting on the appointments, James Harrison said, “I’m delighted that Tom and Katie have joined our team, bringing expertise, insight and energy to the company, as our venues return to doing what they do best. 

“We have a proposition that’s unique in the UK, with venues spanning the length and breadth of the country. This department offers a single point of contact for promoters, producers and partners to help route their tours across our portfolio of venues, with a combined capacity of over 70,000 tickets on any given night.”

 

John Boyle, Executive Vice President of Content for ASM Global, added, “Our goal at ASM Global is to bring the greatest entertainment and sporting experiences to our venues around the world. Our network of iconic venues in the UK is something we are particularly proud of. With Tom and Katie joining our already exceptional programming team of James and Dave, we can ensure that our commitment to content excellence in the UK is fully delivered. We wholeheartedly welcome Tom and Katie to our ASM Global Content team.”

 

John Sharkey, Executive Vice President, ASM Global Europe, said, “Looking after our clients and dealing with the complexity of the portfolio calendar has never been more important and we’re delighted that Tom and Katie are coming on board – it’s fantastic to be in such a strong position to look after our clients in the best way possible!”

The entertainment giant also announced the expansion of its APAC business by opening an office in Singapore. It will serve as the company’s headquarters in the region.

ASM Global Singapore will have a joint leadership team comprising two long-term industry specialists. The first is Executive Vice President Operations Paul Sergeant, OBE, a veteran 30-year venue management industry leader who has been with ASM Global for three years, most recently as senior vice president.

The second is Ed Sanderson, who has been appointed as executive vice president of venue development. Sanderson boasts a thorough understanding of the Asia business environment, with 20 years of commercial and operational experience in venues and facilities across Asia, most recently with Populous. 

Both Sergeant and Sanderson are expected to take up their roles in Singapore by the end of the year.

ASM Global’s APAC projects include the under-construction Kai Tak Sports Park, considered ‘the most important sports infrastructure in Hong Kong”; the recently unveiled Shenzhen World Exhibition and Convention Center, “the greenest and smartest venue in the world,” by ASM Global’s own admission. 

The company also cites “six future arenas confirmed to be managed by ASM Global in the region as examples of the area’s vast potential.” ASM Global’s APAC business is headed by Chairman and Chief Executive Harvey Lister AM, who said he was excited and confident about the expansion of the company into Asia and looked forward to working closely with the team on the ground on future development opportunities.

ASM Global CEO and President Ron Bension commented, “We believe that this part of the world is ready for a phase of robust growth, and we’re investing in personnel and plans to ensure we’re at the forefront of a significant growth curve.”

Lister added, “This is an exciting development and reinforcement of the importance of this region to our organization and the expansion of our regionally based business activities. Having our ASM Global APAC industry professionals like Paul and Ed on the ground will bring a wealth of local knowledge and experience to our operations.”